by Charlotte | Nov 21, 2017 | Rosehill Wine Cellars News
Wine cellar construction is a specialized niche. As the experts know, installing the perfect refrigeration system is essential, to preserve wine. Getting the selection of a wine cooling unit right is directly linked to thermal load calculation. Engineers calculate thermal load based on specifics provided about your particular wine cellar. Even after a wine cellar has been built according to the correct specifications, the time comes when regular inspections are needed. During wine cellar inspections, the use of thermal imagery can determine whether the conditions of the cellar plus the wine cooling unit still provide the ideal environment for wine storage.
What factors are considered in calculating thermal load?
Some of the factors considered in calculating thermal load won’t change but others can be affected over time, creating
Wine Guardian cooling unit
an altered environment. First, there are wine cellar specifications about the permanent structure, such as height of the cellar and the square footage and type of glass, if any. The following are among the other things considered when calculating thermal load:
- Which walls and/or ceiling are exposed to the sun or a non-conditioned environment, such as a garage?
- What are the humidity and temperate levels around the cellar?
- What in the cellar generates heat? The type of lighting used is highly relevant, since some bulbs create a significant amount of heat, even if non-UV, and others, such as LED lights, create a miniscule amount of heat, in comparison.
- Is the wine cellar residential or commercial? The frequency of use impacts the wine cellar environment.
- What type of wine cooling unit will be installed?
- Are there bends in combined ducting, and are those bends sharp or gradual?
- How many bottles are expected to be stored in the wine cellar?
Why wine cellar inspections are important
The answers about a wine cellar at the time it is built can change for many different reasons, impacting how ideally the wine cooling unit may be for the space. In addition, wine cooling units themselves eventually need to be replaced. They harder the cooling system has to work to maintain the right temperature, the sooner it will deteriorate.
Because of the changes that may exist, including those shaped by time, wine cellar inspections are important. For example, insulation may no longer provide the same level of efficiency at keeping out heat. A wine collection is an investment that needs to be protected, and diligence is important, to prevent valuable wine from being spoiled.
Thermal imagery is new technology that can be used to determine where heat may be coming from in a wine cellar and whether the environment is still maintained at the desired temperature and humidity range.
Does your wine cellar need an inspection?
Wine cellars have become more than dark, dank storage rooms for fine wine. In modern times, they are often enjoyed as places to bring friends and sample the wine. Another reason inspections may be needed is the addition of lighting. Contact the experts at Rosehill Wine Cellar, whether you need wine cellar construction or a professional wine cellar inspection. Don’t forget: Thermal load calculation is not a “one and done” venture.
by Charlotte | Sep 6, 2017 | Rosehill Wine Cellars News
Custom Wine Cellar by Rosehill Wine Cellars
So you have a new wine cabinet or custom wine cellar in Toronto, and you need to brush up on your wine words? The lingo associated with wine is as distinctive as the beverage itself. As a wine lover, you don’t want to be perceived as a poser. There are wine terms that should be in your vocabulary, to intelligently navigate a conversation about wine. Knowing the terms can prevent inadvertently making dumbfounded expressions, if in the presence of a schooled wine connoisseur.
6 Basic Wine Words you Should Know
Knowing wine words isn’t all about making an impression. The more you know, the better equipped you are to shop for your wine cellar stock. You could be missing out on your favorite variety, if you don’t study and explore. Wine terms can help open up a greater understanding about this beloved alcoholic drink and the many kinds there are to choose from. The following are some basic wine words:
Varietal – Varietal wine is named after the grape used to produce it. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay are all varietals. Wine must consist of at least 75% of a particular grape type to be a varietal. These are considered the purest of wines.
Regional – Bordeaux, Champagne, and Burgundy are all French cities and names of regional wines. The world’s best wines are produced in particular regions. The smaller the region a wine is from, the higher the wine quality.
Weight – In the wine world, it’s important to know about weights. If a wine is full-bodied or heavy, it is usually dark in color and high in alcohol content and has a strong flavor. Examples of heavy wines are Merlot, Cabernet, and Zinfandel. A light-bodied wine is leaner and more delicate. Examples are Lambrusco and Beaujolais, also known as Gamay.
Oxidize – If wine isn’t properly stored in the right conditions of temperature and humidity in a wine cabinet or a customer wine cellar in Toronto, the result can be that too much air gets into the bottle. Exposure to too much air causes wine to oxidize. Oxidized wine loses freshness and turns a brownish color.
Aperitif – A dry wine served before a meal for the purpose of stimulating the appetite is called an “aperitif.” Champagne and other dry white wines are ideal aperitifs.
Digestif – A wine served after a meal for the purpose of aiding digestion is called a “digestif.” Examples of digestif include brandy and fortified wines such as port, vermouth, and madeira.
Custom Wine Cellars
At Rosehill Wine Cellars, we know all about wine plus much of the lingo. That’s why we are able to build custom wine cabinets and custom wine cellars in Toronto that preserve wine in optimal conditions.
by Charlotte | Aug 8, 2017 | Rosehill Wine Cellars News, Rosehill's Tech Tuesday
Ten developments expected to guide the future of fine wine were recently outlined in an August 2017 article. The information is derived from topics discussed at a Fine Minds 4 Fine Wines conference in France that took place in June. Technology in Wine Stores and Disruptive Technologies were included in the conversation.
Technology for the Wine Industry
There are numerous groups that get together for the purpose of ensuring a future for the wine industry. Keeping up with modern technology is important. For instance, customer movement can be tracked with beacons, providing helpful information to be used for marketing purposes.
Blockchain technology is digital and operates like a distributed ledger that keeps a continuous, constant list of records. Transactions are validated and added to a chain. The chain of transactions is stored on multiple servers, creating a record that is permanent and irrevocable. Blockchain is expected to be a world-changing technology.
Using 3D printing to customize customer packaging is also considered an advanced approach to providing service in the wine industry.
Current Challenges
It’s important to strategize and plan for the future of the wine industry, especially considering that some wine regions in the U.S. are struggling. A recent problem appears to be that the legalization of marijuana in California, Oregon, and Washington, creates labor shortages for vintners in those states.
In July, during off-the-record discussions with a reporter, concerns were expressed that no one will be available to pick grapes once the harvests are ready. The majority of the help needed for harvest time comes from part-time workers who work during the season for hourly wages. Vintners are concerned that even if they raise the amount of wages paid for harvesting grapes, not enough laborers will be available.
Wine Will Never Go Out of Style
Although the industry faces struggles and should keep up with modern technology, winemaking isn’t going anywhere. Upcoming generations just need to be introduced to the joys of wine. In addition, professionals in the industry should remain diligent to ensure that winemakers are keeping up with modern technology. Whether or not there will truly be a dilemma at harvest time remains to be seen, though there is evidence that a labor shortage could hurt the U.S. industry. Whatever happens, one thing is for sure: wine will always be in season
by Charlotte | Jul 31, 2017 | Rosehill Wine Cellars News
Award-winning wines are perfect for your custom wine cellar in Toronto.
Wine lovers in the Toronto area can easily access the 20-plus wineries in the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake wine trail. Each of the wineries has its own unique attributes, and they are within minutes of one another. Anyone with a custom wine cellar in Toronto should have plenty of room to make the rounds and buy the award-winning wines that can be discovered on this world-renowned wine trail. Niagara-on-the-Lake itself is an historic town that’s rated #1 on TripAdvisor for Food & Wine Destinations in Canada. The following are two of the wineries on the trail.
Peller Estates Winery
A recent pick for Winery of the Year, Peller Estates features wine creations by Winemaker Katie Dickieson. Her vintages are food-inspired, with the goal of creating a harmonic marriage of food and wine. Wine styles include Sparkling Wine, Red Table Wines, White Table Wines, and Icewine/Dessert Wine. Amenities include: Tasting bar, cyclist friendly, corporate/group events, restaurant, bus groups, and retail store.
Among the best-selling wines from Peller Estates is Ice Cuvée, which is among the estate’s most awarded wines. It is an off-dry sparkling wine with an apricot, yeast, and ripe apple bouquet with hints of honey and the delight of tropical fruits on the palate with a refreshing finish of pink grapefruit. Ice Cuvée won the Gold Medal in the Ontario Wine Awards 2014.
Konzelmann Estate Winery
The various wineries on the Niagara-on-the-Lake wine trail have different mesoclimates. Even subtle variations can tremendously influence the ultimate flavor of the grapes and the wine. Skilled winemakers know how to parlay those variables into popular vintages. An example is the Konzelmann Estate Winery, located on the shore of Lake Ontario. This winery has the distinction of being the only one on Niagara’s lakeshore.
Konzelmann has won numerous awards and earned countless accolades. One award-winning wine is their affordable Pinot Blanc, recognized as an excellent wine for everyday enjoyment and entertaining. The 2015 vintage won a Gold Medal, Ontario Wine Awards. The 2016 vintage won Best Value & Silver, Intervin International Wine Awards.
Custom Wine Cellar Toronto
With these and so many more exceptional wineries within pleasant driving distance, custom wine cellars Toronto make so much sense. Rosehill Wine Cellars appreciates being in the midst of wine country, where hundreds of vintages have been recognized with awards and other notable distinctions. It is our pleasure to provide custom wine cellars that are ideal for wine storage and built with the features most important to clients. Among the options are shelves particularly designed for displaying celebrated vintages.
by Charlotte | Jul 10, 2017 | Rosehill Wine Cellars News
The label on a wine bottle provides discreet details on what you can expect to find inside.
A lot of challenge and excitement is involved in wine collecting. The best reason to have a custom wine cellar in the Toronto area is so that you can learn about the best wines and store them properly. Among the many aspects you can learn about, to enhance your appreciation of wine, is correctly interpreting wine labels. There is more to come about wine labels, such as the five basic bits of information found on most labels. Here, however, we continue what was started in Part 1 by learning more about appellation, which is one of the two primary ways wines are labeled.
Italy’s Appellation Credentials
In 1963, the appellation system in Italy was established. Originally, it was designed to champion the country’s indigenous grapes by raising wine made with grape varietals from Italy to the DOC system’s highest tiers, DOCG. This doesn’t mean there aren’t French grapes of high quality. However, French wines are usually – and quite arbitrarily – given a lesser IGT status.
The following terms assigned to Italian wine can be useful in choosing the best wines for your custom wine cellar:
- Classico is a wine denomination that signifies the original wine-making boundaries, which were smaller, prior to the changes made to many DOC boundaries in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Superiore is an indication of wine grapes with a superior quality and often a requirement for a minimum period of aging before wine can be sold.
- Riserva usually refers to aging wine for an extended period before being released. These are the types of wines frequently found in custom wine cellars. Many wine producers make only Riserva wines using grapes from vintages of exceptional quality.
Spain’s Appellation Credentials
In Spain, wine is qualified with the Denominación de Origen (DO) or Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) system. An essential feature of Spanish wines is aging, which is why the country also has classifications for aging. The following are some basic guidelines for understanding Spanish wines, but they sometimes differ slightly from one region to another:
- Roble or Tinto wine has virtually no oak aging, even though “roble” literally means “oak.”
- Crianza wine has 9 to 12 months of aging in both oak and in the wine bottle.
- Reserva refers to Spanish wine with required oak and bottle aging. Reserva wine typically undergoes a year in oak and often two additional years in a bottle.
- Gran Reserva indicates prolonged aging in oak and bottle. This usually indicates up to 24 months in oak and four years in a wine bottle.
Contact Rosehill Wine Cellars
Rosehill Wine Cellars builds custom wine cellars in Toronto and throughout the area. A custom wine cellar is the perfect place to store wine of all quality levels. See this continuing series to learn five basic types of information that can be found on a wine label.
