Wine cellars: Vegas vinophiles show off collections

Narrow, glass-covered gates in a corner of Ken and Vanessa Chamberlin's downstairs African-themed game room seem to lead to a different world.

Beyond the iron gates -- actually 18th century Gothic shutters from a French chateau -- the couple's wine cellar contrasts sharply with the brightly lit, open game room, which is adorned with various electronics, a pool table and Wurlitzer jukebox.

Small, dark, rustic and somewhat chilly, the cellar is lined with red oak racks, black walnut floors, a waterfall and, of course, bottles and bottles of wine. At the center is a tall wooden table with a sample bottle, some books and cigars, which are common in wine cellars. Topping it all off is another French artifact, an early 18th century chandelier that supplies the room's modest light.

The gates form the perfect transition. Situated along a curved wall, the gates appear, perhaps, as the arched entry to a minaret from the game room, accenting the African theme. From within the cellar, they accentuate the rustic ambiance.

Kevin Longley of Las Vegas Wine Cellars built much of the room for the Chamberlins. A longtime builder of home furnishings, such as entertainment systems and libraries, he began focusing on wine cellars about 18 months ago as the luxury-home market expanded.

"Home values are going up, and as they do, we see more of this kind of amenity," Longley said. "Even people in the lower end of luxury homes, those with homes priced around $750,000, want to incorporate a wine cellar into their home."

Statistics on wine cellars are sketchy, but there is evidence that they have grown in popularity over recent years. Three companies in Southern Nevada specialize in them, and even some builders such as Christopher Homes find demand even in the production-home market.

"It's kind of a status symbol," said Erika Geiser, an executive with Christopher Homes, who said dedicated wine storage began to catch on in luxury homes about three years ago. Currently, it can be found in production homes priced as low as $329,900.

Geiser estimates "a good 80 percent" of the company's custom-home clients and between 25 percent and 35 percent of its production- home buyers opt for some kind of wine cellar. Customers are divided evenly between "self-contained" storage units and refrigeration of the entire room with half of the latter setting up dining facilities within the room.

"They turn it into a whole entertainment area with wine and cigars, a place where they can live it up," Geiser said.

A vinophile's main motive for adding a wine cellar to a home may be the wine itself, but the room is often half or more of the investment. A small cellar, one designed to chill about 600-700 bottles, might cost about $15,000.

"It depends on how much room they have and how much money they want to spend," he said.

The Chamberlins opted for a rustic, although rather opulent cellar. Others reflect a range of tastes and budgets.

For those who want to get fancy, the sky is the limit. Design alone can be elaborate enough to involve computer-assisted design. With enough room, waterfall designs, shelves and cutouts can create a number of effects, evoking a sense of the Saarland or a re-creating the look of a favorite stop in the Sonoma Valley.

Some homeowners add a niche for knicknacks, and some delineate the room in fanciful ways, such as with stained glass, a mural on a wood panel, or, more commonly, wrought-iron gates.

Storage can range from 600 bottles to several thousand, but Longley said 1,200 to 1,500 is typical. His largest held about 4,300.

Materials may include uncommon woods, such as redwood, mahogany, ebony or oak. Original art, hand-painted wall and floor tiles, various types of lighting, and sometimes antiques add a custom touch. A table for sampling wine is a common addition, and full dining room tables are not unheard of.

They aren't always cellars, per se. Half of Longley's projects have been reconfigurations of existing rooms, and most are not underground. His largest, in fact, was built within a high-rise condominium at Turnberry Place. As a decorating scheme, wine can look appropriate in many places within a home.

"Most people like it somewhere near the dining room because they often make it the focal point of the house," he said.

At this point, it's easy to overlook the wine itself. Aside from storage space, there are some environmental considerations.

For optimal storage conditions, cellars must be climate-controlled in most regions to maintain air that is between 55-58 degrees and between 55 percent and 75 percent humidity. Separate compressors keep the cellar -- usually a small room -- at the ideal temperature. A wall-mounted waterfall is commonly employed to supply the humidity. In addition, lighting is kept low.

Not all wine collectors opt for a dedicated cellar. A corner wine rack in a living room, a display in a formal dining room or on a counter top, or a rack underneath a staircase, offer alternatives for homeowners who seek a decorative touch in something less than an entire room, or who simply want a place to store some bottles.

For those who are content to store their wine discreetly, but want to maintain it properly, several companies produce wine refrigerators. In roughly the space and location of a dishwasher, these glass-door units will hold a few dozen bottles at an appropriate temperature, humidity and light level. Some also include an optional cigar compartment.LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL AND SUN ¥ SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2003

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