Creating A Stunning Contemporary Wine Display

Unless you live in wine country territory, whether your preference leans towards Napa Valley or the Bordeaux region in France, there's a strong possibility that where you live isn't the ideal place to store wine for any extended amount of time. There's also another possibility that you don't have a specialized cellar that creates the right environment for wine storage either. 

That doesn’t mean it's not going to be possible to build a contemporary wine cellar in your home. It also doesn't take as much space as a dungeon-like traditional cellar would. But, at the same time, it'll do the right job of managing your precious collection in a fun, modern, clean, and even artistic way. 

So, if you want to be able to preserve your current wine collection while at the same time being able to expand upon it, then consider getting the wine rack of today. 

How will it look? 

The best part of building a contemporary wine cellar is that it doesn't need to be in the home's basement. It can be a part of the den or study or an extended portion of the living room or dining room. Part of the design makes it aesthetically pleasing, akin to a piece of artwork on the wall. 

The beauty and designs of the bottles and the symmetry of the wine cellar will make this a constant conversational piece and an easy way for yourself and others to view the bottles without harming the specialized environment the wine is stored in. 

The colors to be used

There are two primary routes to go with this, and both of them are about enhancing the visuals the wine bottles themselves produce. First, if you have the separate space you would like to dedicate to your ever-growing wine collection and investment, we would consider natural wooden colors and set up with LED lighting to illuminate the wine racks and the display rows. 

You can couple this with brick or similar to brick walls that will give it a warm and earthy feel to your wine collection. The illumination of the LED lighting will help protect some of your wines further, as you can store them away from direct sunlight and light in general. 

If you're going to convert a portion of another room, the other option is to keep it bright. Utilize pure white walls or white marble that will help illuminate the bottles naturally through the contrast of colors produced. This setup is perfect if you're not looking for out of sight and out of mind but want it as soon as you sit in your living room after a long day and simply want to enjoy the latest vintage that you have out there. 

The racks to be used

We work primarily with both VintageView™ and UltraWine™. Both are high-quality and durable wine rack solutions and won't compromise the overall design. They both have a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to what your design will look like. 

VintageView™ leans towards a more traditional racking system with utilizing wine cages for easy categorization, while UltraWine™ leans towards storing higher volumes of wine bottles a bit better. Again they are pretty similar and have some minor differences, but between them, there’ll be a wine rack solution that will work with your needs. 

Either way, the one you will select will be based on how you space the racks and bottles. Are you looking for a traditional horizontal/vertical setup, or do you want to enhance the art component and include sets of racks in simple patterns or square pattern racks of wine? 

Both options also allow for either the bottles to be labeled forward, or again, a more traditional look and feel by having the neck facing outward. We ensure that they are at the correct angles to maintain the quality of the wines themselves, which is the most important in the end. 

The enclosure

Since we're going to keep this contemporary, even if we're going with a wooden theme, it'll always be best with a glass enclosure. Why do we prefer the glass enclosure? It's because it'll really help keep your display in view and as a statement piece. 

You might think a wine cellar needs heavy doors to maintain the humidity and temperature levels, but we've got you covered there, and we'll make sure the right temperature and air systems are set up while at the same time able to use a glass enclosure. 

It's a great option that will always keep the wines visible while only needing access when a bottle is ready to be stored or, more importantly, shared and sampled. 

Consider the contemporary wine cellar

Some people prefer a library when they have the space; others prefer a wine rack they can grow and expand with. The design of the contemporary wine cellar can be built in a way to include a certain amount of wine in the future, even if all the bottles haven't been purchased just yet. 

Taking this step allows for a beautiful and unique addition to your home that will do the difficult job of preserving the wine, so as soon as it's opened to be enjoyed, it'll be the right flavors and tastes coming out. 

When building this wine cellar out, you will create an excellent and elegant addition to the home, whether you go with the light solid wood options or expand your existing rooms with beautiful bright marble walls. If you only dabbled in the art of wine collection, but do enjoy a great glass now and again, then this is just the right motivation to be able to expand your knowledge and grow into a true connoisseur of delicious wines. 

In addition, you can increase your collection, store your supplies, and even eventually sell some of your collections since one of our contemporary wine cellars will do such an excellent job in preservation.  

Wine Cellar Checklist: How To Create The Perfect Wine Cellar For Your Home [Infographic]

There are many factors to consider when building a wine cellar. Such as maintaining the right temperature, lighting, and humidity as well as eliminating excessive vibrations, and making sure the cellar is properly ventilated, are crucial to creating the perfect wine cellar.

This infographic from the wine cellar builders at Innovative Saunas and Cellars will show you the steps you can take to bring your wine cellar dream to a reality.

INNOVATIVE SAUNAS AND CELLARS ARE WINE CELLAR BUILDERS WITH IMAGINATION

ENVIOUS WINE CELLARS

You may already have a wine collection or have dreams of starting one. Whether you have a room set aside or a specific space in mind, Innovative has decades of experience with designing wine cellars that fulfill the wishes of our clients and become the envy of our future clients.

Wine is a personal thing. Each lover and collector of wine will have their preferences. Like wine, a cellar is also personal. It is not just about pleasure and storing your best vino correctly. A cellar adds character and style to a home. Naturally, a cellar should also be a reflection of your unique requirements, both practical and aesthetic.

Your unique taste in wine will determine the technical requirements of your cellar. Our team will assist you with the correct size of racks to suit your bottles. The appropriate storage space and creating the ideal temperature and humidity are crucial for preserving your favorite wines. 

With the practical aspects taken care of, the magic begins. This is when we work together to create your unique showcase. If you desire something classic that exudes established elegance, we offer Walnut, White Oak, and Sapele wood. These options are available in a wide range of shades from airy to somber espresso.

Our wood selection is specifically chosen to strike the best balance between style and longevity. A good wine cellar wood must be able to last in a humid and slightly chilly environment, while at the same time reflecting the look and feel of your vision.

If you prefer a more modern angle, we are equally adept at working with glass or combinations of glass and wood. We are innovators and we love a challenge. If your imagination is going towards something outside of the box, we would love to make it happen for you.

As wine lovers ourselves, we wanted to take our service a step further. Innovative also offers a comprehensive Sommelier service through Hermes Ortiz Wine Consulting services. Hermes is certified by the USSA Sommelier Association and has established wine contacts across the globe.

Our Sommelier service includes consulting on cellar stocking, wine investment and education, as well as wine tasting events.

We are wine cellar builders that work seamlessly under any design circumstances. We work with architects, designers, builders, or you. We can be involved in your process as much as your needs require.

Is your heart saying “I want one!”?  Contact Us today.

Infographic Transcript:

Wine Cellar Checklist: How to create the perfect wine cellar for your home.

TEMPERATURE

Wine needs to be stored at a specific temperature. The best is around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with minimal fluctuations. That means the temperature needs to stay constant. If it starts to cross 60 degrees, it can start deteriorating the wine, at an exponential level for each additional degree.

HUMIDITY

Humidity is another item to consider and it needs to stay around 70% humidity to keep the cork expanded and as air-tight as possible. It also helps the cork from drying out which can lead to other complications as well.

LIGHTING

Light and UV rays can prematurely age wine, and not all wines can last very long. Having the space where the wine storage will happen should be constantly dark, with minimal lighting only to view and select a wine, and then turn off the lights once again.

VIBRATIONS

Excessive vibrations can seriously damage your wine during storage. Vibrations can also disturb the sediment in your wine bottle. They can also cause long-term damage by agitating your wine repeatedly and possibly speeding up any chemical reactions occurring during the aging process.



VENTILATION

It is recommended that the cellars have a ventilation system that guarantees the circulation of air inside.

There are three different types of cooling systems to choose from to make sure that your wine cellar is properly ventilated.

SELF CONTAINED COOLING SYSTEM

One end of the system blows cool air in to the cellar, and the other end absorbs heat from the cellar and exhausts the heat into an area adjacent to the cellar. Self-contained units will make more noise than a split or ducted system.

SPLIT COOLING SYSTEM

The Split System is often the most efficient way to cool a cellar. Cooling unit condensers are typically noisy and require significant space for ventilation, in most cases the cellar location does not include an area for these functions. By splitting the cooling system, the condenser can be placed in a space better suited for heat and noise dissipation while the quiet evaporator is inside, or near, the cellar. A licensed HVAC/R technician is required for the installation.

DUCTED COOLING SYSTEM

A ducted system has more installation options than a self-contained system. The unit may be installed up to 25 ducted feet from the cellar, with the cool air flowing to the cellar and the heat exhaust ducted to the outside of the home.

A wine cellar cooling system is a must have, and whether you decide to go with a self contained cooling system, split cooling system, or ducted cooling system, Innovative Saunas and Cellars has the right fit for you.