Wine Cellars, Wine Storage, & Wine Cellar Design
For those interested in cellaring their wine for long term investment and storage, there are a variety of options available. No longer is the basement or chateau cellar available to the average wine consumer and thus the variety of home storage products for cellaring wine has emerged into the marketplace. The wine must be kept dry but not too dry, between media temperatures and possibly chilled or secured against theft or breakage due to natural causes.
Wine cellars dated traditionally from Old World architecture standards which required a cool dry place that could be kept still and safe to protect bottles for long term storage and short tem access. Wine cellars evolved to being showplaces of homes whereby the homeowner (or landowner) could display and organize impressive selections of wine.
Today, the wine trend for custom built cellars in large scale wine collections and small fridges or refrigerated wine cabinets has caught on in popularity. Wine trends in vintage investing, mail order wine buying, wine futures and the new popularity in collecting wine for resales and celebration value require secure storage onsite. Wine cellars designed for modern day living conditions have become an art form in wine circles.
Classic wine cellars have wood, stone or cabinetry or sculpture accents that elaborate the classical tradition of wine. Great design in wine cellars results from a focus on the function of storing the wine, maintaining temperature around 55 degrees, and controlling humidity in all climates. Day and night access, flooring, storage cabinetry and electricity is a modern concern for builders and wine aficionados.
Temperature controlled wine cellars can take their hints from industrial wine cellars mounted at the chateau or vineyard cellars themselves. Showpiece wine cellars can run hundreds of thousands of dollars and can be featured on television shows and in wine industry trade magazines. The home versions of these wine cellars can share many of the same features yet minimized for space.
Vinotourists can see wine cellars in the famous chateaux of France or the especial wine storage facilities of any premium wine store. Industrial wine cellars for wine manufacturers will have enough racks for full size oaken casks and steel aging tanks. Wine cellars in residential homes can take on a much more decorative aspect. The need for planning and organization, as well as architectural design with functionality for the wine storage must prevail. A wine cellar can be a fine place to show offs specialty art or entertain guests.
Touring a wine cellar can give home owners or wine collectors a chance to share their personal selections and wine preferences without opening wines. Perhaps the guest would care to make some choices for a tasting or add a preferred wine to a menu. The wine cellar of any wine collector can reflect not only their taste in wines but their personality and wine enthusiasm.
Reserve wine should be place out of reach in special caches for long term storage. Specifically valuable vintages or bottles for collectors can be locked away in temperature sensitive safes amid less valuable bottles. Sediment potential can be eliminated by careful storage methods and papered bottles to prevent moisture collection and discoloration from lights.
Organization for wine cellar display can be a fun project. Wine storage and display by wine type, year, vintage, or chateau or vineyard is up to the wine cellar designer working in coordination with the owner. Building a custom wine cellar provides the opportunity to showcase wines collected by country of origin with distinctive decoration seen in travels or gained abroad.
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