Help me out!

[terri55]

Hi all, I am not a professional winemaker. I started it as a hobby and initially, I made hardly 50 bottles of wine and kept it in the wine rack built by myself. As the demand for wine increased, I started making up to 200 bottles! But now, I am finding it difficult to store the bottles. It was easy for me to build a small wine rack using white wood boards, making some pocket holes and arranging it into shelves. As there are about 200 bottles, I don’t have an idea of making a bigger rack. My friend recommended me going for a professional custom wine cellar cabinetry. I am totally confused with the ideas I saw on different websites. Also, there are several factors like the temperature, humidity, lighting and the bottle placement that affect our wine storage. I am not well aware of such things and as a beginner, I would like to get suggestions from you. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rocky]

Hi Terri and welcome to the wine forum.

Here is the rack that I (and many on this site) use that I have found completely acceptable and reasonably priced. You can order it on line from Sam's Club and have it shipped either to a store near you for no cost or to your home for a shipping charge. It is easy to assembly and works great. I have four of them. Good luck.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/168-b...ted-steel/prod11650604.ip?xid=plp:product:1:2

 

[JohnT]

Wine racks that individually hold each bottle are horribly inefficient when it comes to space.

For around $200 of materials, I have built a rack consisting of 3 foot diamond shaped cubes. Each cube hold over 4 cases of wine. This works well when you have batches of the same wine, each cube holding each batch.

 

[bkisel]

Wine racks that individually hold each bottle are horribly inefficient when it comes to space.

For around $200 of materials, I have built a rack consisting of 3 foot diamond shaped cubes. Each cube hold over 4 cases of wine. This works well when you have batches of the same wine, each cube holding each batch.

What is he main reason for the diamond shape? I'm thinking so the shelving is less prone to racking, is that the reason?

 

[richmke]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51741

Or, if you use synthetic corks, you can store the bottles standing up. Then you can easily stack cases of bottles on top of each other.

Or, you can keep the wine stored in 6 gallon carboys. A carboy takes up a lot less space than 30 bottles of wine.

 

[JohnT]

I have built a number of theses for friends. Here is a pic.....

The first one was taken right after it was built and the second one is right after it was loaded (and stained the week before).

The second pic shows appox 200 bottles loaded with plenty of room for more.

The diamond shape locks the bottle so they do not roll around.

 

[Boatboy24]

Or, if you use synthetic corks, you can store the bottles standing up. Then you can easily stack cases of bottles on top of each other.

I don't use synthetic corks, but most of my wine is stored in boxes. I just put the bottles in upside down.

 

[Johny99]

What is he main reason for the diamond shape? I'm thinking so the shelving is less prone to racking, is that the reason?

My guess has always been the bottles are more stable. In my wine room we went with regular rectangular shelves and dividers. Each holds 18 bottles on their sides. You so have to be careful not to reduce one side below the other more than one layer

It was esthetics, happy wife, and worked nicely with the dimensions of the room.

 

[Rodnboro]

I made this one a few years ago

I made this one with a goat panel and 2x4s for less than $40.00.