The UK is traditionally a beer drinking nation, but over the past few years an increasing number of the population have switched to drinking wine. This trend for enjoying a fine glass of red has had a knock-on effect in London homes, where wine cellars are on the rise
There’s a new trend on the London property market. As well as basement pools and private gyms, buyers want to enjoy a glass of their favourite wine in the comfort of their own home. For some, the only way to do this is with a wine cellar.
The capital’s estate agents are being asked to show homes that already include a wine room or cellar, and if not, to find a property with the space to have one installed.
AWC Fine Wine, a London-based merchant of wine and spirits, has cited an increase in customers asking for bespoke wine cellars in recent months. The company has teamed up with designers Focus Wine Cellars to meet this new but large demand.
‘Gone are the days of the basement cellar where wines gathered dust,’ founder of AWC Stephen Williams said. ‘Today our clients want an entertainment space that offers a wow factor along with an impressive wine collection.’
AWC provides a personal cellar manager for clients who want advice on wine varieties and when to drink them. The cost? The cellar design, the wine manager and a beginner’s wine collection starts at £250,000.
It’s no wonder these spaces have become the ‘show pieces’ of many luxury London homes, says Jonathan Hewlett, head of London residential at Savills.
‘A wine cellar in a prime London home is certainly an impressive feature, particularly in larger houses,’ says Hewlett.
‘Not necessarily a standard ‘must-have’ for buyers, but installed stylishly and in proportion to the rest of the property, they can make a strong impact. People will spend £100,000s on a wine room, but sometimes the wine collection is worth tenfold the cost of installing one. They’re certainly on the increase and developers are responding to the growing requirement for wine rooms by ensuring they sit alongside spa treatment rooms and cinema rooms; feature spaces that all come hand in hand for buyers. Recently we have seen some outstanding examples in the homes of our sellers, and these wine rooms can also be incredible show pieces that are used for socialising and entertainment.’
To find out more about bespoke wine rooms and wine collections visit awc-wine.com and focuswinecellars.com
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