Wooden Wine Boxes, Custom Crates & Wine Panels

Baron De Ley: Spain's Largest Winery

2012-02-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Production: Large and expansive

Grape: Mostly Tempranillo

Crate design: The Baron De Lay wine crate has a quaint but highly detailed picture on both the front and back long side. The design is of the ancient Benedictine monastery on which the winery is built. The winery makes only 6 bottle crates, so there are no other sizes.

Rarity: Fairly mainstream. Baron De Lay is one of the largest wineries in Spain

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($30.00)

Our opinion/history: The Baron De Lay winery is owned and operated by a large Spanish conglomerate. Production is very high, but there is certainly no compromise of quality. You can get a very good bottle for around $15 - $20.

The wine making process of De Lay is based heavily on Tempranillo grapes, working with fermentation processes that are tried and true, and having the patience to allow the wine to age properly. The reults have been quite successful, and they're not changing what works.

Historically, the Baron De Ley land has been yielding wine since the 16th century when the property was a Benedictine monastery. The company/label is a fantastic blend of both ancient and modern strategies of wine making.

Domaine Janasse of Chateauneuf Du Pape

2012-02-11T17:12:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Rhone

Subregion: Chateauneuf Du Pape

Production: Approx. 3,000 cases imported into the United States every vintage year.

Grape: 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvedre

Crate design: Domaine Janasse is one of a handful of French wineries that brand their crates on the long side. It's a beautiful picture of the winery and Chateau. It also has color embossed lettering, and the same picture is on the short front side as well. It's just smaller.

Rarity: Very Rare. Just over 1,000 cases are made on average. At least half of the cases stay in France. The rest are shipped out worldwide.

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($35.00)

Our opinion/history: Domaine Janasse, like the vast majority of Chateauneuf Du Pape wineries are spectacular. Grown in the ancient fields of Southern Rhone, the vines date back to before Jesus Christ. The winemaking in this region is more like a religion than a profession, and the term "Chateauneuf Du Pape" translates from French to English as: Home of the Pope. The Vatican; up until fairly modern times owned this part of France, and sacramentalized the wine.

Remelluri: The Cult Wine of Rioja

2012-02-10T21:18:00.000-08:00

Country: Spain

Region: Rioja

Production: Approx. 3,000 cases imported into the United States every vintage year.

Grape: 90% Tempranillo, 10% blend of both Garnacha and Graciano

Crate design: A favorite of mine. The front and back sides are gently engraved with the highly detailed picture of the winery's vineyard. The picture is oversized and eye-catching.

Rarity: Very Rare. Production is incredibly small. This picture represents the only crate we ever acquired. It was sold quickly.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($50.00)

Our opinion/history: Remelluri is a Spanish cult, that has recieved high marks from critics. Their wine making process is revolutionary, and they mix traditional and modern fermentation processes brilliantly. They use both steel vats and oak barrels at two different times. The result: An outstanding creation. The wines are also meant to be put down for a decade or so for optimal enjoyment.

Hundred Acre of Napa Valley

2012-02-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

Country: USA

Region: Napa Valley

Production: 300 - 600 cases per year

Grape: Kayli Morgan: Cabernet Sauvignon - Ancient Way: Shiraz

Crate design: This is a gorgeous crate. The pine wood is premium, and built very well. Every part of the crate is thick and durable. The lid has a flip-top, and both sides are engraved with a different design. The front of the lid has the 6 star logo, and the back has a story about the Trojan War. Both designs are deeply engraved. All four sides are also engraved, each with the Hundred Acre text in a robust font. In some vintages even the tops of the inserts are engraved as well.

Rarity: Very Rare. The production of Hundred Acre is very small, and most collector's keep their crates with their cases.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($100.00)

Our opinion/history: Hundred Acre is a went from "Basement Wine" to cult superstar of Napa Valley in a very short period of time.. Some vintages have received a perfect 100 points from Wine Advocate and Robert Parker. Jayson Woodbridge invented the Hundred Acre label, and he's considered a maverick of the wine industry. Woodbridge has inspired other cult Napa's to reach for the stars. It's possible that his 6 star logo on the lid wasn't a random design!

Oreno of Tuscany

2012-02-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Production: Approx. 25,000 cases per year.

Grape: 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon

Crate design: The crate is engraved on all four of it's sides and lid. There are small Roman pillars above an Oreno text done in a nouveau font. The lid engraving is fairly larger than the four sides.

Rarity: Fairly mainstream. Oreno has a fairly large production, and produces crates for every vintage.

Crate designation: Collector's ($30.00)

Our opinion/history: Oreno is a Super Tuscan winery, which is a fantastic and highly rated experiment in blending the finest Italian and French grapes. It seems that every vintage wins awards and is rated in the high 90's.

The crate is great because it's engraved everywhere. It's very easy to decorate with.

Sandeman of Portugal

2012-02-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Country: Portugal

Region: Iberian Peninsula

Subregion: Douro

Production: Very limited with long periods of aging. Vintages are rarely released

Grape: Many different grapes blends such as: Tempranillo, Tinta Barroca and Touriga Francesa.

Crate design: Sandeman is one of the most uniquely designed crate. For one it's pre-finished with a walnut stain. The front and back sides have a brass plaque with the Sandeman "Don" logo embossed on it, and built into the crate. The top of the crate has a leather handle, and also has the Sandeman logo branded into the leather. The middle of the crate also has two leather latches with the embossed logo.

When you open the crate, there are two compartments made to hold (4) 375 ML Port bottles. The inside backing has a nice soft felt as well. It's an outstanding piece.

Rarity: Extremely rare. In the past 10 years Sandeman has produced 5 vintages, and all but one produced a wine crate.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($50.00)

Our opinion/history: Sandeman has been linked to wine making since the mid 1700's. They make a Port, Sherry and a red wine. Porto wineries are a bit different than wineries from Bordeaux, Italy and even California. The wines are fortified, and the fermentation process is much different.

The Sandeman wine crate is eye-catching, and makes for a good wine cellar, home or bar decoration.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Domaine Giraud (CDP)

2012-02-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Rhone

Subregion: Chateauneuf Du Pape (CDP for short)

Production: Limited to good quality years - Average: 200 cases per year

Grape: 100% Grenaches (This is one of three single vineyards from Giraud)

Crate design: Domaine Giraud, like most CDP's wineries produce remarkable wines. The logo has a classic style, with most of the design being the unique DG script. Both long sides of this crate are engraved.

Rarity: Extremely rare. With approx. 200 cases are made per year, These are hard to acquire. On top of that, the Grenaches blend often skips vintages based on the quality of yield that year.

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($30.00)

Our opinion/history: The Domaine Giraud crate is simple and tasteful. This standard of design is fairly common amongst Chateauneuf Du Pape wineries. We currently have them in stock, but they'll be sold out in a month. I doubt we'll get any more for a few years.

There are only a few CDP wineries that produce cases every year, and we can count on them being in stock frequently. Domaine Giraud isn't one of them.

Poliziano of Tuscany

2012-02-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

Country: Italy

Region: Tuscany

Subregion: Montepulciano

Production: Limited to good quality years

Grape: 100% Sangiovese

Crate design: The Poliziano wine crate has a very elegant design, and it's engraved on all four sides. The branding and artwork are the same on each side, but they are slightly smaller on the shorter sides.

Rarity: Very rare. Crates are only made at peak years, so there is no guarantee that every year will produce a vintage.

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($30.00)

Our opinion/history: The Poliziano winery is highly rated by critics, and is young. Built in 1961, the founders are known for "excessive" attention to detail in all aspects of their wine production. Your guaranteed a fantastic glass of wine from a bottle of Poliziano.

Chateau L'Hermitage

2012-01-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Subregion: St. Emilion

Classification: Grand Cru, Great Growth of St. Emilion

Production: Less than 600 cases

Grape: Primarily Merlot, but a variatal of the classic grapes of Bordeaux are generally included in each vintage.

Crate design: L'Hermitage is one of the few Bordeaux crates made with color. There are actually two different colors; green and yellow. The picture is also very unique, and has a Roman numerical design for it's artwork.

Rarity: Extremely rare. With less than 600 cases made worldwide, there are fewer than 600 Chateau wine crates made per vintage.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($50.00)

Our opinion/history: L'Hermitage scores highly by critics and is a prestigious winery, but it's also under rated in the mainstream. The crate's design is very unlike any other Bordeaux winery. It's also one of the first Garagistes wineries, which is basically the "garage-cult" wine of the Bordeaux AOC (loosely similar to Napa cults). The vineyard is tiny and has a very small production. The chateau was established in the late 1700's and has a solid following among wine collectors.

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona

2012-01-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

Country: Italy

Region: Montalcino

Production: Varied based on the winery's single vineyards. Only the best productions are bottled.

Grape: 100% Sangiovese Grasso

Crate design: This is a very unique and artistically designed wine crate. The lid has a large and deeply engraved picture of the winery's cote of arms, and is a flip-top with latch in front. The front side is also deeply engraved with the text: "Brunello Di Montalcino".

Rarity: Very rare. Ciacci Piccolomini only offers the best they have to offer, so if any part of the wine production aspect isn't perfect, they simply don't bottle and sell it.

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($35.00)

Our opinion/history: The Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona wine label is a culmination of several single vineyards. The winery's process is similar to a Burgundian-style single vineyard establishment. One contrast from Burgundy is that Ciacci Piccoliomini also specializes in Olive Oil. Burgundian wineries only offer wine. Ciacci Piccolomini Wines are only made at optimal times. This makes their wine crates fairly sparse, as they don't make wine every year.

This crate was featured in: Biking in Dallas

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Domaine Jacques Prieur

2012-01-25T15:11:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Sub-region: Meursault

Classification: Grand Cru

Production: Varied based on Jacques Prieur single vineyards

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

Crate design: Domaine Jacques Prieur has one of the highest detailed crates in the world. The design with the most detail is the picture of the winery. This is on the long front side of the crate shown above. One short side is also branded.with the Jacques Prieur emblem.

Rarity: Uncommon. Burgundian wine crates in general are alot less common than Bordeaux. Domaine Jacques Prieur as a winery doesn't produce crates for all of their single vineyards, and they don't produce wooden wine crates every year.

Crate designation: Collector's Class ($30.00)

Our opinion/history: The great thing about Jacques Prieur is the detail of their designs. There are a few different styles, but they are all pictures of the same vineyard and chateau.

The winery was established in 1898, so it is still fairly young. The vineyard does however sit on some of the most pure and fertile land in Burgundy, and they've had alot of success in the past 100+ years. They produce a total of 9 Grand Cru class wines and 2 Premier Cru. Each is from a single vineyard from three different sub-regions of Burgundy.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Stag's Leap Pillar Rock

2012-01-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Country: USA

Region: Napa Valley

Sub-region: Stag's Leap District

Classification: Napa Cult

Production: Extremely small. Less than 800 cases per vintage year.

Grape: Over 90% Cabernet Sauvignon

Crate design: Pillar Rock produces a beautifully designed oversized crate. The front of the lid has the Pillar Rock logo, and the other four sides are engraved with the Pillar Rock text. There are also carved handles on the left and right sides. The most attractive part of this crate is the unique foam inserts as shown above.

Rarity: Extremely rare. Pillar Rock has a very small production, and therefore very few crates available.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($150.00)

Our opinion/history: Pillar Rock is currently owned by the founder of Screaming Eagle: Arlie Jean Phillips, who had sold his shares of Screaming Eagle in 2006. It seems that Phillips had sold his shares in Screaming Eagle to "slow down" a bit. There is a strong chance that his aim is to take Pillar Rock and reproduce the effect he had on Screaming Eagle .

I'm guessing that Phillips wasn't too fond of retired life.. I'm very glad he wasn't!

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Chateau Clerc Milon

2012-01-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pauillac

Classification: Fifth Growth, Grand Cru

Production: Varied based on the single vineyard

Grape: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (2%)

Crate design: Clerc Milon has a simple but unique picture of two Renaissance characters dancing. It's not an especially high detail design, but it frequently catches your eye.

Rarity: Uncommon. The Clerc Milon winery doesn't have an especially large production, so there aren't that many crates available per vintage.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($50.00)

Our opinion/history: There has been a great deal of issues that Clerc Milon faced since the beginning of the 19th century. The label was originally created by Jean-Baptiste Clerc; the owner of the land and winery. During this time, Chateau Clerc Milon was placed under the 1855 Classification as a Fifth Growth winery. After that, everything seemed to go down hill..

The winery is a bit of a mystery, as it's been broken up from it's original size, the pieces sold off, and a variety of estate owners purchased plots of what was originally Chateau Clerc Milon. during the entire 20th century, it's not clear exactly what land pieces were originally Clerc Milon lands and which weren't.

Currently, the Chateau Clerc Milon label is owned by the Rothschilds, and they have been able to regain some of the greatness which was once the Clerc Milon label. The mysterious allure of the winery however still remains.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Louis Jadot

2012-01-03T12:55:00.000-08:00

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Sub-region: Beaune

Classification: Grand Cru

Production: Varied based on the single vineyard

Grape: Pinot Noir for Reds

Crate design: The Louis Jadot logo is a very high detail picture. The design is of the ancient Greek "Head of Bacchus", and has become one of the most recognizable aspects of the Louis Jadot label.

Rarity: Uncommon. The Louis Jadot label is comprised of over 100 single vineyards on the same property, and most of these single vineyards have a small prodution. Since the Louis Jadot label is so attractive, most wine collectors who acquire a case of the wine with the crate usually keep the whole package.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($50.00)

Our opinion: Louis Jadot was my first personal favorite. I keep a small collection, and have all the Louis Jadot crates from every single vineyard that produces them. The wines are excellent as well!

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

11 Reasons to Love Paypal

2011-12-30T08:20:00.000-08:00

Safe and secure

· Paypal takes a very pro-active approach to fraud prevention than your bank or credit card. They have many safeguards that prevent unauthorized transactions.

· If you pay for something through Paypal and don’t receive the item you can dispute the charge. Paypal investigates the matter immediately, and refunds quickly.

· In the 8 years we’ve been using Paypal there has never been any major fraud or security issues.

Instantly transfer money to anyone at anytime. Even on your smartphone!

· Paypal allows you to transfer money to anyone in seconds.

Paypal debit allows you to take out cash free of charge at Chase Bank, and allows you to make purchases at brick and morter stores.

Easy online shopping. No need to give out your credit card number!

Cash back at the end of the month

· The business accounts at Paypal give 1% back on all purchases at the end of the month.

All transactions are online and up to the minute. No need for mailed statements

· Sign into your Paypal account to check the most recent transactions when you want. You don’t have to wait for a month-end statement.

Excellent customer service. Very little waiting on the phone

Very inexpensive Merchant solutions for online businesses. I haven’t found anything less expensive

Transactions can be done in multiple currencies, and I don’t believe there is a cost to convert

Easy for tax time. Paypal allows you to print out all your transactions through Excel, and is even compatible with many tax softwares

Lots of apps, tools and charts to simplify your financial life

· There are hundreds of Paypal tools included free with your account.

There are both personal and business accounts, so click the link below to get started with Paypal right now!

https://www.paypal.com/us/mrb/pal=L45APECSWSXQY

A Holiday Moment for the Routine Workaholic

2011-12-23T14:00:00.000-08:00

For a non-workaholic, the holiday season is a time where we're with family. We can reflect on the things we're thankful for and become filled with hope for the coming new year.

The workaholic however, believes in these things and knows they mean something but sadly seem to neglect them. The workaholic always has horse-blinders on.

I am a workaholic.

I walk fast, talk fast, think fast, drive fast and eat fast. Every moment of the day is crucial, and there aren't enough moments in the day. It's all about how many and how much.

Workaholics are always asking questions like: When does this need to go out? When is this coming in? 7 days a week, 24 hours a day; A workaholic's life is lived on a balance sheet.

If it weren't for Facebook I'd forget everyone's birthday including my own. New Year, Thanksgiving and Christmas don't seem to even exist until they arrive, and once they do arrive they're almost painful to deal with.

Why is this?

I beleive it's because of routine.

Routine is my comfort and solace. My Rock of Gibraltar. It's the one thing that allows me to keep going during when times are tough, and the thing that allows me to make deadlines when business is strong. The only problem is when routine becomes addiction.

Like the gambler who finally wins the jackpot and becomes annoyed. All the gambler wants to do is keep the routine. Routine can either be something very good, or something very bad.

I breathe, eat and sleep business. I dream of it, and the only thing I love more than winepine is my wife and family. I just wish my wife and family would believe that! The routine seems to have captured all of my mind, heart and soul.

In a strange set of circumstances, my routine was broken just a few hours ago..

I spoke with a client today about a shipment of crates we're going to deliver to him this Monday (day after Christmas). We had been speaking about the crates for the last two weeks, but he'd been very busy preparing to see his family this Christmas. We worked out the details for the Monday delivery, and in closing he had said: Merry Christmas to you and your family Patrick.

This struck me shortly after we got off the phone. All I had been thinking about was taking care of the shipment. If he'd told me to deliver the crates on Christmas Sunday it would be done. I would've tried to figure out a way to deliver the crates and see my family afterward!

I think I hit rockbottom today.

This month alone i've had an uncle undergoing major surgery, a grandmother undergoing even more major surgery, and the untimely death of a good friend due to cancer. I went to my friend's funeral and was able to forget about business for a few hours. I'm going to see my grandmother today and will again be able to forget about business for a while.

I love my grandmother, uncle and friend, but these "chains of routine" have kept me from truly appreciating the real gifts i've been given. Those priceless gifts that are my family and loved ones.

All of these occurences have made me want to change my relationship to the current routine. At the end of my days i'm willing to bet that I won't be thinking about how much business I did, but rather the moments that actually took my mind off of business. I'm again reminded that those are the only moments that really matter.

Happy Holidays and thank you,

Patrick

What are Wine Crate Inserts?

2011-12-10T21:22:00.000-08:00

We're often asked by first time clients: What are inserts?

Inserts cradle the bottles inside the box or crate. They come in either wood or cardboard. The wooden inserts slide into the inside of the crate. Below is a picture of wooden inserts for a wine crate:

6 bottle crate wooden inserts

The above picture is the inside of a 6 bottle crate with two inserts. The top and bottom inserts slide into the crate because the crate has routed grooves as shoown above. The 4 routed grooves allow the inserts to slide in and out.

When adding 6 bottles to the above crate, you would remove both inserts and place three bottles at the base/bottom of the crate. You would then place the inserts over the three bottles, and then place the remaining three bottles on top of the inserts. All will fir perfectly, and wont move in transit.

Cardboard inserts are a little different, and they're generally used for crates without these routed grooves. The cardboard inserts are crafted in the shape of a wine bottle. Below is a picture of two 6 bottle wine crates with cardboard inserts:

Two 6 bottle crates with cardboard inserts:

Cardboard inserts are both stackable and removable. Each crate above has two sets of the inserts. Not one. There is a top insert and a bottom insert. They are stacked together.

When adding 6 bottles to each of these crates, you would remove the top inserts and place three bottles into each of the bottom inserts. Cardboard inserts are in the shape of bottles so they will all fit snugly.

Once the three bottles are in each crate, you would place the top insert above the bottles and add the remaining bottles to the top insert. The top inserts keep the bottles from touching each other. The inserts act as "pillows" inside the crate.

There are also 12 bottle crates that have cardboard inserts as well:

As you may see, there are two different sizes on the cardboard inserts. This is because the left hand crate is from Bordeaux, and the right hand crate is from Burgundy. The wineries in Bordeaux and in Burgundy often make differently sized bottles.

Below is a picture of a crate with wooden inserts that have been individually wrapped (left), one with cardboard inserts (middle), and one with no inserts (right)

The inside of three 12 bottle crates

The final picture is a flat crate with the inserts inside the crate:

Winter 6 bottle flat crate

This is a flat crate that stores the bottles across from left to right. They aren't stacked like the other ones above.

The inserts in the Winter crate are in 4 different pieces: The top 2 inserts (where the lid is) are both removable as is the bottom 2 inserts (just above the winer logo) and they're both removable as well. There are a total of 4 pieces here, not two. It looks like the inserts are each one piece but they're not.

How you'd add the bottles: Remove the top parts of both inserts and place the bottles on the bottom insert. You would then put the top inserts back above the bottles to secure them in place.

Now the bottles are fully protected in the crate and won't move in transit. Close the lid and they're good to go!

Artistic Origins and Design on Turkovich Wines

2011-10-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

A Unique Family-Owned Business in Winters, California

Written by Lester Neblett, Owner of Artistic Origins and Design

www.artisticoriginsanddesign.com

What makes Turkovich Wines unique? To start with, Turkovich Wines began as a senior project while Chris Turkovich was attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The plan was to build a winery in Yolo County where his family has been farming for three generations. The story has it that getting the plan OK’d by his father was more rigorous than passing the requirements at Cal Poly. Chris graduated in 2006 with a degree in Wine and Viticulture. The winery started in 2007. Today Turkovich Wines grows 8 varietals on 14 acres about 3 miles west of Winters.

There’s more!

Brother Dan also attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, three years behind Chris. Dan graduated in 2009, also with a degree in Wine and Viticulture. However, as a side job, Dan made ice cream and cheese for the creamery on campus. So when Chris had the grand opening for Turkovich Wines, Dan made cheese for the event. The cheese was such a big hit that Dan could start Winters Cheese Company in 2010.

When asked what makes Turkovich Wines and Winters Cheese Company unique, Kristin Pantle, Tasting Room Manager and a member of the Turkovich family, states, “It’s a family owned-business that has pulled together the diverse talent of the family to create something special in Winters.” She shares that the art hanging in the tasting room is done by her Aunt Roseanne and that her father helps out in the bottling room. When asked what products best represent the high standards of the business, Kristin states, “Tempranillo is definitely our most popular varietal. This Spanish varietal grows extremely well in this region. As a result, it is our biggest seller. We also focus on Rhone varietals. They, too, grow well in this area. Our Viognier is our most popular white wine. For our cheeses, people love our spiced cheddars like Sage Cheddar or Tomato-basil cheddar. Caerphilly has been our biggest seller, so much so that we are currently sold out. The taste of this Welch-style cheese is between that of a sharp cheddar and Parmesan. Strong in flavor and packs a big punch!” The tasting room opened January, 2010.

Turkovich Wines and Winters Cheese Company are located at:

304 Railroad Avenue, Winters, CA 95694

Phone (530) 795-3842

Website: turkovichwines.com

Tasting Room Manager: Kristin Pantle - cell 805-895-6462

Visit Winepine at: www.winepine.com

Napa Wooden Wine Box Pictures (Exclusive Class)

2011-10-02T15:57:00.000-07:00

Exclusive Class Wine Box & Crate Pictures

Below are assorted wine boxes and crates from Napa Valley.

Bond 6 Bottle Flat (Slide-Top Lid)

Groth 6 Bottle (Flip-Top Lid)

Harlan Estate 3 Bottle Flat (Slide-Top Lid)

Hundred Acre 3 Bottle Flat (Flip-Top Lid)

Rare Screaming Eagle Double Magnum (Slide-Top Lid)

Rare Silver Oak Double Magnum (Slide-Top Lid)

Sin Que Non "Eleven Confessions" (Standard Lid)

Winter 6 Bottle Flat (Flip-Top Lid)

Axios 6 Bottle (Flip-Top Lid)

Rare Chaleur Estates 12 Bottle (Standard Lid)

Cakebread Cellars 6 Bottle (Slide-Top Lid)

Far Niente 12 Bottle (Standard Lid)

Mount Veeder 6 Bottle (Flip-Top Lid)

Maya 3 Bottle (Flip-Top Lid)

Visit Winepine at: www.winepine.com

Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Lafite Rothschild

2011-09-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pauillac

Classification: First Growth

Production: Approx. 20,000 cases per year

Grape: Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. The varietal percentages change a bit from vintage to vintage.

Crate design: Chateau Lafite Rothschild has the largest case production of all of the First Growth's; so it's not uncommon to acquire a 6 bottle crate, single bottle crate or 3 double-magnum crate when purchasing at private auction. The most common crate size still remains the 12 bottle size. The Lafite Rothschild logo and artwork is highly recognizable, and many wineries near Pauillac often mimic it on their crates.

Rarity: Very rare. Although many Lafite crates are produced every year, wealthy collector's and wine investors almost always store their original Lafite Rothschild wines in the original crate.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class First Growth ($100.00)

Our opinion: Chateaue Lafite Rothschild is known as the "King's Winery", and is considered the most regal First Growth. Lafite Rotshchild has been linked to wealth and high society for nearly a thousand years. Even today, the wealthiest men in the world seem to enjoy Lafite Rothschild more than any other wine.

Case in point: The Russian billionaire: Mikhail Prokhorov, had invited 60 minutes to his lavish home for dinner. The only wine served during all 7 courses was a variety of different vintage Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Haut-Brion

2011-09-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Chateau Haut-Brion:

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pessac-Leognan

Classification: First Growth

Production: 9,000 - 14,000 cases per year

Grape: 90% Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 10% split between Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Crate design: Haut-Brion has the most unique sized crate of all the Bordeaux wineries. It's very thick and chunky piece, similar to a 6 bottle flat but about twice the height. The inserts of an Haut-Brion crate are very attractive and can be removed very easily. Chateau Haut-Brion has the most simple design logo of the growths but it's highly recognized.

Rarity: Extremely rare. Haut-Brion produces the lowest amount of crates amongst the 1st Growths.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class First Growth ($100.00)

Our opinion: The Pessac Leognan region traces land cultivation for wine back to before Jesus Christ. Once the Roman Empire established a vineyard on what's known as Chateau Haut-Brion, they realized there had been grape cultivation for wine centuries before.

Although Haut-Brion has a great deal of historical significance, it's had a great many problems with it's various owners. Chateau Haut-Brion is owned by the Clarence Dillon Family Corporation, and it was purchased by the American buisnessman Clarence Dillon in 1935. It's one of the few Bordeaux wineries owned by an American.

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Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Latour

2011-09-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Chateau Latour:

*A very rare Chateau Latour 3 bottle crate

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pauillac

Classification: First Growth

Production: 16,000 - 20,000 cases per year

Grape: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Crate design: Chateau Latour has the very ancient logo of the "Lionness of France" standing above Fort Castillon.

Rarity: Extremely rare. We have a great difficulty acquiring Latour crates. Although Latour produces the most cases amongst the other 4 First Growth's, they are the most sought after by major wine investors and collector's.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class First Growth ($100.00)

Our opinion: Chateau Latour has the most well-known historical story of all the First Growth's. The Latour logo is based on the legend of St. Joan of Arc. During the Hundred Year War between France and Britain, the Castillon fort was the last bastion of France's defense force. Joan of Arc stood atop the Castillon fort with her battlecry, and was able to break the lines of the British singlehandedly. This is how she became known as the "Lioness of France".

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4 Unique Wine Panel Projects

2011-08-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Below are four different styles of wooden wine panel projects. Each one is unique, and this is an excellent guide for your interior decorator, contractor or architect. We generally recommend working with a professional when installing wine panels.

All-Collector's:

Grapes the Wine Company rare wines vault

This is a fairly uncomplicated type of wine panel project, as it requires minimal cutting and no major design plan needed

Space requirments: The All-Collector's strategy is ideal for walls, ceilings or floors that are perfectly square and clear.

Tools needed: Notched trowl and canned liquid nails

(Recommended): Chopsaw and ruler

Level of difficulty: (Scale of 1-5 with 5 being hardest): 2

How to do it:

Measure out the space and determine the square footage. Each Collector's panel is approx. 12" X 6", so 2 panels covers one square foot. We can trim them down for you if they are slightly larger, or you can do this yourself with a chopsaw. Call us and let us know what the square footage is. We can then work together and plan out which panels to work with based on your preferences.

Once the panels arrive, decide how your going to lay them out on the space. Take the notched trowl and add the liquid nails to it. Apply the liquid nails evenly accross the back of the first panel. Attach the first panel to the wall. Repeat this process until all of the panels are on the wall.

Additional information: In a perfect world, all of the panels will fit perfectly on the space. This isn't always the case. If you come to the end of the space and there isn't enough room for the last panel, simply take your ruler and measure out the last panel vs. how much room is left on the space. The chopsaw can trim that remaining portion from the panel to make it fit perfectly. Always use the maximum protection when using a chopsaw. We always prefer when a client works with a professional contractor when installing wine panels. It's a very quick and easy job for a professional.

Varnish, stain or polyurethane: Wine panels can be easily finished. We prepare all of our panels for a first coat of finish before they arrive to your project. We don't finish them, as we've found that clients often prefer to finish them on the job. There are many different stains that can be used to compliment the overall decor. Choose one that fits you best.

Polyurethane or varnish can be applied to to give them a glass-like finish. You can either apply the stain or varnish when all of the panels are attached, or individually finish them before they go up. The best way is to apply the finish to them individually, but it's also the most time consuming. Applying the finish after the project is done is the fastest way to complete the project.

Another advantage to individually varnishing each panel is that it seals them, and protects the panels from moisture.

Montage:

Ritz Carlton Penthouse, Dallas TX

A wine panel montage is definitely the most difficult project. We highly recommend an interior designer, contractor and possibly an architect.

Space requirments: A montage can be done in any space. If your planning to do a montage as a floor project, we recommend using a planer to make sure the panels are exactly the same thickness.

Tools needed: Blueprint or plan of action, notched trowl, canned liquid nails, chop or tablesaw.

(Recommended): Planer and ruler

Level of difficulty: (Scale of 1-5 with 5 being hardest): 5

How to do it: Every montage project is completely unique. This is something that needs a professional or two.

Additional information: If you want to do this yourself, you should ideally have some experinece with blueprints and woodworking. This type of project has all kinds of panels mixed together. There will be many different types and sizes. It will be easy to get lost without a plan.

Varnish, stain or polyurethane: Same as above

3D Effect:

Peconic Bay Winery staircase leading to wine vault

This type of project is similar in difficulty to All-Collector's, but it is somewhat more involved.

Space requirments: Wall or ceiling.

Tools needed: Blueprint or plan of action, notched trowl, canned liquid nails, chop or tablesaw.

(Recommended): Planer and ruler

Level of difficulty: (Scale of 1-5 with 5 being hardest): 3

How to do it: The difference between 3D and All-Collector's is that the 3D adds thicker panels to the design. Many panels from Napa Valley such as Dominus and Bond are approx. 3/4" thick. Most Bordeaux panels are approx. 3/8" thick.

This is a highly artistic and visual strategy. There is no one way to make this work. A plan is helpful for maximum results. You would want to place the thicker panels in areas that would add to the 3D effect. Too many thick panels in one place may flaw the design from a visual perspective. There also may be some panels that need thicknesses reduced with a planer.

The best way to begin would be to add tape to the back of each panel, and temporarily affix the panels to the wall one at a time. This will give a great idea as to how the project will come out. You can always move the panels around based on preference.

Additional information: As a DIY project it is doable, but we always recommend a professional. This type of project is fairly uncomplicated for a woodworker or contractor. It wouldn't hurt to hire an interior designer at least for a consult.

Varnish, stain or polyurethane: Same as the previous projects.

The Outlay Effect:

Davanti Enoteca Wine Bar, Chicago, IL

The Outlay Effect is a little bit harder than it looks. The concept is to install the first set of panels to cover the wall, and then mix other panels on top of the first set.

Space requirments: Wall or ceiling.

Tools needed: Blueprint or plan of action, nail gun or notched trowl with canned liquid nails;

(Recommended): Chop or tablesaw

Level of difficulty: (Scale of 1-5 with 5 being hardest): 4

How to do it: Davanti Enoteca is a fine Italian restaurant with several restaurants all over the US. The management team of Davanti invented The Outlayed Effect.

How they approached the project can be found in the "Look: Chicago" magazine. The starting process is similar to All-Collector's, but the issues begin once your ready to apply the next set of panels above the first. The best results of this strategy come when your able to place the second set of panels above the first, without covering up the first set's logos. The next step is even more complicated, because now you place a third set of panels above the first and second set!

Additional information: I would recommend working with a professional on a project such as this. It's possible to do this yourself, but this type of project is bound to have unforseen complications.

Varnish, stain or polyurethane: Same as the previous projects.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Margaux

2011-08-22T20:13:00.000-07:00

Chateau Margaux:

*Chateau Margaux and Second Label; Pavillon Blanc

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Margaux

Classification: First Growth

Production: 10,000 - 12,000 cases per year

Grape: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot

Crate design: The Margaux design is based on the majestic and famous Chateau built by Marquis De Colonilla in the early 1800's.

Rarity: Very rare. Approx. 12,000 cases of Margaux are produced per vintage. Most of these cases are held in France, and the remaining amount are fought over in the futures market or at auction. Margaux is widely considered as possibly the finest in all of the First Growths.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class First Growth ($100.00)

Our opinion: Chateau Margaux is definitely the most consistent of the First Growth wineries as far as production goes. You can be fairly confident that any bottle from any vintage year is going to be out of this world.

The Margaux label is also very consistent. The same picture of the famous Margaux Chateau is on both the First Growth crate as well as the Second Label: Pavillon Rouge.

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Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Mouton Rothschild

2011-08-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

Chateau Mouton Rothschild:

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pauillac

Classification: First Growth

Production: 15,000 - 18,000 cases per year

Grape: Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a mix of Merlot and Petit Verdot

Crate design: The Mouton Rothschild label has remained the same for nearly 100 years, but every year the same design is changed slightly by a famous artist. The design is a highly detailed and world reknowned cote of arms.

Rarity: Very rare. Approx. 17,000 cases of Mouton Rothschild are produced per vintage. Almost half of those cases remain in France. The remaining 7 - 8 thousand are shipped to every other country. Many of the cases that reach the US have already been purchased in future or at auction.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class First Growth ($100.00)

Our opinion: One of my personal favorites. I love how the Mouton Rothschild label changes every year. It really adds alot of character to their crates.

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Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Domaine Romanee Conti

2011-08-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

Domaine Romanee Conti:

Country: France

Region: Burgundy

Sub-region: Cote D'or

Classification: Arguably the best winery in the world

Production: 6 single vineyards producing a total of approx. 8,000 cases a year.

Grape: Over 95% pure Pinot Noir in 5 of the 6 single vineyards. Montrachet produces Chardonnay

Crate design: Domaine Romanee Conti (DRC) has one of the most recognized labels among wine enthusiasts, collectors and investors. The crate's picture has a picture of the very old chateau, vineyard and cross.

Rarity: Extremely rare. Domaine Romanee Conti is one of the most expensive wines in the world with a tiny production. Investors generally purchase DRC futures way in advance of release. It is considered a "blue chip" investment in wine.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($150.00)

Our opinion: We generally have 1-2 DRC crates in stock at any time. Out of approx. 10,000 crates we acquire, 1-2 of these crates are from Domaine Romanee. Domaine Romanee Conti crates are usually branded on all four sides, but the major artwork is only on the front side. The single vineyard is displayed on the majority of DRC crates. Below is a list of the single vineyards of Domaine Romanee Conti:

Echezeaux

Grand Echezeaux

La Tache

Richebourg

Romanee St. Vivant

Montrachet

and

Assorted - Assorted is not a single vineyard, but the Domaine Romanee Conti vineyard produces several cases with 2 bottles of each single vineyard wine in a crate. They are one of the few wineries that does this.

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The 7 Types of Wooden Wine Panels

2011-08-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Wine panels are the engraved sides of a wooden wine crate or box. The majority of wine panels have unique designs and logos from the winery that made them.

There are 6 types of wine panels broken up into four catagories:

Classic Panels:

1. Chateau and Estate:

This panel type comes from the long side of some 12 bottle wine crates Bordeaux crates. Most Bordeaux 12 bottle crates are 19 1/2" L X 13" W X 7" H. The Chateau & Estate panels come from the 19 1/2" side. The average dimensions of Chateau & Estate panels is 19" L X 6 1/2" H. The average thickness of Chateau and Estate panels is 1/4" - 3/8".

Chateau and Estate panels are engraved with just winery lettering. They have no designs or artwork. They generally compliment a nice French Provincial style design, or can be filled in with other types of panels to cover a space.

Several different Chateau and Estate panels

2. Winery Branded:

Winery Branded panels are similar to Chateau & Estate, but they are from the 13" side not the 19 1/2" side. They are nearly half the size of Chateau & Estate, and also have just engraved winery lettering with no artwork. The average dimensions of winery branded panels is 12" L X 6 1/2" H. The average thickness is 3/8".

Assorted winery branded panels

3. Border Panels:

The border panels are from 3 or 6 bottle flat crates, so their dimensions can vary quite a bit. These types of panels are excellent as a trim around the tops and bottoms of a wall because they are long and thin. Dimensions can be anywhere between 10" L X 4" H and 19" L X 6" H. Thicknesses range from 1/4" - 3/4" depending on the winery. The size difference in dimensions is because the shorter sides of a flat crate are smaller than the longer ones. A perfect example is below:

Chatea Pape Clement flat 6 bottle crate

As you can see, the Bernard Magrez side is twice as long as the Pape Clement side. What we do is prepare the crate to a smooth texture, dismantle the piece, and both of these sides become border panels similar to the picture below:

Border panels from Portugal, Italy, Burgundy and California

4. Collector's Panels:

This panel type is our best seller. The majority of Collector's panels come from the from the front (13" side) of a Bordeaux, Italian, Spanish, Portugal or California wine crate. They have beautiful designs and artwork, and each one is unique. The average size of a Collector's panel is: 12" L X 6 1/2" H. The average thickness of Bordeaux panels is 3/8"

A variety of Collector's panels from Bordeaux

5. Large Collector's Panels:

This is a rare type of panel. Most wine crates are only branded on the front short side. Large Collector's panels have the artwork on the long (19" side). The engraved branding on these is much larger than the regular Collector's panels because they are almost twice as long. The average dimensions of a Large Collector's panel is 19" X 6 1/2" H with an average of 3/8" thickness. Some may be larger or slightly smaller.

There are crates such as a 6 bottle magnum or 24 1/2 bottle crates, where the Large Collector's panel is considerably larger or taller in some cases.

Assortment of Large Collector's panels from Bordeaux, Rhone and Burgundy, France

6. First Growth Panels:

The five First Growth's of Bordeaux are: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion. These are extremely rare wines, and the panels are highly sought after.

7. Exclusive Class

The Exclusive Class are the most rare and highly detailed wine panels in the world. The crown jewel of Exclusive Class is a Domaine Romanee Conti (DRC), which is the most expensive and arguably the best wine in the world. DRC is from Burgundy, so each of the DRC wines come from single vineyards. The vast majority of DRC wines from any single vineyard are sold on the futures market well before they go to retail. This is one reason that the panel is so difficult to acquire. The private investor almost always retains the original crate with their purchase. A picture of a DRC crate is below (DRC crate not panel. The panel is displayed in front):

1988 DRC Richebourg 12 bottle wine crate

Other examples of rare Exclusive Class panels are (These pictures are of the crates not the panel. These crates are from our reserve collection, and they will not be dismantled unless purchased and requested):

Screaming Eagle

Very rare Silver Oak double magnum

Nickel and Nickel 6 bottle crate

Harlan Estate "The Maiden" 3 bottle crate

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The 7 Most Popular Wine Crate Sizes List

2011-08-03T19:23:00.000-07:00

The advent of wine crates began mankind's attempt at mass advertising, and they are the first product packaging method made for the consumer. Thousands of years later they are still crafted for this purpose.

There are 7 main sizes for wine crates. The list is from most popular to most rare:

12 bottle wine crates:

Most commonly made by: Bordeaux wineries

Average dimensions: 19 1/2" L X 13" W X 7" H

Additional details: 12 bottle crates are made to hold (12) 750 ML wine bottles. They are mostly branded on the front sides (the 13" W part). Many of the logo designs of Bordeaux crates are timeless and highly artistic. Below is the front branded side of a 12 bottle wine crate:

Below is the inside of a 12 bottle wine crate. The dividers inside the crate are called inserts and they are designed to keep the bottles inside the crate secure. Inserts are made with either wood or cardboard. The inserts in the below picture are cardboard:

6 bottle wine crates:

Most commonly made by: Italian, Spanish and Californian wineries

Average dimensions: 13" L X 11" W X 7" H - These sizes often vary

Additional details: 6 bottle crates are made to hold (6) 750 ML wine bottles. They are mostly branded on both the front and back sides (the 13" L parts). Italian wineries tend to have a more "old world look" whereas Californian and Spanish crates tend to be more moden looking. Below are three 6 bottle crates for your review:

ZD Wines 6 bottle crate from Napa Valley, California

Sassicaia 6 bottle crate from Tuscany, Italy

Numanthia El Toro 6 bottle crate from Spain

Single bottle crates:

Most commonly made by: Italian wineries

Average dimensions: Varied based on bottle size

Additional details: There are a variety of different single bottle crates. The most common are:

Single (750 ML): 13" L X 4" W X 4" H

Magnum (1500 ML): 15" L X 5" W X 5" H

Double magnum (3000 ML): 19 1/2" L X 6" W X 6" H

Imperial (6000 ML): 21 1/2" L X 7" W X 7" H - *These are the gigantic bottles you may see in the window of a fine wine store.

These types of crates come in a variety of styles such as slide-top and flip-top lids. They are usually branded on multiple sides, and their sizes often vary based on the winery. Below are a few pictures of single bottle crates:

Magnum crates:

Double magnum (Very rare Screaming Eagle):

Imperial (Very rare Chateau Petrus):

6 bottle flat crates:

Most commonly made by: Italian and Californian wineries

Average dimensions: 20" L X 13" W X 4" H

Additional details: Flat crates are generally made to hold 6 bottles across the crate, not three on top of three like regular 6 bottle crates. Flat crates are almost twice the size length-wise of regular 6 bottle crates, but they are about half as tall.

Most flat crates are often engraved on multiple sides, with very high detail designs on the lid.

Opus One flat 6 bottle crate:

Winter 6 bottle flat crate:

3 bottle crates:

Most commonly made by: Californian wineries

Average dimensions: 14" L X 4" W X 4" H

Additional details: 3 bottle crates are generally made to be gift box/artwork/wine crates wrapped into one. One of my favorite 3 bottle crate is the Hundred Acre by Kayli Morgan:

Hundred Acre 3 bottle crate

Colgin 3 bottle crate:

The Hundred Acre is very thick and heavy. It has dovetailed corners and is engraved on all four sides, as well as on both sides of the lid. The top of the inserts are engraved as well!

The Colgin is engraved on all four sides and both sides of the lid as well.

6 bottle magnum crate:

Most commonly made by: Bordeaux wineries

Average dimensions: 15" L X 14" W X 9" H

Additional details: 6 bottle magnums are in the shape of a square. They are crafted to hold (6) magnum sized bottles. They are usually engraved on one side, but the engraving is especially large in comparison to a regular 12 bottle crate. Most wineries only make a few hundred of these at best per vintage year so they are quite rare.

Chateau La Fleur 6 bottle magnum crate:

Rol Valentin and Chateau Monbousquet 6 bottle magnum crates; one on top of the other:

24 1/2 bottle crates:

Most commonly made by: Bordeaux wineries

Average dimensions: 22" L X 10 1/2" W X 9" H

Additional details: This is the rarest crate type because most wineries don't produce 1/2 bottles every year. When they do it's for only a few dozen cases.

Half bottles are named as such because they are 375 ML. This is "half" the size of a regular 750 ML bottle which is the most common. This crate type holds a total of 24 half bottles.

24 1/2 bottle crates are very long and tall, but are thinner than any other type of crate because the bottles are shorter. Also, their wooden inserts come in sets of 8 so they are a little more difficult to manage. 24 1/2 bottle logo designs are however very large so this makes up for it a bit.

Chateau D'escurac and Chateau Senejac 24 1/2 bottle crates; one on top of the other

What do you think? Any questions? Please let me know

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Wood Wine Crate & Box Profiles: Chateau Petrus

2011-07-30T18:24:00.000-07:00

Chateau Petrus:

Country: France

Region: Bordeaux

Sub-region: Pomerol

Classification: Premier Grand Cru, unofficial First Growth
Production: 3,000 - 4,000 cases made every year.

Grape: Over 90% Merlot

Crate design: The Petrus label has beautifully detailed artwork, and is highly recognizable. The deeply engraved design is of two keys behind the Petrus scroll.

Rarity: Extremely rare. Petrus is one of the most expensive wines in the world with a very small production. Petrus is in high demand, and the majority of investors and private collectors who purchase full cases will almost always store the wine in the crate.

Crate designation: Exclusive Class ($150.00)

Our opinion: We generally have 1-2 Petrus crates in stock at any time. Out of approx. 1,000 crates we acquire, 1-2 of these crates are from Chateau Petrus. Petrus crates are usually branded on all four sides, but the major artwork is only on the front side.

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Bordeaux vs. Burgundy

2011-07-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

Burgundy

Burgundian wineries are slightly different than wineries in Bordeaux as they grow their wines in single vineyards. Single vineyards are individual parcels of land inside of the winery's property. Each parcel produces a different type of wine that may contain different grapes, varietals or mixtures than the others, but will still carry the name of the winery on it's label.

Speaking of labels, it's very common for wine crates from Burgundy to brand their logo on the long side of the crate instead of the short side. In some cases, all four sides of Burgundy crates are branded. Most Burgundy crates are also slightly larger than Bordeaux crates. The average size of a Burgundy crate is: 20 1/2" L X 13" W X 7" H, which is approx. 1" longer than a Bordeaux crate. Below is a picture of a Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils crate. Definitely one of my favorites..

Going back to single vineyards, A perfect example of this winemaking method is Domaine Romanee Conti or DRC for short.

DRC is widely considered the best of Burgundy, and produces some of the most expensive wines in the world. In less than 50 acres, DRC holds 6 major single vineyards:

Richebourg
Grand Echezeaux
Romanee St. Vivant
Echezeaux
Montrachet
La Tache

The specialty of DRC is Pinot Noir.

Wine crates and boxes from DRC are incredibly rare, because the vast majority of collectors hold onto them if they're lucky enough to acquire a full case. DRC as a wine investment tends to be a good bet. The full collection of a DRC wine case with the original crate increases the yield of the investment down the road.

The design of a DRC crate is beautiful and distinctive. Below is a picture of one:

Burgundy as a region is complex and very old. It is said that Burgundy is the final destination of the true wine enthusiast. Even though I personally prefer Burgundy wines from all others, I still think there are a great many Bordeaux wineries that produce spectacular wines.

Before we get into Bordeaux, below are a few points on how to distinguish a wine bottle or crate from Burgundy or Bordeaux:

Domaine refers to Burgundy whereas Chateau refers generally to Bordeaux
Burgundy crates/bottles will show the winery and the single vineyard. Bordeaux crates/bottles will show the winery and sub-region such as St. Emilion, Medoc etc.
Your much more likely to see a Bordeaux crate than a Burgundy. Crates from Burgundy are fairly uncommon.
Burgundy focuses much more on wines that should be "put down" to drink in many years down the road. Many Bordeaux wineries craft wines to be put down as well, but Burgundy is much more known for this.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux generally produces the same wine from one vineyard. A unique aspect of Bordeaux is that many produce Second Labels which are the "run-off juices" of the First Label. This means that the Second Label will most likely have the same grapes, mixture etc. of the first, but it will be the second best juice. Some examples of famous Second Labels are: La Dame Montrose (First Label: Chateau Montrose), La Mission Haut-Brion (First Label: Haut-Brion) and Pavillon Rouge Margaux (First Label: Chateau Margaux).

Bordeaux as a region is broken down into sub-regions. If Bordeaux is a state, than the sub-regions could be considered it's cities. The major wine making sub-regions of Bordeaux are:

Left Bank:

St. Emilion
St. Estephe
Pauillac
St. Julien
Margaux
Medoc

*Left bank wine crate & Second Label:

Right Bank:

Pomerol
St. Emilion
Cotes De Bourg

*Right bank wine crate:

Graves:

Pessac Leognan
Sauternes

*Graves wine crate: The king of Sauternes:

There are others, but for simplicity I went with the ones that produce wine crates for their wines.

There is much more wine production in Bordeaux than there is in Burgundy. This is why you'll see more crates from Bordeaux. Most wine enthusiasts tend to purchase Bordeaux over Burgundy for a few reasons:

Bordeaux is fairly simple wheras Burgundy can be quite complex
Burgundy mostly produces wines for the future. Many Bordeaux's can be consumed immediately.
Burgundy wines tend to be much less available and alot more expensive
Bordeaux is much more publicized than Burgundy.

From a wine crate perspective one has to take a look at the facts:

Burgundy Pros:

More rare than Bordeaux
Mostly have long side brandings with larger designs than Bordeaux
Generally have very unique and high detail designs on multiple sides
Slightly larger than Bordeaux crates

Burgundy Cons:

More rare means less available and more expensive
Not as generally recognizable than wineries from Bordeaux
Much smaller selection
Burgundy crates can vary a bit from winery to winery, so not all Burgundy bottles can fit in a Burgundy crate.

Bordeaux Pros:

Most Bordeaux crates are identical in size making them easy to work with
There is a much large selection of unique Bordeaux wine crates than Burgundy
More affordable because there are more available
The vast majority of Bordeaux bottles can fit in any Bordeaux crate

Bordeaux Cons:

Bordeaux crates typically only have one branding on the short front side
Although every wine crate is unique, Wine crates from Bordeaux are not as rare as Burgundy. You may find that your friend has a wine crate from the same Bordeaux winery you do.

Who wins? At the end of the day it's a matter of preference. Personally I am extremely fond of Burgundy all-around. However, Ill be hard pressed to turn down a finely crafted Bordeaux wine at any time of year.

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Which Wine Crate is Right For You?

2011-07-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

I've noticed throughout the years that different people like different wines, but they also have specific tastes for wine crates as well.

Some people like Bordeaux and others prefer Italy. Below is a general case study of the types of people who prefer crates from certain countries:

Bordeaux:

Bordeaux crates are usually a good match for someone who is a perfectionist, and likes the finer things in life. Bordeaux has been making wines for thousands of years, and it’s known for capturing the hearts of many.

Burgundy:

Crates from Burgundy are generally best for true wine enthusiasts. It’s said that you start your wine journey in Napa Valley and end up in Burgundy. This isn’t always true as there are a great many connoisseurs that swear by Napa Valley wines. Nevertheless, Burgundy as a region arguably makes the best wines in the world.

Spain:

If you’re a fan of the beach, summer and a more relaxed atmosphere you’ll most likely appreciate a crate from Spain. Spanish whites such as Cava are the perfect summer wine. Crates from Spain are simple with nice detail and logo designs.

Italy:

Big, hearty Barolo and complex wines from Tuscany are brilliantly complimented with a crate from Italy. The issue with Italian wines: Once you fall in love with Italy you usually stay there. Italy is the only country that has been making wines longer than Bordeaux.

United States (Napa, Oregon, Washington etc.)

Wine crates from the United States are modern showpieces with rich artwork and incredibly unique designs. Wineries in the US aren’t held to the strict standards of Bordeaux. Anything goes here!

I consider myself somewhat of a traditionalist when it comes to wine, but I must say that crates from Napa are gorgeous..

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Why Wine Crates Aren't Free

2011-07-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Wine crates are tough to get. There are a few blogs out there of people getting crates at a very low cost. I’m sure if you dedicate enough time and effort it’s possible to get anything on the cheap. The challenge is to find someone that’s willing to give you something of value for virtually nothing in return. How often does this happen?

The best place to find wine crates are wine shops offering extremely expensive wines. Wine crates house bottles of wine that cost anywhere between $100 - $10,000 a piece. You can imagine that a wine shop wont give away their prized wine crates. High-end wine stores are usually found only in metropolitan areas. If you don’t live in a metro area, finding a wine crate is mission impossible.

Fine wine shops offer hundreds of different wines. Not all wineries produce crates for their wines.

Fact: only 5% of wineries worldwide actually make wine crates to package their wines. The rest use cardboard boxes.

If you want to find a wine crate at a very low cost, your best bet is to start going to fine wine shops and asking for one. Below are the most common responses to this question:

· Wineries stopped making crates. Everything’s in cardboard boxes

· No, we don’t have any

· We use the crates for display

· Let me check in the back….Sorry, we don’t have any

· We don’t. Check back in a few months

Wine shops say these things because they sell wine. Not wine crates.

If you’re able to acquire a wine crate locally, it will most likely be in poor condition. Wine shops know that crates are perfect wine showpieces and they keep them for themselves. Everyone else gets what the shop doesn't want if their lucky. Wine crates have beautiful artwork and are quite rare.

We work with thousands of wine crates every year. Below are the statistics of how they arrive to us:

· 40% are unusable and need to be re-purposed altogether

· 40% are in decent condition but need a lot of repair

· 15% are in good shape but need some repair

· 5% are in excellent condition and need little repair

Most of our clients are very busy people, and don’t have time to travel for miles to dozens of wine shops hoping to find a crate in good condition. This is why they purchase them from a specialist such as winepine.

Case in point: Let’s say you’re able to get a crate or two. There’s a strong chance the crate will have: Stickers, tape, magic marker numbering, damaged sides or bottoms, scuffs etc.

These imperfections need to be removed to make the crate look it's best. If you wanted to finish the crate, the imperfections must be removed. This takes a great deal of time. Wouldn’t you rather just start the project and let a professional do the prep work?

When you visit a wine crate specialist such as winepine, this will no longer be a problem. All of our crates are in excellent condition. Each one is inspected multiple times for imperfections. Our clients receive the best every single time. We guarantee this.

We not only provide the best wine crates, we also prepare them for finish. Each crate is gently sanded by hand two times. We sand with 60 grit to remove splinters, markings etc., and 220 grit for a smooth texture. The crate is ready for a first coat of stain or polyurethane if desired. Before the crate is shipped it's made whole with a lid, inserts and individual wrapping. We ship via FedEx, and the crate(s) are delivered to your door quickly. The process is easy and headache-free. Once it arrives your ready to start the project!

Visit us at www.winepine.com and call us to discuss your unique wine-themed project. Our customer service is friendly, highly personalized and quick to find solutions.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

8 Easy DIY Wine Crate Projects

2011-07-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

Wine crates are classy, eye-catching and highly durable. Below are several easy interior decorating projects to do with wine crates:

Wine crate garden planter:

Spruce up your garden with wine crates! Wine crates make excellent planters and are easy to weather proof.

Below is a great blog to show you how:

http://heart-of-light.blogspot.com/2009/03/planter-solution-repurposed-wine-crates.html

Simple wine crate wallshelf:

Easy 1-2-3 job to add a wine-themed twist to your wall décor. All you need is a drill, 4 nails, a level and a friend to make it easier. A stud finder or anchors may not hurt either, but unless very heavy things will be in the crate it may not be necessary.

Have the friend hold the base of the crate against the wall you want to place the crate. Use the level to make sure the crate is level. Drill the four nails on each corner of the crate. Your done!

Below is a picture of how it can look in a kitchen:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/wine-box-shelving-projects.html

Wine crate floral arrangements:

It’s very common to see these pieces at a wedding with a wine theme. Below is from Design Sponge displaying the how-to on this lovely craft:

http://www.designsponge.com/2011/03/we-like-it-wild-san-francisco-flower-garden-show.html

Wine crate bunk bed for cats:

Most cats like to be on top of the situation, so this bunk bed made of wine crates is perfect for your fancy felines.

http://www.shelterrific.com/2011/02/17/steal-this-idea-wine-crate-cat-bunk-bed/

Wine cellar decoration:

Wine crates compliment wine cellars perfectly, and can fill in some of the space gaps you may have. The best part is they are made to store wine as well! Check out the winepine client project for more pictures..

http://www.winepine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=211

Under the bed storage:

At 7” tall, wine crates fit perfectly under most beds. They are large, highly durable and excellent to store a variety of items in.

Stand alone wine crate storage shelves:

This one requires a little more time and skill but it’s definitely worth it. It only requires some crates and metal brackets. The Pretty Neat Organizer tells all:

http://goodlookingthings.blogspot.com/2011/06/wine-crate-shelves.html

Wine Crate Book Shelves:

Wine crates fit records, CD's and books very well. Below is a step-by-step guide on making a custom wine crate bookshelf.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Wine-Crate-Bookshelf/

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

The 5 First Growth Wine Crates

2011-07-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

First Growth Wine Crates:

The classification of First Growth was created by Napoleon III in 1855. Napoleon III was the nephew of the famous French ruler Napoleon I.

There are 5 official First Growth wineries, and one unofficial and controversial First Growth (Chateau Petrus)

Chateau Mouton Rothschild wine Crate (12 Bottle Size):

Every year, Mouton Rothschild presents one famous French artist with the opportunity to slightly re-design the reknowned Mouton label. This practice has been a tradition since 1924. The French artist asked to perform the re-design consider this a grand honor.

List of artists that re-designed the Mouton Rothschild label:

http://www.theartistlabels.com/

Lafite Rothschild wine crate (6 Bottle size):

The Rothschild family vineyards span worldwide, and Lafite Rothschild is the "First of the First Growth's"

Mouton and Lafite Rothschild are both owned by the Rothschild family but even though each is a First Gowth, Lafite Rothschild is considered somewhat more of the "greater brand"

Chateau Margaux wine crate (12 bottle size):

Margaux is considered by many as the best Bordeaux winemaker in the world. The history of the vineyard dates back to the late 11th century, and the logo is a picture of the Marquis De Colonia estate built in the early 1800's. The estate still stands today.

Chateau Latour wine crate (12 bottle size):

Chateau Latour stands on a major historical site known as Orleans during the Hundred Year War with Britain in the 12th century. The Latour tower was part of a protective wall, and it is said that Joan of Arc defeated the entire British army from this tower. The Latour design was made in honor of her as the "Lionness of Orleans"

Chateau Haut-Brion wine crate (12 bottle size):

Chateau Haut-Brion crates are crafted differently than the other 4 First Growths'. The crates are thicker yet shorter, but are nearly the same in length. The inside of the crate has inserts similar to a honeycomb style and are quite unique.

Chateau Petrus wine crate (6 bottle size):

The unofficial First Growth; Chateau Petrus produces the most expensive wines in Bordeaux. There are wine enthusiasts who believe that Chateau Petrus is the best in the world. There are others that believe the wine is overrated, and it's simply a status symbol to drink. In any event, every wine enthusiast in the world is very familiar with the Petrus label.

First Growth crates are very rare and difficult to obtain. Approx. 1 out of 100 crates we acquire are from a First Growth winery.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

A Collection of Custom Wine Crates

2011-06-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

Original wine crates are excellent as authentic, wine-themed interior decorations; but they (ironically) may not always be ideal for storing wines. This is especially the case when you try to place wines from Napa Valley inside of a Bordeaux crate.

Napa Valley makes wine bottles in different shapes and sizes, so they may not fit perfectly inside of a wine crate made for a specific shape and size. Unfortunately, a Napa bottle that is 1/4" of an inch larger than a Bordeaux bottle could prevent that Napa bottle from fitting inside of a Bordeaux wine crate.

It's because of this that we started making custom, personalized crates for our clients:

The above picture is a custom-made crate for Time Warner. The crate was then given to it's clients as part of a gift set.

We also are able to make standard wine crates as well. Below is a custom made 12 bottle crate made for Stonefire breads:

This is a very unique crate because it keeps the rustic charm of an original with the addition of brass handles on both short sides. The plan was to make a wine crate into a vintage bread box.

There are also different lid types that a wine crate can have. Below are some examples:

Standard (Lid sits atop the crate without being attached):

Slide-top (Lid slides out from one side):

Hinged (Lid flips upward and has latches on the back side):

Each style of lid is genuine to the way wineries make their crates, but the cusomization options don't end there..

We offer the highest level of quality and service available. The wood we work with is artisan-class, and it is a nearly perfect pine. We hand-pick our wood pieces, prepare the wood with two seperate applications of sanding and ensure that each of our pieces are durable enough to last for a lifetime.

We also offer a suite of creative services to deliver solutions. If you have a logo or design, send it to us via e-mail. We will take that logo/design and engrave it on the same wood we would use for your crate. Once the proof is done we will e-mail you a picture. Work begins only after your approval of the proof.

If you need help designing a logo, or aren't sure of the type or size you need, it's no problem. We will work with you from A-Z. We guarantee your satisfaction.

Visit us at: www.winepine.com

All About Wooden Wine Crates (OWC's)

2011-06-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

Original wooden wine boxes and wine crates (OWC's) are made by individual wineries to store and protect their high value wines. Generally, only the finest marquis wineries produce wine crates. The vast majority of wine makers store their wines in cardboard boxes.

Wine crates include a lid (top or cover):

And inserts:

Inserts come in cardboard or wood. The inserts keep the bottles still in the crate

The average dimensions of a 12 bottle crate: 19 1/2" L X 13" W X 7" H

The above are 12 bottle crates, but there a few other sizes. Below is a 6 bottle crate:

The average dimensions of a 12 bottle crate: 13" L X 11" W X 7" H

The most alluring quality of original wine crates are their logo designs. Most wineries have unique pictures that are engraved on each of their crates. Many of these logo designs were inspired by historical events, priceless artwork, and breathtaking imagery of thousand year old castles or vineyards.

There are many countries that produce wine, and in those countries are wine making regions.

The most commonly known country with vineyards that make wine crates is France. The region of Bordeaux makes the highest volume of wine crates in France. Second to Bordeaux is Burgundy.

Wine crate from Burgundy:

*The quick way to tell that this is a Burgundy crate is by reading the text on the crate. The word Bourgogne is a dead giveaway. Some wineries don't include wording, but this strategy works 60% - 70% of the time with crates from Burgundy.

Bordeaux vineyards have been making wine crates for a great many generations. Most of the wine crates from Bordeaux are 12 bottle sized.

Bordeaux wine crate:

*Bordeaux crates almost always list their repective sub-regions. In this case you are able to see Saint-Emilion on the top of the crate. St. Emilion is a very famous sub-region of Bordeaux.

Most of the crate pictures above are 12 bottle crates except for the Brunello Di Montalcino.

12 bottle wine crates are designed to hold twelve 750 ML Bordeaux style wine bottles. Bordeaux bottles are all vitrually identical in size. This is because of the AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlee). The english translation is essentially Original Appellation Control. This was established as a means to keep all Bordeaux wineries as consistant in winemaking as possible.

Bordeaux wine bottle sizes (90% of the time are): 12 1/4" H X 3 1/8" W

There is a common misconception that all 750 ML wine bottles are the same size no matter where they are from. This is not the case. Napa Valley vineyards for instance are not held to the standards of the AOC. They can change anything about their wines at any time. This includes the width and height of their bottles at any time.

This was one of the major reasons we began custom-making wine crates for our clients. More on that later..

Visit us at: www.winepine.com