DIY Spiral Wine Cellar

[Andy Kirkland]

Quite fancy the look of these things:

got one or been tempted to do a DIY version?

Andy

[Mary Fisher]

Never seen it before.

It might be attractive if there weren't so many other things to do in the time which is running away fast!

Mary

[Adrian C]

Nope, but most interesting website find. Thanks :-)

[David]

I think I saw one of these on display in Vinopolis - that wine visitor centre in London

give em a ring and ask. If you're close to London, pop in and have a look.

David

[Bob Eager]

I've been tempted since I found out about these 12 years or so ago....even have a site for it. Lack the money and/or time!

[Andy Kirkland]

I am very tempted with a self build of one of these. Their installation cost is huge - nearly £9k + VAT for the most basic up to £20k+ for the larger ones.

The biggest/expensive problems that require solving that I can see are:

- Sourcing/making the precast blocks/steps (have already started some research!)

- Getting structural plans drawn up - surely any reasonable structural surveyor can sort something out - for building control.

Think that it is possible to be done for considerably less than £8k+.....

Andy

[meow2222]

Doesnt look too hard to make a wood mould to produce the hollow blocks for the wine storage. curved or straight, either would work well enough. Wooden steps would probably be easiest, concrete spiral ones would be significantly more work.

And you could make those hollow blocks decorative...

cant imagine that adding up to 8k.

NT

[robgraham]

Can't add anything on the source or making of one of these, except that my cousin is married to a seriously wealthy wine buff, who had one put in, somewhere in London, down near the Thames. Seemingly the contractors dug out the hole and met the Thames coming in, so the size had to be somewhat curtailed !

The sloes are in plentiful supply this year and I hunted the net for a sloe wine recipe - one I found was made in a 100 litre container and required 60lbs of sloes. The end was going to be 120 bottles of wine; does present a storage problem unless of course you have a spiral hole in the ground. Presumably in this case you would have to store the empties there too for re-cycling.

Rob

[JohnW]

I even did a design - but never got any further...

I looked at using large, 6ft-ish concrete drainage pipes sunk into the ground, similar to caissons, with a central spiral staircase and wooden wine racks round the periphery...

Then someone came and used the drainpipes for their intended purpose :-(

[Newshound]

The description of the passive ventilation system makes it sound like a perpetual motion machine. I'd be more inclined to think the effect of wind blowing over a suitably designed exhaust pipe fifteen feet up would generate a flow, though.

[meow2222]

I thought the ventilation diagram looked optimsitic, and I dont see an need for any special ventilation design.

NT

[Dave Gordon]

Moisture regulation?

[Mike]

replying to Andy Kirkland, Mike wrote: Ours is available in kit form -

[Rob Morley]

replying to Mike, Rob Morley wrote: But you'll take ten years to deliver it.

[Brian Gaff]

And another ten to write the review? Brian