Grape expectations

This is where James Loo comes to relax. It is quiet and cool. The smell of pine fills your nostrils. And the rows upon rows of bottles create a pleasing sense of order. This is his wine cellar. The cellar in his Stratton Preserve home holds more than 2,500 bottles, neatly fit into pine racks that stretch from the bamboo floor to the ceiling. The aesthetic is simple - the point is to protect his wine collection, not to impress with fancy woodwork. "The cellar is the investment that protects the real investment," said Loo, whose collection ranges from the inexpensive to the highly coveted (2002 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, anyone?). Loo is not the only one looking to safeguard his liquid investment. Wine cellars are becoming a must-have feature in highend homes. If you took a turn through the Parade of Homes last year, you might have noticed that many of the fancier homes featured a wine cellar - and the bigger, the better.


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