"Ultimately, a wine cellar should be an independent environment, where the wine remains protected, unharmed by the dangers of the outside world - a true sanctuary."

This month we will discuss further the idea of proper cellar construction. If you love Australian wines you will enjoy the update from the Sydney International Wine Competition that recently handed out its awards. We also have started an interesting series provided by Sergio Esposito from the Italian Wine Merchant in New York, which helps us better understand Italian Wines. If you are a wine collector you will enjoy the market research provided by VinExpo included in this newsletter.

Next month we will start a series of interviewing accomplished wine makers from around the world. We welcome comments and suggestions for further issues. Thanks and enjoy!



Sydney International Wine Competition

On February 28th, 2004, the Sydney International Wine Competition held its annual awards banquet. The thirteen judges, from five countries, enjoyed tasting wines as they really should be-when paired with food.

This exciting competition has become so world renowned, that this year it was swamped with over 2000 entries from 17 different countries. During the past year, the Sydney International Wine Competition was recognized by the European Union. Wine exports to EU countries may only display awards on the bottle from such recognized competitions.

If you are at all interested in Australian  wines, take a look at their web site to read of up and coming wines, along with wines of exceptional quality from around the world. You can go to Top100 Wines



Let's Go To Italy!

This month we are starting a series of educational articles provided by Italian Wine Merchants in New York City that will help us with Italian wines. Unlike other regions, Italy has a multitude of rules, regions, and varieties that make understanding these wines a challenge. Sergio Esposito, explains they are not as difficult as one might think.  The first article introduces us to the history and legend of the famous Barolo. What is it about Barolos that makes this wine known as......."The Wine of Kings and the King of Wines" 

Continue to article



Interesting Market Research Provided by VinExpo Americas

If you are at all interested in worldwide trends in the wine industry for either personal enjoyment or investment purposes, you will find this power point presentation very enlightening to see which countries are producing, which are consuming and the trends that lie within. Which countries consume the most wine? Who produces the most wine? Where are the prices of wine going next?      Market Report

Next month we will feature another very interesting study looking at the demographics of wine consumers and where the trends are.     



THE SANCTUARY

I think you will agree there is something moving about a beautifully designed wine cellar. The subtle lighting, the cool stone beneath your feet. The unique scent of wooden racking along with wine and the feel of a smooth bottle in your hand, full of history and stories untold.

We at Cellarworks view these finishing aspects as pleasurably as the next enthusiast. However,  there is something far more important to the life of that cellar and is hidden behind those finishes, never to be admired or even mentioned - the cellar construction

By this I'm referring to the all important construction specifications that are unique to a wine cellar. As stated earlier, a wine cellar should be an independent environment and this can only be achieved with very specific construction guidelines.

All to often, the emphasis is placed on the visual, interior elements of a cellar such as lighting, racking, cooling and finishes. Sadly, this can lead to major problems. 30% of calls to Cellarworks are pleas for help with such problems as vast water damage, mold and damaged wine. As you can imagine, this can be devastating to the owner and wine cellar.

So, having said that, what do you need to consider when building your wine cellar? In our last newsletter, the importance of vapor barrier was discussed. To review that article click here. This time we will highlight the need for insulation and how it works.

Without being too technical, it is important to understand what happens when two environments of different temperatures and relative humidity come in contact. To start with, all environments create pressure which is expressed in PSI, (pounds per square inch). What determines whether this pressure is high or low is dependant on the temperature and humidity in a room. If you take a room at around 75 degrees F. and at 60% relative humidity and have it adjacent to a room that is 55 degrees F. and at 60% relative humidity, the pressure in the warm room will be higher than that in the cool room and humidity will travel from the warm room to the cool room. Once the humidity from the warm room starts to cool, it will condensate and moisture will start to build up until the walls and ceilings become saturated and start to collapse under the weight of the water build up.

Vapor barrier primarily prevents the humidity from passing from one environment to the other. Insulation actually prevents temperature exchange and neutralizes the PSI between the two environments. Dew point is the temperature that humidity actually turns to condensate. For a cellar to run efficiently, the dew point of the two environments should fall somewhere in the middle of the insulation. If this does not happen you may find your cooling unit running all the time because of an actual heat exchange between the two environments.

The type of insulation is just as important as the amount being used. Even if you use the correct amount for your application, using the wrong type will invite problems in time because of water retention issues. Since each cellar is unique and has its own challenges, all of these issues are taken into account case by case.

What are the results of misapplied insulation and what are some telltale signs? The damage can be anywhere between excess moisture and humidity in the cellar to walls caving in and infestations of mold. If mold is settling in it is imperative that the wine is removed before it settles in the corks and labels. A few signs that could indicated a problem... Is the cooling unit always running and seek to be overloaded?, Are the walls or ceiling inside the cellar moist to the touch? Is the humidity level in the cellar excessive? Is there large temperature fluctuations? These are only a few signs and any one of them does not mean a failed cellar, though we should know the reason for the sign noted. We hope this information is helpful and certainly happy to answer any questions regarding your wine cellar... The Sanctuary.


And Finally...

As we mentioned in the outset, next month we will start our series of interviews with the accomplished Australian wine maker, Keith Tulloch from the Hunter Valley region of Australia. Sergio will help again in the Italian wine department and we will discuss the the various components that make a beautiful cellar.

If you know  someone who would benefit from the above information or would enjoy receiving future newsletters, have them email us.

Have a great month and please send us your comments questions or  suggestions.