The Cakebread Cellars Wine Box

The above picture is the Cakebread signature wooden wine box. I like it for a few lot of reasons:

• The name: Wouldn't you love to eat a piece of Cakebread? It just sounds like it will be the perfect balance between sweet and scrumptious.
• The grapes logo engravings are gorgeous: The grapes logos are deeply burned in, and give a satisfying feeling when you touch them. They are intricately designed grapes pictures in juicy little bunches.
• The rarity. We get truckloads of wine crates every month. If we're lucky, maybe one Cakebread box will come in. When one does, it's immediately prepared for sale. We're usually backlogged on them. Everyone loves Cakebread, and all the private investors keep the boxes when they buy their cases.

These are the reasons I try to own as many of them as I can, but our director never lets me keep any because there's always a client that wants one. The Cakebread wine itself is great too, but you have to be a really heavy buyer of Cakebread, specifically Benchland Select (The most expensive bottle) until you get the original box. Buying a bottle or two every once in a while won't cut it unfortunately. Going to the winery itself with your order is probably the best bet to secure a Cakebread wine box for yourself. It's going to cost a pretty penny though..

The Cakebread wine box has thick sides of wood like most wine boxes from Napa so no surprise there. It's highly durable, and can withstand many years of shipping, handling and storage before it starts to break down. This is a major plus, because one day you may want to sell your Cakebread wine collection, and your going to do better at auction if you have the wine bottles inside the original crate.

If you'd like to purchase one from Winepine, your looking at the only one in stock at the moment. I e-mailed some of our usual buyers to see if they're interested,  but the current weather conditions has everyone just wanting to end winter. They're removing wine bottles from their collection to indulge themselves during these icy cold conditions.

Feel free to e-mail me if your interested in the piece. The cost is $100, and shipping is on me.

First come, first serve.

Dimensions: 13 /12" L X 11" W X 8" H

Includes: Lid and removable wood inserts

Visit us at www.winepine.com to get some wine crates or boxes for your own unique project!

 

Patrick -

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What Are Wine Crate Panels?

Wooden Wine Panels are the engraved sides of wine crate boxes, crates and cases.

We offer two types of Wine Panels: Collector's and Classic styles.

The difference between the two:

Collector's panels have the designs and pictures of the winery engraved on them, and are all pretty much the same size.

Classic panels are all different sizes, and have only winery lettering on them. There's two types of them:

-Border
-Winery Branded

Below is a picture of 13 Border panels. As you can see, they're thin and can be installed next to each other on a wall to create a picture frame look.




















Border panels are from flat 6 bottle cases. Here's a picture of the inside of one:

Average Border panel dimensions: 9" L X 4" H (Some are larger)


The other classic panel style are the Winery Branded. These are lightly decorated pieces that display winery lettering and importer numbers. They are ideal for French Provincial or vintage décor styles. They are simple yet elegant, and are around the same size as Collector's Panels (see below).

Average Winery Branded panels: 12" L X 6" H


Collector's panels are best sellers. They are attractive and highly unique. All have a design artwork or pictures engraved on them. Almost every major wine making country produces them, and you'll see a variety of decorative looks depending on which region or country they're from.

 

How are wine panels made:

Wine panels are the dismantled and removed sides of wine crates, wine boxes or wine cases. They are also known as wine box ends or wine crate faceplates.

The process of making them:

We first inspect the wine boxes, crates or wine cases before determining whether or not they work for panels. They need to be straight and in an excellent condition. Once the first inspection is complete, we remove the sides which become the first "draft" of panels.

Once the panels are removed, they are inspected again for condition and straightness. Looks can be deceiving, and you won't know if the panel will be bent until it's fully removed. Once the second inspection is complete, we begin the sanding process.

The video on how we sand wine panels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03xGvkb6GbA

Once the sanding process is completed, the panel will be in a better-than-new condition, with a smooth feel and texture. It will be ready for a first coat of any kind of wood stain or finish.

Planning

Wine crate panels can be applied to walls, ceilings, floors, tables and furniture. Where would you like to decorate with them? You first and foremost need to determine how large the space that your decorating is. Approx. two panels covers one square foot, so if you have 100 square feet to cover; your going to roughly need 200 panels to cover the space. Wine panels can vary a bit in size, so we recommend working with a woodworker/contractor for cuts and installation.

Installation

The recommended adhesive is liquid nails in a can. We recommend applying the liquid nails evenly across the back of the panel with a notched trawl. This application is very similar to tile installation, except your using liquid nails instead of grout. Once the adhesive is placed on the back of a panel, the panel can be placed onto the desired surface.

Finish

Any style of wood finish can be applied to wine panels. The vast majority of wine panels are made of solid, unfinished pine. You can use different color stains, or any type of polyurethane. They can also be weather-proofed if you'd like to do something nice on your deck, grill-bar or garden.

There are thousands of different wine panels so the possibilities are endless. You can even choose wine panels from specific countries such as all from Italy or a mix from everywhere!

For more, feel free to visit www.winepine.com or e-mail me directly: winepine@optonline.net

Patrick

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Why Should I Start a Wine Blog?

 

If you keep abreast of the national press, you might have noticed that column inches dedicated to wine are diminishing. Despite this though, the blogging world has erupted with novice wine writers who want to try their hand at waxing lyrical about their favourite tipple. And as long as you have access to the Internet and a passion to share your thoughts with the world, you could do it too.

 

Let’s take a look at why you might want to.

 

You could make some great new friends with similar interests

 

The blogging community tends to be closely knit, and many people have made lifelong friends through their writing online. In this respect, it’s a great way to expand your social circle and meet other people who are interested in the same sort of things as you.

 

It will increase your knowledge of the subject

 

Committing to a blog means that you’ll have to come up with new and exciting angles to write about. It can be tricky at first, but once you get into the swing of things, you’ll find that your knowledge improves vastly. You’re likely to come across new regions, new producers, and be constantly up to date with the latest happenings in the world of wine.

 

It could be the start of a career as a wine writer

 

Traditionally, routes into professional writing were limited. Unless you had a little black book full of contacts and an impressive qualification, you rarely stood a chance. Now though, more and more bloggers are forging careers for themselves in the world of paid writing. Some secure book deals, while some are noticed by other writers and secure themselves magazine or newspaper columns. If you have the talent, a blog is a great place to be seen.

 

You could pick up some amazing freebies

 

Okay, so you definitely shouldn’t be in it for the freebies, but they are a lovely little perk. Some producers might offer to send you free wine in exchange for a review on your blog, or you might get offered other bonuses such as wine glasses or books. As a side note though, always keep your integrity in mind. If you’re known for accepting free products in exchange for reviews, people will start to question the reliability of your writing.

 

You could make money

 

Even if you don’t fancy being a professional wine writer and you’re just doing it for fun, there are many ways to make a tidy income from your blog. Once you’ve established a good reputation and have lots of traffic, wine businesses may be interested in advertising with you, or you could get involved in affiliate programmes. The possibilities are almost endless, and could definitely fund your interest in wine!

 

You’ll learn plenty of transferable skills

 

Writing a blog will teach you many skills that can easily be transferred into the world of work. You’re likely to learn about web design, social media, email marketing, copywriting, promotion, and everything else that goes in between. Employers are really impressed by individuals with the motivation to write a blog, and it could put you ahead of the competition when you’re next seeking employment.

 

 

As you can see, there are many benefits to starting your own wine blog. And best of all, it’s really quite simple to get up and running. Using a content management system such as Wordpress is the best route, and you could be blogging in just a few hours.

 

Have you ever considered starting a wine blog? Has this article made you decide to take the plunge? We’d love to hear about your experiences in the world of wine writing!

 

 

This article was brought to you by Jane Smith on behalf of Gurasu. Gurasu specialises in fine crystal products for the more discerning customer, with ranges that include crystal vases, whisky tumblers and much more.  Click here to learn more about Gurasu.

Top 10 Most Colorful Wine Crates

Most Wine Crates have a natural and unfinished look. There's a few prominent vineyards that brand their wine crates with embossed colors, and they look fantastic!

1. Chateau Pavie 12 Bottle Wine Crate- Bordeaux region - St. Emilion sub-region (Slightly oversized, and has the green and red design on both sides)

 

2. Chateau Ste. Michele Exclusive 3 Bottle Wine Case - Seattle Washington (This piece was hand painted and signed by both the winemaker and artist on the inside cover)

3. Chateau D'aiguilhe 12 Bottle Wine Crate - Bordeaux region - Cotes De Castillon sub-region

 

4. Chateau Gracia Wine Panel- Bordeaux region - St. Emilion sub-region. This is one of my favorites. The center image is of two cherub angels, and has a multi-color background. 

 

5. Domaine De Marcoux 12 Bottle Wine Crate - Chateauneuf Du Pape region

 

 

6. Chateau D'aurilhac 12 Bottle Wine Crate - Bordeaux region - Haut-Medoc sub-region

 

 

7. Grey Goose 6 Bottle Wine Box - Not for wine, but Grey Goose unveiled this special piece 3 years ago and never did it again. The design is on both sides of the lid. Love it!

 

 

8. Chateau L'Hermitage 12 Bottle Wine Crate - Bordeaux region - St. Emilion sub-region.

 

 

9. Napanook 12 Bottle Wine Crate- Napa Valley region - Yountville city. This is a long side design, and the other long side of the crate has a different design but matching colors.

 

 

10. Brunello Di Montalcino 6 Bottle Wine Box - Italy - Brunello region 

 

 

Depending on the time of year and specific wine release dates, we often have colorful wine crates in stock. Visit www.winepine.com to contact us on current inventory!

 

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Rare Champagne Crates

Champagne crates are highly decorative and limited edition pieces. We just got in a fairly good selection, so here are some of the gems:

Dom Perignon

3 Bottle Case

6 Bottle Box

 

DP Wine Boxes and Cases are branded on all four sides and lid. The 3 bottle has a slide-top style lid, and the 6 bottle has a standard lid. The inserts on both are specially made with foam borders to further protect the bottles.

 

Cristal Double Magnum

 

 

 

One of the finer single bottle wine crates ever made. This is a highly sought after piece made of solid oak, and brilliantly finished. The lid top has a brass plate with the engraved Louis Roderer Cristal logo, and a leather latch on the front which keeps the lid closed. The inside of the crate has a double-lined cardboard insert to protect the bottle.

 

 

Krug

 

 

Inside

 

 

Krug is remarkably innovative in their designs for magnum sized wine crates, and this is no exception. The color of the above piece is somewhere between aqua blue and grey. All four sides have gold leaf embellishments, as well as the Krug logo. The inside has a built-in bottle insert set and a slot to hold the collector's Krug history booklet.

 

Taittinger

 

This is a very large imperial sized Champagne crate, and Taittinger is known for these big pieces. They are simple and elegant but not particularly decorative.

 

 

Only the most recognized Champagne vineyards produce wooden wine crates, boxes, and cases and when they do they're gorgeous!

 

We'll be updating this post as new Champagne crates come in. We don't get many in so act fast. Call or e-mail us for the latest inventory.

 

Patrick

www.winepine.com

 

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What are Wooden Wine Flat Cases?

Wooden wine bottle cases are also known as "Flats". They're designed to hold either 3 or 6 bottles in the standard 750 ML size.

Flat 6 bottle cases are primarily used for holding specific wines, but they also work well with:

-Enhancing tight shelving spaces
-Decorative accents in a wine cellar (They're often branded on multiple sides and lid)
-Square foot gardens
-Unique magazine displays (They stack very well)
-Removing the sides for wall decoration (These crates have Border-style wine panels)
-Wine-inspired woodworking projects
-They're light, easy to carry and fun to work with

The picture above shows what one looks like. Those wood inserts you see in the center are removable, and in the shape of wine bottles. The inserts are made for specific wine bottles, so not all types will fit.

As you can see, the case is designed to hold all 6 bottles in one row; Side by side. This is a different build from a standard 6 bottle wine box which stacks 3 bottles on top, 3 bottles on bottom. We focus on those in the post: What are Wooden Wine Boxes?

Average dimensions of a 6 bottle flat case: 19 1/2" L X 13" W X 4" H

6 Bottle Flat Wine Cases are most often made by Napa and Italian wineries. The percentage breakdown is below:

-70% Napa
-15% Italian
-10% France (Bordeaux and Burgundy)
-5% Other (Spain, Australia etc.)

Napa makes some really nice wooden wine cases. Some of the wineries are on this list:

Screaming Eagle
Harlan (The Maiden)
Stag's Leap
Bond
Opus One
Mondavi
Quintssa

Your flats also come in a variety of lid styles:

Standard (Lid sits on the case but is unattached)
Slide-top (Slides-out from the case)
Flip-top (Lid flips-up and is attached to the case)

The very first picture of this post is of an Opus One, which is a standard style lid. The slide-top and flip-top pictures are below:

Slide-top

Flip-top

 

I hope this was a good and descriptive post. There's a lot of different wine crate sizes, and it's not always easy to determine which one will suit you or your wine cellar best. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please comment below and we can address any questions or concerns in future posts.

If your looking for solutions beyond 6 bottle flat cases, feel free to take a look at some of our other posts or shoot me an e-mail. I look forward to helping you with your wine storage needs or decorative ideas.

Visit us at www.winepine.com to get some wine cases or boxes for your own unique project!

 

Patrick -

 

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What Are 12 Bottle Wine Crates?

Wooden 12 bottle wine crates are designed to hold, store and protect wine in transit. They're also mankind's first mass-marketing strategy dating back several hundred years.

What they've become in modern society is something very different, and their possibilities for enhancing your décor is endless. They're not just wine cellar decoration anymore! Now we wine lovers are doing lots of interesting things with them like:

-Building wine-themed shelving units
-Bathroom vanity improvements
-Adding kitchen spice racks
-Entertainment center storage for DVD's/Blu ray/magazines
-Garden box planters
-Limoges and shadow boxes
-Wedding/shower gifts and accessories
-Banquet table accents and much more

The primary purpose of wine crates is to hold 12 (750ML) bottles of Bordeaux wine. They are usually made by wineries in Bordeaux. These are my favorite, because they're labels have different artwork, logos and designs. A few other wineries make 12 bottle wine crates, but 95% of them come from France.

Breakdown of Countries that make 12 bottle wine crates:

-80% Bordeaux
-15% Burgundy
-4% Italy
-1% Napa Valley

The labels of 12 bottle wine crates are usually on the front short side of the crate. Below is a picture:

The front side of a 12 bottle wine crate is approx. 13" Long.

An example of a long side branded engraving looks like this:

 

Long side brandings are approx. 19 1/2" Long.

 

Now these are two different crates. The La Confession is from Saint Emilion Bordeaux and only branded on the front side. Domaine De La Janasse is from Chateauneuf Du Pape France, and is branded on multiple sides.

 

You may notice that 12 bottle crates from different places do have subtle differences beside the engraved sides.

 

Bordeaux crate designs are more symbolic than the others. The design labels tend to be pictures of ancient art, historical events or ancient cote of arms. Other regions of France are sometimes engraved with these kinds of symbols as well, but more often than not they're engraved with pictures of their chateaus or vineyards instead.

 

Interesting fact: Antique wine crate labels can be found in the Smithsonian as well as the National Museum of American History.

 

Another thing different about Bordeaux is the bottle size. 750ML Bottles from any winery in Bordeaux match in overall size. This is because there's a standard among the wineries, and they all comply. This isn't the case anywhere else. Please bear this in mind when your looking to store your wine in them.

 

The average size of 12 bottle wine crates is 19 1/2" L X 13" W X 7" H.

 

Burgundy, Chateauneuf Du Pape and Sauternes crates can vary by 1-2 inches.

 

I hope this has helped give you some different ideas on decorating and/or wine storage. Please let me know if you have any questions. It's truly a pleasure of mine to work with a client.

 

Patrick

www.winepine.com

 

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