Small wine cellars are becoming more and more popular as wine lover’s face a different type of economy now than a few years ago, when bigger was better. A small wine cellar does accomplishes just as much as a larger wine cellar, but just doesn’t have the space for entertaining; it’s a utilitarian approach. When considering building or buying components for a small wine cellar, you must make the same considerations as you would for a larger space. These are noted below for reference:

1. Determine how many bottles you will store.
2. Decide what the best location for the wine cellar will be, closet, under stair, or in another small location.
3. Decide how you will protect the space in terms of temperature and humidity.
4. Determine how you will cool the space.
5. Decide what type of wine racking, wine cubes, or cabinets/shelving you will need in the space based on how many bottles you want to store.
6. A door for the space will be important to protect the environment, just like in a larger wine cellar. Vigilant makes small sized doors as well and can help here.
7. Decide on a moisture resistant flooring and anything else that will be in the room.
8. Decide on lighting, if needed, and how that will operate.

Making sure you pay attention to all the details just as you would when building a larger wine cellar will ensure that your doing everything necessary to protect the wine and to create an environment suitable in your home.

For additional small wine cellar details please visit us at winecellars.vigilantinc.com/closet-conversions.php.

Getting Started
The first question you need to ask yourself is why are you building a wine cellar? While there is rarely a single answer to that question, the answers will, and should be, the primary factors driving the design, functional layout and construction methods for the project.

Consider these 6 project elements:
1. Wine Cellar Size
2. Wine Cellar Location
3. Desired Wine Storage Capacity
4. Type of Wine Storage and Display
5. Architectural and Design Elements
6.Project Budget

Wine Cellar Size
The experts at Vigilant have worked with all sizes of wine cellars, both large and small. Whether your interest is in a small, closet or under stair type, wine cellar to a grande showcase of wine for entertaining or expanding your collection, trust Vigilant to design and build you the perfect wine cellar.

Wine Cellar Location
The most important elements to consider when adding a wine cellar to your home is its location. Are you converting a room in your basement or will you place your wine cellar above ground? Both of these locations bring distinct differences in how you must build-out and cool the space.

Desired Wine Storage Capacity
When it comes to guessing your desired wine storage capacity there are a few important details to consider. Use Vigilant’s series of helpful wine cellar charts to help in answering some of the questions you may have about wine storage and capacity.

Types of Wine Storage and Display
In today’s society, wine can be stored in bottles presenting many different styles and looks. However, there are some important bottle size considerations that need to be made when choosing the proper wine cellar design and wine racks.

Learn more about different types and sizes of bottles

Architectural Design and Millwork Elements
An advantage of working with a wine cellar manufacturer like Vigilant is that we are not your typical wine cellar company. Vigilant also manufactures custom cabinetry and architectural millwork. What this means for you is that your wine cellar project has virtually no limitations in its design, look and overall presentation potential. We can incorporate any design element you may want to match existing styles within your home or to truly make your wine cellar unique from all others.

Project Budget
Perhaps the most important thing to consider when deciding to engage in a wine cellar project is the budget you may have. You may not even know what your budget is at this time, but with the help of Vigilant’s sales consultants, the correct questions can be asked that will allow you to establish the budget that’s right for your project.

Coming in Part 3 – The Wine Cellar Details

So you have decided to build a wine cellar, but will you be properly storing wine so it will age to perfection? Here is what you should know about storing your precious collection.

The ideal environment
A temperature of 55° Fahrenheit and a Relative Humidity of 60-65% are ideal for long-term wine storage. The cool temperature slows the aging process, while the high humidity prevents moisture inside the wine bottle from moving into the cork and eventually evaporating into the air. Ultraviolet light exposure should be kept to a minimum. While some basements in northern climates may naturally provide these conditions. It is more likely that you will need to actively condition your wine cellar using a wine cellar cooling unit.

Actively conditioned wine cellars
The basements of most modern homes are too warm and dry to passively provide the ideal conditions for wine storage. Wine cellars installed above ground will require active conditioning to achieve the ideal wine cellar environment. Should you choose to actively cool your wine cellar using a wine cooling system, you will need to follow the proper guidelines for how to build a wine cellar. Failure to properly follow these guidelines may result in cooling system failure and moisture damage to areas surrounding the wine cellar.
Learn more about wine cooling systems

Wine cellar lighting
As with many other decisions facing you with your wine cellar projects, the lighting you choose needs to be functional and attractive. You will need enough light to be able to read labels, but too much light can create unwanted heat and may ruin the ambience of your wine cellar. You must also avoide prolonged exposure of harmful UV rays. Vigilant’s selection of wine cellar lighting is designed to protect the wine in your wine cellar. Recessed lighting works and should be insulated and have a vapor barrier behind it. Make sure that you install the cans at least 18″ off all walls to avoid contact with the wine racking. The same rules apply to track and surface lighting. Sconces work well if you have wall surfaces that you are not planning to cover with wine storage racking.
Learn more about wine cellar lighting

Coming in Part 2 – Early Planning Considerations

Vigilant would like to announce the launch of our new, fully custom furniture quality cabinets for the home and/or business. This cabinetry combines the craftsmanship of our finest cabinet makers with state-of-the-art technology and flawless design. The finished product is a series of wine cabinets or media room cabinets that you will be proud to own.

The furniture quality cabinetry features built up crown and base moldings, rounded countertops, glass and wood cabinets doors with deeper profiles and lacquered interiors. The glass doors can have mullions, as well as beveled or frosted glass. The drawers and doors use a state-of-the-art hardware system for the hinges and slides. The dovetail joinery makes for a beautiful crafted look on all the components and the interior glass shelves help the lighting to travel further within the cabinets.

The cabinets can be customized in any number of ways. Start with one of our designs or from scratch and build your own. We can accommodate virtually any desire, including wood choices and finish options.

This new furniture quality cabinetry is designed with wine in mind, but it also makes a perfect addition to media rooms or movie rooms. As media storage cabinets, the furniture quality cabinetry takes on a new identity and can be designed for large screen TVs, audio/video components and media storage.

When used to store wine, consider the wine cabinets use inside your wine cellar as a focal point within the design. These cabinets are also perfect in a tasting room for storing equipment for your tasting parties. Wine tasting rooms are the newest design trend in the home for true wine connoisseurs. Tasting rooms offer a space for parties that is separate from the cold, moist climate of the wine cellar. Our wine cabinets are a perfect compliment to the functional aspects of your tasting room. Allow our team of designers to work with you to create the functional and decorative space that is to be your tasting room. We can offer you suggestions on the components to consider such as a wet bar, sinks, refrigerators, and lighting.

For more information on wine tasting rooms visit our website: winecellars.vigilantinc.com

For more information on our new Furniture Quality Cabinetry: winecabinets.vigilantinc.com

To learn more on hosting a wine tasting party: winecellars.vigilantinc.com

My vote is for mahogany and not just because Vigilant’s preferred wood is mahogany, but for the reasons behind the company’s choice.

Vigilant used to use redwood and mahogany, but found that redwood was not as solid a choice as mahogany for several reasons. Mahogany has been used throughout history when building products or projects that would be used in or around moist environments and water. Products such as boats and furniture have been the choice for these craftsmen for hundreds of years and so it is a logical choice for wine cellar racks as well.

Mahogany is one of the most user-friendly woods available and has extreme workability and reliability when making furniture or cabinetry. Mahogany also brings out the beauty in a wine rack or wine cabinet, a wine cellar door or wine furniture.

Wine cellars benefit from having wine cellar doors constructed of mahogany because the durability and protection offered by wine doors made of mahogany is unsurpassed and that is why most wine doors are constructed with the wood.

Other important characteristics to remember about mahogany over other woods is that mahogany holds fasteners better than any other wood. Mahogany ages well and the natural elements in the wood show through beautifully over time increasing the value, not diminishing it.

Redwood is a nice wood for many types of products, but it will not stand the test of time under the stresses of the environment like mahogany and it is more susceptible to rot over time. In addition, redwood is porous and will not take stain evenly cedar is too aromatic and will impart this into the wine, ruining the flavor of the bottle. Pine is not a rot resistant wood and should never be considered for a proper wine storage environment. Poplar, oakand cherry are not mold resitant and therefore not appropriate for wine racks in a moist climate controlled environment.

When choosing your next wine rack, seriously consider all the options before making a final decision. Making the wrong decision in your choice of wood could result in further money spent down the road or wine that has been compromised by the wine racks holding it.