The result of a too-warm cellar is that the wines age more quickly. Too hot, and the wine tends to be stewed. Assess the darkness factor. Dark is better, much better, than light. So much so that four out of five bottles exposed to light will probably sustain damage.
Humidity is critical, particularly for reds.
Humidity at 75-85 percent was the target and as humidity decreased, so did the scores. This is not a summer problem in the East but can be a real challenge in the dry West. The opposite effect, with blasting central heating in winters, is worth remembering. Though the wine doesn t care what kind of floor it sits on, a dirt floor with gravel or sand overlay adds humidity and is not a bad way to use that root cellar for more than a tornado shelter. Ventilation seems to do more harm than good, say the experts.