One of Mahlstede’s calling cards is a proprietary system of managing the space, involving an inventory and a map with coordinates, so a homeowner or their staff never finds themselves searching at a loss, or accidentally opening a bottle they’re intending to save for a few more years. “Of course, it’s also fun to just go rummage around, but it helps to understand what you pull.”
It’s important to understand the process because, as Mahlstede puts it, too small of a space puts a collector into a constant hole where the input can’t match the output, and visually speaking, you want your cellar to look like it’s constantly full of wine. This doesn’t necessarily require more square footage, just planning. “It’s always going to look sad if you pluck a few bottles for dinner and it leaves a gaping hole. But with the proper design, a cellar could be half-empty without looking half-empty.”
For example, if you have a showcase display with all labels in the cellar facing forward, you’d notice every bottle removed. To create the illusion of depth and content, build out those prized spots for viewing, but for bulk storage, focus on horizontal bins with only the capsules (top view of the foil-covered head) showing. You could remove 20 bottles from those bottom bins without showing much. “There’s less space on the eye as you displace bottles.”
Storage requirements for clients can vary greatly. Mahlstede points out, “A client concerned with long-term investment could say, ‘I want to drink this Barolo or Bordeaux when my toddler finishes college.’ They have the time and patience to display the wooden box for 20 years without ever opening it, to save [it] for graduation. You could end up with a $5,000 bottle without having to pay for it.”
As for the showcase spots, even if the turnover is quicker, it’s important to think about aging. As Mahlstede points out, “I’ve never said to a designer, ‘Put that there.’ But I will advise, ‘These are at a 70-degree angle and need to be at 45 degrees to prevent the corks drying out.’ Or, if there’s space, I’ll make suggestions on features for a better drinking experience, such as a tasting counter and glassware, or space for spirits or a sink.”
Glassware, he says, is a key point. “I would rather drink out of a cheap glass that’s the right shape than something luxurious but wrong for the wine. It’s about the exposure of surface area to the air. But it’s easy to get it right.” When it comes down to stocking a client’s cabinet, he breaks down three basic shapes. Big glass bowls are for pinot noir, burgundy, or chardonnay. The elongated, taller red wine glass is for Bordeaux, and for most white wines, rosé, spritzes, and most sparklings. “I love this all-purpose white from Made In,” Mahlstede emphasizes. “They’ve been making cookware for a while and just got into glassware.” And a fancy champagne, he clarifies, should be out of a glass, not a flute.
Finally, climate control is a must, but not complicated. “It’s a quick conversation with the contractor,” Mahlstede says. “Rigid rules turn people off,” he says, “but there’s a comfortable range of guidelines. Humidity somewhere between 50 to 70%, temperature should be 55 to 65 degrees.” (Direct sunlight, as expected, is bad.)
The real pitfall for designers, he shares, is to not ask for expert help. “There’s so much designers can’t even know they don’t know. Avoid the risk of the wrong permanent space and don’t go it alone.”
February 11, 2021 at 09:00PM
https://ift.tt/375JS9o
How to Design a Wine Cellar - Architectural Digest
https://ift.tt/31lUVcw
Wine
No comments:
Post a Comment