Wine Storage – Some Basic Do’s and Don’ts of Storing Your Wine Collection

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

Proper storage is crucial to maintaining and preserving the quality of wines. Wines have the ability to improve their taste and flavor when stored under excellent conditions. However, they can deteriorate just as easily if exposed to unfavorable environmental factors, such as excessive light, temperature, humidity, odor, and vibration.

Wine Storage – The Do’s and Don’ts

Regardless of whether your wines are stored in a cellar, placed in a wine rack in a corner, or stacked neatly in a closet, following a few basic wine storage rules will help ensure that the taste and flavor of your collection will remain something for you to enjoy for a long period of time.

Wines need to be stored in dark places. They should be kept away from harmful light sources, such as fluorescent light and ultraviolet rays. Exposure to incandescent light can adversely affect the chemical compounds in wines and lead to premature development.

Wine Cellar Design, Proper Lighting, Climate Control & Insulation

In choosing a lighting system for your storage space, LED light bulbs are a good option. LED-based lighting is energy efficient and emits less heat. Installing light timers and dimmer switches can help reduce the amount of light that your wines are exposed to on a daily basis as well.

Regulating temperature and humidity levels is essential to maintaining wine quality. The ideal storage temperature is between 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Fluctuating temperatures can accelerate the aging process and irreversibly damage wine. As to humidity level, keeping it within 60% to 75% should be enough to prevent the cork from drying out and restrict potential mold growth.

If the storage space is designed to be a climate-controlled environment, the size and configuration of the cooling system should be considered during the wine cellar design phase of the project. A proper wine cellar cooling system will efficiently provide a stable wine storage environment.

Wine Cellar Construction

During wine cellar construction, it is important to outfit your storage space with proper insulation and vapor barriers. Insulation will help maintain the desired temperature, while vapor barriers will help contain condensation build-up. These features provide better moisture control for your wine room and ensure that the cooling system will function to its full potential.

Although wine bottles can be stored either vertically or horizontally, it is recommended to store them on their sides to keep the cork in constant contact with the wine. This prevents it from drying out, which can cause oxidation and spoil the wine. Wine racks are built to hold wine bottles the right way. They are designed with a tilt that allows wine bottles to be stored at an angle.

Keep your wine bottles away from food or household items that give off pungent odors. Unsavory smells can seep in through the cork and taint the wine. Wherever you choose to keep your wine bottles, make sure that the storage space has proper ventilation, which helps improve the air quality in your wine room.

Vibration can also have a negative influence on the chemistry of wine. It has been said that vibration can be a contributing factor in the premature aging of wines. Avoid storing wines near machinery that produce vibratory motion. For wines to mature nicely, they require not only a stable environment but also a quiet atmosphere.

Therefore, it is important that you choose a wine cellar construction company that can help you come up with a wine cellar design that will safeguard your precious wines. You can visit these web pages to get started:
http://www.winecellarspec.com/
http://www.winecellarspec.com/wine-cellars/
http://www.winecellarspec.com/wine-cellars/#gallery

Chicago Wine Cellars – Wine Barrel vs. Cork Cellar Flooring

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

Wine cellar flooring is an important aspect of a Chicago wine cellar design. It can greatly enhance the overall décor and ambiance of a wine storage room.

Wine cellar flooring comes from different materials such as wood, stone, tile, cork, and reclaimed wine barrels. The only flooring material that is not ideal for wine cellars is carpet. The cool environment of the storage space can promote mold growth in carpet fibers.

When deciding on the material for your wine cellar flooring, keep in mind that it should be strong enough to hold the total weight load of wine bottles and wine storage racks. Although there are many flooring options available for Chicago custom wine cellars, two stand out among the rest – wine barrel flooring and cork flooring. It is because these flooring options are not only attractive but also eco-friendly!

Two Types of Chicago Wine Cellar Flooring

Wine Barrel Flooring

Wine barrel flooring comes from reclaimed oak wine barrels. Oak wine barrels typically have a life span of about ten years. After these wooden containers have fulfilled their purpose, they are dumped in landfills, sold as firewood, or used as planters. However, a creative and environmentally friendly solution turned these seemingly useless old wine barrels into unique flooring materials.

Reclaimed wine barrel flooring has exceptional features and characteristics that create a one-of-a-kind appearance in any wine storage room. Each component is unique and incomparable to anything else in the world.

Wine barrel flooring brings in an old-world vibe and provides an elegant touch to your wine cellar. There are three kinds of wine barrel flooring: stave, wine infusion, and cooperage.
Stave flooring is manufactured from the outer part of the wine barrel. It has beautiful distinctive markings that come from removed metal hoops.

Infusion wine cellar flooring is produced from the inner part of the barrel. This wood retains the natural color of the wine which provides it with various shades of red burgundy to white.

Cooperage wood flooring is the top and bottom part of the barrel. It prominently displays winery brandings and markings.

Cork Flooring

Aside from sealing wine bottles, cork can also be used as a flooring material for residential custom wine cellars. This material is produced from the bark of cork oak. Like reclaimed wine barrels, cork flooring is regarded as an eco-friendly product because of its recycling and sustainability features.

There are benefits to using cork flooring for your Chicago wine storage room. For starters, cork has natural properties that make it highly resistant to mold infestation and less prone to decay. Cork has an excellent cell structure that makes it act like a natural shock absorber. Another benefit to cork flooring is that it has natural insulation, as well as sound-absorbing properties.

Cork flooring is a lightweight material that is durable and affordable. It is available in different colors and patterns that can match any décor. Cork wine cellar flooring provides ease of installation and maintenance.

Wine barrels and cork are the material of choice for eco-minded wine collectors. These flooring products have a lot to offer in terms of beauty and functionality, not to mention contributing to the betterment of the environment.

Chicago Custom Wine Cellars – Wine & Food Pairing Tips

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

Pairing wine with food is as exciting as finding the right pair of shoes to match your new dress or suit. You need to find the right match in order to look good.

Pairing wine and food doesn’t need to be expensive as long as it tickles your taste bud. The best thing to do when you pair wine with a certain food is an experiment.

Don’t be afraid to explore the world of food and wine. With so many types of wine stored in your Chicago custom wine cellar, it may take a while for you to find the perfect combination, but once you have found it things will become more fun and interesting. There are no rules in food and wine pairing, only recommendations or suggestions.

Wine and Cheese

In pairing wine and cheese, it is recommended that you start from the same region where they came from. For example, Parmesan cheese and Italian Chianti go well together. For convenience in looking for a certain type of wine in your wine cellar, you can organize them by region. Click here to learn more ways to organize your custom wine room.

Another trick is to pair a harder type of cheese with wine that contains more tannin, while the creamy cheeses can be paired with a wine that has more acidity, like Chardonnay.
You might want to ask which wine is best paired with cheese- white wine or red wine? White wine is best paired with soft cheeses and stronger flavors, while red wine is best paired with harder cheeses and milder flavors.
Some soft and creamy cheeses leave a layer of fat on the palate which interferes with the flavors in reds, making it monotonous and bland. Though both wines work with cheeses, many wine enthusiasts believe that whites tend to pair better with cheese.

Wine and Chocolate

Choosing the right wine in your Chicago custom wine cellar to complement the right chocolate is the key to having a successful wine and chocolate pairing. Below are some tips to achieve this.

– The wine should be sweeter than the chocolate.
– Pair red wine with darker chocolates.
– Complement lighter-bodied wines with lighter and elegant-flavored chocolate, or intensely flavored wine with bittersweet chocolate.
– Chocolate desserts must be paired with sweet dessert wine.

For beginners in the world of wine and food pairing, try to use the mix-and-match approach. Make sure that your wine collection in your Chicago residential wine cellar is organized properly for pairing to be more fun and less hassle.

If you want to start your own wine cellar project, choose an expert wine cellar builder with excellent customer service. Contact Wine Cellar Specialists at 866-646-7089 or simply click here for a FREE 3D wine cellar design package!

Tips On Choosing The Right Custom Wine Cellar Cooling Unit Chicago

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

The Different Types of Custom Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems

Wine is a very sensitive beverage. It needs to be stored in the right conditions because it will spoil otherwise. A custom wine cellar with a quality wine cellar cooling unit installed can provide the ideal conditions for wine storage. On the market, there are various wine cellar cooling systems to choose from. Learn about the 3 basic types of custom wine cellar cooling systems and find out which is the right one for your home wine cellar.

1. Split Wine Cellar Cooling Systems

Oftentimes, Split Wine Cellar Cooling Systems are the most efficient way to cool a custom wine cellar. In most cases, cooling unit condensers are very noisy and take up a lot of space. With a Split Cooling System, the condenser is placed in a location outside the cellar, where heat and noise are localized, while the evaporator, which is quiet, is placed inside (or near) the custom wine cellar. You need to have a licensed HVAC/R technician install Split Custom Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems.

Split Wine Cellar Cooling Systems can either be:

a. Ductless

The Ductless Split Wine Cellar Cooling Systems do not need venting into an adjacent room because the condenser, which is the part that produces heat, is placed in a separate location. There is no ducting connecting the units. Instead, what connects them is a simple line set, which is comprised of small copper tubing and some electrical wiring.

b. Ducted

Ducted Split Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems have benefits similar to those of ductless systems. What differentiates them is that with the Ducted Split Wine Cellar Cooling Systems, there is no visible equipment inside the custom wine cellar at all. Cool air is efficiently ducted to and from the custom wine cellar. Unlike the ductless types, the evaporator is not inside the wine cellar at all in the ducted types.

2. Ducted Self-Contained Cellar Cooling Units

Ducted Self-Contained Cooling Systems can be installed up to 25 feet from the wine cellar. The cool air is blown into the custom wine cellar and the heat is exhausted to the outside of the home through a duct. This type of wine cellar cooling can be a little bit noisy, depending on how it is installed.

3. Self-Contained Through the Wall Custom Wine Cellar Refrigeration Units

Among all the custom wine cellar cooling units, self-contained through-the-wall cooling units are the most cost-effective as well as the easiest to install. These units can even be installed without the help of a licensed HVAC/R technician. The units are simply mounted on the wall of your custom wine cellar. One of the disadvantages to having this wine cellar cooling system is that it makes a lot of noise.

One end of this cooling system produces cool air and blows it into the residential wine cellar. The other end of the system absorbs the heat from the cellar and takes it out into a room adjoined to the custom wine cellar. It is important to remember that the adjoined room should be at least twice the size of your cellar unless the heat is exhausted into another area.

Showcase Your Wines w/ Chicago Commercial Wine Storage Racks

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

Wine storage racks are excellent management tools for organizing and displaying a large number of wine collectibles. They are built to facilitate the proper positioning of wine bottles during storage.

Most racking systems allow bottles to be stored on their side to maintain wine contact with the cork which prevents it from becoming brittle. A dried-out cork can cause oxidation and irreversibly damage the wine.

A myriad of styles and sizes are available on the market that can accommodate a variety of storage needs and requirements. Wine cellar racks are manufactured using various wood species and metal pieces. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, but can nevertheless produce wine storage racks that are both functional and visually appealing.

There are two kinds of wine racks: those which are designed for residential homes or private wine cellars and those which are for commercial display and storage. Chicago commercial wine racks are commonly used by wine merchants and restaurateurs to display and showcase a wide selection of wines to their customers.

Although they are mostly used in the wine retail and hospitality industries, there are some private wine collectors who invest in commercial racking because of its strength and enduring quality.

Commercial custom wine racks are similar to residential wine racking systems in terms of functionality and appearance. However, commercial wine racks are built to be more durable and sturdy. They are made this way in order to withstand damage and deterioration due to regular use.

The commercial wine display furniture is designed to hold a vast selection of wine bottles in varying sizes. Commercial wine racks provide various racking designs and storage options for collectors who are in the wine retail or restaurant business. Racking systems for commercial use allow wine bottles to be displayed label forward to make it easier for customers to locate their favorite brands of wine.

Commercial diamond cube bins are also available for bulk storage and case lots. A wine cube bin has twice the storage capacity of a single bottle wine rack and takes up less floor space.

How wine bottles are displayed inside a retail store can greatly influence the buying decision of customers. Hence, commercial wine racks are not only designed to hold wine bottles properly but also enhance the visual appeal of the wine selection.

These Chicago wine storage racks come in a variety of styles that can address display requirements and space constraints. Some commercial racking systems are made to fit against a wall or allow for aisle displays.

There are commercial wine racks that are specifically made for chic restaurants. Most of these display devices have a contemporary look that can provide elegance and striking appeal to any establishment. A growing trend in the restaurant business is the installation of active Chicago commercial wine cellars, which are equipped with wine cooling units to ensure optimum conditions.

Since these commercial wine enclaves are visible throughout the dining area, it is important to pick out the right kind of commercial wine display furniture to install as this can lend character and improve the aesthetic quality of the entire space.

Facts About Wine Display Racks for Bulk Wine Storage

Written by CustomWineCellarsChicago

Wine racks are efficient ways of displaying and organizing small or large collections of wines. These storage devices allow wine bottles to be stored on their side, in order for the cork to maintain contact with the wine at all times. Keeping the cork moist prevents it from drying out and becoming brittle. A dried-out cork can promote oxidation which can then result in wine spoilage.

Check out these wine storage racks here!

Wine Storage Racks from Wine Cellar Specialists

Wine storage racks are manufactured from various materials such as wood, stainless steel, metal, and wrought iron. They come in a variety of styles, sizes, and configurations that can suit different needs and requirements. Most wine racks come with individual bottle storage compartments that secure wine bottles firmly in place. There are also racking systems that are designed to hold a dozen or so bottles in one compartment.

Bottle holders are meant for bulk wine storage providing convenience and versatility in terms of storage options. They can accommodate a large number of wine bottles of varying sizes, from split bottles to double magnums. Common examples of bulk wine storage racks are diamond bin shelves and case storage.

Diamond bin shelves provide better management of your wine collection. These racks are designed to facilitate proper airflow between wine bottles and they are ideal for long-term storage. Diamond bins have stackable features that allow you to add to the device as your wine collection expands. They are available in various styles and storage capacities.

Solid Tall Diamond Bin, Solid Individual Diamond, Solid X Bin, and Lattice X Bin are some of the most popular bin shelves on the market. These storage bins are elegantly crafted by Wine Cellar Specialists.

Click here to know more about custom wine racks!

Bulk Wine Storage Racks

Solid Tall Diamond bins have a storage capacity of 200 wine bottles. Solid Individual Diamond bins feature individual slots that can hold 95 bottles in total. Solid X bins come with an X divider and can hold around 44 wine bottles in each square. A Lattice X bin features lattice-style woodwork and it has a total capacity of 132 bottles.

Case storage is another type of bulk wine storage. This wine rack allows you to store wine bottles without removing them from their original cases. Case storage can accommodate both wood cases and cardboard cases. Wood case wine racks have narrow and short openings, while cardboard case wine racks feature narrow and tall openings. Some case storage racks have pull-out wine shelves for easy access.

Wood is the most common material used in making racking systems for bulk storage. The typical wood types used in construction are redwood, mahogany, and pine. Wood has an inherent beauty that can blend well with any decorating scheme. Some wood species are also naturally resistant to mold and mildew, which makes these storage devices perfectly suited for the damp conditions of a wine cellar.

Bulk wine storage racks are a great alternative to single-bottle storage because they offer flexible storage solutions. These racks can fit standard and large format bottles as well as case lots. They allow you to utilize your space in an effective and efficient manner.