Simple Cellar Solutions Uncorked

Here’s another timely article written by guest contributor Christy Bonner. Who can currently be found in the offices of Grotto Custom Wine Cellars, sorting through wood wine rack samples and assisting customers with who need assistance with their wine cellars that are spiraling out of control. Feel free to visit their page on You Tube. She’s another proud vino-sapien who can be found on many warm evenings sipping her favorite Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

If you are as passionate about wine collecting as I am, you have surely run into the problem of how and where to store all these precious gems. Where are your fabulously famous bottles stored? In a hall closet, in the basement, don’t tell me… under the bed?!

Arrgh, Wine, Wine Everywhere: I know many of you have dreamed of owning your own customized wine cellar or wine storage area, a place where you could add some personal touches that caters to your particular specifications for keeping and storing your wine collection. And thank goodness, there's actually a wide variety of options readily available to people who aspire to construct their very own customized wine cellar and lack the do-it-yourself skills and desires.

With all the well accounted for options available out there for wine storage,
wouldn't you like your own wine cellar to surely be a place which reflects your good taste and your personal style as well? After all, you put so much personal preference into building your wine collection why shouldn’t the place you store your vino reveal it?

With that said, below I've put together a couple thoughts on how you can approach building the cellar of your dreams or just something to get by on until then. I've also included a video presentation below featuring Joe Roberts , known to many as the 1 Wine Dude, who takes his out of control collection [including samples] and with the help of Grotto Cellars makes it into a workable cellar space.
An Easy Solution: Modular wine racking arrangements are the simple remedy to designing and building your wine racks from scratch and still achieving a completely customized look and feel. Modular wine racking is available in various, sizes, grains and finishes. In general, the least costly of those made from pine. Many folks [purchasers] of modular wine racking systems looking for a more personal feel tend to prefer finer woods species like mahogany or premium redwood offered by Grotto Cellars.

Why Modular: The beauty of using a modular wine cellar is it takes the guess work out of the design. The wall configurations are contrived by someone else, a wine storage expert, and they tend to mix and match individual bottle cubicles with bulk wine storage. And because many companies make kit racks that have a similar look and feel, the racks you may already have can be easily combined with several varieties adding to its personality and customized feel.

Beyond that there are numerous wine rack companies that go a step further and offer crown molding, trims and radius curved corners to really complete the look of a wine storage area. Recent designs that I have stumbled across even include built-in stemware storage and table top systems within the racking scheme. By adding this feature it creates character and ambiance, as well as adding to the functionality of the space.

Bang for the Buck: The most cost-effective kind of wine storage is the dozen-bin, or bulk racking system. This type of racking can accommodate a dozen or more wine bottles in one compartment. This can be extremely useful for wine fanatics who buy their favorite wines in bulk. But the main drawback of this type of storage is the bottles stack directly on top of one another restricting air flow and possibly damaging the integrity of a wine label.

The second most efficient way to store your wine in bulk is through the employment of case racking. Case racking is a unique and efficient way to store wine bottles in their original packaging. This preserves the look of the bottles, and creates an easy way to locate each variety.

Entry Ways: If you have the luxury of turning an entire room into a wine cellar, you can’t forget the most visually important aspect of your wine storage area will be the entry door. Wine cellar doors come in numerous looks and finishes, with glass inserts, and wrought iron options the possibilities are endless. Be creative, this will be first thing your guests will experience when entering your cellar and you want it to be a preface of what lies inside.

Wine Shops: Maybe your a wine shop owner reading this and you're wondering what's available to you? Good question, check out the Grotto’s Commercial racking line which is designed to provide maximum storage and brand exposure in minimal spaces. Some features include top shelf displays, double isle storage, horizontal shelf displays and toe kick to ensure no bottles touch the ground and are available in four different types of wood to blend with a variety of decors.

Where are they: There are many ways that you can contact one of their friendly design consultants in your area to help you choose the perfect products for your wine cellar.  They are located in Laguna Design Center, 23811 Aliso Creek Road, Suite #105Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 or give'm a call at 1 (877) 5-GROTTO or catch them online at Grotto Cellars