LUXE Chennai/ 1 Inside_03 User: cci

02-13-2016

15:24 Color: C K Y M

4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPRECIATE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Conversation starter Wine racks that span your entire wall or just a small section - whatever your collection, there's a size-specific and stylish way to showcase your bottles

Stock up in style What if it was wine-o-clock all the time at home? It’s possible with a wine cellar made to suit your needs

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enjamin Franklin was right — wine is indeed constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy. This spirit has gained many new followers in the last few years, some of whom are taking their relationship with wine to the next level by becoming collectors and connoisseurs, who would of course then be in need of a fine cellar. For these select few, the design and planning of their home includes a dedicated space for their cherished wine collection. “For less than 100 bottles storage, a DIY (do-ityourself) approach is best, with many solutions available off-the-shelf in the forms of automated wine caves. For more than 100 bottles to be stored at a time, it would be best to engage a consultant to recommend and implement the solution for you after considering all variables,” says Colonel Ravi Joshi, an authority on wines and spirits, and Managing Editor of Vino India magazine. Having identified the need to build a cellar, wine lovers must ensure adequate availability of space for the bottles in a horizontal/tilted position. Humidity and temperature are the key ingredients to building a fine cellar, with a dug-in one being ideal. With the technology available in the market, these perfect conditions can be simulated with air-conditioned enclosures, though these would come at recurrent running costs. Joshi recommends situating a home cellar away from direct sunlight or heat generating devices and from vibrations (gadgets like blenders, washing machines etc.). “It would be a good idea to factor-in future growth,” he says. Companies such as STACT, EuroCave and Vestfrost have been creating wine coolers and modular wine storage compartments, and their range of cellars are available at a premium price of ₹1 Lakh and upwards. The actual costs depend on the size of the cellar and specific features that are chosen. Smaller wine coolers (for stacking less than 20 bottles) are available at lower costs, with options like those being offered by Croma retail for storing 16 wines, available at a discounted price of ₹ 10,000. CM YK

Humidity and temperature are the key ingredients to building a fine cellar, and these perfect conditions can be simulated with airconditioned enclosures, though these would come at recurrent running costs.

Even in countries like the US, until recently, premium wine storage cellars were almost exclusively found in avant-garde restaurants and wine bars. With the rising urban population and real estate coming at an increasing premium, people are moving into smaller spaces, where even luxury residences lack the type of spaces traditionally suited to wine cellar storage. “In response to this, not only was it more practical, people realised that it is most desirable, to have their wine cellar right out in the open — as a focal point in the home. In fact the bulk of our business is now to builders using our STACT wine storage panels within glass cellars in new luxury homes and remodels”, says Jamie Kasza, founder and president of STACT, a Vancouver based company that provides modular wine storage options. The trend in India to build wine cellars at home is still fairly limited, since the appreciation for this spirit is only now catching on. Connoisseurs with the knowledge and desire to own 100 or more bottles will only come in the future. “India is a whisky drinking country and wine consumption here compared to the US or Europe is still minuscule. Indians are still learning to understand wine, its varieties and the ways to drink it. Proper storage of wine at home has still not caught on in a big way and is restricted to a very small affluent section of wine lovers”, says Bishen Kumar, group editor and publisher of Spiritz, a monthly magazine that writes about different kinds of liquor and its associate industries. If you are among the few who have gone from wine lover to connoisseur, a cellar can take centre stage at home. Everything about building one is mostly about controlling temperature, humidity and maintenance costs, and one should choose a wine cellar depending on these factors. Once you have these in control, your cellar can become not just a storage unit for your prized collection but a fine conversation piece to begin home tours with. MANIKA DHAMA is a freelance writer and journalist based in Dubai

Treasure that vintage

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f you’re not ready for a cellar just yet, wine expert Col. Ravi Joshi recommends using this storage checklist for your wine range: ● Store in a cool room not affected by sunlight. Avoid

storing along walls that receive direct sunlight. ● For wines intended for long term storage, you can use a

space that is not used often (e.g. wooden boxes) so as to minimize movement ● Always store still wine bottles with cork closure horizontally in order to keep the cork moist and swollen up for a tight seal. For sparkling wines and screw cap closed wines, vertical storage is not a problem. ● Store away from any material with strong aromas e.g. spices, detergents or worse — naphthalene balls

T for Terroir Modulotheque, from EuroCave, is made in solid oak wood, and is a classic way to store and display your wine ....CH-X