The Martingale Wharf Club occupies a stretch of Bow Street with views of tugboats and river traffic in historic downtown Portsmouth. The new waterfront restaurant opened its doors last month with two distinct indoor dining rooms and the area’s largest waterfront deck, overlooking the Piscataqua River.

Owners Mark McNabb and Joe Baroni knew they would offer an extensive wine list, but needed a space-saving alternative to a standard wine cellar. They looked to Vigilant Woodworks of Dover for wine storage options that could accommodate a collection of nearly 2,000 bottles at perfect serving temperatures, including both red and white wines.

Working with Architect Kathy Jackson of McHenry Architecture, Vigilant’s designers came up with a bank of refrigerated wine cabinets and storage bins that stretches 24 feet long and includes an arched decanting counter, LED lighting, and display racks to show off individual bottles. The result is both attractive and functional, occupying one wall of the dining area of the restaurant.

Vigilant’s woodworking craftsmen used mahogany and zebrawood in the construction of the cabinets. The doors have custom-etched glass with the Wharf logo, a pair of sails. Inside the cabinets are diamond storage bins, individual bottle cubes, and solid mahogany display shelves. The unit is cooled by a remote ducted cooling system that provides dual temperature zones for red and white wines.

With an eclectic menu featuring fresh seafood and local fare paired with perfectly stored fine wine, the Martingale Wharf Club promises a “fantastic time on the Piscataqua.” Customers will soon be able to visit by land or water. McNabb and Baroni have received city authorization to expand the dock area in front of the restaurant so they can cater to boat traffic.

[caption id="attachment_1324" align="aligncenter" width="540" caption="The Wharf's refrigerated wine cabinets under construction in our Dover, NH, woodworking shop"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1325" align="aligncenter" width="540" caption="Bank of Vigilant's wine cabinets line one wall of the restaurant's dining area, shown here during renovations."][/caption] [caption id="attachment_1331" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Finished cabinets in the recently opened restaurant are both attractive and functional with expert woodworking and clever design."][/caption]

– By Vigilant Woodworks

 

[caption id="attachment_1229" align="alignleft" width="205" caption="Display shelves are just one of the features of these refrigerated wine cabinets."][/caption]

As you can see, Vigilant Woodworks has been busy with several refrigerated wine cabinet projects! Here is another project we are very proud of. We worked with Bill Parks of Best Cellar Wine Designs in Florida on these refrigerated and non-refrigerated wine cabinets for a Florida residence.

These mahogany cabinets store, in total, more than 1,100 bottles in a variety of storage options including Vintage View wine racks and pull out shelves. They are finished with a clear satin lacquer, ball catch hardware and accent lighting. One set of cabinets also features a solid mahogany tabletop, double deep shelving and full adjustable glass shelves. At more than six feet high, these cabinets are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional.

Fully insulated with dual pane glass, the refrigerated cabinets will store these home owners’ wine collection at the optimum temperature with the help of two separately zoned cooling systems. Especially for humid environments like Florida, proper wine storage conditions are very important.

Vigilant Woodworks really can make any project come to life no matter the space, material or design requirements. Contact us to discuss your project so you can store your wine collection stylishly and securely like these Florida homeowners will now be able to do!

[caption id="attachment_1231" align="alignnone" width="323" caption="These gorgeous refrigerated wine cabinets will be installed in a residence in Florida."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_954" align="alignleft" width="432" caption="Vigilant custom designed & built these refrigerated wine cabinets for a Vermont residence."][/caption]

Customers in Vermont turned to Vigilant to design and build refrigerated wine cabinets to store wine stylishly and effectively in their home. These cabinets are 83” high and custom-sized to fit in a corner of the residence with a remotely ducted cooling system. Red wine will be stored at the optimum temperature with the use of the large cooling system and interior fans to properly circulate air throughout the cabinets, which will hold about 1,000 bottles.

[caption id="attachment_962" align="alignleft" width="207" caption="Custom refrigerated wine cabinet applied divided light doors with hardware and 3/4" argon-filled glass."][/caption]

The wine cabinets features roller catch, applied divided light doors with ¾” argon filled glass, strike-latch locks and spring loaded hinges for secure wine storage. Upon completion, the wine cabinet will also have display and flat adjustable shelving and interior lighting. Crown molding will add a finishing touch once the cabinets are installed in the residence. Vigilant’s craftsmen are putting the finishing touches on the project in our wood shop.

Wine cabinets are a great alternative to a traditional wine cellar and can easily be integrated with existing décor. With many storage options, sizes and styles available, Vigilant can customize any wine cabinet to fit your environment.

View our refrigerated wine cabinet gallery for more ideas and information.

• Walk-in commercial wine coolers – For wine stores and restaurants that carry a large — and expensive — wine inventory, a walk-in cooler, in the back of the restaurant or store, allows for easy access in a controlled environment.
• Free-standing commercial wine coolers – Wine coolers, with glass doors, are a good way for a wine store to display its finer wines while still maintaining a proper storage temperature.
• Wine tasting rooms for restaurants – A wine tasting room displays a restaurant’s wine acumen to diners, keeps the wine inventory secure, and allows wine to be stored at the proper temperature and humidity.

One of the nicest and most luxurious resort hotels in all of New England, The Wentworth by the Sea turned to Vigilant to create a bank of custom wine cabinets in their main dining area to showcase the collection of fine wine and to separate the dining area from the hostess station.

Vigilant designed a single bank of wine cabinets that offer a single zone to maximize storage for red wines. The cabinets were designed to become a focal point within the dining area and have increased wine sales for the hotel by over 35%.

Total Capacity: 300 bottles

Product Features

• Locking, climate controlled single zone storage
• Interior display lighting
• Individual bottle storage with an angled display row for each section