Hi all,
I have rented myself a wine storage locker at the local Kennards. It is just a small one 55cmW, 73cmH & 72cmD - holds 8 cases in boxes or up to 140 bottles stacked in rows of 6 and 7.
I want to maximise the number of bottles that I can get in but still get to wines at the back and at the bottom. Stacking them on top of each other is becoming a pain already as is leaving them in their boxes.
All of the modular racks I can find on the net seem to be an inconvenient size or take up too much space within the frame itself (valuable wine room!!). A friend has used steel mesh panels bolted together in his cellar under the house. Seems to work well. I have also thought about cutting up some of that white plumbers pipe, stacking it into two racks.
Any other ideas? Is there something made up that I could use? What do others use in these storage lockers to maximise space for wine?
Regards,
Allan
Kennards Storage Locker - Rack options
Welcome to the club. Ric,
I ran out of polystyrene boxes. No, just joking, but once my next order arrives I'll have cracked 12 dozen.
For $20 a month I thought Kennards was just the place to put that case of Moss Wood 2001 that I have my eye on.
My obsessiveness will have to stop soon, I'm going to start a masters in july - this wine business needs to be well and truly sorted by then!
I don't have a problem, I don't have a problem, I don't have a problem........ why can't I get my hands clean...
Regards,
Allan
I ran out of polystyrene boxes. No, just joking, but once my next order arrives I'll have cracked 12 dozen.
For $20 a month I thought Kennards was just the place to put that case of Moss Wood 2001 that I have my eye on.
My obsessiveness will have to stop soon, I'm going to start a masters in july - this wine business needs to be well and truly sorted by then!
I don't have a problem, I don't have a problem, I don't have a problem........ why can't I get my hands clean...
Regards,
Allan
-
action2096
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:00 am
- Location: Sydney - Australia
Finally went with Kennards then Alan..
I had the same thoughts about trying to maximise space but haven't come up with any good ideas yet (DIY never was my strong point
) Everything i thought of would have caused access problems to wine stored at the back/bottom of the locker.
I like the idea of the plumbers pipe providing you can seal up one end and manage to bind all the tubes together. Hate to find the thing falls apart when its stacked full of expensive wine !!!
Good luck and let me know if you come up with anything ingenious..
I had the same thoughts about trying to maximise space but haven't come up with any good ideas yet (DIY never was my strong point
) Everything i thought of would have caused access problems to wine stored at the back/bottom of the locker.
I like the idea of the plumbers pipe providing you can seal up one end and manage to bind all the tubes together. Hate to find the thing falls apart when its stacked full of expensive wine !!!
Good luck and let me know if you come up with anything ingenious..
-
davidg (not logged in)
Re: Kennards Storage Locker - Rack options
bigkid wrote:All of the modular racks I can find on the net seem to be an inconvenient size or take up too much space within the frame itself (valuable wine room!!). A friend has used steel mesh panels bolted together in his cellar under the house. Seems to work well. I have also thought about cutting up some of that white plumbers pipe, stacking it into two racks.
This issue is one I have been pondering over for a while now myself. I ended up using half case sized boxes. If only as a balance between the ease of getting at things at the back and the weight of shifting boxes. In the end, that choice was dictated by the fact that I decided on sharing a larger space with another vinophile - a larger space kept our combined costs down. We also do a bit of the Torb-RB case splitting and shared space makes transfer easy.
But back to the original idea of PVC pipe...
I toyed around with the idea of using pipe but couldn't think of an easy way of shifting a maxtrix of pipe to get at the back row. Among my musings were lengths of pipe two bottles deep .. but it risked not being able to reach through to the back... to this was then added tying string to the back bottle to aide its recovery...
This might be a handy solution for you.
David
bigkid wrote:Ric,
I ran out of polystyrene boxes. No, just joking, but once my next order arrives I'll have cracked 12 dozen.
For $20 a month I thought Kennards was just the place to put that case of Moss Wood 2001 that I have my eye on.
Regards,
Allan
Allan, Pls considered the Cullen DM 2001. A much better wine than MWood 2001 IMO.
I even prefered the Houghton Gladstones 2001 to the MossWood '01 @ 1/2 the $. Don't believe every word I said, buy a single btl. for a taste out before u commit.
If u want an exceptional Mosswood get the '95 or '99 fr the auctions. Langtons has got plenty showing up.
Purple Tongue
Martin,
The Diana is one of the best yong oZ Cabs I have ever tasted so obviously it is better than the MW, but I don't think the Glastone is a patch on either of them.
Cullen 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Feb 03
The wine was bottled six weeks ago and the tasting bottle had just been opened. The first and most obvious observation is the consistency of style and quality in these wines. At present the wine is locked up tighter than the bank vault on a long weekend but a perfect structure is provided by the velvety, creamy ultra fine grained tannins, balanced but unobtrusive acid and obvious deep concentrated fruit. The body weight is muscular, so it's bigger than the 2000. Structure is big solid layered and tight with an intricate diverse level of complexity; this is a wine with a long finish that will age beautifully.Put simply, this wine is awesome and I will make a big call and say not only is it one of the best wines I have ever tasted, but in my opinion in time it will be one of the best wines ever produced in Australia. Rating? Who needs one with a wine like this! – tasted Feb 03
Moss Wood 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon PlonkOz04
The bouquet was restrained, closed and dumb. Silky tannins provide a solid backbone, supple, seductive mouth feel and are just enough to perfectly balance the pure, deep, persistent fruit. On the palate, the wine is glorious and moorish, showing blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate and mint which finishes with excellent length and persistence. Ample in weight, the complexity is well developed and the wine should become both seamless and harmonious in time. Rated as Excellent with *** for value, it should peak in around 2009 and beyond.
Houghton 2001 Gladstone Cabernet Sauvignon PlonkOz04
The bouquet showed lifted fruit which was both supple and classy. Smooth, drying powdery tannins and pure fruit form the basis of this well-constructed, well-balanced wine. Blackberry, liquorish and mint gives the wine and agreeable complexity which is enjoyable but somehow seems to lack varietal definition. The consistency is firm and supple but there is no doubt the wine needs time for the tannins to resolve and should be better in 2010 and beyond. Rated as Highly Recommended with ** for value. Although 2001 was an impressive year in Western Australia, I preferred the 1999 vintage of this wine.
The Diana is one of the best yong oZ Cabs I have ever tasted so obviously it is better than the MW, but I don't think the Glastone is a patch on either of them.
Cullen 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Feb 03
The wine was bottled six weeks ago and the tasting bottle had just been opened. The first and most obvious observation is the consistency of style and quality in these wines. At present the wine is locked up tighter than the bank vault on a long weekend but a perfect structure is provided by the velvety, creamy ultra fine grained tannins, balanced but unobtrusive acid and obvious deep concentrated fruit. The body weight is muscular, so it's bigger than the 2000. Structure is big solid layered and tight with an intricate diverse level of complexity; this is a wine with a long finish that will age beautifully.Put simply, this wine is awesome and I will make a big call and say not only is it one of the best wines I have ever tasted, but in my opinion in time it will be one of the best wines ever produced in Australia. Rating? Who needs one with a wine like this! – tasted Feb 03
Moss Wood 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon PlonkOz04
The bouquet was restrained, closed and dumb. Silky tannins provide a solid backbone, supple, seductive mouth feel and are just enough to perfectly balance the pure, deep, persistent fruit. On the palate, the wine is glorious and moorish, showing blackcurrant, blackberry, chocolate and mint which finishes with excellent length and persistence. Ample in weight, the complexity is well developed and the wine should become both seamless and harmonious in time. Rated as Excellent with *** for value, it should peak in around 2009 and beyond.
Houghton 2001 Gladstone Cabernet Sauvignon PlonkOz04
The bouquet showed lifted fruit which was both supple and classy. Smooth, drying powdery tannins and pure fruit form the basis of this well-constructed, well-balanced wine. Blackberry, liquorish and mint gives the wine and agreeable complexity which is enjoyable but somehow seems to lack varietal definition. The consistency is firm and supple but there is no doubt the wine needs time for the tannins to resolve and should be better in 2010 and beyond. Rated as Highly Recommended with ** for value. Although 2001 was an impressive year in Western Australia, I preferred the 1999 vintage of this wine.
The Gladstone '01, I had it 3 times this year.
The 1st straight out fr the btl. which was very tight and unyielding, angular. Very tannic.
2nd time 1hr of decanting, latent and still shy.
3rd time 4 hrs of vigourous decanting, drank next to the '99(decanted for 2hrs). Just beautiful. More weight, structure, stuffings than the '99. The '99 was placid and slightly herbeceous next to it.
This wine is built for the long haul.
The 1st straight out fr the btl. which was very tight and unyielding, angular. Very tannic.
2nd time 1hr of decanting, latent and still shy.
3rd time 4 hrs of vigourous decanting, drank next to the '99(decanted for 2hrs). Just beautiful. More weight, structure, stuffings than the '99. The '99 was placid and slightly herbeceous next to it.
This wine is built for the long haul.
Purple Tongue
-
Adam
But I heard decanting doesnt work?? 
I liked the 2001 MW, but enjoyed the 1999 more...
For the cellaring I would stick to boxes, preferably flat cellaring type boxes, pack all the stuff you dont plan to touch for a long time in the very bottom.
Or use a more "active" cellerage faciltiy like Liquid Assets who will fetch the bottles for you but charge for it.
I liked the 2001 MW, but enjoyed the 1999 more...
For the cellaring I would stick to boxes, preferably flat cellaring type boxes, pack all the stuff you dont plan to touch for a long time in the very bottom.
Or use a more "active" cellerage faciltiy like Liquid Assets who will fetch the bottles for you but charge for it.
-
bacchaebabe
- Posts: 1222
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:04 pm
- Location: Sydney
Allan,
I used ot have these sorts of problems. I had a locker at Millers a while ago although it was a walk in one so It wasn't quite as bad as what you describe.
What I would recommend over pipes is to keep the wine either in six pack boxes or just stack them singly but try to knock up some shelves from plywood or something. You can even buy prefabed ones from KMart or Ikea with the ends with the little holes in them and you stick in those plastic holders and cut the shelves to fit. You'll get the maximum number of bottles in by stacking individual bottles but you can't stack them too high so a shelf would take the weight and make access easier. You just need to get your measurements perfect. One shelf should make your life easier but a couple could solve your problems.
Another thing to consider is to pack your wines with similar maturing times together so you can grab a box for drinking at any particular time rather than having to go searching for bottles. Put the longer term ones up the back so they get disturbed less.
I used ot have these sorts of problems. I had a locker at Millers a while ago although it was a walk in one so It wasn't quite as bad as what you describe.
What I would recommend over pipes is to keep the wine either in six pack boxes or just stack them singly but try to knock up some shelves from plywood or something. You can even buy prefabed ones from KMart or Ikea with the ends with the little holes in them and you stick in those plastic holders and cut the shelves to fit. You'll get the maximum number of bottles in by stacking individual bottles but you can't stack them too high so a shelf would take the weight and make access easier. You just need to get your measurements perfect. One shelf should make your life easier but a couple could solve your problems.
Another thing to consider is to pack your wines with similar maturing times together so you can grab a box for drinking at any particular time rather than having to go searching for bottles. Put the longer term ones up the back so they get disturbed less.
Cheers,
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
-
CC
Hello
I have tried Millers, Wine-Ark and finally Kennards. My rental costs of rental mounted to about $2160/year. Late last year I decided to bite to bullet and transformed my living room at my place into a cellar / office. After some research I found buying an Airwell 2 HP a/c and running it 24 X 7 would save me about $1000/ year. Besides that I have better climate control compared to Kennards.
I have not designed my racking system but then majority of my stock are 10 years up. I have some Bordeaux rack from in which I place my daily and mature stuff. All my wines are kept in their original boxes and bar coded.
P.s. Airwell is the only ac what can operate to the level of 12degrees and energy efficient
Calvin
I have tried Millers, Wine-Ark and finally Kennards. My rental costs of rental mounted to about $2160/year. Late last year I decided to bite to bullet and transformed my living room at my place into a cellar / office. After some research I found buying an Airwell 2 HP a/c and running it 24 X 7 would save me about $1000/ year. Besides that I have better climate control compared to Kennards.
I have not designed my racking system but then majority of my stock are 10 years up. I have some Bordeaux rack from in which I place my daily and mature stuff. All my wines are kept in their original boxes and bar coded.
P.s. Airwell is the only ac what can operate to the level of 12degrees and energy efficient
Calvin
Hi all,
I really have to find something else to obsess about - this is driving me to distraction....I am calculating bottle to volume ratios for different configurations when I should be working!!!!
Thanks for the helpful contributions. I am still keen on the PVC pipe option though. Weldmesh takes up too much room (I can get 18 more bottles in the same space). I am looking at a 9cm diameter pipe about 1 2/3 bottles in length. In the space I can fit 98 bottles in 49 pipes in the space. The side and rear walls will hold the pipes in place (no need to secure) with a base layer then each succeeding layer offset the one below by 4.5 cm. 9cm pipes allows plenty of room to fit my hand in and reach the rear bottle.
CC - I couldn't go for the ac room option - Living in a semi in Sydney with teenage brats who refuse to move out!!
Kris, gave the shelves a long look but still would need to remove whatever was in front to get to the rear.
Adam, couldn't do the "active" cellaring thing - too much of a control freak - goes with my obsessive nature.
Martin and Ric - glad to see you guys running up my mastercard - were the bloody hell can you buy 2001 Cullen Diana???? Is Langtons the only option? Is it inappropriate to ask whether anyone is selling?
DavidG - 9cm pipe, 1 2/3 bottles in length doesn't present a problem for me, however as TORB recently gave away I am 5'20", and skinny!
Action - The walls hold my structure in place much as the sides of a shelf holds wine in place - only DIY issue is cutting the pipes and smoothing off any rough edges. This system, according to my maths, should give me 2 more bottles than boxes and I should be able to get to any bottle by moving, at most, one other bottle. I'll let you know if I encounter any problems.
Thanks again all.
Allan
I really have to find something else to obsess about - this is driving me to distraction....I am calculating bottle to volume ratios for different configurations when I should be working!!!!
Thanks for the helpful contributions. I am still keen on the PVC pipe option though. Weldmesh takes up too much room (I can get 18 more bottles in the same space). I am looking at a 9cm diameter pipe about 1 2/3 bottles in length. In the space I can fit 98 bottles in 49 pipes in the space. The side and rear walls will hold the pipes in place (no need to secure) with a base layer then each succeeding layer offset the one below by 4.5 cm. 9cm pipes allows plenty of room to fit my hand in and reach the rear bottle.
CC - I couldn't go for the ac room option - Living in a semi in Sydney with teenage brats who refuse to move out!!
Kris, gave the shelves a long look but still would need to remove whatever was in front to get to the rear.
Adam, couldn't do the "active" cellaring thing - too much of a control freak - goes with my obsessive nature.
Martin and Ric - glad to see you guys running up my mastercard - were the bloody hell can you buy 2001 Cullen Diana???? Is Langtons the only option? Is it inappropriate to ask whether anyone is selling?
DavidG - 9cm pipe, 1 2/3 bottles in length doesn't present a problem for me, however as TORB recently gave away I am 5'20", and skinny!
Action - The walls hold my structure in place much as the sides of a shelf holds wine in place - only DIY issue is cutting the pipes and smoothing off any rough edges. This system, according to my maths, should give me 2 more bottles than boxes and I should be able to get to any bottle by moving, at most, one other bottle. I'll let you know if I encounter any problems.
Thanks again all.
Allan
-
Guest
bigkid wrote:DavidG - 9cm pipe, 1 2/3 bottles in length doesn't present a problem for me, however as TORB recently gave away I am 5'20", and skinny!
To quote a popular television animated character. ...Doh.
I never thought about the fact that the length of pipe didn't need to be 2 bottle lengths...
So obvious really...
David G
-
action2096
- Posts: 59
- Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 9:00 am
- Location: Sydney - Australia
Action,
Ha ha - no, just bathing in the stuff.
It may be 102, not sure until I put it all together - may even be able to to keep 1/2 dozen screw tops standing up in the front. Something had to give in order to provide access to the rear bottles - total number in the locker had to be reduced from 140 to 98 (maybe 102-108). I'll keep the best stuff, the long term keepers, in the locker. The remainder will be kept in polystyrene boxes in the "cellar under the bed".
Regards,
Allan
Ha ha - no, just bathing in the stuff.
It may be 102, not sure until I put it all together - may even be able to to keep 1/2 dozen screw tops standing up in the front. Something had to give in order to provide access to the rear bottles - total number in the locker had to be reduced from 140 to 98 (maybe 102-108). I'll keep the best stuff, the long term keepers, in the locker. The remainder will be kept in polystyrene boxes in the "cellar under the bed".
Regards,
Allan
All,
Got 44 pieces of PVC 90mm pipe today in 550mm lengths from the local hardware shop (they cut them for me). Had a ball installing in my locker, and inspecting and sorting wine this arvo. Then came home, created my first ever web page so that I could show you some photos. Web page is here:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~bigkids/
Pipe cost $112. Cutting it into pieces, another $30. Web page - cost nothing but a little heartache!!!
I can fit 100 bottles in the pipes (2 deep) and probably another 7 screwtops standing up at the front.
David G: I can reach the back ones easily, although someone with a real meaty fist might prefer the 100mm pipes.
Hope this assists someone out there.
Regards,
Allan
Got 44 pieces of PVC 90mm pipe today in 550mm lengths from the local hardware shop (they cut them for me). Had a ball installing in my locker, and inspecting and sorting wine this arvo. Then came home, created my first ever web page so that I could show you some photos. Web page is here:
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~bigkids/
Pipe cost $112. Cutting it into pieces, another $30. Web page - cost nothing but a little heartache!!!
I can fit 100 bottles in the pipes (2 deep) and probably another 7 screwtops standing up at the front.
David G: I can reach the back ones easily, although someone with a real meaty fist might prefer the 100mm pipes.
Hope this assists someone out there.
Regards,
Allan
For my next trick, I'll see if I can insert the photos direct from the server:
Regards,
Allan
Bugger. Doesn't seem to be working. The files are on the server....any ideas Ric??
A
Regards,
Allan
Bugger. Doesn't seem to be working. The files are on the server....any ideas Ric??
A
Last edited by bigkid on Sun May 01, 2005 1:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bigkid wrote:For my next trick, I'll see if I can insert the photos direct from the server:
[img]http://members.optusnet.com.au/~bigkids/bigkids' files/0.JPG[img]
[img]http://members.optusnet.com.au/~bigkids/bigkids' files/2.JPG[img]
[img]http://members.optusnet.com.au/~bigkids/bigkids' files/3.JPG[img]
Regards,
Allan
Bugger. Doesn't seem to be working. The files are on the server....any ideas Ric??
A
Yep, at the end of ech image there should be a / so it should read [/img]
bigkid wrote:For my next trick, I'll see if I can insert the photos direct from the server:
There is a space in your folder name (b/n kids' and files), the browser automatically converts it to %20, I've inserted it in your image links.
Cheers
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
Brian
Life's too short to drink white wine and red wine is better for you too! :-)
-
bacchaebabe
- Posts: 1222
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:04 pm
- Location: Sydney
Glad you like it Staybaker. Royalties not necessary. For my locker, which is Kennard's smallest one, I could fit exactly 6 x 90mm pipes across the bottom row - they fitted precisely across the width of the locker. If you're using 100mm pipes you'll only get 5 in. The 90mm pipes fit the regular width bottles with a couple of cm to spare. I haven't tried they but may not fit champagne bottles - not sure about the size that is regularly used for pinot noir - might in a squeeze. Either way, you can leave a row or two free at the top and just stack the odd sized bottles. Easy peasy. Good luck with it.
A
A