Wine Making Setup.. Let's see it!

[mbleill]

I had the opportunity to design my winery into our house plans when we built our house six years ago. I used a small room completely encased in concrete below out entryway for a wine cellar and a portion of our lower level walkout basement dedicated for the wine room with double french doors opening to an outdoor patio for grape crushing and pressing.

 

[sour_grapes]

Snazzy setup!

 

[Jal5]

I shouldn’t look at this thread anymore...jealous!

 

[mainshipfred]

Just rigged my new bottle washing set up. Put a submersible pump in the sink with hot water and Oxi Clean and attached it to the bottle washer. The other is a tubing washer which works great for rinsing them. Thinking about how to use this set up to sanitize the bottles with a Kmeta/Citirc solution prior to filling but afraid of fumigating myself.

 

[Ajmassa]

Just rigged my new bottle washing set up. Put a submersible pump in the sink with hot water and Oxi Clean and attached it to the bottle washer. The other is a tubing washer which works great for rinsing them. Thinking about how to use this set up to sanitize the bottles with a Kmeta/Citirc solution prior to filling but afraid of fumigating myself.

I’ve been thinking of rigging up something similar lately. This looks pretty cool. Didn’t think about a sump pump tho. Few questions.
Did you bypass the float to make it always on? And wouldn’t that still want to pump regardless of the bottle lever pushed down? Meaning—- what’s happening when the pump is on but the washer lever is not pressed? All good?
And also- what’s the tubing washer and is that just hooked up to a separate water line for rinse? Does it need to be depressed to run water too?
Sorry for the tons of questions. Just thinking about stealing your ideas bud. [emoji6]

 

[Boatboy24]

Pretty cool, Fred. I shouldn't be asking you, as you're the professional, but is that line feeding the bottle washer rated for pressure? It looks like standard tubing we all use.

 

[FTC Wines]

We took our 4th bedroom which is 10 X 12 and converted it to our winery. Made the closet the wet/production area, plumbing was a challenge but the closet works great. Close the doors and the mess disappears. Also have a work table and storage table. Work in progress but seeing the end. Roy

 

[mainshipfred]

I’ve been thinking of rigging up something similar lately. This looks pretty cool. Didn’t think about a sump pump tho. Few questions.
Did you bypass the float to make it always on? And wouldn’t that still want to pump regardless of the bottle lever pushed down? Meaning—- what’s happening when the pump is on but the washer lever is not pressed? All good? It's just a cheap pump w/o a float but somehow has a bypass that releases the water out of the impeller when too much pressure or the bottle washer is not being used.
And also- what’s the tubing washer and is that just hooked up to a separate water line for rinse? Does it need to be depressed to run water too? The tubing washer is something I found somewhere and really speeds up tubing washing. it's made to fit different sized hosed but I wish it was tapered instead of stepped. I do have a separate hose bib connected with 3/4 pipe which is hot water only. The pressure is pretty high and it does a good job flushing the stuck sediment from the carboys and yes it is activated by pushing down on it.
Sorry for the tons of questions. Just thinking about stealing your ideas bud. [emoji6]

 

[mainshipfred]

Pretty cool, Fred. I shouldn't be asking you, as you're the professional, but is that line feeding the bottle washer rated for pressure? It looks like standard tubing we all use.

It is standard tubing but was all I had at the time. I have to get some barbed fittings to make it permanent. Good catch!

 

[askins3097]

I’m really disappointed CK55 didn’t share pics of their wine cellar.

Anyways, here’s pics of mine. This is a cut out in our basement, under the garage, that’s supposed to be for an extra bathroom. It’s surrounded by dirt on 3 sides so it should stay relatively consistent in temp and humidity. All the plumbing connections are there, I just haven’t got around to putting a utility sink in the corner. Eventually when I frame my basement in and finish it, I’ll put a wall and door across the entrance. Probably insulate that wall too to help keep a consistent temp.

 

[Ignoble Grape]

We took our 4th bedroom which is 10 X 12 and converted it to our winery. Made the closet the wet/production area, plumbing was a challenge but the closet works great. Close the doors and the mess disappears. Also have a work table and storage table. Work in progress but seeing the end. Roy

Hi, checking out your photos really closely for my winter holiday project and I noticed your wine bottle drying 'board'. Did you make that? Could you send me a separate pic? I think I know what I want for Christmas, finally! Cheers!

 

[mainshipfred]

I like that myself, going to have to make one. The store bought drying trees don't slope enough for bordeaux bottles and water stays on the shoulders. Although that will have to be after my next project, a new larger walk-in. These are freezer panels I go from a restaurant demo job.

 

[Johnd]

I like that myself, going to have to make one. The store bought drying trees don't slope enough for bordeaux bottles and water stays on the shoulders. Although that will have to be after my next project, a new larger walk-in. These are freezer panels I go from a restaurant demo job.

Those are hard to pass up when you see them!! Right after I built my wine room, we did a big remodel project for a large grocery store, including the removal / replacement of their freezer. It was 40' x 20' with wall, floor and roof panels. Few months sooner and I'd have been all over that.............

 

[mainshipfred]

Those are hard to pass up when you see them!! Right after I built my wine room, we did a big remodel project for a large grocery store, including the removal / replacement of their freezer. It was 40' x 20' with wall, floor and roof panels. Few months sooner and I'd have been all over that.............

There were floor panels but I'm opting not to use them since I won't be keeping it that cold. Plus I plan to have everything on some type of rolling platform so a level surface would work better.

 

[Johnd]

There were floor panels but I'm opting not to use them since I won't be keeping it that cold. Plus I plan to have everything on some type of rolling platform so a level surface would work better.

That’ll make a great cellar. The panels take all of the condensation / mold / mildew issues out of the equation if the joints are well done. Typically have great R values as well. I’m looking forward to seeing what you accomplish with them!

 

[FTC Wines]

Ignoble, just got home and saw your post. Will take a pic and post details tomorrow for you. Roy

 

[coboll2921]

My hundred year old basement works good. It gets really cold in winter and drops out the particles nicely.
We made a lot of wine in that room.

 

[FTC Wines]

Here is the dimensions for our 9 year old drying rack. You can make it any size you want. Had to taper the front because my last wine area only had a wet bar sink. The bottom was a left over piece of Avantec 3/4” sub flooring, pine rips for sides and back. It’s tilted up a 1 1/2” at the back. Dowels are 5/16” diameter and spaced 3 1/4 X 3 1/4 “ in both directions. Dowels protrude 2 1/2 “ so they were probably 3” long before they were driven into the holes. A drill press or a guide block keeps them all lined up. I used std exterior varnish for the finish. It’s held up wonderfully. Just ask if you have any questions. We find it’s more stable than the drying trees, but it does take up room when in use. Fun project! Roy

 

[Tom Martin]

I’m really disappointed CK55 didn’t share pics of their wine cellar.

Anyways, here’s pics of mine. This is a cut out in our basement, under the garage, that’s supposed to be for an extra bathroom. It’s surrounded by dirt on 3 sides so it should stay relatively consistent in temp and humidity. All the plumbing connections are there, I just haven’t got around to putting a utility sink in the corner. Eventually when I frame my basement in and finish it, I’ll put a wall and door across the entrance. Probably insulate that wall too to help keep a consistent temp.

What is the temperature that your basement is at for wine storage?
Also I was wondering how dark should the basement be for storing the full 6 gallon carboys? My brew storage area is on the same wall as the basement window but 20 feet from it NO direct sunlight ever. If I come down in the basement even on a sunny day I have to turn on the lights to see well enough to work or read a label.

 

[Ignoble Grape]

View attachment 52595 Here is the dimensions for our 9 year old drying rack. You can make it any size you want. Had to taper the front because my last wine area only had a wet bar sink. The bottom was a left over piece of Avantec 3/4” sub flooring, pine rips for sides and back. It’s tilted up a 1 1/2” at the back. Dowels are 5/16” diameter and spaced 3 1/4 X 3 1/4 “ in both directions. Dowels protrude 2 1/2 “ so they were probably 3” long before they were driven into the holes. A drill press or a guide block keeps them all lined up. I used std exterior varnish for the finish. It’s held up wonderfully. Just ask if you have any questions. We find it’s more stable than the drying trees, but it does take up room when in use. Fun project! Roy

Roy, This is fantastic! Thank you so much for the details.