Stories – Wine Cellaring News and Articles

What Temperature Should Wine Be Stored At?

Wine is incredibly susceptible to changes in its environment, which also includes temperature.

Top 10 Benefits of Having a Wine Cellar

There are many pleasures involved when collecting wine, including displaying your collection and then stepping back to admire your efforts in a stunning custom wine cellar.

Financial Times – How to create the perfect wine cellar

Not every basement is ideal for storing wine so you’ll need to do your homework — and you may find there are other more convenient ways to stash your favourite tipple.

Why Wine Tastes Better With Age

Age is but a flavour, why?

Tim Atkin’s guide to when and how to serve wine

There’s no point in storing your wine correctly if you proceed to serve it at the wrong temperature, in an inappropriate glass or with a deposit. Here, too, you need to follow a few simple rules to make sure that your wine is in the best possible condition.

Tim Atkin’s Guide to Investing in Wine

The fine wine market has taken off on the back of a series of very good to great vintages in Bordeaux (1996, 2000, 2003 and 2005), which have taken worldwide interest to new levels.

Tim Atkin’s guide to how and where to store wine

Tim Atkin’s guide to where to buy wine

The wine market is dominated by the supermarkets in the UK, but the so-called multiple grocers don’t specialise in wines to keep. That said, they are making increasingly bold forays into the fine wine market; the likes of Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Booths and Marks & Spencer all sell wines that wouldn’t look out of place in the smartest cellar.

Tim Atkin’s Guide to what Wine to Buy

The first and most important rule is to buy what you like to drink, unless you are buying solely for investment purposes.

The Different Sizes of Wine Bottles

The extensive range of wine bottle sizes has its roots in the early to mid 1700s when it was discovered that cork acted as a sealing agent, allowing wine to age and not spoil.

Tim Atkin’s guide to wines which benefit from cellaring

This is not as easy to answer as you might imagine. The reason is subjectivity. ‘When will this be ready to drink?

How Much Does a Spiral Cellar Cost?

Find out how much a Spiral Cellar really costs.

Tim Atkin’s guide to buying and storing wine: Why lay wine down?

Sometimes wine is stored in a temperature controlled warehouse – either duty paid or under bond – and sometimes it’s stored in people’s houses. Yet the reasons for holding onto wine are the same in both cases: it will develop complexity in the bottle, increase in value and hopefully both.

Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Article

Find out what the Luxury Lifestyle Magazine said about us.

City A.M Article

Find out why a bespoke wine cellar might not cost what you think.

Victoria Moore column

Find out what Victoria Moore said about us.

The Times – online coverage

Find out what The Times said about us.

Recent Coverage in The Times

Recent coverage in The Times.

Recent coverage in Tatler

Recent coverage in Tatler.

Professional Builder article

Find out what professional builder Lee Jones says about us.

Recent coverage in The Evening Standard

Recent coverage in The Evening Standard.

Recent coverage in The Times

Recent coverage in The Times.

Must Have Wines for Your Cellar: Spring 2018

If you are unsure of which wines to stock your Spiral Cellar, wine room or wine cabinet with, we have brought together some of our must-have wines for spring 2018 which will be perfect for the spring months and beyond.

Installing a Spiral Cellar into a Finished Room

Charlie Southall is a successful film director, who, having travelled the globe in the course of his job, has acquired not just a taste for wines from around the world, but a really rather sizeable collection.

Wine of Portugal: Vinho Verde

Portuguese wine has consistently ranked highly as one of the top wine producers in the world, currently ranking 11th. Portugal is known for producing many famous wines, especially Port, but today, we will be discussing the Vinho Verde wine.

Wines of Germany

With such a variety of wine regions around the world, Germany may not be one of the first countries you think of. But, how much do you know about German wines?

Wine Room VS Wine Cabinet – Which is Right for You?

A wine room and a wine cabinet are two very different entities despite both being designed to house your beloved wine collection. As such, these variations come with countless benefits that make them ideal on an individual level.

2018 Luxury Interior Design Trends

With a new year edging ever closer, those of us who have a love for interior design are looking forward to seeing the new trends that 2018 will bring.

What is the Right Glassware for White Wine?

Having the right glass accentuates the wine’s full flavour potential, which allows you to get the most out of your wine.

What is the Right Glassware for Red Wine?

A wine glass can completely transform your wine experience.

The True History of Italian Wine

While historians have, until recently, cited the years between 1300 and 1100 BC as the beginning of the relationship between wine and Italy, a recent discovery suggests that this period could have been a lot earlier than previously thought.

The Science and Psychology of Blind Wine Tasting

Our sense of taste comes from sensory cells in the taste buds. Taking into consideration the fact that we have over 5,000 taste buds when one sense is closed off and your sight is restricted these buds become heightened. But what really happens when we take to the vino without our vision?

Wines of Australia

The Australian wine industry is the fifth largest exporter of wine behind France, Italy, Spain, and Chile, with around 750 million litres a year going to the international export market with only around 40% of production consumed domestically.

Pairing Wine and Food: Considerations You Need to Make

Enjoying a beautiful wine with your meal is a truly exquisite experience. Matching your meal to the perfect libation need not be a challenge, although at Spiral Cellars we understand that it can be daunting at first to get flavours right.

Unique Wine Tours of the World – Part Two

The Sottomarino Winery is one of the most unique wine tasting rooms you can find, and it provides you with a wonderful event you are sure to repeat.

Posh Picnic Wines for Summer

Picnics can be quite elegant and luxurious and there are a few wines that fit both the season and the occasion perfectly.

Wines of the Loire Valley Region

What makes the Loire Valley a necessary destination for any wine connoisseur?

Reaching a New Depth: Croatia’s First Underwater Winery

The idea of storing wine underwater might seem a bit unusual, but wineries across the world are finding it an ideal way of storing their wine. From barrels to submersible cages, producers are seemingly embracing this new trend.

Unique Wine Tours of the World – Part One

If you want to go on a unique tour of wine regions, then there are many locations across the world that will offer you a unique and delightful foray into the wine world.

The Art of Fine Wine Collection

Some people collect art, some collect timeless pieces of jewellery, but others take part in the true art of fine collection: Wine.

Wines of the Shanxi Region

It is far from the typical wine region, such as in Italy and France, so why has Shanxi become so popular in recent years?

The Grapes of Wrath: Viking Wine

Seeds were found with a composition that matches the local area’s and could point to wine production around the Viking Age.

Wines of Argentina

Being the fifth largest producer of wine after New Zealand, South Africa, Spain and France, Argentina’s roots are grounded originally in Spain – it even shares many characteristics of this country’s cuisine as well.

The Rise of Wine Trends

What have been the rising and falling trends of the wine industry over the past few decades?

Integrating Wine Cellars and Rooms with Design

At Spiral Cellars we pride ourselves on our ability to seamlessly integrate a wine cellar, wine room or a wine cellar kitchen into the design and aesthetic of the home, restaurant or any other building hosting it.

Wines of the Champagne Region

France is responsible for producing between 50 to 60 million hectolitres of wine per year, the equivalent of 7 to 8 million bottles, so we are now focusing on one of its most famous wine regions: Champagne.

Wine Etiquette 101

The unspoken rules and points of etiquette are numerous but can help you to enjoy the experience of drinking wine at a deeper level.

Lost and Found: The God of Wine

Stolen by the Nazis during the period leading up to the Second World War, the painting Young Man as Bacchus has been sold to various dealers throughout the years with its owners none the wiser to its true origins.

3 Steps to Buying the Perfect Anniversary Wine

Love is like a fine wine – it is a flavour that grows fuller and more interesting over a long period of time.

Cooking with Wine

For the wine lover, cooking with wine can often mean pouring yourself a glass or two as you cook at the stove. However, there is a lot more you can do with wine in the kitchen!

The Logistics of Relocating a Wine Collection

How you will move your expansive wine collection from your old home to the new in your wine room?

How to Organise Your Wine Cellar

Once you have made the decision to invest and a bespoke cellar has been fitted in your home, how are you going to use it?

Coming Soon: UK’s First Saké Brewery

The UK is about to become home to the first Japanese saké brewery.

Wineries of the World: Chateau Margaux

The Chateau is located in southwestern France, part of the Bordeaux wine region.

A Guide to Fizz

Effervescence has long since been known to winemakers.

The Future of Wine Prices

With the increasing exportation of red wine in China, Australian red wine grapes have grown exponentially in demand.

From Grapevine to Glass: How Wine is Made

For those of you who really love to have an in-depth knowledge of the vintage you keep in your wine cellar, you may be interested to learn more about the way in which wine is made; let’s take a look.

Wines of the Alto Douro Region

The Alto Douro in Portugal, centred on the Douro river, has part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites’ list since 2001.

Pairing Wine with: Appetisers

Many cultures have adopted the practice of eating small morsels of food before meals.

Investing in Wine

Taking inspiration from the thousands of crowdfunded projects that have taken flight so far, Ruth and Charles Simpson, of the award-winning Simpsons Wine Estate, together with Naked Wines, are looking to the public to invest in their new winery project.

Pairing Wine With: Meat

When pairing wine with meat, there are a couple of different things to consider compared to pairing wine with cheese or with fish.

The World of Wine: 150-Year-Old Wine Found in Czech Castle to be Auctioned?

In 1945, under suspicion of being Nazi sympathisers, the Beaufort-Spontin family fled their home in Becov nad Teplou, a town in the modern Czech Republic; but they didn’t take all their riches with them.

The Future of Wine

Fine wine is a superb collection to own in your home and, as a wine lover, you might wonder what more winemakers have planned to elevate your favourite wines to the next, delightful level.

Pairing Wine With: Dessert

From classics such as tiramisu to new age spectaculars from the likes of Heston and friends, dessert is always a treat, but what should you have in your glass to accompany your dessert?

Wine Fads – Would You Drink Blue Wine?

The world of wine is being revolutionised again by the introduction of something a little bit different: blue wine, made by Gïk.

Great Wines You Might Not Have Heard Of

With summer warmth arrived the need for a delicious meal under the sun, and these wines are fabulous options for enjoying a glass while taking in the flowery view, or for sharing a bottle during a meal with friends and family

Bordeaux and the World’s First Wine Theme Park

Bordeaux is world-renowned for being the largest wine growing area in France, with total vineyard coverage of around 120,000 hectares.

The Best Quotes About Wine

The words that have been crafted to describe wine are as varied, rich and provoking as the wine itself.

The Beginner’s Guide to Starting Your Own Wine Collection

We have had over 35 years of experience working alongside some of the most dedicated wine collectors in the UK, and have picked up a few helpful suggestions for those wishing to partake in wine collecting.

The Lifespan of Wine

Time does not treat all wines equally, and it’s important to be aware of how exactly the different vintages in your wine cellar will age.

Wine and Religion

When you look at references to wine in mythology, religious texts and literature, the value that it has had throughout different periods of time is clear.

Pairing Wine With: Cheese

Wine and cheese have been paired together for centuries, but with ever increasing options of cheese, knowing how to pair them with your favourite wines is becoming more of a fine art.

Famous Women of Wine

One of the most notable women of winemaking is one whose name is still familiar today; La Veuve Clicquot, or the Widow Clicquot.

Environmentally Friendly Wines

Is there anything that we can do as wine enthusiasts to help sustain the Earth?

The French Resistance: How Vintners Fought to Save their Wine

Nations who were overrun by battles on their land fought not only to survive, but to preserve their way of life. For the French, this meant saving their wine.

British Takeover? Is Britain About to Overtake France in Wine Production?

There are rumours that Britain is soon to steal the wine production crown from the French, and it is mainly due to a change of climate.

Rivers and Wine Regions

A river is a vital factor which can make the difference between the kind of wine you’d happily add to your wine cellar, and the kind you’d make vinegar from.

Celebrity Winemakers

There are many celebrity winemakers, and you may already have some of their vintages in your wine cellar.

Pairing Wine With: Fish

Wine pairs with fish just as pleasantly as with meat, but just which wine will depend on the fish.

Wine and Literature

Settling down with a large glass of wine and a good book of an evening is one of our favourite ways to relax.

Endangered Wine

Certain grape varieties may be just as rare and vulnerable as endangered species.

Wine & Sulphite: Should You Be Concerned?

The phrase “contains sulphites” is often seen on the labels of a variety of wines from all around the globe. However, this simple phrase is commonly misunderstood.

Climate Change & Wine Production

Is the European Union – the world’s largest wine producer – about to feel the effects of this change?

Events That Changed the History of Wine

If we were able to travel back that far and taste that ancient wine, we might find it drastically different to that in our own modern wine cellars.

The Study of Wine

Oenology, the study of wine and winemaking, is a longstanding field which can help you to gain more of an appreciation for what’s in your glass – and in your wine cellar.

Lost at Sea: Shipwrecked Wines

When a ship goes down with its precious bottled cargo on board, what happens to the wine?

Peerless Piedmont

Find out more about the Piedmont.

Superman’s Spiral Cellar

Find out more about the White Spiral Cellar we installed for Henry Cavill.

The Fine Wine Collector Uncut

Discover more about what Nick Martin says on collecting fine wine.

What lies beneath at Berry Brothers & Rudd

Not everyone is aware of what lies beneath the shop, which was first opened by the Widow Bourne in 1698.

Decanter Magazine on the effect of age on our palates

Find out more on the effects of age on our palates and, specifically, how this could change our enjoyment of wine.

British Wines’ Rise: Matching Scotch Whisky’s Legacy?

Have a read and see what you think!

Bordeaux 2011 By Matthew Jukes, Wine Buying Director for Quintessentially Wine

Find out what Matthew Jukes thinks of the Bordeaux 2011.

Burgundy 2010 by Tim Atkin MW

Discover Tim Atkin's take on the Burgundy 2010.

International Pinot Noir – class and longevity, By Matthew Jukes, Wine Buying Director for Quintessentially Wine

Matthew Jukes' take on Pinot Noir.

BORDEAUX REPORT by TIM ATKIN MW

Read Tim Atkin's Bordeaux Report.

The Time For English Wine?

For some years now, the English wine industry has been quietly toiling away, working hard to develop and produce wines that could compete on the international stage and firmly put England on the world wine map.

Averys advice on building a wine collection

Hear what Averys has to say when building a wine collection.

Buying wine at auctions

Wine shops charge a premium for older offerings, so if you’re going to buy older vintages, your best bet is the auction game.

Chablis premier cru 2008, Decanter July 2010

Discover more about Chablis premier cru 2008 from Decanter.

Food that accompanies that perfect bottle of Shiraz

Find out about what food perfectly accompanies a Shiraz.

Food that accompanies that perfect bottle of Chablis

Discover a list of food that perfectly accompanies a bottle of Chablis.

Ullage: to re-cork or not?

Find out more about the importance of ullage.

Tim Atkin MW, 2009 Bordeaux Special Report

Discover Tim Atkin's take on the 2009's.

How has wine changed over the last 40 years? By Tim Atkin

The world of wine has changed more in the last 40 years than at any time in its history.

A History of Wine Storage

The history of wine storage and cellaring began quite a while after that of wine.

The Art of Decanting Wine

Decanting is the process of getting the clear wine off the sediment and is one of the most important processes for enjoying old wine.

Forming your wine collection – By Vincent Gasnier, Master Sommelier

By having a Spiral Cellar you have the chance to build a good-sized collection, perfectly suited to your needs and tastes.

Berry Bros. & Rudd recommend wines for the cellar

How Much Wine Should I Store?

Top Ten Destinations for Wine

Laying Down Single Cask Malt Whisky

Single malt Scotch whisky is a highly sought-after product ideal for the cellar. 

New World Wines

Discover new wines of the world.

What percentage of your cellar is made up of Old World red wine?

Discover more about Old World red wine.

Bordeaux – the past, the present and the future

History of the Bordeaux.

Selling Wine

If you're buying wine as an investment, you've got to buy the best wines in full cases, in the original wood cases and from only the best vintages.

Organising your wine cellar

Your expert can tell you what is a good wine, but he or she cannot tell you which particular wines you should prefer - and how these should be stored.

Cellar Records

What is a cellar record?