Vigilant's August Home Wine Cellar Tip

What's New in Home Wine Cellars

Home wine cellars today are what designer bathrooms were in the 1990’s: a prized luxury and a valuable asset when it comes to selling your home. More than just a place for wine racks, today's home wine cellars house an array of design extras and little luxuries. Here are the latest must-haves for home wine cellars:

Murals: Hand-painted or manufactured murals give an old world feel to any home wine cellar. Many companies that sell wine cellar components offer murals painted on wood panels as an extra feature. Look for Vigilant’s line of murals, coming soon!

Ladders: Similar to library ladders, wine cellar ladders roll back and forth on a track and give easy access to those bottles on the upper racks. Vigilant offers ladders as a custom addition to any wine cellar. Ask your sales person for more details.

Decorative Wine Doors: More than just an entryway, decorative wine doors add to the wine cellar decor with side lights, viewing windows, elegant French lines or rustic Tuscan planks with handmade nails. Vigilant wine doors offer all of this, plus, wrought iron, center and border etching, as well as our door builder to get you started.

How to pick your wine refrigerator?

Wine Refrigerators can be found under a few different names: Wine Coolers, Wine Chillers, Wine Caves, some even call them Wine Cellars. I find that these names get lumped together and aren’t always descriptive of the product. What you need to do when choosing your wine refrigerator is look at a it the same way you would a wine cellar; considering temperature, vibration, lighting and storage.

Temperature

The first thing you need to ask is whether you are purchasing this for serving wine or if you are using it to store your wine? Either way you want to make sure the temperature range goes low enough for serving and high enough for your storing preferences. One of the key things to keep in mind is where the temperature display is getting its data. A lot of refrigerator thermostats read the air temperature, which is not always accurate of your wine. If you have a larger unit, the air temperature is going to be different in opposite sections of the cabinet. A unit with sensors that are inside the cabinet walls will give you a reading that will let you better anticipate what the temperature of your wine.

Vibration

The compressor, which is the heart of the wine refrigerator, extends the vibrations it creates to the rest of the cabinet, including the wine. One common step is to place the compressor in a separate compartment; some manufacturers place this compartment behind the wine storage, others below. This does not completely solve the problem, though. There should be a few more measures; special matting on the shelves, keeping the compressor off of the floor, etc. Be sure to ask what measures have been taken for this before purchasing.

Noise

Noise is not necessarily an issue for the wine, but more an issue for you. You aren’t going to want to hear a loud refrigerator 24/7. Of course, you will never totally escape it. Some wine refrigerators work in cycles so the noise will only happen a few times throughout the day. (Note that this also means you are creating a less disruptive environment for you wine, by cutting back on the compressor and fan movement). This is often a question people forget to ask about while buying a wine refrigerator and many sellers aren’t going to bring it up.

Price

Wine Refrigerators can get pricy; they can also get pretty cheap. You get what you pay for and those wine refrigerators that are cheap are just that. If you are an avid collector, drinker or just appreciate wine it is worth a little extra money to get a few of those protective features. The more expensive ones are not always worth it either. Sometimes you are just paying for the brand name. A standard sized wine refrigerator (40 to 60 bottles) should cost you somewhere between $1200 and $1700.

Vigilant’s Choice

Vigilant has chosen the Marvel line of wine refrigerators because it hit the precautionary measures we found important for wine, but also stayed in a good price range. If you are just starting or are in the middle of your wine refrigerator research, check them out; you are most likely going to find the same answers we did.

Vigilant's July Wine Cellar Design Tip

Where to Find Ideas for Home Wine Cellar Designs

You've decided that a home wine cellar is something you'd like to build. You want to store your wine at a constant, cool temperature, be able to have the wine all together and like the thought of a stylish, wood-paneled wine cellar. But, where do you begin designing your room?

Libraries – Most public libraries have books with at least a section on designing your own wine cellar.

Web resources – Home decorating sites have ideas on building your own wine cellar. In addition, wine sites, such as Wine.com or Wine spectator.com offer advice for building a wine cellar.

Manufacturers – Most companies that sell custom wine racks offer a design service. You simply send them your room measurements, what you'd like included along with your budget, and they'll send you a room plan. Often, this service is free.

Restaurants – Many restaurants have custom wine cellars and rooms. Ask for a tour on a slow night; the wine steward should be more than happy to comply and may even offer some tips he or she learned while constructing the room.

Magazines – With the number of specialty magazines dedicated to home improvement projects and home remodeling, ideas are easy to find. Order a copy online or head down to your local bookstore and pick a few up. Some of our favorites are This Old House and Home & Design.

Vigilant's June Wine Storage Tip

Why is controlling wine storage temperature important?

Maintaining a constant, cool temperature is the best way to preserve your wine collection. Avoid temperatures over 70 degrees Fahrenheit, as that will age wine too rapidly. Also stay away from drastic changes in temperature. The rapid change from heat to air conditioning will force a wine cork outwards and allow air to enter the bottle (air permits wine to oxidize). A little air, at the proper time, is good—as when letting a wine “breathe” before consuming it.Long-term exposure destroys the fruit flavors in a wine and gives it a brownish color.

If you have a single rack or wine tower in your living room, kitchen or dining room, make sure that it sits away from the heating vent and air conditioner unit. With kitchen racks, keep wine bottles well away from any cooking appliance.

If you have, or are planning, a self-contained home wine cellar, consider temperature control for your cellar. Some sites are naturally well-suited for wine storage,such as a cool, dark basement, or a space beneath a stairway. Others will need the help of a temperature control system.

Building Your Wine Cellar Part 2 - Getting Started

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

Vigilant's May Wine Storage Tip

What kind of lighting should I use in my wine cellar?

Lighting is an essential component to any home wine cellar design. After all, you want to be able to view your wine inventory easily. You certainly don't want a prized bottle languishing in the corner of your cellar past its prime. You'll also want at least two or three types of lighting in all but the smallest spaces. It's important to plan for lighting in your initial wine cellar plans as wires will need to be run and electrical boxes installed during the construction process.

The following are examples of wine cellar lighting:

Display Lighting - Avoid leaving your wine display racks in the shadows by installing display lighting. You can find wine cellar components that have under-counter lighting kits that generate very little heat and UV light, both of which are harmful to wine.

Ceiling Lighting - Ceiling spots are ideal for showcasing one section of your collection as well as for illuminating the entire cellar. The best lights for a wine cellar are unobtrusive and low-voltage.

Sconces - Wall sconces give a subtle, stylish look to a wine cellar, while providing indirect light.

Hanging Lights - Hanging, pendant lights are ideal over a table, counter or other work space.

Building Your Wine Cellar Part 1 - The Ideal Environment

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

Commercial Wine Racks Launched

It has been too long since our last post and for that we apologize. We have been extremely busy the last few months building and launching our newest product line, commercial wine rack kits. This new flexible and modular line allows customers to create displays that work within their space rather than having to purchase and expensive custom solution.





The commercial wine racks are built in both wood and laminates in multiple finishes and the laminates are available in custom finishes as well, certain restrictions do apply, so check with our sales staff for the latest information.



The durability of the shelving in these wine racks is second to none. Many of our competitors are creating a commercial presence by trying to re-invent their residential wine racks and show them in commercial settings, but we have gone way beyond and understand our customers needs. We designed these commercial wine racks to maximize storage capacities, facings, and space in your retail stores and restaurants.

Have a deeper look into the options available for our new commercial kits and let us know how we can be of service on your next project or check out our gallery of commercial projects and find some ideas that will help guide you.