We can’t think of a better hideaway than a custom wine cave tucked into the hillside.

With storage enough for 4000 bottles of wine in the expansive private cellar located at the back of the cave, this Texas Hill Country Wine Cave is truly a wine lover’s private paradise.

Located at the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, this private wine cave serves as a destination along a secluded bend of the Blanco River. Excavated into the north face of a solid limestone hillside, this shotcrete-lined tube is protected on the east and west by tall oak and elm trees, allowing it to nearly disappear within the native landscape. The unassuming exterior entry court reveals a bit of mystery as it provides just a glimpse of what lies within.  The experience is akin to wandering upon a door to a fairytale wonderland (although this secret door leads to a land filled with tasty bottles of wine).

Heavy limestone boulders, collected from the excavation, and lush vegetation further camouflage the entry as you descend into the mouth of the cave. 

A tasting lounge, bar, wine cellar, and restroom are all tucked into an 18’ tall x 70’ deep existing tunnel. The exterior opening of the cave is capped with a board-formed concrete portal that molds to the irregular surfaces of the limestone and structurally retains the mouth of the earth cut. The concrete is designed to patina naturally over time as native moss and ivy clings to the face and climbs onto the flanking limestone walls to further blend the headwall into its surroundings.

Once inside, a study of white oak, both raw and ebonized, mixes with vertical grain Douglas fir to panel the walls and dropped ceilings as a warm contrast to the more rugged concrete and stone surrounding materials. Custom insulated and thermally broken steel and wood windows provide separation between the interior and exterior, as well as the entertainment lounge and the chilled cellar.

Reclaimed cedar was salvaged and milled for live-edged countertop surfaces for the tasting bar and the floating restroom vanity. "It's like a ship in a bottle," notes Brian Korte, FAIA, lead architect for the project. "The components of the wood insert are deliberately kept away from the existing cave walls so that the room remains adaptable."

The airy hillside location also proved to be the ideal spot to house a wine cellar. This space is thermally controlled by the naturally colder subterranean temperatures with supplemental cooling to help maintain an optimal atmosphere of 55-60 degrees. The private cellar also houses a table for sit-down tastings, where family and friends can gather in an intimate environment. This intimate space would be the perfect setting for special occasion celebrations.

The team at Clayton Korte has designed the best kind of hideaway -- a perfectly insulated and naturally climate-controlled wine cave nestled into the Texas Hill Country mountainside.

PROJECT DETAILS

Clayton Korte project team

Brian Korte, FAIA, Partner

Camden Greenlee

Brandon Tharp

Project Team

Architecture and Interior Design: Clayton Korte

Structural Engineer: SSG Structural Engineers

Civil Engineer: Intelligent Engineering Services

Lighting Design: Studio Lumina

Mechanical Engineer: Positive Energy

Concrete subcontractor: Dash Concrete

Specialty steel fabrication: Fasone and Associates

Art metalwork: Cactus Max Fine Metal Artwork

Contractor: Monday Builders

Photography by Casey Dunn