To the outside observer, Ken Wirth buys a new car every 18 months. For the past 30 years or so, you'd be hard-pressed to find him driving the same make or model for more than two years. As the owner of a financial service in Connecticut, Wirth is well off, but not that well off. Wirth leases and he's not bashful to say it. In fact, he feels it shows off his intellect.
But today, the home-entertainment system is as common a luxury as an
iPod. Now a new breed of specialty room -- the wine cellar -- is fast
on its way to becoming the next standard in luxury real estate, says
Jim Donald, president of Tuscan Wine Cellars. He estimates that nine out of 10 homes in the high-end areas of most cities have them.
