Wine Caving

[photos via Kunde Family Estate]

You know that whirlwind week I had? The one that had me flying to San Francisco for work? Full disclosure: I got to stay in Sonoma and dine deep inside the wine aging caves at Kunde Vineyards (above) on the company's dime. So, really, I had no right to complain.

Even three glasses deep, the serenity of the caves did not escape me. So, when it comes to designing a wine cellar for the home, it's no wonder that ambiance can trump all else...

A rustic county home puts the wine cellar front and center. 

[by S.R. Gambrel]

Drilling a complete underground lair out of a mountain, the father/son architectural team of Harvey and Conrad Sanchez, along with designer Ron Mann, matched this wine cave to the modern feel of the Sonoma, Calif., house above.

[photo by Scott Frances via Architectural Digest]

This cathedral-inspired wine cellar in Nashville, visible from above through a glass floor, looks like something straight out of Tron. Not my thing, but impressive nonetheless.

[by Beckwith Interiors]

All I can tell you about this wine cellar is that it's located in California, but I love the minimalism of it.
[by Taylor Lombardo Architects]

Covering a spiral staircase, a transparent hatch keeps a wine collection in view while maximizing floor space above.
[by IE Designs / photo by Ed Hall]