Click on the photo above for pics I just took of a new wine cellar (you may have to have Flash player, but its a quick freebie). This residence is in an historic area called, Corral de Tierra on the north side of Carmel Valley, CA. This is the high, coastal chaparral that John Steinbeck wrote of in The Pastures of Heaven. The eroded sandstone hillsides stand between the agricultural Salinas Valley (East of Eden) and the Monterey Peninsula where we live (Cannery Row and Tortilla Flats). Much to my regret, my family owned, but sold, a wonderful cottage that Steinbeck owned and where he wrote The Sea of Cortez. C'est la vie.
As usual, this cellar started as an afterthought. A neglected part of the old foundation. So, I had to cover up all the concrete mess and turn it into a space suitable for wine and guests. The owner is a wine nut and had a local carver create a monk with grapes out of a solid, old redwood burl which greets you at the door. The cabinetry is all old growth, unstained, select redwood. Since I really love all metalwork, I made and hand patinated all the copper countertops. Our website offers counters in stainless steel and all types of antiqued metal.
