Savour the expertise of a wine room

Article content material

A wine room or wine cellar isn’t for each residence or house owner. However for these individuals who worth uncommon vintages, stunning bottle artwork and classy storage options, a wine cellar or wine room is a protected and funky area to retailer and show a prized assortment.

“A wine room or cellar can add worth and helps elevate a specific space of the house,” says Eelco Kleinleugenmors, managing director of product and design at Calbridge Properties in Calgary.

Article content material

Article content material

“It’s actually will depend on the life-style of the owners and what they worth. We’re all about creating and constructing one thing particular for all our residence house owners, no matter they’re needing.”

In previous years, wine collections have been usually tucked away in cellars created from unused basement area.

Not as of late. Whereas conventional basement wine cellars are nonetheless widespread for a lot of, builders are additionally seeing a transfer towards wine rooms and have shows on foremost ranges and even second flooring of latest properties.

Kleinleugenmors usually has purchasers request to have wine rooms and coolers integrated into kitchens and butler’s pantries, and he’s getting an increasing number of purchasers who need moist bars and wine fridges put in into upper-storey dwelling areas, too.

Calbridge and different builders are nonetheless seeing a pattern towards devoted tasting areas — a desk or bar, a number of chairs — constructed into or subsequent to a house owner’s cellar, to allow them to open bottles and style within the midst of their assortment.

It’s about consolation and ease of entry, inserting the wine room or characteristic close to the place a house owner usually spends their time.

Article content material

Article content material

Small wine options that show only a few bottles in, say, a kitchen or eating space, are additionally widespread. This storage model is just not usually temperature- or humidity-controlled, nevertheless it lets house owners exhibit a handful of spectacular bottles — particular vintages, uncommon purchases and exquisite labels — much like a bit of high-quality artwork.

This model is widespread in cellars and wine rooms, too, not simply eating areas, notes Patrick O’Brien, proprietor and operator of Wine Cellars Plus in Calgary.

Since 2004, O’Brien has labored on and provided wine racks to residential and business cellars and wine rooms throughout North America. He says this newer model is very widespread as a result of it may be adjusted to spotlight favorite bottles in a set. Normal 750 mL bottles are the norm, however he additionally gives racking options (and {custom} lighting, too), designed to point out off excellent spirits and large-format bottles similar to magnums.

“These days lots of people are in search of racking that showcases their labels, versus extra conventional cellars the place you slide your bottles in and solely present the cork,” O’Brien says.

Article content material

Whereas basic old-world finishes similar to distressed wooden, stone and chandelier lighting are nonetheless widespread, builders are seeing many requests for modern, modern finishes: black powder-coated steel, brushed chrome steel, brushed nickle, white oak.

A custom-built wine show or room isn’t nearly magnificence, nevertheless. It’s about defending your funding, too. Critical oenophiles can personal collections price hundreds of {dollars}, and safety, humidity, temperature and lighting all have to be thought-about. Your builder will usually work with electrical and HVAC groups to make sure the finer particulars aren’t forgotten.

“We will create a specialty room that’s absolutely insulated and temperature managed, with LED lighting that doesn’t add warmth to the area,” Kleinleugenmors says.

“We work carefully with our cupboard suppliers and trades to essentially fine-tune the detailing.”

Christopher York, president and proprietor of Riverview Customized Properties in Calgary, has constructed wine cellars and rooms to carry as few as 100 bottles and as many as 2,500 and extra.

“We tailor our work to the wants of every particular person consumer,” York says. “The cellar might be practical, architectural or each. It turns into a part of the identification of the house.”

Article content material

Actually, it’s about guaranteeing that every wine lover will get what works greatest for his or her area, funds and style.

“There are such a lot of avenues that we are able to go down as of late after we discuss displaying and storing wine bottles,” Kleinleugenmors says.

“We wish owners to be excited and dwell of their residence precisely the best way they envisioned throughout the design course of.”

Beginning to plan

Should you’re eager about making a wine room or cellar, listed below are a number of ideas from Peggy Perry, the Calgary-based proprietor of Vinfluence, a wine tour and consulting service and the chair of the Calgary Stampede’s wine competitors.

• Construct a set slowly. Should you like a wine, purchase further bottles after which set them apart to age. “Purchase greater than you drink,” she says. “Set up an everyday buy sample, placing your favorite wines apart.”

• Extreme UV mild and warmth will injury wine. Keep away from racks that sit on prime of your fridge or kitchen counter. Your wines will probably be uncovered to an excessive amount of warmth and lightweight, which is able to rapidly and negatively have an effect on high quality and style.

• Hold bottles away from fireplaces and heated concrete flooring, too. The best temperature for long-term wine storage is round 13 C.

• Bottles with corks should be saved on their sides, so the wine can preserve the cork from drying out. Screw-cap bottles might be saved upright.

Article content material