Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/901018
Today, wine storage is a feature of the home; highly visible and possibly even the focal point of a kitchen or dining room. And it's not just storage. Custom refrigeration plays a big role because with wine, temperature matters. Climate control and cooling systems make up enough of Rhino's business that they put it in their name. And it only makes sense, because what's a pretty display if the wine doesn't taste good? Smarter wine storage also brings cool new materials. From wood, wood, and wood, cellars and storage units now consist of glass for transparency, along with metal, chrome, and other shiny, contemporary products designed to make a statement. And that statement, much like the ideal wine collection, says good taste. Customer Service is Critical While the rich landscape of the Northwest provides the perfect climate for specialty features like wine cellars, custom refrigeration, and storage spaces, demand is far from exclusive to our backyard. In fact, Rhino creations, unlike the mammal of the same name, Personality, Pizzazz, Prosperity Rhino's global metamorphosis coincided with the era when custom wine cellars went from niche to necessary inside the homes of those who are into that sort of thing. As far as trends go, wine storage is still arching fervently upward with no signs of stopping. The Northwest lays claim to being the second-largest U.S. producer of wine behind California and you may have noticed the influx of cash and consumers into the Puget Sound Region the past few years. These things boost business. Looks That Chill Wine cellars themselves have gone through a renaissance as of late, as well. Maybe 15 years ago you may have walked into a home with a traditional-style "true" cellar; that is, the area of storage was in a basement or somewhere underneath the home's living space—dark, damp, and out of sight for all but the fetchers of bottles and maybe a hide-and-seek champion. are in homes around the world—from China to England and Dubai to South Korea, and more places in between. Their client Rolodex reads like the door list of a Bilderberg meeting. How does a local company market themselves to faraway places like Korea and Dubai? Reputation is big. Word of mouth within the wine collecting world is real and brings real results. Doug says that around 50 percent of all current sales come from referrals. And while Doug doesn't say this, it's clear as the glass on one of their cellars that Rhino is easy to work with and their clients very much enjoy the consumer-client relationship they have. If you've ever spoken to either Doug or Luellen (who was the subject of a recent Master Builder article herself) you know exactly why people tend to gravitate toward the two. PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVEN D. SMITH CONSTRUCTION PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCKEYE HOMES 46 master builder WINTER 2017