Posts Tagged wine cellar

Setting up a home wine cellar can help keep your special collection of wine protected. For wine to age properly and to develop the intricate layers of taste as desired, wine needs to be stored in a cellar away from the low humidity, temperature fluctuations and imperfect storage the rest of the average home provides.

Small-scale or on a big scale, a wine cellar should contain the following components:

• proper insulation
• racks to protect and display the bottles
• adequate temperature controls
• proper lighting levels

Your wine cellar can be an expression of your taste – perhaps you have a preference for practicality, and as much storage in a small space as possible. Or, you may want a show piece where you can entertain friends and sample wines in elegant comfort. Have your needs in mind when designing your cellar.

Also note that a wine cellar need not be reserved for a country estate, as people from all walks of life who enjoy a fine bottle of wine build or have wine cellars in their homes.

You will want to come to the design process with an understanding of how you think of your wine collection. Some bottles resemble art pieces, so you can display them prominently. Sometimes you may want to showcase a rare vintage, or perhaps decorate your space with wine-related arts or crafts that bring ambience to the space.

A variety of storage designs correctly combined will give your wine cellar the most versatility. You can invest in modular storage systems that assemble in a customized fashion, or you can have a carpenter create the storage (this can be the more expensive option).

Simple storage racks (in wood or metal) will make certain that the wine remains effectively ventilated and separated. You may also want an area reserved for wine accessories, like glasses, corkscrews, bottle openers and wine chillers or buckets.  Your wine cellar can also have essentially decorative elements in the form of handcrafted doors or mood lighting.

Red wines gain most from cellar storage, in particular varieties that acquire body from long-term storage. Most people imagine that cellars must be located in the basement or otherwise under the house, though they can actually be located in any area of the house as long as the temperature and humidity levels can be properly controlled. Make your wine cellar a personal expression of your passion for wine.

There are several different means to store your wine though the wine cellar is the most popular option. One can keep safely his wine bottles in a wine cellar. Any wine cellar can be of a size that suits your needs and it will cost differently depending on how much protection you need for storing your wines in the safest manner possible and also on the size of the cellar.

Wine Cellar For Ordinary Wine Lovers

Over the recent past, many budget wine cellars have become available that are helping the ordinary wine lover to have some place where they can store their favorite wines in a manner that ensures that the wine does not get spoiled and in fact preserves its color and flavor.

Wine can have three main threats from which a good wine cellar must provide protection. The first such threat is heat; the second is dryness while the third one is light. A properly constructed wine cellar will be able to store the wine at relatively low temperatures and it will also ensure that there should be sufficient amount of humidity and proper amount of darkness – all of which ensures that nothing will spoil your wine.

Finally, the right wine cellar is also one that will prevent major fluctuations in humidity and temperature that are the biggest enemies of wine – causing them to lose their color and flavor. The term wine cellar indicates to any place that is appropriate for protecting wine for a limited period. This term indicates that it is a underground place.

If the wine is stored above ground level then the correct term for such place would not be wine cellar; rather it would be wine room while if you stored your wine in a small fridge the appropriate term for such storage would be a wine closet. Given that not everyone can construct a wine cellar beneath ground level there have now sprung up alternative solutions such as the self-storage facility that provides the same benefits as any true wine cellar can.

Some people even go the extra mile and install or construct custom wine cellars. Such cellars ensure that everything in the cellar is made with a view to ensuring that your wine is not only protected and stored in the best manner possible but it also is built on a particular philosophy about how particular wines should be stored.

We don’t often think of Michigan as a wine producing State do we, but look at the facts:

• Michigan has 13,500 acres of vineyards making Michigan the fourth largest grape-growing state.

• Most of this acreage is planted to juice grapes such as Concord and Niagara.

• About 1,500 acres are dedicated to wine grapes, making Michigan the eighth in wine grape production.

• Vineyard area has increased 24% since 1997.

• Michigan’s 45 commercial wineries produce more than 200,000 cases of wine annually, making the state 13th in wine production. Just about all of the production is from Michigan-grown grapes.

• Wineries are popular tourist destinations, attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually. Some of these wineries also have retail stores where it’s possible to purchase anything from a wine cellar kit to a wine cooler refrigerator.

• Wine production and winery tourism annually contribute $75 million to the state’s economy.

• Three types of grapes are used for wine in Michigan:

• • Vinifera varieties — these are the classic European varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling (the most widely planted white), Pinot Noir (the most widely planted red), Pinot Grigio/Gris and Cabernet Franc; 58% of Michigan’s wine grapes are vinifera. Since 1998, 71% of the new plantings in Michigan have been vinifera varieties.

• • Hybrid varieties (sometimes called French/American hybrids) — these are botanical crosses between vinifera varieties and grapes native to North America. Common names are Vidal, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch and Vignoles; 39% of Michigan’s wine grapes are hybrids.

• • Native varieties — actually close relatives of true native varieties. Typical names are Concord and Niagara. Just 3% of Michigan’s wine is made from these varieties.

• The vast majority of Michigan’s quality wine grapes grow within 25 miles of Lake Michigan. Here, the “lake effect” protects the vines with snow in winter, retards bud break in spring helping avoid frost damage, and extends the growing season by up to four weeks.

• Michigan has deemed four federally approved viticultural areas (AVAs). In the northwest part of the state, near Traverse City, lie the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. This area has a growing season averaging 145 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,350 growing degree days; 51% of Michigan’s wine grapes grow here. In the southwest part of the state lie the Lake Michigan Shore and Fennville appellations, here 45% of Michigan’s wine grapes are grown. This area has a growing season averaging 160 days and an average heat accumulation of 2,750 heat units. Each are Region 6 on the USDA plant hardiness zone map.

• Harvest begins for early hybrid varieties at the end of late August in the southwest and may extend into mid November for late-ripening vinifera varieties in the northwest.

• Michigan wines win the majority of medals at prestigious competitions every year. More than 16% of the wines entered in the Michigan Wine & Spirits Competition had already won Gold Medals in regional, national and international competitions. A list of winners is available upon request.

• Michigan wineries make many styles of wine, from dry to sweet including Ice Wine, sparkling, fortified, fruit wines and eau-de-vie (fruit brandy).

• Michigan wines are usually “cool climate” – clean, crisp, balanced wines that exhibit real varietal charact.
• Michigan Wines are very popular choices in the offerings of Wine Clubs
  where you set up a monthly subscription to order wine online

Next time you’re savoring your favorite Chardonnay, check the label. It just may not have originated in California!