Why Wine Cellars Are More Popular Than Ever

Across Sydney’s luxury home market, underground wine cellars have quickly risen to the top of our clients’ wish lists.
Once outshone by home theatres and gyms, they’ve become one of the most sought after lifestyle features in high-end builds.
For collectors, investors, and entertainers, a cellar is far more than storage, it’s a statement of passion and taste.

Wine Cellars For Entertaining And Lifestyle

A wine cellar protects your collection, but it also transforms how you live in your home. Imagine descending into a softly lit space where walls of stone or oak shelving frame your vintages. A tasting table stands at the centre, ready for late-night conversations, while curated lighting makes every bottle glow like art.

For many homeowners, the cellar becomes a destination. It’s where friends gather for tastings, where rare bottles are shared, and where your passion for wine is celebrated. In luxury homes, a cellar isn’t hidden away, it’s showcased as proudly as a designer kitchen or pool.

And because Phase Projects specialises in custom home builds and basement construction, your cellar can be part of an entire level dedicated to your lifestyle and passions. We can build a basement that contains a home theatre, gym, or sauna connected to your cellar, a complete lifestyle level beneath your home.

Designing the Perfect Underground Wine Cellar

A cellar should be beautiful as well as functional. The best designs blend craftsmanship, technology, and atmosphere to create a space that’s both practical and unforgettable.

• Flooring sets the stage. Stone, brick, or marble bring timeless elegance, while polished concrete or hardwood add a modern touch. Cork flooring offers a nod to tradition, but carpet is always out due to moisture.
• Wine racks balance storage with spectacle. Classic timber adds warmth; steel and glass create a sleek, contemporary edge. Modular systems can adapt to bottles of all shapes, while backlit shelving turns collections into art.
• Lighting makes the cellar come alive. Subtle LEDs, recessed sconces, or floor lights can highlight bottles without heat damage. Motion sensors add a little drama, your cellar lights up as you walk in.
• Doors and entries set the tone. Whether it’s a minimalist frameless glass door, a steel-framed pivot door, or a custom timber design, the entry should balance elegance with functionality and create a seamless transition into the cellar.
• Social spaces elevate the room from storage to experience. A tasting bench, lounge seating, or adjoining bar invites guests to stay, taste, and enjoy.

This is where the cellar shifts from practical to personal, it reflects not only your collection but also your lifestyle.

The Main Types of Underground Wine Cellars in Australia

While possibilities are endless, three cellar styles dominate the Australian market:

1. Basement Wine Cellars: Large-scale rooms ideal for new builds or homes with basements. These can integrate with gyms, cinemas, or wellness areas.
2. Spiral Cellars: Compact cylindrical systems accessed by a trap door, ideal for space saving yet stylish storage.
3. Custom-Built Underground Rooms: Fully bespoke, crafted from scratch with tailored racking, tasting areas, and finishes.

For Sydney’s luxury market, Phase Projects often delivers basement cellars or custom rooms, designed to be as striking as they are functional.

Why the Right Builder Matters

Designing a wine cellar is about more than technical know-how, it’s about partnering with a builder who shares your passion for beautiful, functional spaces. A wine cellar is both an engineering challenge and a work of art. To get it right, you need a team who values the architecture, the lifestyle, and the experience as much as you do.

At Phase Projects, we bring precision to the unseen details, waterproofing, insulation, drainage, and structural integrity, while also honouring the vision of how the cellar will feel when you step inside. Every decision, from climate control to integration with the rest of the home, is made with both performance and atmosphere in mind.

This is why luxury underground cellars should never be left to a “fit-out.”
They demand the expertise of a builder who can merge structure with design, ensuring your collection is protected and your cellar becomes a space you’re proud to share.

Why Sydney Homeowners Choose Underground Cellars

• Architectural distinction: A cellar sets a home apart in the luxury market.
• Smart land use: Basements and sloping sites often create underutilised areas perfect for cellars.
• Lifestyle enhancement: They double as entertaining spaces.
• Property value: Buyers increasingly see wine cellars as a premium inclusion.
• Wine investment: For serious collectors, a cellar protects vintages worth as much as art.

Ready To Build the Cellar You’ve Dreamed Of?

An underground wine cellar is more than storage. It’s a sanctuary for your collection, a space for entertaining, and a hallmark of a truly custom home. Done properly, it blends engineering, architecture, and indulgence into one extraordinary feature.

If you’re ready to explore what’s possible, Phase Projects can design and build a wine cellar as remarkable as the vintages it holds — and as enduring as the home above it.

Lets Chat Cellars!

10 FAQs: Underground Wine Cellars in Sydney

1. How much does it cost to build an underground wine cellar in Sydney?
Costs vary depending on size, finishes, and whether it’s part of a larger basement build. Luxury cellars are tailored to the client, so we provide a detailed proposal after assessing your home and vision.

2. What is the best flooring for a wine cellar?
Stone, tile, marble, and polished concrete are all durable and moisture-resistant. Timber adds warmth, while cork offers a nod to tradition. Carpet should be avoided due to mould risk.

3. Do I need climate control in my wine cellar?
Yes. Sydney’s climate means a cellar requires cooling and humidity management to keep wine stable. The ideal environment is around 12–14°C with 65–75% humidity.

4. Can I add a wine cellar to an existing home?
Yes, though feasibility depends on your site and structure. Many clients add cellars as part of a basement excavation or major renovation.

5. How many bottles can an underground wine cellar hold?
It depends on the design. A compact spiral system might hold 1,500–1,800 bottles, while a custom basement cellar can house thousands, plus tasting areas.

6. What are the most popular wine rack styles?
Options include classic timber, steel and glass, modular systems, and illuminated displays. Many luxury cellars combine practical storage with feature walls that showcase labels like artwork.

7. Can a wine cellar be used for entertaining?
Absolutely. Many homeowners include tasting tables, seating, or adjoining bars, turning the cellar into a social destination as well as a storage space.

8. Will a wine cellar add value to my property?
Yes. In Sydney’s prestige market, a wine cellar is a premium feature that appeals to buyers and often increases resale value.

9. What’s the difference between a spiral cellar and a custom wine cellar?
A spiral cellar is compact and accessed via a trap door, making it ideal for smaller homes. A custom cellar is fully bespoke, offering space for entertaining and complete design freedom.

10. Why choose Phase Projects to build my wine cellar?
We’re not just fit-out contractors. With proven expertise in basements and luxury custom homes, we deliver cellars that are structurally sound, climate-perfect, and architecturally stunning.