Valentini's Custom Wine Cellars
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Nationally Recognized Wine Cellar Specialists
Caring for Wine Properly
Caring for Wine Properly
Blog
My Award Winning Project
| Posted on October 31, 2015 at 9:35 PM |
I had the pleasure of working on a couple of William Lyon Developments in Orange County designing, building and installing their wine cellars in the new models. Congratulations to all involved in making this beautiful development such a success. The models are now open to the public and I encourage you to go see them!
PRESS RELEASE:
THE GRAND MONARCH BY WILLIAM LYON SIGNATURE HOME WINS “ATTACHED COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR” AT PRESTIGIOUS 2015 SOCAL AWARDS DANA POINT, CA (October 01, 2015) — William Lyon Homes is delighted to announce that The Grand Monarch, a William Lyon Signature Home community in Dana Point, is the winner of the “Attached Community of the Year” award at the prestigious 2015 SoCal Awards held on September 26th at The Grove of Anaheim. Presented by the Greater Sales & Marketing Council and BIA of Southern California, the SoCal Awards pays tribute to the region’s best and brightest in all facets of professional achievement ranging from sales and marketing to merchandising and design. Receiving this extraordinary award is a prodigious honor for William Lyon Signature Home, and recognizes the superior level of craftsmanship and attention-to-detail that is the hallmark of this stunning, limited collection of 37 gated, superbly designed duplex and triplex-style residences. With its magnificent setting adjacent to the 5-star St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, The Grand Monarch showcases a lifestyle reserved for a rare few with exclusive privileges that include access to a private beach club, and extends to the world-class amenities and services at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort. For further details on this award-winning collection, visit LyonTheGrandMonarch.com.
Care for Wine in your Wine Cellar
Care for Wine in your Wine Cellar
Wine is a living organism, and like all living organisms, and like all living things, it requires a specific type of environment in order to age properly. Aging is a term for the biochemical change that happens within the wine. Whether that change is for the better or for the worse, relies on the storage conditions of the wine. There are four main factors to consider when planning your cellar:
1. Constant temperature; 2. Humidity; 3. Darkness; 4. Lack of vibration.
It is imperative that the temperature of the cellar remain CONSTANT. Experts vary in their beliefs of the ideal cellar temperature. Recommendations range from 55 - 60° F. The cooler the temperature, the slower the aging process. A cool constant temperature (we recommend 55° F) insures the wine will age slowly and predictably, enhancing all the desirable characteristics of age while protecting the fragile elements such as fruitiness (this includes white AND red wine). So, do NOT shut off or turn down the refrigeration when you're in the cellar; put on a jacket and save your wine!
In addition to maintaining a cool constant temperature, refrigeration is needed to maintain both temperature and proper humidity level (somewhere between 50 percent to a maximum of 70 percent). The corks need the dampness in order to stay wet and keep the wine properly sealed. Normal air conditioning will extract the moisture from the cellar. This will cause the corks to dry and will allow liquid to escape from the bottle and air to enter. On the flip side, you do not want a dripping wet cellar. This will cause the labels to rot and fall off the bottles. Without those precious labels, the wine is virtually worthless at auction.
Again, the key to proper wine storage is stability. Temperature and humidity have to be kept at a CONSTANT level. Proper refrigeration is the best way to insure this.
This brings us to the final two elements, darkness and stillness. Wine should always be kept away from direct sunlight because ultraviolet radiation destroys its color and flavor. The ideal wine cellar should be softly lit ( UV free) when occupied by the wine enthusiast and otherwise left in complete darkness. This why an all glass wine cellar or glass walls are never recommended for the safety of the wine and the longevity of the refrigeration unit .We strongly recommend only a very limited amount of glass in a cellar which MUST be dual pane glass and NOT in a frameless door(s) which cannot seal in the cooled air. Although you may see this on the Internet, It is wrong and it will nullify the warranty on the cooling system.
If you are interested in a wine cellar and would like to learn more about the importance of proper wine storage, please contact us.
Wine is a living organism, and like all living organisms, and like all living things, it requires a specific type of environment in order to age properly. Aging is a term for the biochemical change that happens within the wine. Whether that change is for the better or for the worse, relies on the storage conditions of the wine. There are four main factors to consider when planning your cellar:
1. Constant temperature; 2. Humidity; 3. Darkness; 4. Lack of vibration.
It is imperative that the temperature of the cellar remain CONSTANT. Experts vary in their beliefs of the ideal cellar temperature. Recommendations range from 55 - 60° F. The cooler the temperature, the slower the aging process. A cool constant temperature (we recommend 55° F) insures the wine will age slowly and predictably, enhancing all the desirable characteristics of age while protecting the fragile elements such as fruitiness (this includes white AND red wine). So, do NOT shut off or turn down the refrigeration when you're in the cellar; put on a jacket and save your wine!
In addition to maintaining a cool constant temperature, refrigeration is needed to maintain both temperature and proper humidity level (somewhere between 50 percent to a maximum of 70 percent). The corks need the dampness in order to stay wet and keep the wine properly sealed. Normal air conditioning will extract the moisture from the cellar. This will cause the corks to dry and will allow liquid to escape from the bottle and air to enter. On the flip side, you do not want a dripping wet cellar. This will cause the labels to rot and fall off the bottles. Without those precious labels, the wine is virtually worthless at auction.
Again, the key to proper wine storage is stability. Temperature and humidity have to be kept at a CONSTANT level. Proper refrigeration is the best way to insure this.
This brings us to the final two elements, darkness and stillness. Wine should always be kept away from direct sunlight because ultraviolet radiation destroys its color and flavor. The ideal wine cellar should be softly lit ( UV free) when occupied by the wine enthusiast and otherwise left in complete darkness. This why an all glass wine cellar or glass walls are never recommended for the safety of the wine and the longevity of the refrigeration unit .We strongly recommend only a very limited amount of glass in a cellar which MUST be dual pane glass and NOT in a frameless door(s) which cannot seal in the cooled air. Although you may see this on the Internet, It is wrong and it will nullify the warranty on the cooling system.
If you are interested in a wine cellar and would like to learn more about the importance of proper wine storage, please contact us.
A CONVERSION FROM PORCH TO WINE ROOM...BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS BELOW:
This was a conversion from a porch to a wine cellar for a client in Hillsborough, CA. (See below)
Another view of the porch that will turn into a beautiful, climate controlled wine cellar. (See below)
Fish Eye View:
Kathleen designed entire cellar including all finishes: slate tile, wall & ceiling color and lighting.
Features:
Two decanting areas with utility drawers & glass rack and wood case storage.
View leaving wine cellar:
Individual racking with lighted display row.