Award-winning designer Darryl Hogeback, Savante Wine Cellars, located in Henderson, Colorado, shares his thoughts on staying current with wine cellar design trends and the future of wine cellar design.

1. What sparked your interest in wine cellar design? While providing millwork and cabinetry for a custom home in Aspen, I was asked if I wanted to build out the wine room as well. So, I used a design concept from a furniture piece I built in early 1980 and incorporated the design into a full-room racking system.

The design was more of a furniture look than the redwood ladder systems that were available at the time and thus became sought after for the higher quality of craftsmanship provided and more interesting design layouts, like full and true curve design aspects and use of specific materials.

2. How do you stay current with trends? Modern-style wine cellar racking continues to evolve, with ever-expanding looks, materials, and designs allowing for connoisseurs to have a greater choice in desired looks for their space. Wine room cooling systems continue to improve as well, with more energy-efficient systems that now include remote monitoring.

3. How do you balance technical aspects of wine storage with the aesthetic desires of your clients? The balance is dependent on the clients’ collecting objectives. Some rooms are more for show, and the wine has a short racking cycle, so the “look” is the first desire, while larger spaces need consideration for long-term maturation of vintages since the wine in the collection has and will have a greater value than the room preparation.

4. What misconceptions do your clients have about wine cellar design? Some new collectors are unaware of the complexities of preparing a space to be a temperature-controlled wine room. So early on, education for the client and builder is important in proper space preparation for long-term aging success.

5. Beyond the racking, what other design elements do you consider crucial in creating a unique and personalized wine cellar experience? Some of the personalized aspects that we provide are laser number systems for inventory, custom artwork, and furniture for specific spaces with the goal of exhilarating the tasting experience.

6. What are your predictions for the future of wine cellar design? The modern racking look and systems will continue in popularity for first-time collectors because of the cost and simplicity of displaying the wine. Many new-build homes will have the opportunity to add a wine space to the floorplan , increasing the amenities of the home.

There will always be a desire, though, to move toward a dedicated space for serious collectors , providing a cellar that exemplifies their personal style in presentation, taste in wine, and opportunities to share collecting narratives.

Learn more at savantewinecellars.com.