Vintage Makers

WIne and Cigars

This June will be 19 years of designing, building and installing wine cellars. For the past two years I have been working on another venture with cigars and humidors. Today I am formally launching www.SmokinBettysCigars.com. For those of you interested in available wine lists, you can check out http://www.smokinbettyscigars.com/category/wine-collection.html to see a list I currently have available. For those golfers interested in cigars I am offering a special you can check out at http://www.smokinbettyscigars.com/category/smokin-specials.html. Over the next few months I will continue to add product and accessories. Thanks, Darren

The Most Valuable Wines in the World

The value of wine is highly variable because it is often sold at auction, which means that the competitiveness of buyers can drive up the price of a particular label. Typically, the most inherently valuable wines are those from French vineyards, which have a long-standing reputation for crafting the finest wines in the world. Back in the early 20’s the French varietals were attacked by a particular parasite from the US.  It ravaged the French countryside.  The French were forced to graft their varietals with US varietals that were resilient to the parasite.

 Collectors’ Wines

The most highly valued wines tend to be those that cannot actually be consumed. Bottles may peak at different times, but they do not usually last longer than 50 years. The famed bottles of history that have sold for values upwards of $150,000 were more than 200 years old at the time of their sale. There are three bottles that were of particular interest because they had the initials of Thomas Jefferson etched into the glass, indicating that they were a part of his prized collection. One of these was the most expensive bottle ever sold and another was actually destroyed in an accident that resulted in a $225,000 insurance payout.

Exceptional Vineyards

Of the many estates that have produced notable vintages, there are two that have continuously stood out through time: Château Lafite and Château Margaux. Both of these vineyards have existed for centuries, and they have consistently produced sought-after vintages, particularly those from the mid-1962s and early 1976.

It is important to note that wines only hold their value and flavor if they are stored in proper conditions. If you are interested in building a wine cellar in your home to store your prized vintages, then contact Vintage Makers. We specialize in designing and building customized in-home wine storage. For more information, call us today at (888) 710-2053 or visit us at our website.

What to Know Before Adding Wine Storage to Your Home

A wine cellar is the ideal way to allow your wines to age naturally while being protected from the elements. Although you cannot improve the quality of a bottle of wine with proper storage methods, a fine bottle can be ruined if it spends any amount of time under certain conditions. If you are planning on putting a cellar in your home, then take these factors into account:

1. Size: Think about how many bottles you will want to have in storage at any given time. It is likely that you will not ever have every single space on your wine racks filled because you will want to have room to add new bottles to your collection. Larger cellars can hold more than 6,000 bottles. Smaller collectors may find a conditioned wine cabinet that holds 100-200 bottles to be ideal.

2. Location: In building a climate controlled wine room, location isn’t an issue.  The basement is a natural choice for building a cellar because it usually has the most available space. When building a cellar the most important aspect is the construction of the room.  Walls need to be insulated to R-19, ceilings and floor (if applicable) to R-30.  All surfaces need to have a 6 ml. vapor barrier (installed on warm side) and then sealed with an exterior grade or insulated glass door.  Interior finished (wall color, tile, wood ceiling and racking) are designed to fit your personal needs and tastes. If you do not have a basement, then consider converting a pantry, spare bedroom or a section of a wall in a dining room or living room.

3. Materials: Many wine cellars are built from mahogany or redwood due to their rot resistant/mildew resistant qualities. Other woods such as walnut or teak may be used if the budget allows.. You might choose to have the wood finished or leave it unfinished for a natural look.

4. Climate control: The most important aspects of wine storage are temperature, and humidity.  Natural sunlight can play a part in the environment, but most cellars are in closed off rooms and the use of residential lighting has insignificant effect unless you leave your lights on all day and night.   In order to maintain 55 – 59 degrees and 60 – 70 % humidity, you should always consider temperature control to help stabilize the room environment.  We have built many passive cellars but the conditions and construction for those rooms should be consulted and designed by a professional. 

Vintage Makers can help you design the best wine storage to accommodate your collection and fit the needs of your home. We specialize in building and installing residential and commercial cellars. Call us at (888) 710-2053 to learn more about our services. 

Wine Glasses 101

When drinking wine it is very important that you are drinking out of the proper glass. With particular types of wine and spirits it is essential to have the right glass.  White wines have become very popular and one in particular, Riesling. Riesling wine is made from a wide variety of grapes, balancing its high acidity with residual sugar. Riesling wine gives off an aroma of peaches due to the fresh acidity and high mineral components. As the wine ages, the color will change slightly giving the wine a Riesling characteristic.

When drinking Riesling wine, a Tulip shaped glass is preferred.  The Tulip shaped glass has a tall, elongated and narrower shape at the rim of the glass. Tulip shaped glasses have a smaller surface area, meaning there is less air circulating around in the glass, warming the wine.

The next time you decide to host a dinner party and serve wine, be sure to use the right kind of stemware for that particular wine. For more information please visit Vintage Makers or call us at (888) 710-2053. 

Harrison Wine Vault

Our project in Harrison New York is wrapping up.  Anthony has started to fill the store with some great wines and spirits.  Some more pictures of the progress made at The Harrison Wine Vault.