Wine cellars are popular in Calgary luxury homes
As a hobby or as an investment, the art of wine appreciation and collection is growing in popularity in Calgary. As more Calgary home owners take up wine collection, the demand for custom builders to provide space for a cellar is also increasing. This feature in high-end Calgary homes reflects the collector himself and is as elegant, rustic, small or large as the homeowner demands. Storage space, display cases, a tasting area – it’s all part and parcel of this new vintage of wine collector.
When planning for a wine cellar, whether you’re in the blue print stage of a new custom home or renovating existing space, there are a few questions that your contractor should ask:
The purpose of your wine room
Most luxury home owners who collect wine want more than a closet for storing their bottles. Wine collection is about discovery, conversation and tasting. It’s a very social hobby. Enthusiasts want to display wine that is rare, exotic, and valuable or obtained at great expense of time and money. Fine wine is to be introduced to guests, either by intimate tasting or during a party or celebration. Or, you may just want a place to store your wine, end of story and that’s ok too. No need to create an elaborate cellar if your life with wine happens upstairs in the kitchen.
How much wine do you have or will have?
If you have a hundred bottles in your collection, and perhaps a dozen cases that you have imported or specially ordered, you can probably build a wine room in an existing space on the main floor of your luxury home. If you have an open kitchen, an additional room like a large pantry with a chiller can be part of the equation. Very convenient when entertaining, particularly if you have caterer who is unfamiliar with your kitchen and your home.
If your wine hobby has escalated to a more serious level, with possibly bottles in the thousands and quite a few cases, more square footage is required. If you have very rare bottles that you’re keen to display, a cellar in the basement or underground is your best bet. Like an old-fashioned “cold room” that homes used to have, where your grandma stored her root vegetables and preserves through the winter, underground storage will keep the bottles cool. Display cases or even a dedicated room for displaying your best bottles should have cool LED lighting.
Stellar cellars that reflect your personality
The design of a wine cellar should reflect your personality, and baring that, it could also reflect your favourite wine region. A luxury wine room can be dark with heavy stone, a true “cellar” similar to what you might see in France or Italy. A more modern look is an all-glass wine cellar, right down to the ceiling. A glass ceiling below is a glass floor above. Imagine your guests being able to admire your collection below their feet.
The sky’s the limit in terms of designing a wine room or cellar in your luxury home. It’s an investment, similar to your wine collection; one that should pay for itself in the long run.