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.
Investing in a home wine cellar is common nowadays, especially in Dallas, Texas. They provide wines the best storage conditions, add value to your home, allow easy access to your wines, and provide a place to entertain friends. After your residential custom wine cellar is built, it is wise- especially for larger collections- to organize wine bottles in a manner that will allow you can easily find a certain type of wine.
You don’t want your guests to wait for a long time while you’re having difficulty looking for the wine you want to serve. Below are some organization options for your wine collection.
Organize Wines by Brand, Region or Varietal
Storing wines of the same brand in one area of your wine rack is one great way to organize your Dallas Texas wine cellar. This option is ideal if you buy wine in bulk.
Many wine lovers collect wines from different regions. The region from where wine originated contributes a lot to its taste, so in order for you to find a bottle that best pairs with your dish in no time it is recommended that you keep them by region.
If you want to drink a glass of Chardonnay now and a different variety tomorrow, there’s no better way than to store your wines according to the varietal. You can separate whites from reds in your wine room.
According to Wine’s Maturity
It is recommended that you keep wines intended to be drunk sooner on one side of your wine room and those that require longer aging periods on the other side. Make sure to keep everyday wines in your wine cellar where they can be accessed easily.
Categorizing Wine Bottles with Description Tags
Bottle Tags or Description Tags
Categorizing your bottles will be easy with bottle tags which can be hung around the wine bottle’s neck. Indicating the brand, varietal, or region on the tag will allow you to easily locate the wine you need without flipping every bottle in your home wine cellar. You may also use color-coded tags.
Software Programs and Wine Management System
You can get software programs that allow for wine cellar owners to manage and organize their wine collection in a hassle-free way. The wine management system is usually used in commercial wine cellars, but it is now recommended for installation in residential wine cellars for a quick inventory of your wine collection.
The most efficient and easiest software to use is the eSommelier wine cellar management system. It allows you to have 24-hour access to your wines and makes inventory and monitoring of wines much more convenient compared to maintaining a spreadsheet.
It also lets you find a glass of wine and the best time to drink it. It comes with a barcode scanner, a touch screen interface, and a barcode printer. Investing in this software will save a lot of time and effort.
With many options for wine cellar organization, it is still you who will decide on how you would like to categorize your wine collection. Just make sure that you will be able to serve the right wine to your guests in a timely manner.
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.
Unoaked wines are widely produced by many winemakers and are present in almost every residential wine cellar.
Many people choose to collect wines because for them, wine is already a part of their lives and it makes any wine drinking experience more enjoyable. Increased knowledge of wines is important, whether you are just starting a wine collection or you already have a large number of wines stored in your residential wine cellar.
One of the most interesting topics in the wine world is about unoaked wines. Many people might be wondering what unoaked wines are and their characteristics. This article will discuss unoaked wines, particularly Chardonnay.
Traditionally, wines are allowed to ferment in wine oak barrels, which create the flavors and bouquet of the finished wine. Oak barrels help balance the tannins in wine, enhance the texture and add a little spice and some sweet vanillin characters to the wine.
Unoaked Wines are Produced Using Stainless Steel Barrels
The wine making process has evolved so much as time has gone by. Some winemakers even deviated from tradition to discover “naked” wines.
“Naked wine” is a term for unoaked wine, or wine that has never been aged inside an oak barrel. Production of unoaked wines involves a cost effective process using a stainless barrel instead of the more traditional oak barrel. Steel aging brings out the true flavor, without the influence of oak barrels.
In unoaked wines, the natural flavors of grapes and elements of the soil from which they are grown are emphasized. Unoaked wine is perfect as a table or dessert wine because of its light flavor. It is perfect for people who cannot drink wine with high tannin content.
If wine is unoaked, the tannin level is lowered, making the wine bearable to drink. Many consumers enjoy a lighter and fruitier wine without the influence of the oak barrels, which is why unoaked wines are widely produced by many winemakers and are present in almost every wine cellar.
We cannot deny that unoaked wines are gaining popularity in the US. One of the most popular non-oaked wines in the US, especially in California, is the unoaked Chardonnay, which was originally popularized by Chablis.
One of the most popular naked wines in the US is unoaked Chardonnay.
Since Chardonnay is a neutral grape and can deliver various flavors and aromas, many winemakers like to experiment in creating a different taste of the wine after fermentation. Chardonnays which are fermented and aged in oak barrels taste like butter or caramel and have scents of vanilla, spice or wood. They also deliver a creamy texture.
When Chardonnay is fermented and aged in steel wine barrels, it is unoaked or un-wooded. Unoaked Chardonnay has light and delicate flavors, making it more versatile in food pairing compared to oaked Chardonnay.
The true characteristics and crisp fruit flavor of wine will emerge if it is not fermented or aged in oak barrels, which is why some winemakers choose not to oak wines. There’s nothing better than ending a stressful day with a glass of unoaked Chardonnay from your home wine cellar.
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.
With several types of wine available, pairing wine with food needs careful attention in order to bring out the best in each combination. There are no rules when pairing wines with food, only suggestions. Always keep in mind that the best match is determined by your personal preference. Food can either contradict or complement wines. In your quest to pair wine with food, you must consider several factors for both wine and food.
For some wines, finding the perfect food match can be difficult. However, there are wines that are especially food-friendly, such as Riesling. This wine is often found in the wine cellarsof those who want to find ease in choosing the right wine and food pair during dinner parties.
Riesling wines are produced from Riesling grapes, which originate in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is characterized by flowery, fruity and fragrant aromas. On the palate, Riesling wines highlight the pear, citrus, apple and peach flavors. They also exhibit mineral flavors, which they tend to get from their native soils.
Any food pairing can be successful if the wine’s intensity, acidity, alcohol, and degree of sweetness are taken into consideration. Rieslings are known for their out-going character or versatility when it comes to food pairing. Rieslings are sweet, crisp, light-bodied and have a balance of sugar and acidity, as well as relatively low alcohol content.
The high acidity in Riesling wines increases saliva production in the mouth, causing you to want to eat more. German Rieslings that have high acidity go well with saucy dishes and fatty foods. This is why they can be paired with an array of foods such as appetizers, pork, poultry, and mild fish. Riesling is also prefect for contrasting dishes such as sweet and spicy. Dry Riesling wine matches well with chicken and seafood, while sweet varieties go well with desserts.
In Germany, off-dry Rieslings are slightly sweet (classified as Spatlese or Kabinett). They are best paired with salty foods, spicy dishes and sweeter vegetables like corn, sweet potatoes, turnips, and yams. Never match red meat with dry or off-dry Riesling, since its flavors can overpower that of the Riesling.
During light summer months, many of us love to have outdoor activities or have picnics with family and friends. We often grill fish and other seafood, which are best served with Riesling.
For wine cellar owners, make sure that you include Rieslings in your collection so that you can serve your guests with a wide range of food and grab a versatile wine.
You can also try pairing Riesling with other foods. Remember that your own palate will still be the biggest factor in a successful matching of wine and food. What matters most is that the pairing should enhance your wine drinking experience.
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.
Designing good looking and safe custom wine cellars does not need to be rocket science. You just need to be aware of a few basic things to ensure that you have the right set of racks and wine cellar design to store your favorite wine bottles safely and in an aesthetic manner.
Residential Wine Cellars TexasConsider your needs over time – How many bottles are currently in your wine collection and how much additional space will be needed for future storage. A good rule is to double your current bottle count for your wine storage.
Evaluate the wine cellar’s location and design with regards to potential enemies of wine – high temperature, humidity, vibrations. Will you be needing a climate control system?
Plan the design of the wine racks as per the size and shape of bottles that you want to store. 750’s, magnums, larger size bottles? Case storage, bulk storage, or individual bottle storage? Display rows with lighting?
Will you use your wine cellar for strictly storage purposes or do you want it to be more of a showplace?
What type of wine cellar cooling units will you be using? Will a unit or a fan coil be inside the cellar effecting where your racks can be placed?
How much are you willing to spend on your wine cellar? Discuss this with your designer so that he or she can more accurately design your cellar within your budget. Wood species, stain, lacquer, lattice or solid bins, carvings, many things can make a huge difference on the cost of your racks.
Do you want a rustic look, a furniture look, or perhaps something more contemporary? Many styles of racks are available from traditional, wine barrel, metal and more. Discuss your thoughts with your designer and share any photos of other cellars and racks that you have seen and would like incorporated into your design.
The dimensions of the room must be carefully measured before you complete your final wine racks design. Measure the length of each wall in the room. Measure the ceiling height. Measure exactly where the door will be placed. Also consider the space occupied by cooling units, soffits, or any other obstructions.
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 
