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California, USA
Shotcrete underground wine caves are "in"... Featured in a story
in the Wall Street Journal in December and in several
other publications. The efficiencies and cost savings and mystique
of underground wine storage have finally come into their own.
Shotcrete Technologies, Inc. has been part of this new/old tradition
by working with several contractors in California wine country
since 1985.
The high cost of "surface" land and the cost of keeping constant
temperatures year round for wine storage have driven vintners
underground. Like the Europeans who centuries ago fermented
wine in caves, the Californians have learned that there is nothing
better than a cool damp cellar for aging wine. Not to mention
that recent regulations in the area prohibit further above ground
construction.
Building underground storage is nearly two thirds cheaper than
building an equivalent facility on the surface. Fully finished,
fitted with all necessary drainage, power supply, water supply,
plumbing, and lighting, can be built for about one hundred dollars
a square foot as opposed to two to three hundred dollars per
square foot for a surface structure.
Wine storage underground means cost savings other than construction.
The fermenting wine evaporates at a much slower rate, and averages
approximately a 3 gallon per barrel a year savings.
The average storage tunnels are horseshoe shaped with a "cave-like"
tasting room. The cellars may resemble medieval banquet rooms,
catacombs, or gothic dungeons. Pigment is often added to the
shotcrete to blend in with the natural rock.
Shotcrete Technologies has supplied products to contractors
on over 100 wine caves in the area with our SHOT-SET
250 accelerator, ST-ALKALI Free Accelerator,
Robotic spraying arms, and nozzles.
The next time you visit the California Wine country, explore
the underground world of the wine caves.
For additional information about this or any other projects,
please call Shotcrete Technologies at (303) 567-4871 or send
an e-mail request with name and address to info@shotcretetechnologies.com.
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