A Wine Cellar the Odds May Be Stacked Your in Favour Who I’VE ALWAYSI’VE WANTED

INSIDE | RENOVATE GRAPE EXPECTATIONS For homeowners Daniel (pictured) and Shirin Pulitano, having a space to house all of I’VE ALWAYS WANTED... their favourite Italian wines was a must. Setting off the new bar are Patricia Urquiola ‘Azulej Estrela’ tiles from Urban Edge Ceramics. Tom a wine cellar Dixon ‘Beat’ lights, Dedece. Smed stool, Great Dane. Dreaming of a well-stocked wine room at home? The odds may be stacked in your favour hether you’re the type who insulation 2 likes to entertain, buys Easily done and relatively inexpensive PERFECT PICKS environment 3 Keep things Beaujolais in bulk, or simply if factored in at the beginning, insulation So you have a cellar but consistent W what now? Chris Morrison, appreciates a good drop, it’s time to get will allow your wine to live its best life. QT Hotels’ wine director and 1 serious about storing your wine. Here’s Glass rooms and doors are having a author of This Is Not A Wine placement what you need to know about creating moment in the wine-cellar world, but it’s Ground floor Guide, shares his top tips for is ideal but not the perfect home for your precious pours. important to note that it’s double-glazed selecting wine like a pro the only option and argon-filled or bust. Don’t forget that Take stock For the new collector, placement each panel will also need to be coated in a working wine collection is wine Don’t have a spare 50 square metres an energy or UV filter to allow the cellar that will be drunk and replaced over 1 the course of a month. Everyone has hanging around underneath your house? conditioner to function efficiently and a different ‘volume’ requirement, so Not many of us do. But contrary to reduce the amount of energy used. ask yourself how much wine you’re what some believe, due to the fairly likely to drink in this time. unpredictable nature of Australia’s climate, look and feel Budget Without one, wine quickly underground storage won’t actually do While it’s tempting to gravitate becomes a cost rather than an 4 investment. Come up with a number your wine any favours. towards form over function in a wine and be realistic about sticking to it. 3 In fact, when you consider the need cellar, rushing into the design too quickly Lifestyle As a sommelier, I believe that insulation Create a safe a wine only realises its full potential for specific climate-control equipment, can lead to frustration further down the haven for your the ideal position for a cellar is somewhere line. Once you have assessed how much when it’s drunk with great food. Ask wine to thrive on the ground floor against an exterior wine you’re likely to consume and, yourself: ‘What is my favourite food? What do I like to cook at home? What is wall. But if that fails to inspire, then just therefore, the size of the room (a good my go-to dish?’ Your wine collection about anywhere (with the right care and guide is roughly 100 bottles per square should match your eating habits. preparation) can become the wine cellar metre), you’ll need to think about racking. First steps Start with a bottle from your of your dreams. Think hallways, a butler’s “When deciding on the design, think child or loved one’s birth year. pantry, study, or even under the stairs. about whether single bottle or bulk storage is most useful for your collection,” environment says Tania. “Also, whether you want to 2 For wine to mature to its full maximise capacity or use an area to display potential, it’s paramount to have the right bottles” – or both. The simplest and most environmental conditions. This means cost-effective choice is timber, followed by a consistent and low temperature of 12-15 steel, although prepare for some careful degrees year-round, high humidity of handling of the latter to avoid dings. 4 look & feel about 70 per cent, fresh airflow, minimal What’s your vibration or movement, and UV-free lighting rack style? lighting. Standard air conditioners won’t 5 One of the most common mistakes cut it when it comes to a wine cellar. when fitting out a cellar is incorrect “A purpose-built cellar conditioner lighting. Bright lights and lamps that omit such as the Inoa will create four of the five heat can be too intense. Go with UV-free 5 essential conditions for a wine cellar,” says options – such as LED or soft-glow lighting Low and Tania MacPhee, managing director of pendant lighting – for a moody ambiance UV-free is best EuroCave Australia. “In contrast, a befitting the space. Even with the correct standard air conditioner is generally not lighting, it’s important to keep the ‘glow’ CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE Fisher & Paykel cold enough (often not operating below to a minimum, so when you’re not busy ‘RF356RDWX1’ wine cabinet, $4299. EuroCave 18 degrees) and can reduce humidity in in there admiring your collection, the ‘Compact’ integrated wine cabinet, $4295. Husky the cellar, which is detrimental to wine.” darkness can do its work. ‘Vino Pro’ wine fridge, $1999, Harvey Norman. NETTE KING HEATHER STYLING: SHOT). (MAIN WILLIAMS MICHELLE PHOTOGRAPHY: WORDS KATE HASSETT INSIDE OUT | 127 .

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