Whether ancient and dusty or modern and shining, a wine cellar is the place where dreams are stored. From international to local, we’ve listed a few of our favourites.
The great beyond
We can’t discuss South African wine cellars without mentioning Groot Constantia. Founded by Simon van der Stel, the Dutch colonial governor of Cape Town, in 1685, it is as famous as South Africa’s oldest wine-producing estate. The Cloete Cellar, added in 1791, once made Grand Constance – a sweet wine, similar to a Muscadel that achieved renown in the early 1800s, winning international awards and enjoyed by European royal families. Today, the cellar is part of a museum complex. Outside, you can gaze up at the pediment designed by German sculptor Anton Anreith, who worked on many important buildings in the Cape. Inside, you can catch a glimpse of a rare Grand Constance bottle. Produced in 1821, it was exported across the world and somehow found its way home to the southern tip of Africa.
A new world
California’s Napa Valley is home to some of the world’s best wines – and stunning vineyards. Winemakers have long known that caves, with their consistently dark, cool and humid conditions, are ideal for barrel-ageing wine. Jarvis Estate, just outside the town of Napa, has taken a modern approach to this ancient wisdom, excavating a massive cellar out of the mountain. An underground stream (complete with waterfall) keeps the moisture just right. The 45 000 sq ft (+ 4 200m*) space was designed by a Geo technician, who determined that the most stable shape was a parabola. The space was reportedly carved out by the same machinery used to build the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel). The bronze doors and wall sconces, the dim lighting and the arched alcoves give it the hushed feeling of a cathedral.
The big city
If you’re in the mood for some seriously Instagrammable interiors, Sandton’s Solo restaurant is the place to see and be seen. Food leans towards the fusion side of things (with dishes such as beetroot tacos, prawn kataifi and seared salmon with pak choi). The extensive wine list is proudly local (although you can order a bottle of French bubby if you want real Champagne). All those bottles are stored in a showstopper of a wine tunnel through which you can take a stroll. This proves that not all wine “cellars” need to be hidden underground. It’s functional but just as much a piece of art as the rotating selection from up-and-coming artists on the walls.
The bespoke
If you really want to wow with your personal wine collection, The Wine Room, based in Constantia, can install a space-age spiral cellar in your home. Think of all the appeal of a spiral staircase descending into a cellar, without the spiderwebs and darkness.
They’ll install a 2-3m deep shaft below your existing flooring, lining it with a special form of insulating reinforced concrete. A simple ventilation system sucks out warm air and blows in cool air, keeping the temperature at an ideal 15-17°C.
If you don’t have a spare R525 000 (for the base model) or don’t need capacity for 1 900 bottles of wine, The Wine Room can install all sorts of other beautiful cabinets, display cases and cooling systems to display your treasured collection to maximum effect.
Family affair
Another historical wine estate, Muratie was founded on a love story. It is told that German soldier Laurens Campher fell in love with the enslaved woman Ansela van de Caab when he arrived in the Cape at the end of the 17th century. When she was finally emancipated in 1695, the couple and their children set up a home at Muratie.
Today, you can enjoy a wine tasting outside under the oak tree they planted but the real drawcard is the tasting room, created from four old concrete fermentation tanks in the cellar. The walls are lined with newspaper clippings and family photographs, a cosy fire burns in winter and the corners are draped in thick layers of cobwebs all year round – don’t touch them, they’re as authentic as the rest of the building.
The rich and famous
Think Monte Carlo, and yachts, casinos as well as Champagne probably come to mind. The many well-heeled guests have to stay somewhere while they’re visiting, and they have to drink something with their dinner.” The Hôtel de Paris caters for this need with its own 1 500m wine cellar holding 350 000 bottles.
In 1874, hotelier François Blanc’s wife Marie decided that the luxurious accommodations needed a wine cellar to match, so she set about excavating a massive cellar under the hotel’s gardens. It still offers a snapshot of that time, with towering racks stuffed with bottles, wooden trolleys used to convey the liquid. treasures and old handwritten signs on the walls.
By: Amy Lehner
Text courtesy of Livingspace magazine
Photography by: Supplied, Getty Images, Unsplash
