Cool Wine Rooms Are A Hot New Trend In Homebuilding

By Kate Hofstetter


                Wine rooms are becoming an amenity buyers look for in finer homes. No longer are these charming, luxurious rooms or “cellars” just for wine collectors, connoisseurs or investors. If you like sharing nice wine with good friends, you would enjoy a wine room.
                Wine rooms come in all sizes. They can be built in a space as small as a closet or as large as your home and pocketbook will allow. However, they typically range in size from 10-by-10 feet up to 20-by-20 feet and store, on average, 500-1,400 bottles, and can be added to any home that has some spare room.
                “Imagine you are building a large refrigerator,” said Joe Sangallo, who, before moving to Smith Mountain Lake last August, worked as a trim carpenter on high-end, showcase homes in North Carolina.
                “The room must be heavily insulated and a vapor barrier installed from 3 mil plastic sheeting. There should be no air leaks,” he explained, “so that the room’s cooling system will maintain a temperature of around 57 degrees, as recommended for wine storage.”
                The racks for holding the bottles are typically made from redwood or mahogany, Joe said, adding that the square racks hold individual bottles while the larger diamond shaped bins hold stacks of as many as 12 or more. Mixing the two shapes not only utilizes space nicely, the contrast of shapes is pleasing to the eye.
                “By building special display areas for your nicer wines you add character to the wine room,” Joe said. “And installing low-voltage lighting further enhances the showcase bottles and adds to the overall ambiance.”
                Since the temperature for wine storage is chilly, most people want a “tasting room” adjoining the wine storage room. A large expanse of glass allows guests to view the wine area while in the comfort of a warmer climate. Leaded or stained glass doors between the two are a nice touch and provide a rich, warm look. The tasting room should, of course, have a spot where wine glasses can be hung or stored, and a table with chairs is appropriate.
                Although wine rooms can be installed on any floor, most of Joe’s installation have been in basements, either in a spare room or an unfinished space. Flooring in the wine and tasting rooms is optional, although a rugged surface such as slate or tile is recommended.
                Over the past two years wine rooms have become so popular, Joe said, he has frequently used “kits” which include pre-made racking and the refrigeration and humidity control systems. Although many of his wine rooms are custom made, using a kit helps shorten construction time which, in some cases, reduces costs to the homeowner.
                One nearby manufacturer of such kits is Sonoma Wine Rooms of Advance, N.C. (SonomaWineRooms.com). When a kit is used, room measurements are sent to the manufacturer who creates a design and CAD drawings. The racking is made for installation, much like pre-milled trim and molding or stock kitchen cabinets. Joe said the cost of an unstained, unpainted wine room kit runs from $4 to $9 per bottle. The $9 price includes installation and cooling equipment.
                Richard and Trinan Mostyn, who are the first to admit they aren’t connoisseurs of fine wines, are enjoying the wine room in their new home.
                “It is definitely an added amenity to a house,” said Trinan. “We’ve always enjoyed a glass of wine with dinner and so we are looking forward to stocking the room with a good variety of dinner wines.”
                The Mostyns’ wine room holds 500 bottles and a box of cigars, which can be stashed in a drawer specially made to maintain the correct humidity for tobacco. The room was designed by the late Joe Wagoner who, along with his wife Jeanne, formerly owned the house.
                Bob Bryden, who recently moved to the Lake area from Memphis, decided to add a wine room to his home. His wine room holds 900 bottles and he said he keeps it at 55 degrees with 50 percent humidity.
                Cooling units for wine rooms, he said, cost between $1,200 and $1,800 for a modest-sized room.
                “You need a unit made special for wine rooms,” he said, “as they do not vibrate.”
                Vibration, he explained, disturbs the wine while it’s aging by “disgorging” the sediment. Bob also advised against standing full wine bottles up for the purpose of display. “If the cork dries out,” he said, “you’ve ruined the wine.” So, drink it first, then display the empty bottle.