Category Archives: home wine cellars

Identifying Wines That Can Be Stored in a Custom Wine Cellar in Los Angeles, California

A lot of people think that all wines taste better when allowed to age. The fact is, some wines can be enjoyed immediately after purchase, while others should be allowed to mature for some time first. Wines that need to be allowed to age should be kept in a home wine cellar in Los Angeles, California. Learn how to determine whether a certain wine should be cellared or not.

The Purpose of Storing Wines in a Residential Custom Wine Cellar in CA

Various Wines in a Wine Cellar in California

When people think of wine, they often think of a wine cellar or some storage room to keep them in. Why should wines be stored in a home wine cellar in Los Angeles, California? If you ask around, the common reasons wine enthusiasts cellar wine include:

Starting a wine collection to earn money,since the value of wine increases over time.
Having a keen interest in a particular wine region or vintage and wanting to stock up.
A personal preference for old wine, and wanting to have some to enjoy from time to time.

If you look at these three reasons, there is a common denominator for cellaring wine. The primary purpose of a wine cellar is to provide a safe place for wines to be stored and aged. But not all wines need to be cellared; some wines can be enjoyed immediately after purchase.

4 Characteristics of Wines That Taste Better When Allowed to Age

Which Wines Should be Kept in a Wine Cellar for Long Term Wine Storage?

If you intend to have a residential custom wine cellar, you must know which wines should be allowed to age before drinking, and which wines should not be cellared. Determining whether a wine will age well or not is not an exact science. But generally, wines that age well have 4 characteristics in common. Learn these characteristics, to judge which wines you should keep in your residential custom wine cellar in Los Angeles, CA.

Check for Acidity.

Wines that taste better when allowed to age are usually more acidic. As wine is allowed to mature, it slowly loses its acid and flattens out. Wines that are not very acidic will not taste good if allowed to age. Check the label of a wine that you intend to buy, to find out whether it is good to keep in a home custom wine cellar in Los Angeles, California or not.

Check for Tannin Content.

Tannins come from the pips and skins of grapes that were used during wine making. They can also come from oak aging. Many wine experts have observed that wines with higher levels of tannins tend to mature better than wines with lesser tannin content. Tannins break down over time, and therefore wines with higher tannin content taste better when allowed to age. If a certain wine does not have enough tannin to begin with, its flavor will not improve over time.

Check for Alcohol Level.

Alcohol is volatile in non-fortified wines. High levels of alcohol in wine cause it to turn to vinegar more quickly. Generally, the lower the level of alcohol in a certain type of wine, the longer the wine will last, and the better it will taste as it ages.

Check for Residual Sugar.

A lot of people overlook the sugar content of wines, because these days, aging dry wines is becoming more popular. But according to many wine experts, wines that are sweet, like Port, Sherry, Sauternes and Riesling, are better tasting when allowed to age.

Other Issues That Affect the Aging of Wine

Yes, it is important to determine which wines taste better when allowed to age in a residential custom wine cellar in Los Angeles, California. But besides the wine itself being the right wine to age, there are other things that affect how long a wine should age for (if at all). One of those things is the wine cork.

Wine Corks Affect How Wines Age

The quality of wine corks used in a wine bottle can affect how a wine ages. Even if a wine has all of the characteristics that can make it mature tastefully, if the cork used in its bottling is of poor quality, the wine will still not taste good when allowed to age in a wine cellar. Here are a few things about wine corks that you should know:

Where Wine Corks Come From.

Wine corks are made from the bark of the cork tree. The tree is not cut down. Also, only up to half of the tree’s bark is removed at any one time. After highly skilled people remove the bark, it is allowed to grow back. Corks, therefore, are a more eco-friendly option to sealing wine bottles compared to plastic bottle stoppers.

The Sustainability of Corks.

Aside from cork, there are different kinds of materials used for wine bottle stoppers, like plastic and aluminum. Plastic is not biodegradable, while aluminum takes a lot of energy to manufacture. Although cork is not a perfect product, it has been proven to stand very well against synthetic closures, in terms of sustainability and environmental impact.

Top Wine Cellar Designer and Builder in Los Angeles, California

Wine Cellars Built in California

If you plan to start your own wine collection of wines that will taste better when allowed to age, you must have a residential custom wine cellar built in your own home. There are many wine cellar construction companies in California. Coastal Custom Wine Cellars is one of the most reliable wine cellar designers and builders in Los Angeles, California.

Coastal Custom Wine Cellars designs and builds wine storage solutions in Los Angeles, CA, both for residential and commercial purposes. They have also partnered with the best in the industry, like US Cellar Systems, to create effective wine storage solutions. Their services include free initial design consultation, with free 3D drawings of your dream residential custom wine cellar. Their wine cellar experts are always willing to work with their clients, from the planning stage of the wine cellar construction, up to its completion. For more information about Coastal Custom Wine Cellars, and their products and services, contact them today at +1 (888) 735-8889!

Beverly Hills Wine Cellar Installations Los Angeles Designs

Beverly Hills Wine Cellar Installations Los Angeles Designs – A Processed Video Transcription

Beverly Hills Wine Cellar Installations Los Angeles Designs .

Hi!

Thank you for visiting Coastal Custom Wine Cellars.

We’ll take you on a short video tour on a project that we recently completed in Beverly Hills.

Now, you might be wondering how in the world we created a wine cellar from this very, very broad canvas, and unfinished area of the home.

This is a photograph that I took the very first day I visited with Catherine Lampson.

Catherine is the interior designer who I worked with and partnered with to complete this project for the home wine cellar design Los Angeles.

We discussed many things such as bottle capacity, some wine cellar design features, some colors, glass walls versus fixed walls.

We had come up with a good plan and eventually get to these 3D visuals; but I want to take you through some of the photographs.

So, once we decided on a few of these key features, we got to working. We completed the walls so that indeed we had a little bit more of a framework to work within and to install in.

As you can see the back walls are now completed. It’s been sealed, insulated, and a moisture-proof drywall has been applied and as you can see the line set and electrical has been installed.

The line set is the wine cellar refrigeration lines and condensate drain lines that are needed for the split refrigeration system.

In this case, we used a dual air wine cellar refrigeration product by Arctic Metalworks of Los Angeles.

There’s also an opening for electrical so we dedicated 20m circuit to run through your compressors and your condensers and such.

We made quite a bit of progress over the weeks and as you can see, the finished product is quite a beautiful work.

Catherine and her team took care of the flooring, Coastal Wine Cellars provide the wine rack design for the custom wine racks, the refrigeration by Arctic Metalworks and we have a seamless glass wall and entry, which was provided by our friends at Glass and Door Design of Los Angeles.

We’re really happy with the result of this wine cellar design Los Angeles project and here’s a little bit more completed or finished room appearance with some furniture in it.

We created a complimentary three-dimensional design package for Catherine and her home owners to take a look at. This gives you a great visual of how the completed project is going to appear.

The total bottle capacities of the wine rack design are posted on the top right of this page which is referred to as the plan view because it’s an overhead view of the wine room.

The entries there at the bottom of the page just below the letter A. The letter A indicates elevation A, and of course, dimensions are posted around the perimeter as well.

So, let’s take a look at some of these wine cellar design features that were included in it that you saw in the photographs.

We’ll start from the bottom.

Here on the far left and at the far right you will see some icons that represent wood cases.

Those were the openings that we took a look at earlier for bulk storage.

But indeed you can put wood cases in there or simply just about anything you like actually.

All these custom wine racks by the way rest on a 4-inch toe kick.

You can see that from that side elevation on the right. It’s referred to as “rack left elevation” and you can see that’s toe kick’s four inches.

All the custom wine racks in between the wood cases are 750-milliliter opening, single-bottle storage openings measuring approximately three and three quarter by three and three quarter that translates to “you’ll be enabled to store standard champagne bottles, Oregon pinots, Ross, California Bluechips.”

Very few bottles will not fit into these openings.

Above the wood cases on the very far left and very far right, you’ll notice those little openings are a bit larger.

These are to accommodate 1.5-liter or magnum bottles above the tabletop area in the center, which is an open area with the solid side panels; above that is the louvered grill cover.

This is on a hinge and indeed conceals the mechanical appearance of the fan coil and the evaporator.

The thermostat is located on the left side of the room as you enter.

The label-forward horizontal displays add a nice touch, I think, and it got a lot of character.

These bottles are labeled forward for horizontal displays and enable you to store one bottle and, although, not visible, up to two bottles behind the visible bottle.

So, we were very happy with this wine cellar design project; the clients were thrilled.

We hope you visit us if you have a wine cellar design Los Angeles project at www.winecellarsbycoastal.com.

Cheers!

Residential Wine Cellars in California: Essentials When Building One

There are lots of people who want to start their wine collection. If you want to start your own wine collection, you need to understand that you cannot begin without first making sure that you have a place to store them. Wines can’t just be stored anywhere because they need specific storage conditions for them age properly. The best place to store wines is in a residential custom wine cellar in Orange County, California.

A custom wine cellar in California can adequately provide the ideal conditions for your wines to mature tastefully. Learn about the basic elements to proper wine storage by reading through this article.

1. Lighting

It is imperative that when you have a custom wine cellar built in California, you keep it away from exposure to direct sunlight. There should be as little light as possible that reaches your wine bottles. There are various organic compounds within wine that are essential to its structure, aroma and flavor. Direct exposure to light, especially ultraviolet light, can potentially destroy these compounds and degrade the quality of your wines.

2. Vibration

Vibration isn’t really a big problem. It can occasionally be a problem when wines are exposed to too much of it like for example, when you keep your wine bottles on top of the kitchen refrigerator. Besides the risk of the bottles breaking, excess vibration can also prevent sediments from settling, and may affect the flavor of your wines. To protect your wine collection from vibration, store it in properly constructed custom wine racks in Orange County, California.

3. Humidity

Wines need to be kept in an adequately humid environment. Ideally, your custom wine cellar in Orange County should have a humidity level that ranges from 60% to 75%. Adequate humidity is necessary because too much and too little humidity can both damage your wine collection.

When humidity is above the ideal levels, moisture builds up and can ruin your wine bottle labels. Mold can form, too, and contaminate your wines. One way to prevent mold formation is by wrapping your wine bottles in saran wrap. Some people would use hair spray and other sealants, but these have unpleasant odors. Saran wrap effectively keeps mold out without having bad odors.

On the other hand, when the humidity is too low, corks may shrink and allow air to enter the bottles. When air comes in contact with the wine, oxidation happens, and this ruins the flavor of your wines. Wines that have been exposed to air often have a rusty taste to its flavor.

If your area has a very dry climate, or if your house is heated and cooled by central air, a good way to have humidity inside the custom wine cellar in CA is by placing a saucer of water inside.

4. Temperature

Temperature is the most important element to wine storage, and the most important consideration when building a home wine cellar in Orange County, California. Wines require a wine storage room wherein the temperature is maintained between 55 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit. There should be minimal to no fluctuations in the temperature level, because frequent fluctuations will negatively affect your wines. Have a quality wine cellar refrigeration system installed in your home custom wine cellar in CA, so that you can be sure that your wines are kept in the ideal storage temperature.

Types of Wine Racks in Orange County, California

Are you fond of wine? Are you planning to start a wine collection? Wine racks in Orange County, California are the safest place to store wines. There are different kinds of wine racks in California. They can be made of metal, wood or glass. Learn about these basic kinds of wine racks!

Metal Wine Racks California

Metal wine racks can be made from various kinds of metals. The most common metals used are wrought iron, cast, chrome and stainless steel. Compared to other kinds of wine racks, metal wine racks have more intricate bends, as well as twists and turns. This makes metal wine racks have more flexible designs. Metal wine racks are very strong and durable, but can be very heavy for table or counter top display. One concern is that temperature and humidity inside a custom wine cellar can damage the metal over time. Metal wine racks are great for those who store wines over a short period of time. If you consume wine frequently, metal wine racks are the choice for you.

Glass Wine Racks California

Engraved glass wine racks are very beautiful. They have a dramatic effect, and come in both intricate and simple designs. One common problem with glass wine racks is that they can easily be damaged by frequent changes in temperature and humidity. Glass wine racks are best for those who only want to display wines for a short period of time, or for frequent consumption.

Wooden Wine Racks California

Wooden wine racks in Orange County, California can be made of various kinds of wood. Most of these woods are mildew resistant. This means that they can withstand the moist climate inside a custom wine cellar in California. Wooden wine racks are also very beautiful, timeless and classic. This kind of wine rack is also good for long term wine storage.

Wooden wine racks in California are the best choice for keeping wine corks moist and secure in the bottles.

Custom Wine Cellar California

Custom wine cellars are the ideal place to store wines. As long as they are well insulated, have a vapor barrier installed and have a quality wine cellar refrigeration system installed, they are the best place for wines to age properly. Wine cellars by Coastal are among the most reliable storage places for wines. For more information on custom wine racks and other wine storage needs, visit Coastal at their website today!

California Residential Wine Rooms – Dana Point Wine Cellar Design Project by Coastal

A custom residential wine cellar is the perfect wine storage and display solution for passionate wine lovers who want to start growing their wine collection. Skillfully designed and carefully constructed California residential wine rooms can achieve optimal wine cellar conditions for storing and aging wines, as well as provide a cozy ambiance for entertaining friends and fellow wine aficionados.

Coastal Custom Wine Cellars recently completed a custom residential wine rooms garage conversion project in Dana Point, California. The Coastal team redesigned a 2-car garage enclosure and transformed it into a fully functioning wine storage area with a total storage capacity of 725 wine bottles.

Garage Conversion Wine Cellar Design

Coastal provided their client with a complimentary three dimensional wine cellar design of the proposed California residential wine rooms project. The 3D design package includes overhead views and elevation views of the wine storage area. A three dimensional presentation is a useful design tool that shows how the various wine cellar components fit together, plus it gives the client a detailed glimpse of the finished product.

Dana Point California Wine Cellar Design

Different custom wine rack styles were integrated into the wine cellar design to accommodate the client’s assortment of wine bottles, such as 1.5-liter, 3-liter, and 6-liter bottles and wine casings. The right combination of wine racking systems provided maximum storage capacity to the residential wine cellar space and established efficient display solutions for organizing and showcasing the wine collection.

Completed Residential Wine Cellar Orange County California-001

The right side wall is, for the most part, single bottle storage openings with inside dimensions that measure 3 ¾” x 3 ¾,” which can fit most 750 ml wine bottles, including Oregon Pinots, Shiraz, Zinfandels, and standard champagne bottles. This area of the wine storage space also features a tabletop with drawers for storing various wine accessories.

To provide ample storage for some of the client’s large format bottles, a label forward horizontal display rack was installed above the tabletop opening, which could store 4 magnums or 1.5 liter bottles in a horizontal orientation.

For bulk storage, diamond bin components were added just below the tabletop drawers. Diamond bins can hold a large amount of different-sized wine bottles.

A beautiful feature in this California residential wine rooms project is the high reveal display row that runs around the entire perimeter of the custom wine cellar. Wine bottles are pitched to a 15 degree angle, which allows for the full visibility of the wine labels. Soft LED lighting affixed behind the valance provides dramatic lighting and better illumination to the bottles on the display row.

Quarter Round Display Wine Rack

The back wall of this custom residential wine rooms Dana Point project includes several openings for wood case storage as well as additional single bottle storage racks and high reveal display row. A double deep configuration was added to this area to increase storage capacity and provide more tabletop area.

Most of the client’s large format bottles (such as double magnums and imperials) were displayed on the left side wall. On this side of the wine cellar space, more wood case openings were provided with adjustable shelving to allow the client to adjust the spacing for the different sized wood casings.

A quarter round display rack was used as an end piece to the racking frame on the left side wall. This type of racking system can be used as a display tool for artistic pieces or wine accoutrements like decanters.

CellarPro Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

Residential wine rooms require proper refrigeration equipment to help stabilize the environment. For this particular wine cellar design project, the designers installed a CellarPro exterior vent cooling system. It was mounted onto an opening in the racking frame on the right side wall. To ensure an optimal seal and to add aesthetic value to the wine cellar, a Tuscan-styled arched door with operable iron grill seals the wine cellar entryway.

The Importance of Wine Cellar Insulation

Custom wine cellars are the perfect place to store wines, because they are able to provide them with the ideal conditions, so that they age properly. Wine cellar insulation is an integral part of the ability of a wine cellar to do this. A wine cellar in Orange County that does not have proper insulation is practically useless. Some people build their own residential wine cellars without any vapor barriers. If you are a genuine wine lover, you need to understand the importance of proper insulation and vapor barriers.

Problems Caused by Poor Custom Wine Cellar Insulation

Many problems can arise from a poorly built custom wine cellar. You will have to deal with mold problems and/or the need for more moisture. Also, if your cellar is poorly constructed, your wine cellar cooling system will have to use up more energy to function. This will wear out the wine cellar cooling unit fast!

Moreover, a wine cellar in Orange County that is poorly insulated will have problems providing the right humidity for wine storage. Ideally, the humidity level in a wine cellar is 55 to 75%. Humidity is very important in a custom wine cellar in CA, because it helps keep the wine corks moist. Wine corks shrink when they become dry, and when they do, air can get in and ruin your wine.

Thermal Insulation, Air Barrier and Vapor Barrier

There are many kinds of wine cellar insulation. One of the best kinds is Closed Cell spray foam, which is also referred to as medium density or 2 pound insulation. This product is liquid that turns to foam and expands to 20-30 times its liquid size, creating an air-tight seal. Once it has expanded, it seldom needs trimming, with little to no waste. This type of insulation is very durable and is able to increase the shear and racking strength effectively. This product is a Code Approved Vapor Barrier and has a permeability rating 45ng. It is also a Code Approved Air Barrier and Thermal Insulation.

Other Factors That Help Creating Proper Wine Storage

Wine insulation is one of the most important things in creating the right storage conditions for wine storage. Along with good wine cellar insulation, you need to have your residential wine cellar designed and built by a professional. You also need an efficient wine cellar cooling unit to keep the temperature and humidity inside the storage room at the ideal levels.

Coastal Custom Wine Cellars provides more tips on how to create the perfect resting place for your favorite wines. They also have wine cellar professionals who can provide you with a free consultation and design of your dream custom wine cellar in Los Angeles, California.

Home Wine Cellars Orange County California – A Wine Enclave Fit for a Wine Geek

Wine Cellar Construction Orange County California Project

California wine geeks not only love collecting different kinds of wines, but also throwing wine tasting parties and hosting wine dinners at their custom home wine cellars Orange County California. The main goal of wine cellar construction is to create the best possible environment for long-term storage, as well as design a comfortable space for entertaining.

More often than not, the most dedicated and passionate wine collectors install a private wine room in the confines of their home because it affords them access to their vintages at any time, while also allowing them to grow their collection. Home wine cellars Orange County California are designed and constructed with the aesthetic preferences, storage needs, and budgetary requirements of the client in mind.

Home Wine Cellars Orange County California – The Wine Racks Used

This particular wine cellar construction Orange County California project demonstrates how a simple room can be converted into a climate controlled wine storage space that can accommodate 2, 772 wine bottles. For maximum storage space, home wine cellars Orange County California builders installed a combination of custom and semi-custom wooden wine racks, constructed in Premium Redwood.

Wooden Wine Racks – Orange County California Project

The integration of different styles of wooden wine racks with varying bottle openings, ranging from 375ml, 750ml, and 1.5 liters, allowed the collector to organize and display wine bottles of different sizes and shapes. Premium Redwood was the material of choice for the racking system because of the wood’s natural beauty, durability, non-aromatic quality, and resistance to decay.

Wooden wine racks for this custom wine cellar construction Orange County California project include a high reveal display row that runs across the back wall and continues along the left wall. Concealed LED ribbon lighting dramatically highlights the client’s favorite wine labels on the display column. It also features a tabletop made from the same wood material as the wine racking, coated with a clear lacquer finish to protect against spills and stains.

Wooden Wine Racks for Home Wine Cellars Orange County California

In order to achieve optimal storage capacity, wine cellar construction Orange County California builders incorporated single bottle storage racks with a depth of 23 inches on the left side of the wall, and a combination of single and double deep racks on the back wall.

Bottle racking with small and large openings provides additional storage space for splits and magnums, respectively. To accommodate the client’s Pax Syrah collection, 7 columns with 4” x 4” bottle openings were added to the leftmost side of the racking frame on the right wall.

Wine Cellar Cooling as Part of the Wine Cellar Design and Construction Process

Maintaining a stable wine storage environment is a crucial element of wine cellar construction. An efficient custom wine room requires proper wine cellar cooling, which will help facilitate the aging process by regulating temperature and humidity levels inside the storage space.

Wine Cellar Cooling Unit with Wooden Grill Cover

A wine cellar cooling split system from US Cellars was installed to help achieve the ideal climate conditions. The Rack Cool Series wine cellar cooling unit is designed to eliminate fan noise and heat discharge. The evaporator was mounted within the racking frame, while the condenser was placed in a remote location.

A specially made wood grill box cover keeps the refrigeration equipment hidden from view. Constructed in Premium Redwood, it blends well with the rest of the wine cellar furniture, and creates a smooth and even appearance.

Home Wine Cellars Orange County California Project by Coastal

A properly constructed custom wine room must satisfy several prerequisites of wine cellar construction, such as properly installed insulation, vapor barriers, and an exterior grade entry door. Satisfying these conditions will help create a wine cellar environment that is conducive for storing and aging wines.

Coastal Wine Cellars CA