Any wine enthusiast will tell you that wine collecting is not just acquiring ANY wine. Beyond preference, wine collectors acquire wine bottles which will make their collection unique from others. Most of the time, the wine collection is deemed substantial, if not complete, when essential wines are already stacked sideways in one’s custom wine cellar.
For wine collectors and enthusiasts who are fond of inviting guests over for dinner or hosting wine tasting parties, it is a must to have some essential wines in your wine cellar. This is because one should be ready to have a particular wine on hand to pair with a particular dish or menu.
One cannot just pull out randomly any bottle from the wine cellar. Doing so will neither enhance nor complement the dishes served. Worse, it may ruin the gustatory experience. Below is a list of red wines that wine collectors must include their custom wine room and their characteristics.
Must-Have Red Wines in Vancouver Wine Cellars
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular among red wines. It originated from Bordeaux, France but is now grown in many wine producing regions around the world.
It is full bodied with dark fruity flavors. The variation in flavor is dependent on the region where the grapes are harvested.
Cabernet sauvignon has the characteristics of blackberry, blueberry, black currant, warm spice, and black cherry. As it is full bodied, it is best paired with red meats, pasta in heavy red sauce, lamb dishes, rich flavored cheeses, and sometimes, dark chocolates.
Merlot is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux region in France. It is used as a blending grape but it can also be used as a varietal of wine. It is dark blue in color and has fruity flavors similar to Cabernet Sauvignon.
However, Merlot wines are generally medium bodied and have fruity flavors of cherries, blueberries, blackberries, plum with black pepper, and cocoa tones.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Vancouver Wine Cellars – Enemies of Wine & How to Avoid Them
Wine has certain needs and demands in order to have superb quality. We can say that a wine is of high quality if it tastes good and its flavor and aromas are pleasant to the nose and palate.
Wine needs to be protected against its worst enemies in order to achieve the quality that you are looking for. What are wine’s worst enemies? What can you do to prevent them from harming your precious collections?
Factors That Affect Wine Quality & Tips for Proper Wine Storage
Heat
Too much exposure to heat can damage wine, affecting its overall characteristics and ability to age gracefully as well as its physical and chemical stability. Heat damage is usually caused by improper and abusive shipping processes or improper wine storage at home or commercial wine stores. Signs that wine was damaged by heat are a brick red-brown color and sherry-like taste.
To avoid your wines getting “cooked”, they must be stored in a wine cellar or wine cabinet with the right wine cellar refrigeration system that has the ability to maintain temperature between 55-57 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose efficient and easy to install cooling units such as those offered by Blue Grouse Wine Cellars.
Light
UV rays can be detrimental to your wine because they cause wine degradation. Too much exposure to sunlight will cause the wine cork to dry out.
They will also accelerate the wine’s aging process, leading to premature aging and development. As you have noticed, most wine bottles are tinted. This can somewhat protect the wine against the sun’s exposure just like sunglasses do to our eyes.
If you love your wines, store them in a cool, dark place and away from direct sunlight. For your wine cellar lighting, opt for incandescent bulbs which emit minimal UV light.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Characteristics of the Best Wine Cellar Cooling Systems in Vancouver Canada
Wine lovers and wine collectors know how important it is to store wine in the right conditions, and therefore also know the necessity of having a wine cellar cooling unit installed in a custom wine cellar in Canada. The question then is how do you know which wine cellar refrigeration systems is the best for your wine cellar in Vancouver?
One of the important wine cellar accessories is a wine refrigerator or wine cooler. This a unit used for the short term storage of wine. Its primary purpose is to chill wine before serving. Even with a wine refrigerator, you need to find the best one for your beloved wines.
Here are two basic characteristics of the best wine coolers:
1. Ability to Cool Wines to the Right Serving Temperature
Wines are served at a different temperature from its temperature when it was stored. Wine coolers or wine refrigerators are primarily used to cool wine to the proper serving temperature. Generally, wines should be served at a temperature of at least 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Ability to Protect Wine Efficiently
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Canada Wine Cellar Racks – Choosing the Right Wood Material
I have a newly built Canada residential wine cellar and my wine bottles are ready to be displayed and organized in wine racks. There are a lot of designs and kinds to choose from, and the decision has to be made- one that I won’t ever regret. This calls for a thorough analysis of my options, as I consider choosing wine racks very important for my wine collection.
In the market, there are options for wooden or metal wine racks. However, I am leaning more towards choosing wooden wine racks as these go well (or better) with the design and concept of the rest of my home. Canada wooden wine racks are also more versatile, and when properly made can be as durable as metal wine racks. Since wood does not conduct warmth or coolness to the wine bottle, I am assured that my wines are properly stored and aged.
Most Popular Wood Species for Wine Rack Construction
There are three kinds of wood usually used in wooden wine racks. These are pine, mahogany, and redwood. It is important to choose the right kind of wood which is conducive to the environment inside the wine cellar. As the wine cellar environment is cool, damp, and dim, it is wise to use the right kind of wood to avoid mildew inside the wine cellar. Mildew can harm my precious wine collection and ruin my investment.
Pine is the most economical wood to use and the most versatile as it absorbs wood finish well. Redwood is another type of wood which is resistant to moisture and mildew as redwood has natural oils that do the work. It can also be stained for customization.
Written by Holly Peters - Custom Wine Cellars Vancouver Comments Off on Designing Custom Wine Cellars in Vancouver, Canada
Genuine wine lovers and wine collectors know that it’s not enough to collect wines and keep them at home. There is a need to have a good storage room for wines to be housed in. Wines require a custom wine cellar that can provide the ideal conditions for them to age tastefully.
You can have a professional design your wine cellar in Vancouver, or you can design it yourself. Here are tips on how to go about designing a custom wine cellar:
1. Decide on a Functional Layout for Your Custom Wine Cellar
The layout always comes first when designing a custom wine cellar in Canada. There are different kinds of layouts. You can explore these various styles, but the most important thing to remember is that the cellar should keep all the bottles laid at their side. Wine needs to be stored this way to prevent oxidation. Moreover, decide how many wine bottles you intend to collect and store, because this will affect the layout that you need. The more bottles you plan to collect, the more wine racks you need to include in the layout.