Centurion Magazine Talks Yacht Wine Storage with Vinotemp
July 30, 2012
Centurion Magazine recently spoke with Vinotemp President and CEO, India Hynes, about nautical wine storage and Vinotemp's history of developing cellars ideal for installation in a yacht.
More info on yacht wine storage (PDF)
Hynes is quoted saying, "Yacht owners invest a substantial amount in their ships, so it is our job to make sure the wood grain or stainless steel components of the wine cellar match perfectly to the existing interior of the yacht."
Centurion Magazine is published quarterly for cardholders of the American Express Centurion Card (a.k.a. black card). It is distributed to Centurion Members across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, North America and Latin-America.
Excerpt as published by Centurion Magazine Online:
WINE STORAGE EXPERT INDIA HYNES ON YACHTS AND VINO
BY MICHAEL CAVANAGH I JULY 30TH 2012 I 09:00 PM
As fantastic and freeing as it is, the open seas may be one of the worst environments for wine storage. Sure, the warm ocean air whipping about and waves lapping against the yacht's hull make it a comfortable setting for sipping, but wine is quite different than your average sailor - it seeks a quiet and reclusive existence until its cork is popped, happy to be kept in a dark, cool atmosphere with as little excitement as possible. Yet many who love the yachting lifestyle enjoy a good vintage as well, so shouldn't the two go hand in hand?
Vinotemp, a custom wine storage [designer], thinks they should. Company President and CEO India Hynes sits down with us to discuss the best ways for yacht owners to bring wine along for the ride.
CENTURION: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO ON-BOARD WINE STORAGE?
India Hynes: There are a number of conditions that can be detrimental to wine while stored on board a yacht, but I think two major concerns are stability and temperature. Having bottles in a rack is fine, but you need to make sure they are secure to avoid breakage. Also, a cooling unit is essential and it needs to be vented properly.
HOW ABOUT AESTHETIC ASPECTS?
Those are also very important, because it has to look magnificent. Yacht owners invest a substantial amount in their ships, so it is our job to make sure the wood grain or stainless steel components of the wine cellar match perfectly to the existing interior of the yacht.
WHEN DID VINOTEMP BEGIN WORKING WITH YACHT OWNERS
We started about five years ago, but it really began years earlier because we did exhaustive research to figure out the dynamics of making it work correctly. In our investigation, we discovered that yachts require a quality level that surpasses the units we install for restaurants. For example, most of our cooling systems utilize aluminum, but yachts necessitate using stainless steel to protect from the salty ocean air.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE DIE PROCESS OF INSTALLING A WINE STORAGE SYSTEM ON BOARD?
We first have to determine if the wine cellar will replace an existing feature, such as an aquarium, or will be fabricated for a brand new boat. We usually will work with a designer to discuss the customer's needs and then offer some suggestions. It is a back and forth process with discoveries of limitations as well as possibilities that we are capable of that the designer may not have thought of. Once a plan is in place, we fabricate the storage unit at our headquarters in southern California and ship it to the location for installation.
DO YOU HAVE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMERS?
The majority of our clients are actually outside of Southern California, and many live in foreign countries. We regularly ship containers around the world and have different distributors in each international region. We have even sent our engineers to different spots around the globe to help with specific projects. We want to make sure that everyone enjoys wine, even if they are on board a yacht.
