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business appealing to a wider swath of sophisticates .
“ The number of homeowners who approach us
to design a custom wine room , wine wall or wine cabinet has grown each year ,” says Brooklyn Hurst , vice president of Genuwine Cellars . “ As a result , the wine room today is more about showing off your wine . It ’ s allowed us to apply a designer ’ s philosophy to the cellar . From our point of view , a wine room is a work of art .”
Through the looking glass
A movement toward contemporary aesthetics is behind heightened demand for glass-enclosed wine structures in many new-build homes . While glass is generally not ideal for aging fine wines , advancements in UV-resistant glass technology , racking systems and temperature- and humidity-control systems have made glass-enclosed wine rooms and wine walls both
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a practical storage solution and a work of art . In Napa Valley , Cyd Greer of Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley has noticed a proliferation of “ wine libraries ” — where , instead of books , wine is set in “ beautifully lighted displays with customized glass fronts viewable from the public rooms .” Wine walls are also popular , since they act as visually pleasing room dividers between spaces like the formal dining room and living room .
“ Most people are not collectors who are actively tagging , categorizing and aging their wine ,” says Chris Light of Newport Beach , California-based C . J . Light Associates . “ The majority of them want to see their wine and drink their wine , and let their guests enjoy the experience . Wine is like a great painting or a piece of art to them , since many of the bottles have great labels and tell a story . The wine room also brings your personality out in the open ,
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so it is integrated into your life and home .”
Unique racking and storage systems
Cable tension storage systems — such as Genuwine ’ s The Ring — are another sought-after feature , since they allow the wine labels to be the real star of the show . “ The effect is that the bottles look like they are floating in midair ,” says Hurst .
Other types of contemporary racking made of metal , glass and acrylic are highly sought after because they allow homeowners to display their wine in unique and artful ways . Some savvy homeowners are even developing their own custom racking systems to suit their needs . Hurst recalls one client who wanted a two-story Ferris wheel-style conveyor system in his wine cellar — “ so he could be on the top floor , hit a button and the conveyer would move up to the room .”
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PHOTO BY AUDREY HALL PHOTOGRAPHY |