Overview

Spaces Built with People and Wine in Mind Where wine cellars have historically been placed underground, Al Fuentes reinvents the way storing wine is viewed. This modern approach his company, Dragon Cellars, takes allows for custom, luxury wine cellars to be built above ground in a way that complements the owner's interior design and wine-curating styles, creating the perfect display. These custom cellars, cabinets, and walls not only display but preserve each bottle at the ideal temperature and angles, ensuring longevity. In creating a wine cellar that serves serves as the focal point for the room, each moment in this space--from selecting the bottle to drinking the last drop--is an experience one longs to share with others. The Taste of Ambiance reveals Al's design process, furniture selecting, construction, and backlighting approach for over eighty unique projects. His innovative designs have been featured in houses, condos, and restaurants in seven different countries.

Full Product Details

9781612546780

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Reviews

""When creating our custom wine cellars for our home, Al and Dragon Cellars were able to bring our vision to life. From the custom humidor to the unique display of our collection, there was no detail overlooked. Thank you, Al!""--DJ Khaled and Family ​​​​​​​ ""I greatly value the care of wine, being a sommelier, to ensure that it is maintained properly with the right temperature and conditions. Al has always kept these critical factors in mind while designing the most spectacular cellars. This book is a great representation of many of his works of art.""--Javier Gila, Five-Time Winner of the ""Best Sommelier in Spain"" Title, Finalist in World Sommelier Championship and European Championship in 2000 ""The importance of good storage to allow wines to develop and avoid potential problems cannot be overstated. Collectors also like their cellars to be showcases. There are certainly some delightful wine cellars in The Taste of Ambiance, which is sure to appeal to any wine enthusiast."" --Keith Grainger, Founding Member of the Association of Wine Educators, Gourmand Award-Winner for ""Best Wine Book in the World for Professionals in Twenty-Five Years,"" and Author of Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide ""The Taste of Ambience is a Powerball Jackpot fantasy for the oenophile. Al Fuentes has created fabulous pajamas in which fine wines will sleep until summoned to their purpose."" --Willie Reale, Emmy Award-Winner, MacArthur Fellow, and Founding Member of the New York Wine Club ""It gives me great pleasure to provide my comments on Al Fuentes' book, a complete collection of his works of art relating to the care and display of wine. It is very gratifying to highlight that our wine cellar is part of this. We observe with gratitude the ambiance that is generated in El Bohio thanks to this project and literary contribution."" --Pepe Rodríguez Rey, Michelin-Rated Chef and Owner of El Bohio (Restaurant in Toledo, Spain), and Ten-Year MasterChef Judge ""Uncork the secrets of wine enjoyment with this beautifully crafted guide. From the grandeur of meticulously designed wine cellars to the intimate corners of wine-bar rooms, this book is a treasure trove of ideas for anyone aspiring to bring the soul of vineyards into their home and artfully blend the elegance of wine-related furniture and the charm of specialized wine rooms. It's not just a book; it's a gateway to a lifestyle where every sip tells a story!"" --Lynette Janac, Editor-in-Chief/CEO, Luxury Guide USA ""Al Fuentes's masterfuldesigns with respect to space and aesthetic is beautifully displayed in The Taste of Ambiance: Luxury Wine Cellar Designs. Al delicately captures a window into the soul of a wine collector. My mind wanders into oblivion as I imagine the future wine cellar space I will commission Al to design for me."" --Matthew Kaner, Wine Director, Educator, and Owner of Will Travel For Wine Inc., Sommelier, and Wine Correspondent for Men's Journal ""It has been a pleasure to work with Al in designing our restaurant cellar where our wine is clearly displayed and well organized. We have received rave reviews from our customers and various awards related to our vast list of great wines. This book is very effective to show off what he is capable of, and his comments on this subject are spot on!"" --Raúl Barroso, Owner of Asador Las Esparteras (Restaurant in Toledo, Spain), Selected by Wine Challenge Merchant Awards Spain 2022 for ""Top Three Restaurant Wine List,"" and Recipient of the Repsol Guide Sun Award for Wine Cellar ""Our exclusive wine room created by Dragon Cellars met all the requirements we needed for our restaurant, BiBo, in Madrid. It was designed to hold great wine, and its impeccable operation has guaranteed the perfect care of our bottles. This wine cellar was a key milestone that highlighted the before and after of the Dani García group. Congratulations for so much creativity reflected in this outstanding book."" --Laura Gutiérrez, Partner of the Dani García Group and Michelin-Rated Chef ""Al's book is a must-have for the wine connoisseur showing his unique, custom wine cellar and designs. Besides the numerous quality photos, he educates us on different aspects of these wine-care and display projects. Definitely a coffee table book I will have at home next to the beautiful modern cellar he created for me!"" --Mark Moses, CEO and Founding Partner of Coaching International, Bestselling Author of Make BIG Happen and Making BIG Happen ""Al Fuentes created works of art for two of our restaurants to display and care for our wine; clients loved them. I congratulate him on developing this very complete book of beautiful residential and commercial wine cellars and am glad to see my photos are included. I will definitely have a copy on hand in a privileged location."" --Anxo Garcia, Amicalia Galician Hospitality Group, Owners of Previous Michelin Star Restaurant, Alborad ""Al Fuentes turns traditional wine cellars inside out. He puts the bottles themselves on full-display, making them the principal design element in his glass-enclosed showcases. His work is handsome and impressive--and will make readers want to pull a cork."" --Peter Herdrich, CEO of Cultural Capital Group, LLC and Executive Director of New York Wine Club ""Immerse yourself in these stunning displays of wine rooms and walls, beautifully captured in this book to inspire and elevate your appreciation for the art of wine. A must-have for enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike."" --Nina Marco, Interior Designer of Casa de Marco Design ""The care for the design, the quality of production, and the attention to detail of all critical technical demands highlights each wine bottle as if it were a 'jewel.' The Taste of Ambiance explains the Dragon Cellars process and enchants us with numerous photos and renders of their masterpieces for all to enjoy. I love it!"" --Arturo Berned, Award-Winning Spanish Sculptor

"""When creating our custom wine cellars for our home, Al and Dragon Cellars were able to bring our vision to life. From the custom humidor to the unique display of our collection, there was no detail overlooked. Thank you, Al!""--DJ Khaled and Family ​​​​​​​ ""I greatly value the care of wine, being a sommelier, to ensure that it is maintained properly with the right temperature and conditions. Al has always kept these critical factors in mind while designing the most spectacular cellars. This book is a great representation of many of his works of art.""--Javier Gila, Five-Time Winner of the ""Best Sommelier in Spain"" Title, Finalist in World Sommelier Championship and European Championship in 2000 ""The importance of good storage to allow wines to develop and avoid potential problems cannot be overstated. Collectors also like their cellars to be showcases. There are certainly some delightful wine cellars in The Taste of Ambiance, which is sure to appeal to any wine enthusiast."" --Keith Grainger, Founding Member of the Association of Wine Educators, Gourmand Award-Winner for ""Best Wine Book in the World for Professionals in Twenty-Five Years,"" and Author of Wine Faults and Flaws: A Practical Guide ""The Taste of Ambience is a Powerball Jackpot fantasy for the oenophile. Al Fuentes has created fabulous pajamas in which fine wines will sleep until summoned to their purpose."" --Willie Reale, Emmy Award-Winner, MacArthur Fellow, and Founding Member of the New York Wine Club ""It gives me great pleasure to provide my comments on Al Fuentes' book, a complete collection of his works of art relating to the care and display of wine. It is very gratifying to highlight that our wine cellar is part of this. We observe with gratitude the ambiance that is generated in El Bohio thanks to this project and literary contribution."" --Pepe Rodr�guez Rey, Michelin-Rated Chef and Owner of El Bohio (Restaurant in Toledo, Spain), and Ten-Year MasterChef Judge ""Uncork the secrets of wine enjoyment with this beautifully crafted guide. From the grandeur of meticulously designed wine cellars to the intimate corners of wine-bar rooms, this book is a treasure trove of ideas for anyone aspiring to bring the soul of vineyards into their home and artfully blend the elegance of wine-related furniture and the charm of specialized wine rooms. It's not just a book; it's a gateway to a lifestyle where every sip tells a story!"" --Lynette Janac, Editor-in-Chief/CEO, Luxury Guide USA ""Al Fuentes's masterfuldesigns with respect to space and aesthetic is beautifully displayed in The Taste of Ambiance: Luxury Wine Cellar Designs. Al delicately captures a window into the soul of a wine collector. My mind wanders into oblivion as I imagine the future wine cellar space I will commission Al to design for me."" --Matthew Kaner, Wine Director, Educator, and Owner of Will Travel For Wine Inc., Sommelier, and Wine Correspondent for Men's Journal ""It has been a pleasure to work with Al in designing our restaurant cellar where our wine is clearly displayed and well organized. We have received rave reviews from our customers and various awards related to our vast list of great wines. This book is very effective to show off what he is capable of, and his comments on this subject are spot on!"" --Ra�l Barroso, Owner of Asador Las Esparteras (Restaurant in Toledo, Spain), Selected by Wine Challenge Merchant Awards Spain 2022 for ""Top Three Restaurant Wine List,"" and Recipient of the Repsol Guide Sun Award for Wine Cellar ""Our exclusive wine room created by Dragon Cellars met all the requirements we needed for our restaurant, BiBo, in Madrid. It was designed to hold great wine, and its impeccable operation has guaranteed the perfect care of our bottles. This wine cellar was a key milestone that highlighted the before and after of the Dani Garc�a group. Congratulations for so much creativity reflected in this outstanding book."" --Laura Guti�rrez, Partner of the Dani Garc�a Group and Michelin-Rated Chef ""Al's book is a must-have for the wine connoisseur showing his unique, custom wine cellar and designs. Besides the numerous quality photos, he educates us on different aspects of these wine-care and display projects. Definitely a coffee table book I will have at home next to the beautiful modern cellar he created for me!"" --Mark Moses, CEO and Founding Partner of Coaching International, Bestselling Author of Make BIG Happen and Making BIG Happen ""Al Fuentes created works of art for two of our restaurants to display and care for our wine; clients loved them. I congratulate him on developing this very complete book of beautiful residential and commercial wine cellars and am glad to see my photos are included. I will definitely have a copy on hand in a privileged location."" --Anxo Garcia, Amicalia Galician Hospitality Group, Owners of Previous Michelin Star Restaurant, Alborad ""Al Fuentes turns traditional wine cellars inside out. He puts the bottles themselves on full-display, making them the principal design element in his glass-enclosed showcases. His work is handsome and impressive--and will make readers want to pull a cork."" --Peter Herdrich, CEO of Cultural Capital Group, LLC and Executive Director of New York Wine Club ""Immerse yourself in these stunning displays of wine rooms and walls, beautifully captured in this book to inspire and elevate your appreciation for the art of wine. A must-have for enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike."" --Nina Marco, Interior Designer of Casa de Marco Design ""The care for the design, the quality of production, and the attention to detail of all critical technical demands highlights each wine bottle as if it were a 'jewel.' The Taste of Ambiance explains the Dragon Cellars process and enchants us with numerous photos and renders of their masterpieces for all to enjoy. I love it!"" --Arturo Berned, Award-Winning Spanish Sculptor"

Author Information

Alberto (Al) Fuentes is the president, master designer, and consultant of Dragon Cellars. He has been dedicated to making this unique company a success, culminating in seventeen years of providing demanding clients the most innovative luxury wine cellars and related furniture in the market. His projects have been sold in over seven countries, with more to come! Al was born in New York City in 1960 to immigrant parents from La Coruña, Spain. He lived back and forth between the US and Spain in his childhood and young adulthood, where he served as a US Air Force captain. He joined in 1979 and opted for an early retirement in 1995. During this timeframe, he worked mostly in the aircraft maintenance area, having been stationed in various bases, and left with the position of commander after serving in a training detachment in Georgia. Returning to Spain with his family as a civilian, he held numerous jobs related to human resources, headhunting, and worked as an associate professor for three universities, teaching over eight subjects in a ten-year span. In 2007 he decided to start up a company in Madrid for the design, manufacturing, and installing of custom wine cellars, focusing on new and innovative designs in the luxury market. In 2014 the company, Dragon Cellars, was established in Delray Beach, Florida, and has since created works of art for the display, storage, care, and enjoyment of wine in the most exclusive homes and restaurants. Dragon Cellars has completed more than 320 projects. Al holds an MBA from Albany State University, a master's in aeronautical science, a bachelor's in professional aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and a powerplant technology associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force.

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