It would seem odd that wine is so popular in the Lone Star State (which is the nickname of Texas), but it’s true. Wine collecting as a hobby, or as a serious business, is steadily growing in popularity in Texas. As a testament to this popularity, some have gone beyond wine collecting to actually producing Texas-made wines.
But for those who are still in the initial stages of their love affair with wine, wine collecting is still the thing to do. There are two main reasons for the proliferation of Texas custom wine cellars. One is that people eventually want to make a profit when they sell their precious vintages, and the other is that people just want easy and ready access to a good bottle of wine.
Wine Cellars are in Demand in Texas
One of the sure signs that wine collecting in Texas is booming, is the increased interest in building a Texas wine cellar. In this state’s warm climate, wine bottles must be stored properly, in adherence to the ideal conditions. If not, the wine will spoil.
Texas wine cellars are some of the most tastefully-designed wine cellars around. This is because there are plenty of professional wine cellar companies who offer stellar services. There are also a range of beautiful wine storage racks to be found on the market, ranging from traditional wood to modern metals, that can fit just about any space or requirement you have.
Red Wine in an Instant
One of the reasons the need for custom wine rooms has experienced growth is that wine collectors want to have easy access to their wine, particularly the rich flavor of a good bottle of red. Imagine being able to procure a bottle of red wine just by going into your wine cellar.
There, you can browse from a variety of bottles you have been storing or aging and pick the best red wine to go with the steak dinner you are having. Imagine having your very own collection of Shiraz, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon just a few steps from your dining area. This beats running to the store or going to a restaurant just to enjoy a good meal.
Win-Win with Red Wine
Having red wine is not just a great way to enjoy a meal, the fantastic news is that it’s healthy too. Texas wine cellar owners will be pleased to know that red wine in moderation is good for the heart. It contains substances called antioxidants that help prevent heart disease by increasing good cholesterol. It also helps protect the lining of the blood vessels in your heart. Besides, red wine has resveratrol, which helps prevent damage to blood vessels and also helps prevent blood clots.
Custom wine rooms are built not only for proper wine storage but also for easy access to one’s favorite and healthy wines. There is no reason not to include a couple of red wines, which are known to have many health benefits.
Have you experienced throwing away an expensive bottle of vintage wine because it tastes bad? If yes, you may be storing your collection in poor conditions. Wine Cellar Specialists, a master builder in Texas, recommends homeowners to invest in a climate-controlled wine cellar to protect your favorite vintages from the damaging factors.
How to Preserve Your Precious Vintages the Proper Way
Wine Needs a Stable Environment to Age Properly
Vintage wine is created from grapes that are grown in a specific year. Hence, if you read a label such as Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, this tells you that the grapes used in making that wine were harvested in the year 2000.
Each harvest of grapes has specific characteristics to them. There are nuances in color, nose, body, and palate with each harvest year. So it follows that older wines are not necessarily better than the younger ones. It all depends on the year of harvest. This is why wine collectors fill their wine racks with bottles from a good vintage year.
For a wine to have the right to have the year and grape-growing region placed on its label, it must have at least 95 % of its grapes come from that harvest year. However, if the wine doesn’t have a specified region where the grapes were grown, the percentage will dip to 85%.
Some wine makers release vintages when the conditions in their vineyards are so good that the grapes grown are exceptional, and as such these wine bottles are available only in limited supply.
So what does it mean for Texas wine collectors to have vintage wines in their collection? Knowing the value of these rare vintage wines, it’s just crucial that this type of wine be stored properly.
Ideal Conditions for Proper Maturation of Wine
Climate-Controlled Texas Custom Wine Cellar
Wine storage requires a delicate balance in temperature and humidity so that wine can develop its complex flavors and aromas before it is drunk. This usually requires a climate-controlled environment in your wine cellar, especially if you live in a warmer climate, such as Texas.
Fluctuations of more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit beyond the ideal temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit could affect your wine’s quality.
Failure to achieve the optimum temperature can cause wine oxidation. Oxidized wines have unpleasant taste and odor. Temperature stability can only be achieved by installing a commercial grade wine cellar cooling system.
This equipment allows you to maintain constant temperature and humidity in your wine cellar to achieve proper maturation of your favorite vintages.
Whether your Texas wine cellar is located in a basement, garage, closet, or in any area in your home, it is vital to ensure that the correct cooling equipment is installed in it. You don’t want your precious wines to be ruined.
Trusted Manufacturers of Wine Cooling Systems
Wine Cooling System by US Cellar Systems
With several brands of wine refrigeration systems available in the market today, it is best to consult with a wine cooling expert like Wine Cellar Specialists. They offer cooling units manufactured by Wine Guardian, US Cellar Systems, CellarPro, and WhisperKOOL.
The three types of cooling systems are self-contained, ducted self-contained, and split. Your chosen builder should be able to determine the most ideal refrigeration unit based on your functional, aesthetic, and financial requirements.
Why Stock Vintage Wines in Your Texas Wine Cellar?
Texas wine cellars stocked with vintage wine generally hold more value in their wine storage racks. If you buy a vintage wine, it is as if you possess a rich and unique piece of history.
It represents the highest level of winemaking and the bottle can only increase in value as years pass. Because of vintage wine’s superior quality, it is like owning a piece of art. What’s more is that these are actually art pieces that you can literally savor. You can experience the finest wines from the best harvest years by collecting them in your wine cellar.
Even if you’re living in Texas and famous wine-making regions are thousands of miles away, it’s as if you have the best wine caves of France right in your own wine cellar.
Keep Your Wine Collection Safe. Seek the Help of a Wine Storage Expert.
Wine Cellar Specialists Builds Wine Cellars in Dallas, San Antonio, and Chicago
Whatever your storage needs, budget, or style, it is important to ensure that your wine collection is safe. Wine Cellar Specialists build wine cellars in Dallas, San Antonio, and Chicago.
Building a Wine Cellar – Wine Cellar SPecialists’ Projects
Designing and building a wine cellar is a meticulous process; one that requires collaboration between master wine cellar builders and their clients. This collaborative effort ensures that the internal structure of the custom wine room not only maintains a secure and conducive environment for storing and aging wines, but also accurately conveys the client’s artistic taste and unique character.
Master wine cellar builders are experts in building a wine cellar for the home, as well as in commercial and hospitality sectors. They work with their clients throughout every phase of the wine cellar project, from the initial design stage to actual installation. They also provide their clients with a free 3D design package, along with a complete quote.
Build Your Own Wine Cellar
3D Drawings for Wine Cellar Projects
A 3D drawing comes in handy when you build your own wine cellar, because it allows you to preview the project and make design revisions before construction takes place.
Professional wine cellar designers and builders are committed to building a wine cellar space that is both functional and aesthetical pleasing. Let’s take a look at some of their recently completed climate controlled custom residential wine cellar projects.
Seattle Washington Project
This elegant 1,367 bottle capacity custom wine cellar in Seattle, Washington, is designed with a French rustic appearance and elaborate hand carved detailing on the doors, panels, and molding. The wine room features a sitting area (which serves as an entertainment hub and wine tasting room) that is completely separate from the refrigerated wine storage space.
Seattle Washington Wine Cellar Project – A Stunning View
Custom wine rack styles include: single bottle storage racks that fit most standard size wine bottles, label forward displays that facilitate horizontal placement of wine bottles and provide clear visibility of wine labels, and X-bin racking for bulk storage. To allow for the seamless, wall to wall transition of wine storage racks, curved racking was installed around the corners.
As seen when you come through the wine cellar door, the back includes a beautiful lighted mural arch tabletop, flanked by glass cabinet doors with a cathedral design. To enhance the visual appeal of the racking wall, master wine cellar builders added two vertical window display shelves that feature leaf designed columns with detailed crown molding.
Below the tabletop counter are 27’ double deep cabinets, with handcrafted grape vine designs that provide a customized appearance of the racking display. All of the wine racking was constructed in Mahogany wood. Specialized LED-based spot lighting was used as the main light source. This lighting system helps accentuate the intricate hand carved design of this beautiful wine room.
Naperville Chicago Illinois Project
For this custom wine cellar Naperville Illinois project, a small closet was converted into a climate controlled wine room that has a total storage capacity of 497 wine bottles. To maximize the storage space, a combination of single bottle storage racks with a high reveal display row was installed. Display racks with high reveal are ideal for showcasing your favorite wine collectibles.
This residential wine room has glass windows and door that show off the unfinished Premium redwood wine racks. Waterfall wine racks were installed on both sides of the storage space, for a tasteful display of wine bottles through large front windows. The back wall features a tabletop with a glass rack, made from the same wood variety as the wine racking.
Naperville Custom Wine Cellar Project
There are crucial things to consider when deciding to build your own wine cellar, such as the location and size of your wine storage space, the number of wine bottles you intend to collect, amount of insulation, the number of wine cellar furniture, and budget.
Your wine cellar space must provide the best possible environment for your wine collectibles. Hence, it is always recommended that you consult with professional wine cellar designers and builders when you finally decide to build your own wine cellar. This will ensure that your custom wine room has an environment that is not only ideal for aging, but also for hosting tasting parties.
Visit Wine Cellar Spec to see more wine cellar projects they have completed.
When one has decided to start and maintain a wine collection, it is essential for the wine collector to build a custom wine cellar. This is to protect the wine bottles, especially if one intends to age wines.
For wine collectors who live in areas with varying climates like Texas, it is advisable to seriously consider installing wine cellar refrigeration units to maintain the ideal temperature and humidity levels of the wine cellar.
There are a lot of models of cooling units and components available on the market today. One needs to research the models available and consult a Texas wine cellar specialist so that proper assessment of the wine cellar is done and the right cooling unit for your wine cellar is recommended. A heat load assessment can also be done to determine the right size of the cooling unit for your wine cellar.
CellarPro Wine Refrigeration System
CellarPro wine cooling systems offer different kinds of cooling units depending on the dimensions and location of one’s wine cellar. Choosing a cooling unit is not an easy task since cooling units and their accessories must be customized according to the size, both width, and height, of the wine cellar and its location in the house or building. It is important to locate where the warm air blows and exits the wine cellar.
CellarPro cooling units are continuously improving their products to serve their clients better. They periodically upgrade the cooling units’ components for better performance. They offer models from small wine cabinets to large capacity wine cellars. There are plenty of units and components to choose from depending on the dimensions of the wine cellar.
Cellar Pro Wine Cellar Cooling Units
These reliable units have electronic thermostats and digital displays for ease of temperature control. Maintaining the temperature and humidity levels can be done inside the wine cellar.
Cooling units of CellarPro have audible and visual alarms to inform you when pre-programmed wine storage temperatures have been exceeded. This will ensure that the wines are monitored at all times.
Moreover, they have alarms that indicate when maintenance is needed and if there are any component or system failures. This mechanism is very helpful to the user as he will be somewhat guided by these features, thus avoiding unnecessary damage to the wine collection.
Availing a cooling unit for your Texas wine cellar may more than scratch your budget, but it will surely pay off since the wine cellar’s condition is maintained according to the ideal settings or standards. In return, you will have a properly stored wine collection that you can be proud of.
Need Help in Choosing the Right Wine Cellar Cooling System? Contact a Texas Wine Cellar Expert
Let your wines mature properly for years by choosing the correct wine cellar cooling system. If you don’t know which type of cooling system is best suited for your budget and needs, contact Wine Cellar Specialists at 866-646-7089 or visit their website at https://www.winecellarspec.com/.
Okay, we are walking through the front door of the home going over where we are going to build the new custom wine cellars Dallas Texas.
Before Photo – Custom Wine Cellars Dallas Texas Project
This is the closet door, we will open this door and go in and we will see a circular closet and a stairway. Walking through you can see that it is very low at the bottom. We will turn around and view the doorway and above the door with a current fluorescent light.
Walking out of the door, you see that this is the back of a staircase, and its Christmas time with a beautiful Christmas tree. We will be adding a new wine cellar door, complete with new wine racks, new wine cellar cooling unit and we will continue throughout the process.
The Completed Under the Stairs Wine Cellar
Wine Cellar Door Dallas Texas
The end of the staircase of custom wine cellars Dallas Texas is finally completed. We are moving on over where you can see a completed wine cellar door, and opening the door of this under the stairs wine cellar you can see from top to bottom we have horizontal wine racks, the mini quarter round, a display row with the true radius curve racking.
Under the Stairs Wine Cellars Dallas TX
Moving around to back end of this under the stairs wine cellar it’s the latest X bin case storage and a horizontal rack above. We have brick on the ceiling; this is the right wall, the lighting above in the ceiling as well as the display row. These lights in the display row are dimmable as well as the ceiling lights.
The flooring is reclaimed wine barrel with cooperage markings on the floor in various locations. A curved under the stairs wine cellar turned out very well and I hope you have enjoyed this walkthrough.
Click here to view more custom wine cellars projects!
The Custom Wine Cellars Westlake TX that I’m about to show you is quite an unusual residential wine cellars. It’s a very small residential wine cellars; it’s only about 6 1/2 feet by not quite 7 feet wide and deep.
Overhead View of Custom Wine Cellars Westlake TX
What we are going to show is we are going to walk you through two videos. This is video number one showing you the design and video number 2 will show you photos of the completed custom wine cellars Westlake TX project. So be sure and take a look at that video as well.
Here we are looking at the plan view or the overhead view of the residential wine cellars. You’ll notice that there are 526 total bottles in the cellar. We did reclaimed wine barrel flooring as well as reclaimed wine barrel tabletop. The corner is a circular rack and we’re going to show that as we go along. Elevation A is the back wall, elevation B is the left wall and elevation C is the corner.
Elevation A – Residential Wine Cellars Westlake TX
Elevation A, you’ll see that we have individual bottles along the back wall. We have an arch hand carved, the grape vine design, a glass rack, horizontal racking for magnum bottles above, and below we have a double deep area with solid diamond bins. The base crown moldings in this residential wine cellars are each 4 inch high. The crown molding is a two-step crown molding as you could see in a larger view to the right.
Elevation B – Left Wall Wine Cellar Design
As we move on to elevation B, the left wall we built in a grill cover and box to hide the RM2600 split wine cooling system. This is where the fan coil goes inside the box. The box is made of the same wood as the racks to complement. You have individual 750 bottles and we have a display row with a light valance where the customer installed LED ribbon lighting. You have another row of 750 bottles on each side and case storage in the center with adjustable shelves.
Carousel Wine Rack for Custom Wine Cellars
Moving on to the corner is where we did a carousel rack. It’s a half rack, half height wide, and these are circular racks turn around so you can get at each bottle.
Overhead 3D View – Custom Wine Cellars Westlake TX
Here is the overhead 3D view. Here again you can see where we put the reclaimed wine barrel table tops and reclaimed wine barrel flooring inside the cellar. You have your single deep rack on the left, single deep rack up above on the right with the deep table top and lower racks with the carousel in the corner.
Completed Design of Custom Wine Cellars Westlake TX
Here you’re looking in from the door at the finished residential wine cellars, and again the corner view, and from the right to the left.
Corner View 3D Wine Cellar Design
Right View – 3D Wine Cellar Design
This is the door that we used. It’s a Tuscan door. It has a rod iron grape vine design which is operable, dual-paned glass. It includes your case moldings, interior and exterior, and an automatic door bottom. You’ll see all of that in the photos.
Tuscan Wine Cellar Door for Residential Wine Cellars
Please go to video number 2 and view the finished product of the Custom Wine Cellars Westlake TX.
Custom Wine Cellar Doors by Wine Cellar Specialists
Custom wine cellar doors are purpose-built to help preserve the desired climate conditions in a wine room and enhance the aesthetic quality of the storage space. For wines to age to their full potential, they require a dark and stable storage environment. The presence of an entryway door helps maintain the right amount of temperature, humidity, and light in a wine cellar.
However, it is not enough to install just any type of wine cellar door. You must also make sure that the wine room doors you will choose can deliver efficiency and longevity. Here are the quality features that you must look for in custom wine cellar doors:
Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Mortise and Tenon
Laminated Veneer Lumber for Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Wine room doors are designed in accordance with the quality and style of a wine storage room. To ensure an airtight seal, doors for wine cellars must have weather stripping around all four sides and in all jambs. Using laminated veneer lumber and applying the old technique of Mortise and Tenon in the construction of a wine cellar door can significantly enhance its functionality.
Laminated veneer lumber (or LVL) is a new technology applied to wood production. It consists of multiple layers of thin wood assembled together with adhesives. The composite feature of this wood product provides improved structural strength of the material, thus making LVL timber less susceptible to warping, twisting or shrinking. In addition, it has better insulation properties compared to conventional lumber.
Mortise and Tenon for Wine Room Doors
The old woodwork technique of mortise and tenon joint offers additional strength and durability to a custom wine cellar door. A mortise is a rectangular hole cut into a timber to accommodate a tenon, while a tenon is a protrusion designed to fit into a mortise. Wood components are joined together by interlocking tenons and mortises, which allows the wood material to expand and contract with changes in humidity.
Automatic Door Bottoms
Automatic Door Bottoms – Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Additional features such as automatic door bottoms add to the efficiency of custom wine cellar doors. When the bottom of an entry door is left unsealed, it results to cold air loss. In order to seal the cool air in and provide additional protection to the interior of a wine storage space, a wine cellar door should be equipped with an automatic door bottom.
An automatic door bottom is a mechanical device fitted to the bottom edge of the wine room doors. It is a horizontal bar that retracts up when the door is opened and drops down when the door is shut. Unlike floor sweeps, automatic door bottoms come with a retracting feature that prevents the bar from dragging across the floor and damaging it.
Double-Paned Tempered Glass
Double-Paned Glass Doors for Wine Cellars
Custom wine cellar doors with glass must be a double-pane tempered glass. This type of glass consists of two sheets of glass that are hermetically sealed around the edges, leaving a space filled with air or inert gas between the glass panes. This small sealed space between two panes is a factor in preventing condensation build-up around the door or glass surface. (Learn more about glass wine cellar doors here https://www.winecellarspec.com/glass-wine-cellar-doors-important-component-in-wine-storage/).
Double-pane tempered glass also contributes to reducing energy costs by keeping a wine storage room well-insulated. Additionally, this glass material reduces noise and prevents it from penetrating the storage space. When coated with UV protective film, it shelters wine collectibles against continuous exposure from harmful UV rays.
Quality doors for wine cellars are engineered to provide an excellent seal to an entry door that will help stabilize the temperature and humidity levels inside a wine cellar space. In effect, wines will age to their perfection for long periods of time.
Nothing beats wood as material for wine racks. Wooden wine racks are sleek and sturdy, and they give off a romantic and classy vibe to custom wine cellars or to any living space where they are placed. There are many types of wood that can be used in wine rack construction, and some are better than others for the specific purpose you are looking for.
Among the wood species available, redwood is one of the most popular. Redwood is a tall evergreen tree that is found along the coasts of Oregon as well as in the northern and central part of California.
When it comes to “shelf life” or longevity, redwood wine racks don’t need stains or finishes to become durable. They have natural wood preservatives and are highly resistant to shock, decay, insects, and mildew. They’re so resilient that even if the rest of your house falls into decay, your redwood wine racks would still be standing!
Redwood is a type of wood that has the ability to remain sturdy in humid conditions in your wine cellar. This is because the tree itself thrives in both humid and cool weather, and so it will do just fine in this kind of temperature in your wine cellar.
Another advantage of redwood is its natural reddish color. Wine bottles look great amidst this type of reddish perch, giving your collection a sophisticated and high-end look. As the redwood wine rack ages, it can go from its light reddish color to a richer, darker red hue, creating elegance in your wine storage area.
Another reason why redwood is an ideal choice for wine racks is because it can be easily customized to fit your wine storage needs. Many redwood racks are stackable, allowing you to add more wine storage racks as your collection grows. So, whether you have a big or small custom wine room, redwood racks will suit your storage needs and requirements.
Are you looking for the right wine racking solution that suits your budget, space, and style? Contact Wine Cellar Specialists now at 866-646-7089. They are one of the trusted wine cellar builders in North America and Canada. Check out wine cellar projects they have completed in Chicago and Texas by clicking here.
Wine seems as old as time, but I have only recently become fascinated by it. It was not something that I planned, but let’s just say that I stumbled upon it and started to get curious. As with other things that took my fancy, I read up on wine and found many interesting facts that fueled my fascination and enthusiasm leaving me awed and amazed.
Wines are not just bottles filled with intoxicating liquid resting in one’s Chicago custom wine cellar. There is more to wine than what we usually see. Here are some interesting facts about wine:
1. Dionysius, a Greek god, is said to be the god of wine, agriculture, and fertility of nature. He is also Bacchus in Roman mythology.
2. Red wines are fermented with the skin of the grapes which gives the liquid its red hue. White wines are made from grapes without their skins.
3. Foot treading of grapes is still done to produce small amounts of port wine.
4. Wine is said to have medicinal value. It helps in the control of high blood pressure if a glass is taken daily. However, there is an increased incidence of developing certain forms of cancer.
5. Oak barrels are used to store wine. One oak barrel can last for years.
6. Most wines produced today are ready to drink and do not require aging. Very few (and expensive) wines are aged these days and reserved for special occasions. Those wine which are aged are stored in wine cellars or wine cabinets equipped with modern cooling systems.
7. Wines in weddings symbolize fertility and life of plenty. These are the basic wishes people have for the newlyweds.
8.The word “aroma” is used to describe the scent of a young wine. “Bouquet” is used to describe the scent of a mature or aged wine.
9. Wine that tastes watery is said to be diluted. It is believed that the grapes used for watery wine were harvested during the rainy season.
10. A wineglass is held by the stem to prevent the palm from warming the liquid in the glass.
11. There is nothing one can gather from smelling the cork. The cork is examined after opening the wine to check for molds or dryness of the cork. This will indicate if the wine was stored properly in the wine cellar, hence, maintaining the quality and superior taste.
12. In the old times, the host of any gathering takes the first sip before serving the wine to guests to check if the wine is poisoned.
13. The combination of type of soil, climate, sunlight, and slope affects the grapes grown in a particular region. These are the factors that make each grape varietal unique.
14. Red wines are served with red meat while white wines are paired with white meat and fish. Sweet wines are served with dessert.
15. Climate change is slowly affecting the wine industry in the current popular wine regions.
16. A wine cellar door both refers to the entry of a wine cellar and a winery’s tasting room.
17. Wine tasting is a tourist attraction in itself in most wine regions, not only for enthusiasts but also for those who are curious and willing to learn something new.
These are just few of the interesting wine facts I have come across as I read about my new favorite topic these days. I can see that there are more interesting facts that will catch my attention and fascinate me more. I may even start filling up a wine rack or a wine cabinet to start my own collection.
The Best Wine Storage Solution for You – Contact a Wine Cellar Builder
Are you considering your own custom wine cellar? Whether you are planning to have a residential or commercial wine cellar, Wine Cellar Specialists will help you provide the best wine storage solution for your collection according to your budget and requirements. Contact them now at 866-646-7089 or click here to request for a specialist to contact you.
This is video one of a two-part series showing you Bob’s wine cellar. Bob’s commercial wine cellars Michigan is a really unique custom wine cellars. It holds over 1,500 bottles.
Now what makes Bob’s wine cellar so unique is that it’s a regular rectangular wine cellar but it’s very very tall. It also has windows on the outside of the wine cellar as this room is located in the center of a larger room.
Overhead View – Custom Wine Cellars Michigan
What you’re looking at is the overhead view of the commercial wine cellars Michigan. We’re going to go to elevation A here. Elevation A on the left wall and the right wall are diamond bins on the bottom, a high reveal display row and all of the above is lattice horizontal custom wine racks.
All the custom wine racks are 12 1/2 inches total deep and it has a 1 1/2 inch toe kick and a 2 1/4 inch crown molding. Now this section here that comes down lower is just the way the ceiling goes inside the cellar.
You’ll go to see as we go along that this is really something. The bottom here is in the back wall, comes out double deep to form a tabletop up above. It has a small arch right here and behind that arch is another window. You’ll see that when we get to video two and you’ll see the photographs.
All above on the left and the right are all horizontal lattice display custom wine racks as well as some individual 750ml racks up above. The small arch has a hand-carved grapevine design with a high reveal display row and of course the double deep diamond bins.
You can see in 3D view the left and back wall; all of these are horizontal racking, all above here except for this one center section. Again you have the display row and the solid diamond bins below.
3D View – Commercial Wine Cellars Michigan
This is looking at the outside. You can see where all these large windows are so where the windows are, you’re seeing the bottles from the backside, the horizontal racks they are three deep here as well as from inside the cellar. Here’s the view from the top.
This is a really interesting custom wine cellars Michigan and I can’t for you to see the photographs of how it turned out. I’ll move on to video number two of Bob’s commercial wine cellars Michigan to view the completed cellar by Wine Cellar Specialists.
Houzz is the leading online authority in home remodeling and design. Its website features an extensive database in residential design that can provide information, inspiration, and support to homeowners and home builders alike. It is an online community for architects, designers, contractors, and home improvement professionals.
The Best of Houzz 2013 award recognizes professionals who come up with unique and inspiring home designs, provide excellent customer service, and timely delivery of high-quality results.
There are two categories to Houzz’s Best of Houzz awards: Customer Satisfaction and Design. The winners for the Customer Satisfaction category are rated by homeowners, based on their working experience with remodelers and designers. The works of Design awardees were favored by millions of Houzz users and were added to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz website or mobile apps.
The Houzz platform showcases different works of various top-notch professionals like Wine Cellar Specialists Dallas in 360-degree imaging. These visuals give homeowners an opportunity to evaluate and determine which home improvement professionals best meet their design objectives. The platform also allows homeowners to interact directly with design professionals.
Best of Houzz 2013 is considered as the benchmark for exceptional renovation and interior decoration of residential structures. Professional images found on personal ideabooks of Houzzers (or Houzz users) serve as strong artistic influences and set a creative trend in the field of remodeling and design around the world.
A closer inspection of Houzz ideabooks will reveal the latest thing in residential decorating: a garage being converted into a home office or play space; open showers with plenty of natural light and glass doors; outdoor spaces that are equipped with fireplaces and firepits; installing intricate wall treatments on entryways; and laundry rooms that feature stained glass and bold wallpapers to give the space a homey feel.
Wine Cellar Specialists Residential Wine Cellars
Wine Cellar Specialists Dallas is owned and founded by Robert Stockberger. The company specializes in wine cellar design and wine cellar construction for residential and commercial properties. Wine Cellar Specialists Dallas provides design and consultation services, construction of custom wine racks, and installation of climate control wine cellar refrigeration, flooring, and cellar doors.
The company has years of experience in the custom wine cellars industry. Wine Cellar Specialists Dallas is committed to providing exceptional service and results to their clients. As a testament to their professional diligence, they have reaped awards and accolades over the years for their exquisite wine cellar design. Winning the Best of Houzz 2013 award is another added achievement under their belt.
Houzz was founded in 2009. It is an online photo database of more than one million professional images that aims to guide homeowners in building, renovating, and decorating their properties. They released an iPhone/iPad app as well as an Android version of the software. To date, Houzz has a list of 1.5 million residential remodeling professionals that can help transform dreams into reality which makes Wine Cellar Specialists one in 1.5 million!
In a few days, the world will celebrate Valentine’s Day. Gone are the days when the celebration of the day of hearts was exclusive to couples. These days, people give gifts to their loved ones – parents, siblings, spouses, girlfriends/boyfriends, and friends – to express their love and affection.
For the wine and wine cellar enthusiast, it is a bit difficult to think of a wine gift other than the obvious (wine, of course!). There are a lot of gift ideas in the market not just to fit the giver’s budget but to satisfy the receiver. Below are just a few of the possible gift ideas for wine lovers.
1. Wine Accessories
Corkscrews, corks, decanters, wine glasses, chilling buckets, wineglass charms, and wine bags are just a few gift options for the wine fanatic. A corkscrew can be personalized with the recipient’s initials. Decanters come in many shapes and sizes that cater to varying preferences.
Wine glasses can be stemmed or stemless and usually comes in a set of 4 or 6. A chilling bucket can be simple or elaborate.
Wineglass charms can be plain or a bit fancy. Wine bags that are available on the market can range from tote-style to wheeled and anything in between.
A wine lover can keep some of these accessories in his or her custom wine cellar. Being prepared for any wine tasting event or occasion is important!
2. Gift certificates
Gift certificates come in varying denominations and expiration dates. It is important that the giver considers these variations before making the purchase. The farther the expiration date, the better. It is also a bonus if the gift certificate is honored in many establishments or branches of the wine store or commercial wine cellar to give the recipient an array of choices.
3. Books
Most enthusiasts will want to know more about their field of interest. Books can be a good source of information that a wine enthusiast must know to live up to the label. Bookstores carry many titles on wine; its history, origin, variety, production, and the like.
For beginners in the world of wine who don’t have their own wine storage room and want to have one, maybe a book about wine cellar design and construction would be a great gift.
4. Wine Cellar Club Memberships
Another way of educating oneself about wines is to join a wine club and learn from fellow enthusiasts and wine experts. Wine club memberships come in different forms.
One can join a Red or White wine club, or the region of preference where their favorite wine comes from. Membership in these clubs can give the enthusiast opportunities to experience wine-related activities such as wine tasting.
These are just a few random gift ideas one can give this Valentine’s Day. No matter what your budget is, there is a perfect gift that your wine enthusiast will greatly appreciate. What’s important is the time, effort, and love poured into the gift by the giver.
Although there are various ways of storing your wine collection, wine cellars are considered the best storage solution. The controlled, secure environment of a wine cellar protects wines from the negative influences of light, temperature, and humidity. Storing wines under the right conditions is vital to preserving their taste and flavor over time.
In order for a wine cellar to achieve its maximum potential, there are several elements that need to be considered prior to its actual construction. The first is to determine the size and location of the wine cellar. The size of your wine cellar depends on its intended purpose. Will, it is solely used for wine storage or will it also serve as a venue for wine tasting parties?
Home Wine Cellars Memphis TN
Finding the perfect location for your wine cellar is also essential as this will help you decide which type of wine cellar refrigeration unit to install. Most home wine cellars are constructed above ground; hence, they require efficient insulation and vapor barriers to maintain the required climate conditions.
The next element to consider is the storage capacity of your wine cellar. Consider the number of wine bottles you currently have in your inventory and how many bottles you intend to add in the future. A ballpark estimate of your wine collection will also help you determine the type of racking system to install.
Wine racks are an important aspect of cellaring wines. Racking systems are designed to store wine bottles at an angle that keeps the cork in constant contact with the wine. Storage racks are available in different sizes and styles that can suit various needs and requirements.
Although most wine racks come in pre-fabricated designs for easy installation, there is also an option to have them custom built. Custom wine racks are specifically built to fit your wine cellar, taking into account the architectural structure and constraints of your storage space. Custom racking systems may be an expensive storage solution, but will nevertheless provide a unique flair to your wine cellar.
Wine Cellar Doors
Another element to consider is the kind of door for your wine cellar. Since cellar doors serve as the entryway to your wine enclave, it should be functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Wine cellar doors are made out of wood, glass, and wrought iron. These doors need to have an airtight seal to help keep the correct level of temperature and humidity inside the wine cellar.
Choosing the proper flooring material for your wine cellar is equally important. The flooring surface must be strong and durable to withstand the combined weight of the racking systems and cabinetry. Wood, cork, tile, stone, and recycled wine barrels are common materials used in wine cellar flooring.
The last element to consider is the lighting system. Lighting elements allow you to highlight and feature your favorite wine labels. LED-based lighting solutions are most appropriate for wine cellar use since they emit less heat compared to regular light bulbs.
There are benefits to installing dimmer switches and light timers in your wine cellar. Dimmer switches allow you to control the level of brightness in your wine storage room. Light timers are energy savers and they prevent continuous light exposure.
Consult a professional wine cellar expert when venturing into a wine cellar project. Custom Wine Cellars Specialists have the expertise and knowledge in designing, constructing, and installing wine cellars. They will work closely with clients throughout the entire process – from conceptualization to construction.
Wine Cellar Specialists, Dallas based wine cellar builders are proud to announce that we were winners of a 2012 Dallas Builders Association Award. The award was given for our innovative Custom Wine Cellars Project described below. This award is given to Dallas based Associates, Remodelers and Custom Builders for both custom building and renovation work.
This wine room renovation project was a former kitchen pantry. After removing the shelving, walls, and ceiling, we installed the lines for a split purpose-built wine cellar cooling system with the evaporator coil inside the cellar (hidden by a grill cover and box that matches the racks) and a compressor in the garage.
At Wine Cellar Specialists we always ensure that our wine cellars are built to last, efficient and trouble-free. To that end, we added a vapor barrier and insulation as well as green board interior walls. The wine room’s walls were also painted with latex paint of the homeowner’s choice of color.
We supplied a special wine cellar door with operable wrought iron in red oak. We custom matched the stain color to the existing kitchen cabinets to create a seamless and great look.
The custom wine racking design was custom manufactured in mahogany and finished with a clear satin lacquer. We used a waterfall rack on the left side of the wine storage area. A solid double-deep ‘X’ bin with tabletop, finished off with a horizontal display rack. 750 ml individual bottle racks with a high reveal display row. We included a tall single deep solid horizontal display rack on the right wall, under the grill cover and box which hides the cooling system.
The Dallas Builders Association, originally chartered in 1944, is a local trade association representing all segments of the residential building industry in the Metropolitan Dallas area. Their mission, to enhance their members’ ability to provide safe, affordable, quality housing to citizens in local communities is one we are proud to add value to. The Association is chartered by the State of Texas as a non-profit trade organization.
The Dallas Builders Association Primary Activities Include:
Promoting positive public policy through active participation in the legislative and regulatory processes
Providing industry information and education to the members and the public
Enhancing the positive image of the industry and the members through training and encouraging ethical behavior and professional standards
Making membership in the Association an essential element of a successful residential building industry company.
Residential custom wine cellars are a place for you as an avid wine collector, to display your wine collection as well as to store and age your wines over time. As your wine collection grows your wine cellar is likely to have a mix of wines from different regions, wines that you will want to age over the longer term and some that will be intended to be consumed over a much shorter period.
As part of the management of your wine cellar there are many factors that can influence the preservation and aging of wine. In this article we are going to discuss the role different types of cork can play in this process.
Cork is used in a variety of products, the most common of which being the wine cork. It is considered the most suitable material for bottle stoppers on wine bottles because of its structure and component materials. The mechanical and physical properties that make cork the most preferred wine bottle closure include resiliency, low density, impermeability, flexibility, temperature and age stability, adherence and biodegradability.
Wine cork is essential to the graceful aging of wines in your wine cellar. It prevents oxygen from spoiling the wine in subsequent storage.
In order for cork to serve its purpose in wine storage, wines should be positioned in wine racks the right way. It is also essential to use the ideal wine cellar cooling units to ensure that the right humidity level in the wine cellar is maintained. This will prevent the cork from drying out and shrinking, thus reducing the possibility of oxidation, which causes wine spoilage.
There are different types of wine corks used by winemakers. The most well-known are the natural wine corks. These wine corks are derived from the best quality cork oak periderm or bark and are washed, carefully inspected for flaws, sterilized and printed.
Natural Wine Corks are Perfect for Long-Term Wine Storage in Your Home Wine Room
Natural wine corks enable wine to mature slowly because they are able to seal it for a considerable length of time. They are most suitable for bold red wines intended for long term storage.
Corks which are popular for their affordability are agglomerated wine corks. They are low cost because they are made from clean natural cork grains. These grains are formed into dense corks by mixing them with food grade glue. They assure good sealing for wines intended to be stored from 12-18 months.
Agglomerated Wine Corks are Ideal for Short-Term Wine Storage (12-18 months)
Another type of wine cork that fits ice wine bottles with a narrow neck is the ice wine natural cork. These corks are smaller than natural wine corks and are specifically sized to withstand high sugar content.
Pore-filled natural wine corks are called colmated wine corks. Their pores, or, lenticels, are preserved carefully with cork dust or cork grains. These grains are gathered and attached to the lenticels of colmated cork stoppers by using rubber glues (FDA authorized) or natural resin glues.
Colmated Wine Corks are Pore-filled Natural Wine Corks
Synthetic wine corks are considered to provide a good seal to wines since they don’t harbor bacteria, which is why some wineries prefer to use this type of cork. The advantage of synthetic wine corks is their availability to be manufactured in different colors, thus allowing flexibility in packaging.
Synthetic Wine Corks can be Manufactured in Different Colors
Double disc corks, also known as 1+1 corks or twin pop corks, are a combination of natural corks and agglomerated corks. The main advantage of this type of cork is the consistency in quality, density, price and function which make double disc corks widely used in bottling commercial wines.
Double Disc Wine Corks are a Combination of Natural Corks and Agglomerated Corks.
When selecting wine for long term preservation and aging of your wines in your custom wine cellar, take into account the type of cork that was used to seal the wine and when making this decision. Wines that have been sealed with low-end porous corks are likely to be less suitable for long term storage.
Chicago Rolling Ladder on Rail Commercial Wine Cellar
Wine lovers, people who enjoy collecting wine and holding wine tasting parties are generally on the increase. All over the country, we notice this phenomenon, wine cellar builders and designers are busy.
The demand though for custom wine cellars in both residential and commercial properties such as specialist wine stores is particularly strong in the Chicago, Illinois area.
What is causing wine lovers to congregate around Chicago is a mystery to us. Do you have an opinion? Share it with us in the comments section below.
If you are a homeowner and would like your own home wine cellar or the owner of a wine store and would like to re-vamp your wine display simple call +1 (773) 234-0112 or complete a simple Wine Cellar Design form and we will help you kick off your project today!
In the production of sparkling wine in every major wine-producing country in the world, the most important grape varieties used are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Different methods are also used by different winemakers depending on their preference and the laws of their region. Sparkling wines are mostly pink, white or red. Sparkling wines’ sweetness varies from bottle to bottle and can be categorized as brut, extra brut, extra dry, sec and demi-sec.
It can be paired with a variety of foods including seafood, poultry and some desserts such as fruit salad, tiramisu, and chocolate mousse. It appears fizzy because of the significant levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in it.
The most popular type of sparkling wine is Champagne which is only produced in the Champagne region of France. The first Champagne was made in the 17th century. It is called spumante in Italy, Sekt in Germany and Austria, cap Classique in South Africa and cava in Spain.
So what makes sparkling wine different from other table wines? It is the bubbles and the process used to make it bubbly. Many people love to drink sparkling wine, but only a few know the mystery behind its bubbles.
Bubbly Sparkling Wine
In the first stage of making sparkling wine, base or still wine (no bubbles) is produced and blended until the desired taste and aroma have been created. During the second fermentation process in sparkling wine production, the bubbles are generated in either a specially designed tank or in the bottle.
The winemaker adds a small amount of sugar and yeast to the blended base wine, which is converted to carbon dioxide trapping millions of bubbles in a very small space. The carbon dioxide is released in the liquid to produce a “sparkle.”
If CO2 is released too fast, the flavor of the sparkling wine fades quickly. In order to preserve the carbon dioxide in the wine, you should not pour the liquid straight into the center of the wine glass. Instead, you should pour it down the side of a glass which is ideally at an angle of 45 degrees.
Storing sparkling wines requires extra care since they are more sensitive to light than other table wines. They should be stored in a wine cellar, wine refrigerator or any location where the temperature is around 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
This will prevent overly aggressive bubbles. Sparkling wines must be placed on the lowest shelf of the wine racks because they are susceptible to heat and light. Since heat rises, wines requiring the lowest temperature should sit at the lowest temperature. Unlike regular bottles of wine, they can be stored upright so that the carbon dioxide can form a ring at the neck of the bottle, thus protecting the wine from unwanted air.
Since sparkling wines don’t improve with age, they should be consumed within 1 year of purchase. When you are planning a celebration with your family and friends, keep the sparkling wine in a fridge for a day or two.
The serving temperature affects the rate at which bubbles are released. Sparkling wines should be served chilled, with the temperature between 42-52°F to steadily release bubbles.
When creating this special wine, winemakers have different preferences in sparkling wine styles. Some want a more delicate and less flavorful style while others prefer the strong flavors of oak, aged wine or yeast. The 3 key production methods used in the secondary fermentation are a traditional method, transfer method, and Charmat Method.
Next time you have a celebration, you will feel proud because you know why the sparkling wine in your glass is bubbly. Enjoy every tingly bubble in it!
Designing custom wine cellars requires the help of a knowledgeable and experienced company. Look for a builder who understands the importance of an aesthetically pleasing and functional wine storage facility. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we want you to maximize your enjoyment of wine. We use our creativity to build stylish residential and commercial wine cellars in Texas, Chicago, and other areas in the United States.
Build a Stylish Custom Wine Cellar with the Help of a Creative Designer
The process of designing and building your own wine cellar can be complex and tedious, but with the help of Wine Cellar Specialists, the fulfillment of your dream wine cellar becomes easier and more enjoyable too. Let us discuss one by one the wine cellar projects we have done for clients who once only dreamed, but are now relishing the beauty and comfort of their own wine cellars.
We have created various types of wine cellars (traditional and modern) for wine stores, hotels, restaurants, and residences in different parts of Texas and Chicago as well as many other areas of the country. As a rule, we always try to make every project as unique as possible.
We begin the wine cellar design process by assigning our clients a specialist who will be guiding and working with you from the beginning to the completion of your wine cellar project, and even after that. A free consultation will be given to make the clients understand the whole concept of wine storage.
Anil Custom Home Wine Cellar in Chicago, Illinois
Custom Wine Cellar Naperville, Illinois
One of the most interesting wine cellar projects we did was the Anil Custom Wine Cellar Naperville, Illinois. The wine cellar is built in the entertainment and bar area, where space is a bit small.
With a room that measures 3 1/2 feet by 7 ¾ feet, it was challenging to create a custom wine cellar design that would complement existing décor of the home, fit the size of the client’s collection, and meet the technical requirements.
The Anil project was actually a closet conversion type. We carefully planned the setup and made sure that the small space provided would be effectively converted to an elegant wine storage area. With the challenge of having limited space, we were able to create a wine cellar that can house up to 497 wine bottles with the added lighting effect and wine racks made of premium redwood.
Stylish Features
We incorporated wood and glass components into the custom wine cellar design to create an eye-catching wine display and storage area for our client’s prized collection. These materials blend well with the countertop in their bar area.
Wooden Wine Rack Design
Anil Home Custom Wine Cellar Design Chicago Illinois
Wood is a popular material for building traditional and transitional custom wine cellars. In this particular wine room installation project in Chicago, Illinois, we incorporated individual wine storage racks on the back wall. We also created a square opening with a tabletop at the center and stemware racking that holds the glasses upside down. The tabletop provides additional storage space for a few bottles, wine accessories, and decorative accents.
There is a 4-column display row on both sides of the tabletop. At the bottom section, we added storage slots for the client’s wooden cases. At the top section of the left and right walls of this custom wine cellar, we installed waterfall wine racks that display the bottles in a cascading manner. We also included high reveal display rows and more single bottle wine racks below them.
Glass Door and Windows
Adding glass elements to the wine cellar design helped Wine Cellar Specialists to add a contemporary touch to the wine room. We installed a large glass wine cellar door to allow the family and their guests to have a clear view of the bottles from the bar and entertainment area.
Dave’s Custom Home Wine Cellar in Palos Heights, Illinois
Custom Wine Cellar Palos Heights, Illinois
Traditional Custom Home Wine Cellar Design Chicago
Another exciting project we had was Dave’s Custom Wine Cellar, which was constructed in the basement of his beautiful home in Palos Heights, Illinois.
The design we created for this large home wine cellar consisted of Premium Redwood and reclaimed wine barrel.
This custom wine cellar is constructed with Premium Redwood custom wine racks. The choice of wine rack designs add elegance to this wine room and they included true-radius curve racks, solid x bins, corner wine racks, and solid archway with led lighting and display rows. Wine Cellar Specialists further enhanced the look of the wine cellar by using the client’s own wine barrel, making it into a tabletop and a peninsula type of tasting table.
Reclaimed wine barrels can also be used for the wine racks, flooring, and art pieces. We installed a lighting system above the solid arch and display rows. The chandelier illuminates the wine cellar dramatically.
Griffith Residential Custom Wine Cellar Design in Dallas, Texas
Custom Wine Cellar Dallas Texas
A contemporary residential wine cellar design is the inspiration of the Griffith Dallas Texas Custom Wine Cellar project. When building contemporary wine rooms, we utilize metal and glass components to achieve a sleek and minimalist appeal.
The challenge in this project was the small closet space that we had to work with. Wine Cellar Specialists and the client decided to go for a contemporary style by using metal wine racks in black with a fully climate-controlled system. The metal wine racks are ideal space savers and they create a modern look of wine storage where the wine racking system stores wines from floor to ceiling.
Work with Wine Cellar Specialists to Have an Exquisite Residential Custom Wine cellar Design for Your Space
Wine Cellar Specialists created a lot of other unique custom wine cellars in Illinois, Texas, Washington, Atlanta, New Jersey, Michigan and more. Check them out here:
Besides grapes, there are many other fruits that can be made into surprisingly delicious wines. Wine collectors, often with whole room residential custom wine cellars dedicated to their collections are finding these can make a great addition to the diversity of their collections.
Non-Grape-Based Wines
Just about every country in the world has at least one winery that produces alternative fruit wines. There are locations all around the world, such as Massachusetts in the USA, where grapes can’t grow due to their climate.
Crops typically used in making fruit wines include apples, plums, raspberries, cherries, peaches, blackberries, pineapples, pears, and even watermelons. Should you attempt to make these types of wines yourself it’s important to make sure you pick overripe fruits but avoid those with too many bruises.
Fruit wines can be made from any plant matter capable of being fermented. In order to achieve the desired taste and aroma, some of these products need honey or sugar to be added to them. Fruit winemaking involves many of the same techniques used in making grape wines. When made commercially there is a machine that gets rid of the stalks and washes off the bugs etc. and in some wineries, the juice is separated from the skins through a crusher.
The fruit juice is then put into a fermenting container. Yeast can be found naturally in some fruits (such as grapes) and can also be produced through laboratory processes on other fruits. Yeast consumes the available sugar in juice and converts that sugar into 50% alcohol. The process called Chaptalization helps increase the alcohol content of the finished wine.
The fermentation process then begins. Most winemakers leave the pulp in the juice for the first 7 days to add character and deepen the wine’s color.
In the process of making fruit wines, there are necessary adjustments that must be made to the acidity of the fruit juice, the amount of fruit used per gallon, and the amount of available sugar. Sometimes, tannin or acid must be added to balance the taste, thus producing great tasting fruit wines at the standard you expect for your wine cellar.
The wine-making hydrometer is a device that not only helps determine the amount of sugar in your juice but the amount of sugar needed to provide the sweetness you want in your wine and the amount of alcohol that sugar can produce as well.
Typically non-grape-based wines cannot be stored for a very long time. Some need to be consumed within 12 months of their products because they lack the natural yeast present in grapes. This potentially limited aging and life span should be taken into account when racking in your wine room. In order to promote further fermentation, phosphorus, nitrogen or potassium must be added.
An example of fruit wine is plum wine, which is famous in Korea and Japan. Other popular fruit wines include pineapple wine, cherry wine, banana wine, raspberry wine, and apple wine.
Fruit wines are perfect for any occasion, an excellent addition to your wine rooms‘ selection and can provide unique flavors and aromas. You can even make fruit wines at home by following simple winemaking processes.
In winemaking, the juice must be extracted from the grapes and you must have the skill, time and fine blend of fruits to make great tasting wines. Pressing is one of the processes involved in winemaking, which is the act of applying pressure to grapes or other fruits to separate juice or wine from them and their skins.
Most wineries use a device called the winepress to increase their production per ton. The amount of juice produced from pressing makes up about 30% of the total juice volume from grapes. Before the arrival of modern winemaking, winemakers pressed grapes in a large basin using their feet. Take a look below at the different styles of wine presses which help in the production of high-quality wines (especially those that deserve to be stored in a functional custom wine cellar).
Basket Press
The first type of wine press was the basket style press which is one of the oldest means of extracting grape juice. Most basket presses are made of wood and are manually operated. The operator of a basket press throws batches of grapes into the basket (or a cylinder of wooden slats), positions the top plate in its proper place and slowly lowers it down until the juice flows from the wooden slats. With enough pressure, the grapes are crushed and the grape juice is extracted from them leaving the skins, stems, seeds, and pulp of the fruit also known as pomace.
The main advantage of the basket press is its ability to reduce the filtering needed for the finished product and to lessen the bitterness caused by seeds and stems. Another benefit of this style of wine press is its affordability.
Bladder Press
The bladder press makes use of household water pressure through a garden hose to expand a bladder located in the center of the press. It has a large cylinder closed at each end, where the fruits are loaded into. As the bladder expands, it pushes and presses the grapes against the sides.
Bladder presses are popular for the high-quality wines they can produce. They are also known to be gentler to the grapes compared to basket presses. By using a bladder press, the astringency is reduced because it doesn’t crack the seeds. Other advantages of bladder presses include less physical effort required to operate, they can be moved around easily because of its lightweight and they are easy to sanitize.
Horizontal Screw Press
The principle used in a horizontal screw press is the same as that of the basket press. Grapes are squeezed not by bringing down a plate from above but by bringing down plates from either side of a closed cylinder. It can handle far more grapes compared to the basket press and bladder press. Only medium pressure is required in using this device.
Other styles of wine presses that provide lots of benefits to winemakers include the continuous screw press, vertical screw press, and pneumatic press. Whichever press you want to use in winemaking, make sure that the right amount of pressure is used to produce high-quality wines for your wine cellar.
Not everyone has the budget or space available in their home to convert an entire room into a dedicated custom wine cellar. The choices for those people have typically been to buy a kit wine rack and then try to figure out how to assemble it. Often unfinished and looking like a grid of wood pieces these products do not necessarily work in every home.
Announcing a new type of wine storage solution – Modular Wine Racks from Kessick
These products have more of a furniture look, come fully finished with lighting and are built in a very strong type of mahogany called Sapele. Perfect for taking with you should you move home, these modular wine racks are built to last a lifetime.
See our new Kessick Modular Wine Racks page and watch the video tour of all the options. At Wine Cellar Specialists we believe these products add significantly to our wine furniture and wine cellar design options and we believe you will too!
Only this week I was confronted by a builder in Texas who was showing me the room that he was turning into a custom wine cellar for his customer.
He mentioned he knew about adding the correct vapor barrier and insulation. Then, in the next breath, he said “and I am leaving ½” open below the door so that the room gets good air circulation!”
Air circulation coming from the next room in your home into your wine cellar is exactly what you do NOT want.
Your wine cellar must be sealed like a package. See How to Build Your Wine Cellar. The reason for the vapor barrier is to ensure that the temperature and humidity inside the room, controlled by your wine cellar cooling units, is kept at a lower temperature and higher humidity than in the rest of your home.
To age and preserve wine properly you need to maintain a very stable temperature of 55 to 60 degrees and 50 to 70 percent humidity inside your wine cellar. Leaving a gap under the door allows the cold air to escape and warm air to enter the room, creating difficulty maintaining the correct temperature and humidity. All air going into our coming out of the room should be going through the wine cellar climate control system you have chosen.
Yes, it is possible to maintain the room’s temperature and humidity with this gap. However, you will need a larger wine cellar cooling unit and your unit will run longer, causing an increase in expense to the homeowner’s electric bill.
The gap under the door is the most often cause of cooling loss in a wine cellar!
An easy remedy is to install an exterior door with the same weather stripping you would use if the door were to the outside. Another remedy is to install a door with an automatic door bottom. The doors offered by the award-winning Wine Cellar Specialists have the option of the wood threshold or the automatic door bottom at no additional charge. This is highly recommended.
Wine Cellar Design Basics – Remember:
1. Seal any gaps.
2. A vapor barrier is absolutely necessary.
3. The more insulation, the better.
Want to learn more? See some of our completed wine cellar builderscustom wine cellars installed in Texas. Or ready to get started? Simply fill in this wine cellar design request and we will create a design for you FREE of charge and without obligation! Kick-off your wine cellar conversion today!
The new ‘Evolution Series‘ wine racks from Vintage View have arrived. These new racks can be custom made to almost any width and or height. For example, you could have them fit one, two, three or four bottles wide and reach 7 or 8 ft. in height…..up to 10 ft
The ends of these Wine Racks can be made in steel with a powder-coated finish (in nearly any color) or chrome-plated if under 8’ high. They can also be made of acrylic in clear, frosted, or colored. The tubes or rails the bottles rest on are chrome plated steel. These wine racks are potentially ideal for Wine Stores, Residential Custom Wine Cellars, Commercial Wine Displays and indeed anyone wanting to create a wine cellar that has a very contemporary look.
These racks are now available in custom sizes.
Once these wine racks are formally launched they will come in standard sizes, right not though we can take orders for pretty much any size. For details or to get a price quote for your custom Evolution Series wine racks call 1-866-646-7089
As custom wine cellar design and construction specialists, we frequently come across businesses that offer services that we believe are likely to be of particular interest to our clients and customers who have had built or have an interest in custom wine cellars, commercial wine racks, wine displays, and wine generally. If fact we have often been asked to provide a list or a recommendation. To that end, we have created a Custom Wine Cellars Related Business Listings page.
Please note – Custom Wine Cellars Related Business Listing Disclaimer
The businesses listed at the link above are a mix of companies that we like, do business with ourselves, have been recommended to us or are just simply aware of. Businesses listed on our “Custom Wine Cellars Related Business Listings” page should not be construed as a personal or business recommendation. They are simply there for your convenience and as a way for us to share information with you.
We may or may not have commercial relationships with these companies. We may or may not receive affiliate commissions as a result of your following the links and ultimately purchasing a product or services from them. We can say that if there is an affiliate relationship, it will in no way affect the pricing you receive from that company.
Our criteria for listing a business is that in our opinion we believe the business is relevant to the wine industry and of potential interest to wine lovers, collectors, and owners of wine-related businesses.
If you are interested in having your business listed, simply email your request to WineCellarBuilders@CustomWineCellarsLosAngeles.com and put “Wine Cellar Specialists – Wine Industry Business Listings” in the title, don’t forget to include a link to your website! We reserve the right to accept or refuse a listing at our discretion.
Need products that match products from the old Grotto Cellars company? Look no further!
A common question we are asked is, “can we manufacture and supply kit wine racks and even match racking for custom wine cellars consistent with the style and finish of previously purchased products from the late Grotto Cellars”.
The answer is, yes. Our factory has been exclusively manufacturing wine racks for over 10 years and has, for several clients manufactured products that are consistent with the old Grotto Cellars racking solutions.
Grotto custom wine cellars were a company that leads the custom wine cellar and wine rack market for many years before getting into financial difficulty in 2010, eventually filing for bankruptcy towards the end of that year. For people who previously purchased a kit or custom wine racks from them, it can, therefore, be a problem to source products that exactly match what they already have.
While Wine Cellar Specialists are in no way affiliated with the old Grotto Cellars company we are familiar with the designs, finishes, and styles of their wine rack products.
If you have previously purchased wine rack kits or had a custom wine cellar built by Grotto in the past, and wish to add to your wine racks or expand your existing wine cellar, by working with us at Wine Cellar Specialists you can be assured of a perfect match!
Simply call us Toll-Free at +1 (866) 646-7089 or complete a wine cellar design contact request form and we will be happy to help!
When thinking about the flooring for custom wine cellars, you should remember that as part of a climate controlled room it must be prepared properly. This is an area that some people make the mistake of ignoring when creating a wine cellar in their home. If the floor in your cellar is above ground, you must add the same vapor barrier and insulation that you do to your walls and ceiling. Remember, the wine room must be wrapped up tight like a package. If your floor is on a cement slab which rests on the ground, you can get away with adding a vapor barrier only to the cement before applying your floor covering.
We recommend a product called Bostic’s MVP4. It is a Moisture Vapor Protection that is applied with a trowel and left to dry before adding your floor on top. It is usually available at your local hardware store. Once the moisture barrier is in place, you can add a plywood base or add your flooring directly on top of the vapor barrier.
Flooring Materials for Custom Wine Cellars
What you use for your actual wine cellar flooring material is up to you, as long as you stay away from anything resembling carpet. Carpet or carpet-like materials can mold or mildew in the higher humidity of a wine cellar. Slate, stone, tiles of many materials are fine in a wine cellar. Engineered wood floors are also great for traditional wine cellar designs. However, do careful of wood flooring unless it has previously been aged in a humid environment.
For a particularly special looking custom wine cellar floor reclaimed wine barrel flooring is an excellent choice and becoming more widely used in wine cellars. It is oak and made by master craftsmen from real oak wine barrels that are between 6 and 50 years old. Because these barrels previously held wine, the wood has already been exposed to extreme humidity levels. The barrels are sent through a process that implements a variety of specialized techniques to create an olde world style product line. The flooring can be glued or nailed over an area that has been prepared with a vapor barrier.
Three separate styles are available. The Cooperage flooring is made from the barrel head with all of its patina, cooperage stamps and special markings. The Wine Infusion flooring is made from the inside of the wine barrels where the wood has been naturally stained by the wine during the maturation process. The Stave flooring is created using the outside of the wine barrels. When the outside hoops are removed they leave behind distinctive markings and texture.
The wine barrel flooring is a statement of style and brings the history and aged beauty of wine into the personality of your wine cellar. A real conversation piece, this reclaimed wine barrel product is also available in drop-in ready tabletops and counter-tops.
Cork flooring is another great way to create a wine cellar floor. It is durable and very inexpensive. It is what you call a “floating floor” installation. Cork flooring comes in tongue and groove pieces that snap together and are held in place with a simple molding. Several styles, patterns and colors are available.
Both reclaimed wine barrel flooring and cork flooring are very unique and obvious ways to say “this is my special and unique wine cellar”.
Check out this sneak peek of a new residential custom wine cellars builders project we recently completed in Naperville a location near Chicago Illinois. As Full Service Wine Cellar Builders, Contractors, and Installers we love building and designing beautiful custom wine cellars, wine tasting rooms and simple closet conversions like this example job. For the full story, interesting before and after images go to custom wine cellars design Chicago.
Naperville is a smaller city just outside Chicago Illinois. Interestingly it has been voted as the best place to live in the United States several times, even at one time making it to the number two best place to live position. As a smaller U.S. city with a population of around 142,000 (2010), it is actually quite an affluent city with numerous corporate headquarters located in the downtown area. Surprisingly in a 2010 article, Naperville was named as the wealthiest city in the Midwest! As Custom Wine Cellar Builders it should be no surprise therefore that we maintain a local presence of Wine Cellar Contractors in Naperville, Chicago, and Illinois generally.
If you live in one of these areas and are considering converting an unused room into a Wine Tasting Room or Custom Wine Cellar simply call us Toll-Free: at (866) 646-7089 or complete a FREE Wine Cellar Designs form and we will create a stunning 3D CAD Design Package tailored to your specific requirements without obligation and completely free of charge.
Part Three – Custom Wine Cellars and your home value and desirability
A wine cellar can add considerable value as both a practical room and a unique feature to set your home apart from others. While the primary purpose of building a custom wine cellar should probably be for your own private enjoyment, it can also increase desirability. Upgrades to homes are important to set them apart. Once only found in the very high-end home market, stunning custom wine cellars, are amongst the most nascent additions and ‘must-haves’ for the luxury homes mid-market. They are particularly appreciated in large homes situated in upscale neighborhoods.
3. Am I interested in my wine cellar increasing the value of my home or business?
A room with wine racks is a place to store wine bottles for a limited period of time. A climate-controlled wine cellar with a Wine Cellar Refrigeration System is a place to store your wine collection for future enjoyment or investment. This type of wine cellar is also a good investment in your home or business…increasing the market value of your property.
If you are still unsure whether to add a cooling system to your wine cellar but want to get started with your project, at the very least, prepare the room for the future climate control possibility. Add the proper amount of insulation and a vapor barrier in the walls, floor, and ceiling. (See How To Build Your Wine Cellar)
Do your homework or consult a Wine Cellar Specialist to suggest the best method of cooling your space. Then, add the necessary electrical and drain lines when preparing your walls so that your room is ready if cooling is added at a later time.
Elegant Floor to Ceiling Wine Racks Installed by Master Builders of Custom Commercial Wine Cellars
How can you attract potential customers to purchase wine in your restaurant, hotel, or wine store if you have mediocre wine displays? Wine Cellar Specialists, a trusted builder in Texas, designs and installs commercial custom wine cellars that can help the owners to generate profit. We create eye-catching wine displays for restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. We offer innovative and budget-savvy wine rack solutions that maximize storage capacity and allow for better wine management and convenient monitoring.
Choose Stylishly and Quality Wine Racks to Attract Potential Customers
Your wine rack system has a big role in product presentation. Therefore, you must work with a creative and knowledgeable builder of commercial custom wine cellars. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we always aim to help the owners of wine businesses increase their wine sales by creating an enticing wine display in their establishments.
If you invest in mediocre storage units, do not expect an increase in sales. While deciding upon the features of your commercial wine racks, it is important to consider style, functionality, and materials.
The style depends on the kind of wines that you have for display. Think about what you want your customers to feel when they enter your premises.
Should the impression be ‘California Vineyard’, ‘European wine cellar’ or a more contemporary look? This will help you to choose the right design or style of your wine cellar.
We will also consider the size and shape of your wine room, the existing theme of your commercial establishment, and your personal preferences. After making a careful assessment of your needs, we will start creating a 3D design that will show the racking styles and bottle capacities of the completed wine room.
For functionality, you have to think in terms of floor space required. Will you have a cooled room for your more expensive wines, or will everything be displayed in the store floor space?
How many bottles will you want to have in stock? How many different labels will you want to display? Do you want bulk storage as well as individual bottle storage? Do you want a space for case storage?
Knowing your needs and requirements will help us create the perfect wine storage system for your commercial wine cellar. We will ensure that the wine cellar solution does the job of displaying your stock properly and functions well as the business grows. We will also create a design that will maximize the storage capacity of your wine room.
We will recommend the best options for your project, but we will follow your decision on the racking styles and materials. Do you like wood racking or metal racking?
Redwood and mahogany are most often chosen when considering wood wine racks. These wood varieties are known for their beauty, durability, and high resistance to mildew, making them suitable for climate-controlled wine rooms.
Knotty Alder is another popular material used for wine racks. It is known for its attractive burls and knots, which can be highlighted when the right finish or stain is chosen.
Pine can also be used if you are not placing the racks in a cooled environment. Wine racks made from pine are not only beautiful but versatile as well. Whether stained or unfinished, they can go well with any theme in your hotel, restaurant, or wine store.
However, Wine Cellar Specialists recommend staining and lacquering your wooden wine racks to make wooden wine racks more appealing to clientele.
You should choose the wood and finish that blends well with the décor of your store. The texture, grain and colour of the wood also have an important impact on the finish and overlook of your wine cellar.
As for durability, Mahogany is the hardest wood, followed by redwood. Pine is a softer wood but is also the most cost-effective.
Metal Wine Racks for Contemporary Commercial Custom Wine Cellars
Metal Commercial Wine Racks Texas
Texas commercial wine cellars with modern design are also eye-catching. Nowadays, minimalist interiors are in-demand in a commercial setup.
Wine Cellar Specialists uses metal wine racks to create stunning wine storage displays. These storage units offer a space-efficient and cost-effective wine storage solution. They can also blend well with any existing décor.
Metal racking in black or platinum finishes are commonly used in commercial wine racking for a more contemporary look.
For many years, we have been using metal wine racks from top-notch suppliers of contemporary wine storage systems like VintageView, STACT, and Ultra Wine Racks.
Creating a safe wine storage facility requires the help of a professional wine cellar builder. Failure to store wine in a climate-controlled environment will result in waste of time and money you spent for your collection. For this very reason, Wine Cellar Specialists recommends investing in a functional Texas custom home wine cellar that will preserve wine for many years to come. They ensure that every wine room they build is installed with essential components, especially the wine cellar cooling system. Their expertise in proper wine storage enables them to build safe home wine cellars.
One of the Most Outstanding Custom Wine Cellars Designed and Built by wine Cellar Specialists
An Effective Residential Custom Wine Cellar – the Perfect Place for Your Growing Collection
Custom Home Wine Cellar Designed by Wine Cellar Specialists Texas
Any oenophile worth his or her weight in wine knows that enthusiastic wine collecting needs a suitable place at home in which to grow. Fortunately, as more and more people turn to wine as a hobby, your options for building a wine cellar or having a wine cellar built in your home continue to grow.
Wine cellars are not particularly difficult to find room for in a moderately sized home, and you can not only find plenty of do-it-yourself guides to help you along the way, but also get help from experts ready to make your dreams come true.
Wine Cellar Specialists is your one-stop source for all things related to wine storage. They provide the essential components for your Texas home wine cellar, such as wine racks, cooling systems, doors, and flooring. They have found that the cellar itself is often the easy part of the project. You may know where in your home you can build a space in which to store your wine.
With the help of an expert like Wine Cellar Specialists, you do not have to break the bank to build a functional wine cellar in your home. They will create a well-thought-out design that will suit your functional, aesthetic, and financial requirements.
A well-designed residential wine cellar will not only keep your wines safe for many years. It will also enhance your guests’ drinking experience. Wine Cellar Specialists cares for your collection. Therefore, they always see to it that every wine cellar they build has high-grade components and are installed correctly.
Preserving Wine Quality with an Efficient Wine Cooling System
Wine Cooling System – an Essential Component of Texas Wine Cellars
You may know about the temperature requirements for your cellar, and you may even know about the difference in humidity your cellar needs to be at, compared to the rest of your house.
Wine needs a stable environment to preserve its desirable characteristics. Extreme temperature changes will deteriorate your wines. To achieve the ideal wine storage conditions, wine be stored in a wine cellar equipped with a reliable wine cooling system.
The type and capacity of your cooling unit depend on the number of bottles in your collection, and the size and location of your wine room. If you are not sure which refrigeration system suits your needs, please see the different wine cooling options offered by Wine Cellar Specialists.
Wine Cellar Specialists will perform a heat load calculation for the proper sizing of your wine cooling system. This process will ensure that your equipment is not too big nor too small for the size of your wine cellar.
This team of experts has extensive knowledge and understanding about proper wine storage. They know the crucial role of wine cellar refrigeration units in protecting the wine’s from external factors such as heat, light, odor, and vibration. They offer reliable wine cellar cooling systems from the following top-notch manufacturers:
WhisperKOOL
Wine Guardian
CellarPro
US Cellar System
CustomWine Racks
Whether you want something custom to your taste, or you want one of our modular rack kits, Wine Cellar Specialists can help.
Your wine rack system is one of the factors that contribute to the overall appeal and functionality of your Texas home wine cellar. You must choose the right material and design to allow for a more organized storage system, to ensure bottle safety, and to create attractive wine displays.
Wood and Metal Custom Wine Cellar Racks
Wine racks can be made of wood or metal. Wooden wine racks add warmth to your storage space. They are durable and offers design flexibility. Their timeless appeal make them a favorite choice of homeowners, builders, designers, architects, and contractors. Redwood. Mahogany, and Alder are some of the attractive and durable wood species used for manufacturing wine racks.
Metal wine racks are ideal for modern homes. They add sleek appearance to custom wine cellars. Master builders recommend the VintageView metal racking systems. They are known for their durability and ability to match any décor. The label forward orientation of VintageView wine racks makes it easier to see the wine labels.
Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Texas Custom Wine Cellar Door
But you know one part of the wine cellar that often goes overlooked until the very end? Wine cellar doors. Don’t leave your door as an afterthought. It is as important as your cellar itself.
As many options as you have for cellars, your options for cellar doors are just as limitless. Keep in mind that the door needs to be exterior-grade, provide insulation, and have proper weather stripping. Beyond the practicality of the door you pick – it is the FIRST thing you and your guests see when you walk into your cellar. You want to pick something that not only fits the rest of your home but also fits your cellar AND your personality.
If you choose a door that opens into your cellar, but make sure that the door will not hit any racks (or, more importantly, any bottles of wine) when it opens. If you pick a door with glass, make sure the glass is duel pane tempered glass and properly fits the door frame. Most of the cold air that escapes from a wine cellar escapes from under the door. An automatic door bottom will help to seal below the door. If you pick a poor door, then all of the work you’ve invested in your cellar and your wine may be for nothing.
Any wine collector knows that a wine cellar is the way to go. Not only does it give you total control over your wine and its storage, but it will also, in time, add value to your home.
You may choose between solid wooden door, a glass door with wooden frame and wrought iron grill, and a seamless glass door.
An Expert Can Help Build Your Dream Wine Cellar
Why build a wine cellar? Why not build a Texas home wine cellar? And why not let the experts help you make your wine cellar dreams come true?
Wine Cellar Specialists has proven its expertise, reliability, and creativity in building outstanding refrigerated wine cellars for homes.
If you have questions or want more information about how they can help you build a custom wine cellar, call Wine Cellar Specialists at 972-454-0480, or you can e-mail them at info@winecellarspec.com. They can help you stay within budget, find something that fits your needs, and something that not only shows off your superior taste but also complements your fine wine collection.
Depending on your wine storage needs, as well as the space you have available in which to store wine, you may need to decide between a simple system comprised of wine racks, or you may opt to build in your home a custom wine cellar, which would include wine racks as part of its overall construction and usability.
Choosing the Best Wine Storage Solution for Your Needs
Every wine collector has different functional, aesthetic, and financial requirements. It is for this very reason that you should work with an experienced Dallas, Texas wine cellar builder. At Wine Cellar Specialists, they offer effective wine storage solutions that cater to their clients’ needs.
Depending on your needs, you can invest in wine racks or a wine cellar.
Wine Racks
Wine racks can fit in your kitchen. And that may be just what you’re looking for. Racks are inexpensive and can easily store a few bottles of wine. If you’re not a serious collector, or if you’re not planning to hold on to the wine you buy for any length of time, then go with a rack. There are several great options out there, and most of them require little time on your part. In fact, if you find a premade rack that works for you, even better.
Wooden Wine Racks
Wine Cellar Specialists, a wine storage expert in Dallas, Texas, offers wine racks built with efficiency, durability, and appeal. You may opt for wood or metal wine racks.
Wood Wine Racks
One of the most versatile wine rack design, wooden wine racks can be used in traditional and modern wine cellars. It’s available in various styles and sizes. You can even use a black stain for a contemporary look to show off your collection! The different types of wooden storage racks are stand-alone, wall-mounted, modular, stackable, and custom wine racks.
Metal Wine Racks
Modern floating wine racks
The popularity of modern design for custom wine cellars has been growing consistently, along with the rise of technology. No need to keep your wines in the dark, show them off with these minimalistic metal wine racks.
Wine racks designed to mount on the wall are highly recommended for small wine storage spaces. Stackable wine racks are ideal for a growing wine collection since you don’t need to modify your racking if you want to add more bottles.
Wine Cellars
An Elegant Wine Cellar Installed in Dallas, Texas
Just like other wine collectors, racking alone is probably not for you. Valuable red and white wines should not be stored in the kitchen, not if you expect them to increase in value and remain robust. Building a wine cellar in your home is probably the right option for you.
The wine cellar you build should regulate humidity and temperature since both are essential to protecting your investment.
Dallas, Texas wine cellars are designed to maintain the optimum conditions need in the proper ageing of wine. They are equipped with a wine cooling system that can keep the temperature and humidity at the ideal range. Without an efficient climate-control system, your collection will go to waste.
If you want, you can also install a refrigerator in another part of your home. Never put a wine refrigerator inside your wine cellar. The motor on the unit will give off heat and make it harder to keep your room at a constant temperature. Your cooling unit will be fighting the heat coming from the refrigerator. You can use the refrigerator to chill the white wines you intend to drink soon. But for storage temperature, your white wines and your red wines can be stored together in the same wine cellar.
More Tips from a Wine Cellar Expert in Dallas, Texas
Home Wine Cellar with Wine Barrel Racks
Wine Cellar Specialists provides the following tips to help you determine the right storage solution that suits your needs.
When planning your home wine storage system, whether using a cellar in your home or racks in your kitchen, long-term thinking requires you to think about durability. Don’t just go with a wine rack that looks strong. Make sure your rack can stand on its own and can handle the number of bottles of wine you’d keep on it at one time. Don’t plan for the least possible situation. Make sure your rack can handle anything you may want to use it for.
Consider the way your home looks before buying your wine racks. If your home is more modern and metal, then go with a metal rack, but if there is a lot of wood in your home, then go with a wood rack. There is also the possibility of reclaimed wine barrel racking. This is a more costly way to go but, if you can afford it, it truly makes for a magnificent look. It also has the smell of a winery when you walk into the room as the wood used for this racking was originally used for barrels that held wine. That wine smell is still in the wood.
Your wine storage system can be as individual as your specific taste in wine. No matter the vintage, and no matter your choice, storing your wine is as important as pairing it with the right meal and for the right dinner guests.
Need help? Contact Wine Cellar Specialists today at +1 (972) 454-0480.
Mistakes in wine room construction can be avoided if you work with the right company. We, at Wine Cellar Specialists, have extensive knowledge in proper wine storage. We have designed functional custom wine displays and installed Texas wine cellars with the proper components. Before the wine room installation, there are important questions that need to be answered, to ensure that our clients will be happy with the beauty and functionality of their wine rooms.
Questions That Needs to Be Answered Before Custom Wine Cellar Installation
A Wine Cellar Must be Built by a Professional
Yes, wine cellars are a good investment, especially if you are a wine connoisseur. Consider your wine collection. Maybe you don’t know how you became a collector.
A couple of bottles you bought for dinner became a case for a week’s vacation with friends and all of a sudden you’re reading labels and asking about vintage and years.
What’s next? Worrying about storage temperature. If you don’t think about it, that special bottle you’re saving for a golden anniversary or for when that promotion goes through may not taste as special as you are hoping.
Once your thoughts turn to storage temperature, it’s time to think about a wine cellar of your very own.
Some questions you may have, or at least some questions others at the start of their wine cellar process have had, and some answers. Of course, your situation is unique to you. Some of the questions may not apply. Remember, we’re here to help. Call us at 972-454-0480, or you can e-mail us at info@winecellarspec.com.
Is special construction required?
Wine Will Age Properly in the Right Environment
The fluctuation of temperature is the number one cause of wines going bad. You want your wine cellar to have a constant temperature of between 55 degrees and 58 degrees, and maintain a humidity of between 50% and 75%. The temperature in most homes hover around 70 degrees, and the humidity in most homes is somewhere between 20% and 30%.
Of course, where you live, and the temperature and humidity outside probably affect the temperature and humidity in your home.
The proper insulation and vapor barrier in the walls are the first steps to creating a wine room. These will keep the wine cellar humidity at the ideal range by preventing the warm air from leaking into the wine room.
Without proper insulation, molds and mildew can build up in your wine cellar, which can damage the integrity of your racking and walls. This can also damage the wine labels.
The next step is to find out which climate control system is right for you. After the assessment of your needs, Wine Cellar Specialists will be able to recommend the type and brand of wine refrigeration system that suits your storage requirements. This will stabilize the temperature and humidity in the wine room. Regular air conditioners don’t have the capacity to provide the right environment that will help the wine to age gracefully.
Yes. However, keep in mind that where you install your wine cellar will affect how much you spend on its upkeep going forward. Also, heat, light, and vibration can affect your wine. Pick a spot without windows preferably (so you don’t have to worry about covering them) and away from any noise is best. The type of climate control system you can use also depends upon where your room is located. Consult a Wine Cellar Specialist.
When does the cooling unit go in?
Normally, your refrigeration system goes in after the drywall is installed. However, you will want to run the electrical and drain lines during your wall construction.
Do I need to install special flooring?
Texas Wine Cellar Flooring
Yes. You need to install flooring that can withstand high humidity. Carpeting just will not do, since it may likely rot.
Concrete is OK, as long as it is sealed properly. Porcelain or granite tiles, cork, or hardwood flooring is most often recommended.
Custom wine cellar lighting is key to achieving a moody and dramatic look
While it’s fine to opt out of installing lighting for your custom wine cellar, we highly recommend adding a bit of decorative lighting to improve the overall ambient of the space. Furthermore, it adds some pizzazz to your wine collection. With LEDs, you don’t have to worry about the heat it produces. It won’t affect the temperature and the state of wine bottles, thanks to the low-power nature of LED. Alternatively, you can install a chandelier to illuminate the entire room space. The combination of warm lighting and dark-shaded bottles creates a soothing look and feel for a Texas custom wine cellar. What’s even better is that it works and blends well whether it’s traditional, modern, or contemporary custom wine cellars.
How to properly light a Texas custom wine cellar?
If you are planning to add lighting decorations to your wine cellar, you need to know how to install lights in a wine cellar the right way. Aside from chandelier or ceiling lighting, you can try the backlit style. With the bulbs hiding behind wine bottles, the illumination creates a silhouette effect that dramatically adds mood to a wine rack. Sometimes, the color of the wine makes everything a lot more interesting. Another style that’s popular nowadays is accent lighting. All you need to have are several LED strips and run them along the shelves. You can get creative and find the best spots for accent lights. This is one of the best ways to light a custom wine cellar, especially if you want wine racks to be the focal point.
I don’t want to build my wine cellar. Can anyone do it?
Wine Cellar Specialists Texas
Yes, most likely. A blanket statement like anyone can build your wine cellar is difficult to back up. If your builder follows proper Texas wine cellar construction and enclosure guidelines, then yes, anyone can help you.
The materials your builder will need for your wine cellar are easy to find and often used in other home projects. But you should ask any builder you consider for the job if they have experience with wine cellars, and if not, if they work with anyone who does.
When it comes to installing climate control, many units will require a licensed HVAC/R contractor.
The most affordable builder, or the builder who promises to have your wine cellar finished in the shortest amount of time, may not be the best builder for your job. Think long-term appreciation, not short-term satisfaction. We, at Wine Cellar Specialists, will create your wine cellar from start to finish… or work with your builder to help educate him on the best methods when building your room.
Having your Texas wine cellar designed and built by an expert will prevent waste of time and money. There are important factors that need to be considered in wine cellar construction, thus hiring a wine cellar specialist is necessary. This will ensure that your wines are stored in a safe place, allowing them to age for years to come.
A Texas Wine Cellar Built by an Expert Will Keep Your Wines Safe
A custom wine cellar is not that far out of your reach. You don’t have to do it by yourself.
There are specialists and experts who are more than happy to work with you to bring your wine cellar design to life. And if you don’t want to go the route of turning the project entirely over to someone, then work with a wine consultant, who can give you pointers on your cellar.
Wine reaches proper maturation when it is stored in an environment with stable temperature and humidity. The ideal wine storage conditions in Texas wine cellars cannot be achieved without the help of a builder who has extensive experience in wine cellar design and installation.
Your chosen wine cellar company should aim not only to create an exceptional design for your wine storage space, but also to ensure that your prized collection is stored in a climate-controlled environment.
They should be able to help you determine the best location for your wine cellar, the best type of climate control that will work for you, a design that is functional and incorporates everything you want in your room. A consultant will work with you and if you have your own contractor, consult with them as well to make sure the room is constructed correctly. Continue reading →
An Expert Can Help You Build Your Dream Texas Wine Cellar
Climate-Controlled Texas Wine Cellar
While you can build a wine cellar in any part of your home, remember that where you build your wine cellar will affect how much you spend yearly in cellar-related costs.
The temperature in most wine cellars should be between 55 degrees and 58 degrees, and wine cellars typically have a humidity of between 50% and 75%, so, if possible, pick the coolest and most-humid place in your house and be sure to use the correct amount of insulation and vapor barrier in the wall construction.
Doing so will help you lower your overall costs, because this may allow you to use a smaller-sized cooling unit.
Planning Your Wine Cellar Project
After you’ve picked the spot in your house where you will build your wine cellar, plan carefully. How much money are you willing to invest initially and going forward? What do you want your wine cellar to look like? Can you find building materials locally, or are you going to have to special order materials? Are you prepared to do the work yourself? How will you protect your wine?
Careful assessment of your functional, aesthetic, and budget requirements, will help your chosen builder determine the most suitable wine cooling system, flooring, racking, lighting, and doors.
Wine Cellar Specialists, an expert in wine cellar design and installation, can make your Texas wine cellar a safe haven for your collection, and a beautiful addition to your living space.
Wine Refrigeration System
Wine Cellar Cooling Systems Texas
Your cellar will need the correct size and type of cooling system. The size and location of your cellar are factors that must be taken into account in determining the type and capacity of your climate-control system.
The wrong choice of cooling system can cause temperature fluctuations that can be detrimental to your wines. Wine loses its quality when stored in a room with unstable conditions.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers different types of refrigeration systems to meet the unique requirements of their clients. The only use cooling units from trust manufacturers such as Wine Guardian, US Cellar Systems, CellarPro, and WhisperKool.
You can dramatically increase the beauty of your wine cellar by picking amazing flooring.Since it contributes to the overall appeal and functionality of your wine room, the type of your flooring must be chosen carefully.
Don’t limit your thinking to just tile. While you may ultimately go with a tile floor, consider cork or reclaimed wine barrel flooring. Any moisture-resistant material can be used on the floor.
Wine Racks for a Safe and Stunning Texas Wine Cellar
Wine Racking Designed by a Texas Wine Cellar Builder
Now, think about the wine you are planning to store. Not all bottles are the same size and shape, so you should think about the type of the wine racks you will install.
Look at all of your options.
Make sure that the cubicles of the standard 750 racks will hold any larger or odd shaped bottles. They need to be at least 3 ¾” wide.
Do you want to store magnum or larger sized bottles?
Will you have any larger Champagne bottles in your collection?
What about the smaller split size?
Will you want storage for wood cases?
Do you want all of your bottles in individual cubicles or do you want bulk storage such as X bins or Diamond bins?
What about display rows?
Regular display rows or horizontal displays are available in some racking.
A waterfall style display rack is another possibility.
Consider the wine you will store and choose storage racks that you think will protect and store your wine the best.
You may choose wood or metal as material for your racking. Your choice should depend on the look and ambiance that your want for your wine room.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they consider these important factors in choosing a wine rack design that will store your wines safely and beautifully.
Then there are your wines.
Do you already have them?
Are you waiting until your cellar is finished before you get them?
You’re thinking about a wine cellar, so you must already be a wine aficionado or live with someone who is.
At the end of the day, a wine cellar without wine is an empty wine cellar.
When you’re planning your budget for the project, think about how much money you will spend on wines.
Also, when planning your budget for future years, think about how much you plan to spend on acquiring new wines.
A do-it-yourself wine cellar is not impossible, but it is not easy. A wine cellar may boost your resale value, help you store your collection of wine, and be something to brag about. Let’s face it – how many people do you know who have built their own wine cellars? Or who even have a wine cellar in their home?
Working with a professional wine cellar designer and installer can help you build a safe and exceptional Texas wine cellar.
What the Best Custom Wine Cellar Builder Can Do
Wine cellar with contemporary design by Wine Cellar Specialists
If you want a custom wine cellar that is built to your liking made with high-quality products and top-notch service, work with Wine Cellar Specialists. With plenty of wine cellar designs to choose from including traditional, contemporary, modern and transitional design, Wine Cellar Specialists can help. Check out our gallery of completed projects here!No matter where you live or what your wine cellar needs, we can help. Call us at :+1 (972) 454-04809, or send us a message!
After deciding to build a wine cellar in your home (or have one built), you should look at the cellar’s overall efficiency first. How the wine cellar will look, and whether or not it will match how the rest of your house looks, should be a secondary concern.
Wine Cellars – Design & Efficiency
Of course, design isn’t an afterthought, but at the end of the day, the colors you use in your wine cellar, if you use colors, will not help you protect and store your wine collection.
Making sure your cellar is efficient means that your wine cooling unit must be the proper size for the room and emit the proper BTU’s to efficiently cool the room according to your specific conditions. (see other blog posts for information on cooling unit options)
Your cooling unit, more than likely, is going to look and sound very different from what you might be thinking. Depending upon which type of unit you can use in your situation, the look of your cooling unit could vary greatly.
Selecting the right Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Wine Cellar Climate-Control System
When you pick your wine cellar cooling unit, there is usually an external temperature display on it. The wine cellars’ cooling unit will help you monitor and regulate your wine cellar’s temperature. With some units this display can be placed in a spot inside or outside of your wine cellar.
On others, it is attached to the unit itself. This temperature display will show you how hot or cold your cellar is, and if the temperature fluctuates out of your preset range, it will “tell” the cooling unit to readjust the temperature inside the cellar. This should happen automatically.
Because your wine cellar, as one expert puts it, is “dark and damp,” always install moisture-resistant materials during the build-out of the project. These materials can be covered with a latex paint.
Types of Wine Cooling Systems for Texas Custom Wine Cellars
Depending on how you plan to use your wine cellar (is it for an investment, or do you plan to drink the bottles of wine you will store in your cellar), you will want to choose the best cooling option for you. Wine Cellar Specialists can help you decide the system to put in place in your home.
Through the Wall or Self-Contained Units
Self-Contained Cooling System
When it comes to practicality and ease of installation, the self-contained or through the wall cooling system is a top choice. Since this cooling option does not require a licensed HVAC/R technician, it will save you from the labor cost. The unit can be mounted between the wall studs.
An adjacent room, which must be at least twice the size of the cellar, is required. It serves as an exhaust of the heat generated by the refrigeration unit.
Ducted Self-Contained Systems
Ducted Self-Contained System
With a ducted self-contained unit, noise is reduced. The unit is installed 25 ducted feet away from your Texas custom wine cellar, resulting in a quieter operation compared to the self-contained system.
Another advantage of choosing this type of refrigeration system is that no cooling equipment is visible in your wine storage space. If you want a clean look in your cellar, go for the ducted self-contained system.
Split Refrigeration Systems
Split Refrigeration Systems
Just like the ducted-self-contained cooling system, the split system allows for quiet operation. The condenser and the evaporator are installed separately. The condenser, which is a noisy component of a refrigeration system, is installed outside your wine cellar, while the evaporator is placed in the room.
Incorporating a wine cellar into your house is not overly complicated. Doing it right means taking your time, focusing on efficiency, and making sure you have the right people helping you make the right decisions that will best protect your investment and give you your desired result.
You Can Have a Functional and Appealing Home Wine Cellar with the Help of an Expert
If you have asked yourself if you need a wine cellar in your home, then you already have your answer. Just asking the question means that you have gone beyond the normal wine drinker who may have a few bottles on hand for the occasional dinner party or night in.
Because a home wine cellar (and, let’s face it, wine) is an investment, you should be thinking about the type of custom wine cellar you want in your home, not just whether you want one.
Your wine cellar should grow with you and your collection, and unless you’re not planning to sell your home, then your wine room should be built in such a way that it will appeal to someone other than you.
A Residential Custom Wine Cellar may be a nice incentive for someone buying a home, so make sure it has broad appeal.
One benefit to having a wine cellar of your own, is it allows you to buy wine in bulk. Wine by the case is less expensive than one or two bottles.
Wine by the case is also less expensive when it is young, and if you know wine (and if you want a wine cellar in your home, then you must know wine), these young wines, once mature, will taste better and result in a larger return on your investment. It also allows you to purchase larger quantities of a wine that you discover and particularly enjoy, to assure that you will be able to have a stock of it for the future.
Home Wine Room Chicago
How will you use your wine cellar (in other words, what prompted you to ask the question in the first place?)? Will you use it strictly for storage, will you also use it as a tasting room, or is it to be a showplace? How you plan to use it is important to know, because that can affect the way you construct your room, or at least the size of it and how the racking is designed.
If your wine cellar will be used just for storage, then think about how many bottles of wine you currently have as well as how many bottles of wine you plan to accumulate.
Your cellar should be able to grow with you and your collection. Make sure you can maximize the bottle storage for the space you have. If you want a wine room and think that you just don’t have the space, look around at unused areas. Do you have a stairwell? And, if you do, can you build out underneath it? Unused closets? Maybe you use it to build out a cellar.
Residential Wine Cellars Designed and Installed by Wine Cellar Specialists in Texas and Chicago
This contemporary home wine cellar is located under the curved staircase. The racking is made of metal and wood, resulting in a unique wine storage space.
Installed with attractive mahogany wine racks, this residential wine cellar aesthetically appealing and offers great features. A rolling ladder was added for easy access to bottles stored beyond normal reach.
This modern design was created by Wine Cellar Specialists for their client in Dallas, Texas. The metal wine racks from Vintage View are mounted on the wall, creating a sophisticated custom wine display.
Located in the basement, this home wine cellar displays the owner’s wines in unfinished redwood wine racks. A wine barrel table was added to add a distinct look to the wine room.
An Efficient Wine Refrigeration System is Essential for Proper Home Wine Storage
Wine Refrigeration Systems
Where you build the room will be dictated by the ability to install your climate control system. Controlling the temperature is critical to ensuring your collection is protected and continues to grow in value.
When the ideal temperature (55-65 degrees Fahrenheit) is maintained in a cellar, wine will not be oxidized. Oxidation causes off flavors and discoloration in wine.
Additionally, an efficient wine cooling system also regulates humidity levels need in preserving wine’s quality. Humidity levels higher or lower than the normal range (60-70%) will damage the corks and wine labels.
If you have considered building a wine cellar in your home, then don’t ask yourself if you should build one; ask, instead, how big you want it to be and what will go inside of it.
Wine racks are the framework of your custom wine cellar.
Whether you are building your wine cellar for storage or display, you must take into consideration what kind of racking system you want. Wine racks make your wine cellar collection organized. A well-organized collection of wine is not only pleasing to the eyes but it’s also practical for the owner. You won’t have a hard time trying to find any particular wine you want in your collection.
What wine rack should you use for your custom wine cellar?
Revamp your custom wine cellar with a wooden wine rack.
Wine racking systems come in all shapes and sizes. There are two major types of wine racks. First, there’s the wooden rack. Then, there’s the metallic racking system. What material to use depends on your preference, how large your wine collection, and the reason you are building a wine cellar.
Wooden racksare good insulators. These racks lessen the heat going through your wine bottles. This feature is favorable since heat could trigger premature spoilage of your wines. And, wooden racks give your wine cellar a classy and traditional look.
Metallic racks, on the other hand, give your custom wine cellar a modern and contemporary look. These racks are known for their durability and strength. Given they are installed in an optimum wine cellar condition, metallic racks are easy to maintain.
Whether you’ll be using your custom wine cellar for storage or display, making a well-informed decision onwhat wine rackto use could make the most of the functionality for each variant.
Chicago Home Wine Cellar Installed with a Cooling System
Poor conditions can be detrimental to wine. Investing in a climate-controlled wine room can protect your investment from harmful external factors.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers a turnkey solution for clients who want to have a custom wine cellar in Chicago that has the ability to maintain the right temperature and humidity levels.
Temperature and Humidity – Factors that Affect Wine Quality
A wine storage room is much more than the wine you choose to store inside it. In fact, the wine, contrary to what you might think, is less a factor in an effective wine cellar than the cellar itself.
For Chicago custom wine cellars of course, ultimately, the wine inside your wine room is what will matter, but in the beginning, and, to some degree, going forward, the cellar itself is what will make or break your collection.
The optimum conditions in a wine cellar can be achieved by regulating the temperature and humidity.
Optimum Conditions Needed by Wine for Proper Maturation
Without the right temperature and humidity in your wine cellar, and in less than ideal conditions, the wine you hope to one day enjoy or sell (wine as investment is not as rare as you may think) will not be there.
Ideal Wine Cellar Temperature
A Stable Temperature Keeps Wine at Its Best
In order to preserve wine’s complex characteristics, it needs to be stored in a room where the wine cellar temperature is approximately between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wine Cellar Humidity
In addition to temperature, humidity can indirectly affect the quality of your wine. Your wine cellar should be able to keep the humidity level between 50-75%.
Too low of a humidity level in your Chicago wine cellar may dry out the cork, allowing unwanted oxygen to get into the bottle. When this happens, oxidation occurs. Oxidation causes off flavors and flat aromas in wine. It also causes wine discoloration. Premature browning in reds and a deeper yellow color in whites are indications that wine has been oxidized.
Too high a humidity level can trigger mold growth that can damage the wine labels and wine racks.
Achieve Proper Storage Conditions by Careful Planning and Choosing the Cooling System Ideal for Chicago Custom Wine Cellars
Wine Guardian Refrigeration System Offered by Wine Cellar Specialists Chicago
With some careful planning, forward-thinking, and the right cellar, how you want your wine to be when you one day drink it is achievable and very possible.
Some people choose to build their Chicago custom wine cellar in a basement, and while this may be the best space in your home in which to create a cellar, (assuming you actually have a basement), keep in mind that the conditions in your basement are not necessarily ideal for wine storage or more importantly the proper aging of your wine collection.
Also, you should create an environmentally controlled space for your wine collection.
Installing a Refrigeration System Can Help Maintain Constant Temperature and Humidity in Chicago Wine Cellars
So make sure that regardless of the conditions outside, or even in your home, you are using an efficient refrigeration unit.
Such a system also means that your cellar does not have to be in a basement.
Effective wine cellar cooling units correctly controlling your wine rooms climate means the sky is the limit when it comes to cellar location, or is at least only limited by the size of your home.
Of course, where you place your wine cellar is based on how a cooling system can be installed. If installing a self-contained unit, you need to be able to vent directly through the wall outside (only units specifically designed for extreme conditions) or to another room that is heat and air-conditioned and is at least twice the size of your cellar.(the most cost-effective method.)
If using a split system, you can place your condenser up to 50 feet from the evaporator and either copper lines or ducting might be used. There are many ways and types of cooling systems.
Avoid These Common Custom Wine Cellar Cooling Mistakes
Whether it’s traditional or modern custom wine cellars, proper cooling systems are required to prevent wine molding.
Knowing the right thing to do doesn’t mean you’ll end up with no mistakes during the process. Even if you’re knowledgeable about proper custom wine cellar cooling, there’s always room for error (as well as improvements). That said, you should avoid these common mistakes when dealing with a cooling unit:
Blending or mixing hot air exhaust and fresh air intake — the cooling unit won’t work correctly if it re-uses its hot exhaust air. If you’re challenged by room space, there are various types of cooling units to choose from, such as a split system, ducted system, and self-contained system.
Making the wine cellar the source of fresh air — make sure that fresh air will come from an external source and not within the cellar to ensure proper airflow.
Not paying attention to the cooling unit’s extreme temperature capability — as a custom wine cellar owner, you should be familiar with the capacity of your cooling unit. There are seasons when the temperature is extreme. Make sure the custom wine cellar cooling unit is capable of adapting to a consistently changing environment.
Picking a cooling unit based on one factor — never ever choose a cooling unit based on one factor. A lot of things can affect humidity. Not only the size of the wine cellar itself but also the walls that surround it. Whether it’s glass, wood, or any specific material that encloses a wine cellar, this affects the thermal load of a room which contributes to the humidity level.
Consult a Wine Cellar Specialist to Determine What Can Be Used in Your Situation
You must choose the correct cooling unit for your Chicago custom wine cellar so that it cools efficiently for your particular conditions. Not only the size of the room but the insulation, the door, where the cellar is located inside the home are all factors when determining the correct size of the unit.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they make a careful assessment of their client’s needs to ensure that all the components are of high quality and installed properly.
Heat Load Calculation
Wine Guardian Refrigeration Unit Installed by a Chicago Expert
A wine cellar specialist can do a heat load calculation to determine the size of unit that you will need. The correct unit can be counted on to keep your wine collection safe. Do not size your cooling unit solely by the cubic footage of your wine cellar. A heat load calculation will take into account the size of your room as well as the amount of insulation, glass, the number of doors, interior and exterior walls, etc. to determine the amount of BTUH needed to correctly cool your room.
You will find that temperature and humidity will become common words around your home, as these are the two aspects in your cellar that are keys to proper wine storage.
Digital Control – an Important Feature of Cooling Units for Chicago Custom Wine Cellars
The cooling units automatically run in cycles to maintain the correct temperature.
Digital controls are part of most units, but is offered as an option, consider going with it, even if it adds to the price of your unit.
Protect Your Wines from Being Damaged. Contact a Professional.
Wine Cellar Specialists – a Reliable Wine Cellar Cooling Expert
Prevent wine spoilage by choosing a wine cellar cooling expert in Chicago. Let Wine Cellar Specialists help you determine the refrigeration system that can maintain the ideal temperature and humidity in your wine room.
We had a start to finish excellent experience with Wine Cellar Specialists. After talking to a couple of carpenters about converting a closet into a small wine cellar I wasn't very confident they knew what they were doing so I started looking for expertise and found Wine Cellar Specialists.
I had my consultation with Brad Cupp and he was very passionate about their business and options
Steve Gee
We had a fantastic experience with Brad Cupp and Wine Cellar Specialists-Dallas. They converted an under-the-stair closet into a fabulous refrigerator cellar that holds about 400 bottles of wine. The attention to detail and craftsmanship was well worth the time it took to complete this job. You don't always get what you pay for, but in this case, I truly believe that we did. Thank you for an exceptional job.
Timothy Martin
Wine Cellar Specialists provided us a custom black iron/glass door as the main feature to our new wine cellar. The quality is excellent and the look is just what I asked for. Thanks so much.
Aiden K
I purchased a wine cellar door from Wine Cellar Specialist and had the pleasure of working with Alex. She helped me design a custom door that was absolutely beautiful. This was a very big project and she was so kind and professional and held my hand throughout the whole process. It was an amazing experience. I researched other companies before choosing Wine Cellar Specialists and it was their customer service and attention to detail that made my decision so easy. I highly recommend them for any wine cellar project.
G
Gary Anderson
Great experience with the process and progress completion - Brad Cupp dons well in coordinating and communication. All the sub contractors were good to work with and were attentive to cleaning after work. Plus the important end result was a wonderful wine cellar that can accommodate over 700 bottles of wine in relatively small area. Highly recommend!
Dallas 
One of the sure signs that wine collecting in Texas is booming, is the increased interest in building a Texas wine cellar. In this state’s warm climate, wine bottles must be stored properly, in adherence to the ideal conditions. If not, the wine will spoil.
Win-Win with Red Wine 
