At the mercy of unpredictable weather conditions/forecasts and temperamental Mediterranean-type conditions, while nature may not always provide predictable or ideal conditions for the South African wine production industry, see how precast concrete can!
Precast concrete wine caves cater to some of the most pristine conditions for the processing and ageing of South Africa’s finest wines. Perfect for creating a temperature controlled, cool, dark and damp chamber to store and age wine in, wine makers as well as collectors and avid wine enthusiasts are opting to make use of precast concrete to build their dream wine cellars over and above various other building alternatives.
Whether you are a connoisseur looking to echo the ideal conditions to age a private collection of boutique wines, a homeowner hoping to build a designer cellar to showcase your growing collection or a wine maker wanting to expand a pre-existing cellar for larger harvest lines, precast concrete and other cement based installations offer a multipurpose solution to successfully store/age wine.
The most ideal concrete wine caves take into consideration the very basic conditions that need to be consistently maintained to ensure delicate blends are aged and enhanced in the most complementary way and what better building material to do this than concrete?
Precast concrete wine cellars and caves provide the ideal wine ageing and storage settings that include:
- Temperatures between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius
- High degree of humidity between 60 to 70%
- Very little/or no exposure to sunlight
- Clean circulation of air
- Low vibration and very little movement
The recommended duration that most wine makers age their wine for is typically a minimum of two years during which a number of chemical reactions take place within the bottle. A building material of choice, able to maintain the various long term conditions to safeguard and expertly age fine wines, contractors are able to create the ideal underground wine caverns or even wine cellars conjoined to your home made from precast concrete installations.
Where many contractors will make use of precast concrete arches or bridges to piece together a wine cellar or cave-like structure, contemporary architects have also successfully installed a concrete box-like room conjoined to homes that not only provide for the perfect place to store your “stash” but at the same time makes for a feature room fitted with air cooling systems and an elegantly curated tasting area to indulge in or entertain guests from.
While concrete wine caverns cater to the required conditions for the storing and ageing of wine, these building systems are also incredibly well insulated, durable and cost effective when constructing large scale cellar storage buildings. Over and above function, let’s not forget how versatile concrete building materials have become, especially to those looking for a dual role of storage as well as an aesthetic appeal. Finished with a brick facade or cobble stamped floors, acid staining and made to fit floor to ceiling racks, concrete wine cellars come in all shapes and sizes made to fit both function and form for various wine makers and connoisseurs needs!