Transforming a countryside into a long-term sustainable ranch takes imagination.  Lee Hudson, proprietor of Hudson Ranch, has cultivated a vision for farming into a tangible reality on a Carneros property in the Napa Valley. Hudson Ranch began planting in 1981 and, since then, has evolved into a fully-functioning farm that compliments the area’s natural surroundings. The ranch incorporates winemaking and hospitality facilities. While the Hudson Ranch is an interesting story of holistic farming, this Nordby Effect post discusses how their newly-built wine cave serves a greater purpose.

You could say an underground wine cave is Earth’s answer to the wine fridge. Varying in size and use, these spaces are intriguing and, more importantly, practical for wine aging and storage. Wine caves are not new. For hundreds of years, people have used these spaces to store wine for reasons that are just as relevant today. This post covers six persuasive and practical reasons why wineries should seriously consider storing wine in a cave.