No matter how you cork it, having a collection of wine is virtually a necessity these days. Whether you pick up a special bottle when you travel, opt to make your own, or just like to collect, it’s great to have a selection wines on hand for entertaining, sharing with friends, and giving as a gift that’s always welcome.
These days as I visit homes that clients are buying and selling, I’m seeing a huge trend towards the inclusion of wine cellars in new builds and renovations in older homes. I love seeing the different designs people are coming up with, in many cases making use of previously unused space.
Some of my favourite designs include the use of rich, dark woods to create a luxurious old world charm for laying down wine. Often found in basements at the bottom of winding staircases, wine cellars are easily created with the help of professionals.
Many people opt for utilizing their unused cold cellar space for laying wine, but the colder temperatures may not be conducive for storing. I highly recommend speaking with local contractors and wine cellar professionals to find out the exact conditions that will best preserve and age your bottles.
If your home doesn’t have room for a complete cellar, not to worry! You can easily have a custom wine cabinet constructed to suit your needs.
These can be built-ins or stand-alones, perfect for adding charm to a kitchen or dining room, great room or den. Of course with a cabinet you won’t have room to lay as many wines as you might with a cellar, but this may encourage you to use more discretion when choosing wines and force you to only buy what is absolutely necessary.
If you’re considering installing either a custom wine cabinet or cellar in your space, I encourage you to do your research before starting. Contact local wine experts at the LCBO or wine-making stores and ask friends for referrals for contractors who are capable of handing such a delicate project. Do you have a contractor you’ve used to install a wine cellar? Please share the contact information with our community by posting a comment below.
