When building a custom wine cellar, every client has his storage and aesthetic requirements. There are essential factors for would-be wine cellar owners that must be discussed and taken into consideration during the planning stage, including the location where the wine room will be built, size of the collection, types of bottles and wines to be stored, existing home décor, and budget. The final look and ambiance of the wine cellar must not be overlooked either.
Blue Grouse Wine Cellars has always used its experience and expertise in designing and building Vancouver custom wine cellars to exceed the expectations of its clients.
Let’s talk about one of the projects they have completed with excellence.
The Glass Custom Wine Cellar West Vancouver
Blue Grouse’s client in Vancouver, Canada love to socialize and entertain friends which is one of the reasons they decided to invest in a residential wine cellar.
Their desire was to add a focal point to their residence that could impress guests and allow them to create a memorable wine drinking experience. The Blue Grouse Wine Cellars team achieved this by constructing an all-glass custom wine display.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Basic Construction Specifications when Building a Custom Wine Cellar in Canada
Planning to have a custom wine cellar in Canada? Whether it’s a commercial or residential wine cellar, there are specifications you need to follow in order to make sure that your wine storage room will function properly. Here are a few construction specifications for wine cellars in Vancouver:
1. Cellar Wall & Ceiling Frame
When building a wine cellar, make sure that the wall framing is built using standard 2×4 or 2×6 construction methods. It’s also imperative that you know and follow the building codes in your area. If metal studs will be used, be sure to place at least 5 rows of nailers horizontally in between studs at the right heights, or attach firing strips on the left edge of the metal studs. These nailers or strips are where the wine racks will be attached, so these have to be very durable.
2. Wine Cellar Vapor Barrier & Insulation
You need to install a vapor barrier and insulation to your custom wine cellar in Vancouver if it is to be chilled. Vapor barriers and insulation make sure that the cold inside the wine storage room is kept inside and remains constant.
In creating vapor barriers, you first need to apply 6-mill plastic sheeting to the warm side of the wine cellar walls. You must apply a vapor barrier on the outside walls and ceiling of your custom wine cellar. Make sure that the seams are taped and sealed before the walls are closed.
In cases wherein it’s not possible to apply a vapor barrier on the outside of the studs or joists, you must apply plastic inside the wine cellar to the outside walls. What most people commonly do is wrap the entire interior of their residential wine cellar in Canada leaving the plastic loose inside the stud cavity. In between the studs, you can apply insulation. It is imperative that all of the cellar’s walls and ceiling are completely wrapped in plastic so that vapor barrier is effective. Insulation for the walls should be R13, or greater while R19 to R30 is best for the ceiling.
3. Custom Wine Cellar Doors
If your custom wine cellar is to be chilled, the exterior grade of your wine cellar door should be solid core 1.75”. You may also choose to have glass on the cellar door; if so, you must use sealed insulated glass. To prevent warm air from penetrating the door, exterior grade weather stripping is also required.
4. Residential Wine Cellar Lighting
The best type of lights are LED lights, but if you want to use recessed cans and halogen lighting accents, you must have a good wine cellar cooling unit to remove the heat generated by these lights out from the cellar. It is important to consider also that lighting that emits more heat also consumes more power.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Vancouver Wine Cellars – Enemies of Wine & How to Avoid Them
Wine has certain needs and demands in order to have superb quality. We can say that a wine is of high quality if it tastes good and its flavor and aromas are pleasant to the nose and palate.
Wine needs to be protected against its worst enemies in order to achieve the quality that you are looking for. What are wine’s worst enemies? What can you do to prevent them from harming your precious collections?
Factors That Affect Wine Quality & Tips for Proper Wine Storage
Heat
Too much exposure to heat can damage wine, affecting its overall characteristics and ability to age gracefully as well as its physical and chemical stability. Heat damage is usually caused by improper and abusive shipping processes or improper wine storage at home or commercial wine stores. Signs that wine was damaged by heat are a brick red-brown color and sherry-like taste.
To avoid your wines getting “cooked”, they must be stored in a wine cellar or wine cabinet with the right wine cellar refrigeration system that has the ability to maintain temperature between 55-57 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose efficient and easy to install cooling units such as those offered by Blue Grouse Wine Cellars.
Light
UV rays can be detrimental to your wine because they cause wine degradation. Too much exposure to sunlight will cause the wine cork to dry out.
They will also accelerate the wine’s aging process, leading to premature aging and development. As you have noticed, most wine bottles are tinted. This can somewhat protect the wine against the sun’s exposure just like sunglasses do to our eyes.
If you love your wines, store them in a cool, dark place and away from direct sunlight. For your wine cellar lighting, opt for incandescent bulbs which emit minimal UV light.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Designing Custom Wine Cellars in Vancouver, Canada
Genuine wine lovers and wine collectors know that it’s not enough to collect wines and keep them at home. There is a need to have a good storage room for wines to be housed in. Wines require a custom wine cellar that can provide the ideal conditions for them to age tastefully.
You can have a professional design your wine cellar in Vancouver, or you can design it yourself. Here are tips on how to go about designing a custom wine cellar:
1. Decide on a Functional Layout for Your Custom Wine Cellar
The layout always comes first when designing a custom wine cellar in Canada. There are different kinds of layouts. You can explore these various styles, but the most important thing to remember is that the cellar should keep all the bottles laid at their side. Wine needs to be stored this way to prevent oxidation. Moreover, decide how many wine bottles you intend to collect and store, because this will affect the layout that you need. The more bottles you plan to collect, the more wine racks you need to include in the layout.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Preserving Wine with Wine Cellar Cooling Systems Vancouver
Wine cellar cooling systems play a very essential role when it comes to the taste, texture, aroma, and quality of wines. Storing wine in a wine cellar with an unreliable cooling system can cause premature aging and wine oxidation, leading to wine spoilage. This is why choosing a wine cellar cooling system in Vancouver is a crucial thing to do when you are a wine enthusiast or wine collector.
But how do we choose the right wine cellar cooling system? What are the things that you need to consider? Will your friends’ suggestions or recommendations work for you? Does the brand name really matter?
A Quick Guide to Choosing the Perfect Wine Cooling System
Wine Cellar Cooling Units offered by BLUE Grouse Wine Cellars
The first thing that you need to consider when purchasing a wine cooling unit is the size of your wine cellar. You also need to determine the number of wine bottles that you plan to store, the type of wine racks that you will be using, the size and the number of windows and doors, and the type of wine cellar lighting.
The type of wine cellar cooling unit should match the result of your calculation and estimates. Remember, one crucial mistake can compromise your precious investment.