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featured examples of high-tech encapsulated insulating products Tom
believes will cut cooling costs by 50%.
Other developments include innovations in software that track and
inventory the wines, as well as afford off-site climate monitoring.
Several, like CellarTracker’s web-based system, involve a sophisticated,
yet simple-to-master system of barcode tracking.
“Let’s say you’re flying home from Paris to California for a dinner
party, where you plan to serve several classic vintages,” Tom
muses. “You can check your computer en route to select the wines
you intend to serve, then re-calculate the value of your collection
in real time, based upon the latest auction prices in Hong Kong or
New York.”
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Drama in Space and Lighting
A sense of drama and efficient use of space were guiding principles
for another Montecito collector, who began collecting French wines while
living in England. “I used diamond racking for maximum impact,” he
says of the cellar within his hilltop home, currently offered for sale and
listed by Rebecca Riskin & Associates.
Open space above the soffits heightens the effect. An ironwork
chandelier underscores the diamond pattern on walls, while small ceiling
canisters allow good visibility for reading labels.
The floor is limestone over concrete slab. “I haven’t had ‘spiller’s
remorse’ yet,” the owner says. “Limestone contributes natural coolness
to the room.”
Stainless steel adds a modern,
almost sleek element to
this wine cellar’s design.
Photo: Thomas Warner Wine Cellars