Ascent Sotheby's International Realty • Vail, CO • 2014 Catalogue RESIDE® Magazine︱Summer 2014 | Page 10

UNTAPPED

TREASURES
impressive wine cellars

W

I Y N A CA RUSO

ine cellars aren’t rooms. They’re des-

something reassuringly good. If you had a fantastic day,

tinations. Less than three percent of

you’re happy to take the risk on something you’re less

affl uent homes in the U.S. have wine

sure about,” he says.

cellars, but don’t call them status

symbols. Cellars are the bastions of wine enthusiasts who
love the ritual of it. The selection, the uncorking, that first

sip of the bottle.
“The great thing about having a wine cellar is that you
don’t have to make up your mind which bottle of wine to
pull out until you get into the cellar,” says Jamie Ritchie,

For the serious collector, no mere rack or wine refrigerator can deliver that experience.
Galileo once described wine as sunlight, held together
by water. Wine lovers agree, which is why they go to
great lengths to protect their collection by creating the
perfect environment.
Ideal conditions for long-term quality aging are con-

president and CEO of Americas and Asia for Sotheby’s

sistent temperatures, between 52-55 degrees Fahrenheit

Wine. The weather outside, the food being served, even

with 40-70 percent humidity and proper air flow for full

the kind of day it’s been all influence the decision. “If

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maturation, according to Chris Bender, owner of Paul

you had a difficult day, you want a safe bet. You want

Wyatt Designs, a custom wine cellar fi rm in Park City,

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