In 2023, the world spent an estimated 328.5 billion dollars on premium wine. By the end of the decade, that figure is projected to be closer to half a trillion — slightly more than the entire GDP of Thailand. Indeed, pricy juice is more popular today than ever before, and the same can be said for high-end spirits. The demand for proper storage, in turn, is also at an all-time high. And make no mistake: not all storage spaces are created equal.
If you need ironclad proof, look no further than the Octavian cellar. But first, you’ll need to find it. Tunneled some 100 feet below the quiet landscape of western England, the facility might just be the most secure wine vault on the planet. That’s not at all what it was built to be.
The site began its life as a stone mine in the early parts of the 19th Century. From here famed bath limestone was quarried for use in stately manors in London to the City Hall of Cape Town, South Africa. During World War II, the Ministry of Defense took over the subterranean layer and repurposed it as one of the country’s largest munition stores. In doing so, they installed an elaborate series of ducting to circulate air, while also reinforcing the structure.
These enhancements proved quite auspicious for its eventual status as the ultimate depositary for high-end hooch — the same conditions that optimally serve gunpowder also benefit alcohol in the glass...
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