Gwinllan Estate Vineyard & Winery
This project is for a beautiful winery located in Fairplay atop the scenic hills of the Sierra Foothills. The owner of the winery was looking to build a new underground wine cave to store all the wine barrels in.
Careful planning was done prior to the design of the cave in order to maximize the usability of the space - it was critical to lay out structural supports such that there would be enough maneuvering space for a forklift when the cave was filled with stacked wine barrels.
The wine cave is constructed of reinforced concrete retaining walls and roof slab supported on steel beams. It is designed to have the front side open to daylight with a grand access opening into the cave at grade level for ease of access. The rest of the cave is buried approximately 4 feet below grade, limiting the change in the interior temperature minimal which creates an ideal environment for wine storage. The cave also features a large 4-foot diameter skylight over the center of the cave, letting in just enough natural light.