Homeowners showcase personal wine collections

“When I was working on the design of our house, I knew I wanted my own wine cellar,” said architect Chris Ball, principal and owner of Jack Ball and Associates Architects PC.

Ball initially started his wine collection in a closet, moving to storage at the Brown Derby Wine Center before building his own cellar.

Ball worked his 2,000-bottle cellar into a corner behind the bar in his home’s large basement entertaining space. He stayed up until 3 a.m. every night for a week assembling the wine racks to finish the space, which is half glass, giving an intriguing view of the interior to guests.

“I wanted it to be visible when you come down the stairs,” Ball said. “It is the first thing you see, and it is real striking. I have a presentation rack where I can rotate different bottles for viewing. People always love to talk about it and ask questions.”

Ed Powell, president of Hermann Lumber, said he’s seen more homeowners putting in wine cellars in recent years, particularly as the popularity of wine has increased.

“When people get … interested, they want to protect their interest,” he said. “Fine wines are not inexpensive.”

Protecting an investment

While wine cellars provide a space to store and organize wine bottles, they also serve to protect the wine from light, temperature, movement and humidity, and Powell noted that it’s easier to build a wine cellar from scratch than to retrofit a home for one.

Powell, in fact, put the wine cellar into his house first, then leveled the house and built a new house around it.

“The only thing that was completely done before we moved in was the wine cellar,” he said.

To protect his collection, Powell uses a cooling unit made specifically for wine cellars.

“It is small, just like a window air conditioner and it keeps that space at a constant 57 degrees.”

A bottle of wine can cost anywhere from a few bucks to hundreds of dollars.

For that reason, several sources contacted for this story declined to talk about their wine cellars. With large cellars holding 1,000 to 2,000 bottles, a wine collection can represent a sizable investment.

“People who are interested in wine want to protect it and keep it,” Powell said. “Wine will last longer if it is stored properly.”

The cost of proper wine storage can run from a couple hundred dollars for a dedicated cooler up to the tens of thousands of dollars for a truly unique space, though larger cellars are still somewhat rare, according to Murney Associates Realtor Stan Myers of Strafford. Myers said smaller units are becoming commonplace.

“You’ll see those built in like any other appliance now,” he added.

Myers’ cellar is made out of old brick salvaged from a Chicago warehouse fire. A distressed metal gate behind his basement wet bar leads to the cellar. Myers said he worked with home builder A.G. Paul to incorporate the cellar into his home.

Myers said a wine cellar can increase a home’s value, and not just for wine enthusiasts. People will use them for their gun collections and other valuables.

“A wine cellar can easily be converted into many other things like a tornado shelter or a safe room,” Myers said. “What better place is there to be trapped during a tornado? If it is an F1, you open a Chardonnay. If it is an F2, you open a Chardonnay and a Merlot. If it is an F5, you open them all.”

A ‘living’ hobby

According to Kevin Clingan, president of Clingan Home Design and Construction, wine cellar owners are a rare breed.

“It is usually highly successful people who have those,” he said. “It’s not for everybody, I can tell you that.”

Though Clingan said wine collectors tend to be well-educated, that doesn’t mean they’re above seeking expert help when it comes to stocking their cellars.

Ball, for example, relies on the advice of Ron Junge, president and owner of Brown Derby Stores Inc.

Junge said wines in a well-stocked cellar should be a mix, starting at $15 a bottle.

“You want to be able to go to your cellar, find a bottle and not be afraid of drinking it that night,” Junge said.

“You want a supply of accessible wines you can consume in six to 18 months.”

He recommends adding rare wines for their collectible value or age-worthiness.

A wine’s age-worthiness depends on vintage, grape varieties, the wine maker and how the wine is aged in the barrel, Junge said, noting that, unlike an aged whiskey that’s done aging as soon as it’s bottled, wine continues to develop.

“Wine is a living thing in the bottle,” Junge said.

Junge recommends reading reviews and talking to wine merchants to identify varieties to add to a wine collection.

“There are some nice wines from the Rhone Valley in France that can run from $20 or $25 that can age five, eight or 10 years,” Junge said.

“After 10 years, they are going to be absolutely wonderful to enjoy with a nice meal.”

Wine collectors, though, should have fun with their collections, and be proud of them, Junge added.

“You should be able to go to your cellar and say, ‘Gosh, look what I’ve got. There were only two cases of this sent to Missouri, and I have two bottles,’” he said, noting that it’s also important to remember to enjoy the wine, and not just focus on collecting it.

“(Wine) is meant to be consumed with friends and family,” Junge said. “That is the ultimate reward.”

What People are Drinking

Ron Junge, president and owner of Brown Derby International Wine Center, has identified some of his store’s best selling wines.

Brown Derby’s Most Popular Wines

2006 – Carl Sittmann Riesling (Germany), $7.99

2006 – Lazurro Moscato d’Asti (Italy), $12.99

2005 – Silver Top Malbec (Argentina), $8.99

2006 – Kali Hart Chardonnay (California), $17.99

2005 – Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico (Italy), $22.99

2006 – La Forge Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir (France), $14.99

2006 – Montes Malbec (Argentina), $12.99

2006 – Folie A Deux Menage Trois Red (California), $10.99

2006 – Mount Eden Chardonnay Wolff Vineyard (California), $24.99

2005 – Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red (Washington State), $22.99