Ten Reasons for Owning an Underground Wine Cave
- Optimize Storage
- A consistent temperature range (55°F -60°F) provides optimum
year round conditions for aging and storing your wine, also ideal for
storing used barrels without drying them out. Surface warehouses require
energy to cool, heat and humidify, while also taking up precious
winery space.
Lower Product EvaporationHigh humidity minimizes evaporation. Humidity in a wine cave is naturally
70-90%. In comparison to a surface warehouse, a wine cave will reduce the
average evaporation during storage from four gallons per sixty gallon
barrel per year, down to one gallon per barrel per year!
Red Wines- A humidity level of 75% is ideal for red wine aging and barrel
storage. With the average red wine being “barrel aged” for two years,
this represents a 10% gross volume loss difference.
White Wines- A humidity level of 85% or higher is ideal for white wines for
aging and barrel storage. The average white wine is “barrel aged” for
only one year, representing a 5% gross volume loss difference.
In short, reduced evaporation means increased profits.
Site Utilization- Above ground storage warehouses take up a large amount of land space, while
underground installation frees valuable surface area available for multiple
uses (vineyard, parking, gardens, park area, etc.) Also, in much of
California, many land use restrictions which may hamper surface
construction, do not apply to underground construction.
Reduce Construction Cost- Wine caves today are made by “shooting” a cave into the ground, then
reinforced with welded wire fabric, shotcrete, soil nails and in some cases
pattern or spot rock bolts. Many sites do not lend easily to this process
due to complex geology and poor quality rock.
Our innovative, (patent pending), preformed, interlocking modules are built
off-site, then shipped to your estate or winery. This allows for building a
wine cave in areas that are otherwise unsuitable for cave construction;
saving time, labor, and materials, thereby lowering overall building costs.
Save Energy- Underground wine caves naturally hold consistent temperature and humidity
levels. This helps to eliminate the substantial heating, cooling, and
humidifying costs of a surface warehouse, creating a more effective and
efficient storage area for your estate or winery.
Carbon Footprint- Cut and Cover Wine Caves are ecologically and environmentally sound,
constructed using innovative and sustainable building practices. Coupled
with lowering the use of electricity and gas to power your storage
facility, our wine caves will help to decrease the carbon footprint of your
business.
Increased Safety and Security- All Cut and Cover Wine Caves provide both ingress and egress
for safety, security and convenience. Fire suppression technology is
also available in any wine cave we design and build, allowing you to feel
secure in the safety of your stored wines.
Lower Taxes- ABC tax in California is $.80 per gallon, if Alcohol By Volume
is higher than 14%, the tax raises to $1.40 per gallon.
Marketing and Tourism- Wine enthusiasts are drawn to the ambiance wine caves offer for production
tours, wine tastings, food pairings, wine auctions, and special events.
With Cut and Cover Wine Caves, the possibilities for your winery are nearly
limitless. Beyond storage, our wine caves can offer the availability of
tasting rooms, kitchens, restrooms, offices, and even concert areas. Our
wine caves will help to make your winery a unique and memorable experience
for all.
Increased Profitability- Lower operational costs, greater construction savings, lower product
evaporation, and increased volume of tourism translate into more wine sales
at a lower cost for storage and production.
For more information, please check out
WineBusiness.com's article on wine caves.
