Wine-barrel wine rack system

A rack for bottles, comprising:

• at least a portion of a barrel including (i) a generally annular sidewall that extends front to rear and defines an interior space inside the barrel that extends between a front opening and a rear opening, (ii) a front head plate that at least partially encloses the front opening, and (iii) a rearward head plate that at least partially encloses the rear opening;
• at least one of the head plates defining, multiple head plate openings that penetrate the at least one head plate;
• and
• at least some of the head plate openings being associated with a plurality of support members that extend from the head plate openings lengthwise through the interior of the barrel toward a rear portion of the barrel;
• the plurality of support members being positioned with respect to the barrel to receive and hold at least one wine bottle;
• each support member further including a respective pair of laterally spaced apart, parallel shafts and a rigid cradle that extends between the shafts.

A rack for bottles, comprising:

• at least a portion of a barrel including a generally annular sidewall that extends front to rear and defines an interior space inside the barrel that extends between a front opening and a rear opening, (ii) a front head plate that at least partially encloses the front opening, and (iii) a rearward head plate that at least partially encloses the rear opening;
• at least one of the head plates defining multiple head plate openings that penetrate the at least one head plate;
• and
• at least some of the head plate openings being associated with a plurality of support members that extend from the head plate openings lengthwise through the interior of the hand toward a rear portion of the barrel;
• the plurality of support members being positioned with respect to the barrel to receive and hold at least one wine bottle;
• each support member further including a respective pair of laterally spaced apart shafts and a flexible sling that extends lengthwise along the shafts and depends from between the shafts.

A wine-rack system, comprising:

• a plurality of barrel units, each barrel unit comprising at least a portion of a barrel and including a front head plate;
• a rear head plate;
• and staves arranged around each head plate and extending front to rear, the staves being held together around the head plates and longitudinally to each other to define an interior space inside the barrel;
• at least the front head plate of each barrel unit defining multiple head plate openings that penetrate the head plate;
• each head plate opening having associated therewith a support member that extends from the openings lengthwise through the interior of the barrel toward a rear portion of the barrel;
• the support members being positioned with respect to the barrel to receive and hold at least one wine bottle;
• and
• at least one barrel-holding device securing the plurality of barrel units in position with respect to one another.

A method for storing wine bottles, comprising:

• with respect to a barrel unit having:
• (i) a generally annular sidewall that extends front to rear and defines an interior space inside the barrel that extends between a front opening and a rear opening, (ii) a front had plate that at least partially encloses the front opening, and (iii) a rearward head plate that at least partially encloses the rear opening;
• providing at least one of the head plates with multiple head plate openings penetrating the head plate;
• inside the barrel unit, providing each head plate opening with a corresponding support member that extends from the head plate opening lengthwise through the interior of the barrel toward a rear portion of the barrel;
• passing at least one wine bottle through one of the head plate openings into the interior space of the barrel unit;
• and
• positioning the at least one wine bottle on one of the support members in a generally horizontal storage position.