Many times hear this question, “Do I need to add a cooling unit or climate control system to my wine cellar?” In order to make a decision about this, there are several things you should think about. This is the first of three blog posts where we will attempt to answer this question.
1. What is the ambient temperature of the areas surrounding my wine cellar?
If your wine cellar is below ground level, in a basement, you are more likely to have a cooler environment than an above-ground cellar would have. Knowing the year-round temperature and humidity is important. If you are attempting to build a “passive” wine cellar (a wine cellar with no climate control), you need to make sure both the temperature and humidity are consistent and within the required limits year-round.
The temperature in a wine cellar should stay between 55-60 degrees and the humidity should range from about 50-75%. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity are some of the biggest factors that can destroy your wine collection. If your environment does not lend itself to a passive cellar, you may want to consider climate control, technically described as a wine cellar refrigeration system.
Have you measured the day-night variance in your Wine Cellar? – Wine Cellar Refrigeration Variance
Natural seasonal and in particular, day/night cycles generate surprising variations in temperature. These often vary more than most people realize. Wine Cellar Refrigeration may be vital to the long term stability of your wine collection.
Check out our new page for this project that tells the full story and detail behind our recent Custom Wine Cellar Closet Dallas Texas conversion. You can also enjoy a sneak peek of the project by watching the video below.
Increasing wine sales can be very challenging for the owner of a hotel, restaurant, bar, or retail store. Attractive wine presentation plays an important role in reaching a specific sales target for your business. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we are passionate about designing and building wine storage and display areas in Texas that help entice customers to purchase your wines. Our stylish and elegant commercial wine racks will make your wine cellar stand out from the rest!
Driving More Wine Sales with Functional and Commercial Wine Racks Designed by Experts in Texas
Improve your margins with Professional Commercial Wine Racks Designed by a Texas Specialist
For wine stores, the benefits of improving your wine displays with professional commercial wine racks are primarily associated with improvements in bottom-line revenues. Feedback from our commercial wine store clients indicates that this can be as much as an immediate 20% jump in sales.
If you have been promoting products and services through advertisements and social media platforms but are not seeing positive results, you have to consult with Wine Cellar Specialists. Our team recommends that you find a way to make your wine presentation more compelling.
We manufacture commercial wine racks for your needs. We have proven that utilizing stylish and functional wine racks is one of the most effective marketing strategies in sales generation.
Improved Visibility of Wines
Commercial Wine Racks Round Aisles
We all know that in a store, good merchandising is everything; high visibility coupled with clear pricing, and incentive-based limited availability special offers, increase impulse purchasing. An attractive wine display will encourage potential clients to view your products and increases the chance of a purchase.
Why go for mediocre wine racks when you can invest in stylish ones? Wine Cellar Specialists are willing to help you. We are passionate about creating attention-grabbing commercial wine cellar designs for Texas clients.
Higher-Density Wine Display Offers Customers More Options
Simply put, the more wines on display, the more opportunities for purchase your customers have. For example, you are the customer and passed by two retail stores, would you check out the store with a few bottles on display or one that offers many choices? Customers always want many options.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, we offer double-deep and retail wine racks. These racking units are ideal for showcasing wines in high density. Check out our commercial wine racks store!
High-Density Commercial Wine Racks Enhance Sales
High-Quality Commercial Wine Racks Create a Good Reputation About Your Business in Texas
Market – customer perception of the store as a quality wine supplier. When wines are professionally racked and displayed in attractive and purpose-built commercial wine racks clients tend to assume expertise of the wine store in their supply and wine selection. This can lead to more sales of quality higher priced more profitable wines.
Wine Store Commercial Wine Racking
Types of Commercial Wine Racks
Commercial Wooden Wine Racks Isle Designed by Texas Builders
With many racking styles available in the market today, it is a smart idea to work with a company that that has extensive knowledge in wine cellar design. Wine Cellar Specialists offers commercial wine racks in wood and metal.
Our Commercial Series wine racks are made from high-quality wood. They are designed to provide ease of access to the bottles and allow for a quick perusal of the wines. Check out our commercial wine racks store now!
Modern Commercial Wine Racks by VintageView
If you want a modern commercial wine cellar, we recommend VintageView wine racks. All of their products are made of metal, a great material for building contemporary wine storage rooms in Texas. Metal is also known for its flexibility and durability. Learn more about our metal wine rack systems.
Make Your Commercial Wine Cellar Racks Stand Out from the Rest. Work with One of Our Specialists in Texas!
If you are a wine store owner and are looking for ways to improve your sales revenues, take action today. Invest in marketing your products in the most effective way possible; make your showroom generate more ROI dollars per square foot.
We have many completed wine store projects that have contributed to our understanding of the retail commercial wine display marketplace in locations ranging from Dallas, Austin, and Houston in Texas to Memphis, Tennessee, and in and around Chicago Illinois.
See some examples below of our installed wine store commercial wine racks and displays.
High-Density Commercial Wine Racks Designed by Texas Master Builders
Display your wine better with Quality Commercial Wine Racks
To get going, simply contact us hereby requesting a free no-obligation Commercial Wine Racks Design or call us at +1 (866) 646 7089 at and join our other happy commercial wine store owners enjoying improved daily margins.
Designing good looking and safe custom wine cellars does not need to be rocket science. You just need to be aware of a few basic things to ensure that you have the right set of racks and wine cellar design to store your favorite wine bottles safely and in an aesthetic manner.
Residential Wine Cellars TexasConsider your needs over time – How many bottles are currently in your wine collection and how much additional space will be needed for future storage. A good rule is to double your current bottle count for your wine storage.
Evaluate the wine cellar’s location and design with regards to potential enemies of wine – high temperature, humidity, vibrations. Will you be needing a climate control system?
Plan the design of the wine racks as per the size and shape of bottles that you want to store. 750’s, magnums, larger size bottles? Case storage, bulk storage, or individual bottle storage? Display rows with lighting?
Will you use your wine cellar for strictly storage purposes or do you want it to be more of a showplace?
What type of wine cellar cooling units will you be using? Will a unit or a fan coil be inside the cellar effecting where your racks can be placed?
How much are you willing to spend on your wine cellar? Discuss this with your designer so that he or she can more accurately design your cellar within your budget. Wood species, stain, lacquer, lattice or solid bins, carvings, many things can make a huge difference on the cost of your racks.
Do you want a rustic look, a furniture look, or perhaps something more contemporary? Many styles of racks are available from traditional, wine barrel, metal and more. Discuss your thoughts with your designer and share any photos of other cellars and racks that you have seen and would like incorporated into your design.
The dimensions of the room must be carefully measured before you complete your final wine racks design. Measure the length of each wall in the room. Measure the ceiling height. Measure exactly where the door will be placed. Also consider the space occupied by cooling units, soffits, or any other obstructions.
Those who love collecting wine also like to display their collection with pride in a well-designed wine cellar. However, not all wines age gracefully. This is not to say that you should not have young drinking wines in your collection. However, they should be ideally placed in a suitable area of the wine rack where they can be chosen to drink before it’s too late. Continue reading →
Liquid Temperature vs. Air Temperature when Choosing a Wine Cellar Cooling Unit
Custom Wine Cellar Climate Control Systems or Wine Cellar Cooling Units have two different ways to measure temperature. Some systems measure the temperature using a probe that measures the air temperature of the wine room. Other types of systems use a probe that is placed into a wine bottle of water that measures the liquid temperature of your wine. Continue reading →
Elegant Floor to Ceiling Wine Racks Installed by Master Builders of Custom Commercial Wine Cellars
How can you attract potential customers to purchase wine in your restaurant, hotel, or wine store if you have mediocre wine displays? Wine Cellar Specialists, a trusted builder in Texas, designs and installs commercial custom wine cellars that can help the owners to generate profit. We create eye-catching wine displays for restaurants, hotels, and retail stores. We offer innovative and budget-savvy wine rack solutions that maximize storage capacity and allow for better wine management and convenient monitoring.
Choose Stylishly and Quality Wine Racks to Attract Potential Customers
Your wine rack system has a big role in product presentation. Therefore, you must work with a creative and knowledgeable builder of commercial custom wine cellars. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we always aim to help the owners of wine businesses increase their wine sales by creating an enticing wine display in their establishments.
If you invest in mediocre storage units, do not expect an increase in sales. While deciding upon the features of your commercial wine racks, it is important to consider style, functionality, and materials.
The style depends on the kind of wines that you have for display. Think about what you want your customers to feel when they enter your premises.
Should the impression be ‘California Vineyard’, ‘European wine cellar’ or a more contemporary look? This will help you to choose the right design or style of your wine cellar.
We will also consider the size and shape of your wine room, the existing theme of your commercial establishment, and your personal preferences. After making a careful assessment of your needs, we will start creating a 3D design that will show the racking styles and bottle capacities of the completed wine room.
For functionality, you have to think in terms of floor space required. Will you have a cooled room for your more expensive wines, or will everything be displayed in the store floor space?
How many bottles will you want to have in stock? How many different labels will you want to display? Do you want bulk storage as well as individual bottle storage? Do you want a space for case storage?
Knowing your needs and requirements will help us create the perfect wine storage system for your commercial wine cellar. We will ensure that the wine cellar solution does the job of displaying your stock properly and functions well as the business grows. We will also create a design that will maximize the storage capacity of your wine room.
We will recommend the best options for your project, but we will follow your decision on the racking styles and materials. Do you like wood racking or metal racking?
Redwood and mahogany are most often chosen when considering wood wine racks. These wood varieties are known for their beauty, durability, and high resistance to mildew, making them suitable for climate-controlled wine rooms.
Knotty Alder is another popular material used for wine racks. It is known for its attractive burls and knots, which can be highlighted when the right finish or stain is chosen.
Pine can also be used if you are not placing the racks in a cooled environment. Wine racks made from pine are not only beautiful but versatile as well. Whether stained or unfinished, they can go well with any theme in your hotel, restaurant, or wine store.
However, Wine Cellar Specialists recommend staining and lacquering your wooden wine racks to make wooden wine racks more appealing to clientele.
You should choose the wood and finish that blends well with the décor of your store. The texture, grain and colour of the wood also have an important impact on the finish and overlook of your wine cellar.
As for durability, Mahogany is the hardest wood, followed by redwood. Pine is a softer wood but is also the most cost-effective.
Metal Wine Racks for Contemporary Commercial Custom Wine Cellars
Metal Commercial Wine Racks Texas
Texas commercial wine cellars with modern design are also eye-catching. Nowadays, minimalist interiors are in-demand in a commercial setup.
Wine Cellar Specialists uses metal wine racks to create stunning wine storage displays. These storage units offer a space-efficient and cost-effective wine storage solution. They can also blend well with any existing décor.
Metal racking in black or platinum finishes are commonly used in commercial wine racking for a more contemporary look.
For many years, we have been using metal wine racks from top-notch suppliers of contemporary wine storage systems like VintageView, STACT, and Ultra Wine Racks.
High-Quality Door Designed and Constructed by Master Builders of Custom Wine Cellars
Your wine cellar door plays a vital role in achieving the ideal conditions needed by your wines to age gracefully. It also helps enhance the aesthetic appeal of your wine cellar. Therefore, it is crucial to seek the help of a professional like Wine Cellar Specialists. Our team designs and manufactures stylish and high-quality custom wine cellar doors.
The Role of Custom Wine Cellar Doors: What You Must Know
An ordinary door is not recommended for wine rooms equipped with a wine cooling system. Custom wine cellar doors must be constructed and installed by a knowledgeable builder. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we have an in-depth understanding of the significant role of doors in achieving the ideal wine storage conditions and aesthetic appearance that the client desires.
The primary purpose of a wine cellar door is to seal the door opening so that you are able to effectively maintain the temperature and humidity levels inside the wine cellar. When constructed properly, it will prevent air leakage, preventing temperature fluctuations and varying humidity levels. It will also prevent your wine cooling unit from working too hard to reach the optimum conditions.
LVL Technology: Why We Use it in the Construction of Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Wine Cellar Specialists uses exterior-grade custom wine cellar doors to ensure safety and efficiency. We use LVL technology in manufacturing our durable doors. A door made with LVL* construction is extremely good for wine cellars. The LVL* construction not only adds better insulation to the door but is less likely to ever warp due to the high humidity in a wine cellar.
*Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is an engineered wood product that uses multiple layers of thin wood assembled with adhesives. It offers several advantages over typical milled lumber: it is stronger, straighter, and uniform. It is much less likely than conventional lumber to warp, twist, bow, or shrink due to its composite nature. It is made in a factory under controlled specifications.
How We Make Sure Our Custom Wine Cellar Doors Can Function Effectively
All of our custom wine cellar doors are manufactured using high-quality materials. They must be exterior grade to withstand the high humidity in refrigerated wine cellars. We construct them with a 3.75-inch thickness.
Any door chosen with glass must be dual-paned tempered glass. A single pane glass will not provide the insulation you need, and you could have condensation issues arise. Even with thick, single-paned glass, this can happen. Always choose a dual-pane glass.
Other details for a wine cellar door have also to be considered. The bottom of the door is where most wine cellars have the coldest air loss. You can help to eliminate this by including an automatic door bottom for your door. Weather-stripping also needs to be added all the way around the jamb to seal the edges. Additionally, your wine cellar doors must have proper jambs and casings in order to close and seal the cellar effectively. While planning your wine cellar design, do remember to plan for casings, hardware, and hinges for the wine cellar doors. You may even want to add sidelights.
Options for Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Wrought Iron Custom Wine Cellar Door by Wine Cellar Specialists
We offer various styles and materials for custom wine cellar doors to suit the specific requirements of our clients. We have pre-hung doors and custom doors. Custom wine cellar doors are highly recommended for those who want to incorporate their own design to create a unique entryway to their wine cellar.
If you prefer to have the door constructed in a simple yet classic pattern, you can choose a glass door with square glass, arched glass, tri-panel, or top panel glass. Alternatively, you may opt for more intricate designs that stand out and make the face of your wine cellar exude a romantic and stylish appeal.
Such wine cellar doors can be in wrought iron or with wrought iron grills and elaborate embellishments.
Have Your Doors Constructed by Master Builders of Custom Wine Cellars
To get your wine cellar doors manufactured to your specifications, you can use the services of a professional wine cellar consultant. For more information, visit: https://www.winecellarspec.com
Do you need help with your project? Call us today at +1 (972) 454-0480!
When you plan to build a wine cellar, you also need to ensure that your wine is always stored at the ideal temperature. Wine needs to be stored at a temperature of approximately 55 Degrees Fahrenheit. To maintain a constant temperature the correct cooling unit will need to be installed. Continue reading →
Wine cannot age gracefully if stored in poor conditions. It should be stored in an environment where the temperature and humidity are stable. The basement is an ideal place to build a Texas home wine cellar because it is the cooler area of your home. However, always keep in mind that important components must be installed in order to achieve the optimum conditions needed by wine to mature properly.
Requirements in Building a Basement Wine Cellar in Texas
Basement Wine Cellar
Wine needs a cool environment to preserve its quality. Too much heat exposure can ruin wine’s flavour, aroma, and overall complexity.
The basement of your home can be an ideal place to store wine.
You can build a complete wine cellar in your basement, which is usually a cooler part of the house as compared to other rooms at the ground level. It is easier for builders to stabilize the temperature and humidity in basement wine cellars. A custom wine cellar in your basement can be made in any size that you have the space available.
Lighting System and Wine Cooling System
Wine Cellar Lighting and Wine Cooling System
While planning your basement wine cellar, also remember that it would require some lighting and a cooling unit. Lighting is an important part of the wine cellar ambience. Led lighting and recessed air lock ceiling lights often work well in custom wine cellars for the home.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, we recommend the LED lighting system. It is known for its low heat emission, which can protect wine from being damaged.
Standard lighting fixtures are not ideal for illuminating wine storage spaces because they emit too much heat.
A dedicated circuit for cooling unit will need to be available or installed. The wine refrigeration system plays a very important role in wine ageing. Using standard home air conditioners can result in wine oxidation.
Oxidized wines have an unpleasant flavour and smell. You don’t want your favourite vintages to become undrinkable due to temperature fluctuations and unstable humidity levels. Investing in a quality wine refrigeration unit is recommended.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers commercial-grade wine cooling systems from trusted manufacturers: Wine Guardian, WhisperKool, CellarPro, and US Cellar Systems.
Proper Insulation for Texas Wine Cellars
Complete construction of the walls, floor and ceiling with a vapour barrier and the proper amount of insulation must occur. Make sure you are adding the correct wine cellar door to completely seal the room.
Proper insulation of refrigerated wine cellars is important because it can prevent moisture build-up. A poorly insulated cellar will force your cooling unit to work harder and may result in breakdowns and high-energy bills.
Seek Professional Help for Your Next Project.
The help of professional wine cellar designers can make it a lot easier to create beautiful and safe wine rooms. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we have years of experience in designing residential wine cellars. If you want to have a wine cellar, you can use any spare room in your home, such as your basement. Our creativity and passion in building climate-controlled wine cellars helped us complete installation projects with satisfaction.
There are no standard rules that apply to all wine cellars. You can customize yours per your individual or personal needs – the budget, the space in which the cellar needs to be accommodated, the number of wine bottles that need to be stored and the general climate in your area. Continue reading →
Traditional Wine Cellar with Elegant Wooden Wine Racks
The wrong wine rack material can make or break the overall appeal of your Texas wine cellar. During the planning phase, it is highly recommended that you seek the advice of a professional designer and installer about the most suitable material for your storage racks. You must consider style, quality, and value. It may cost a significant expense in the future if you decide to change your racking system because it does not fit your needs. At Wine Cellar Specialists, wine room with wood wine racks is in demand among our clients.
Choosing the Most Suitable Racking Material for Your Wine Room
Every owner of residential or commercial space has unique requirements for their wine cellar project. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we make sure that the best material is chosen for our client’s wine racks.
Why Wine Rooms with Wood Wine Racks are In-Demand in Homes and Businesses
Most custom wine cellars for homes or businesses are installed with wooden wine racks. Wood has known to offer many functional and aesthetic benefits.
Custom Wine Cellar Racks Made from Knotty Alder Wood
It is easy to work with, making it easy for builders to customize the wine racks according to the size and shape of the room, the number of bottles intended to be stored and displayed, the home’s décor, the mood that the client wants to achieve, and the allotted budget.
A wine room with wood racks provides a relaxing place for drinking wine with friends. The earth tone colour of wooden wine racks gives an elegant look and richness to the wine cellar. Wood can also go well with any décor in your home. Its natural beauty can match both traditional and contemporary living spaces.
Ideal Types of Wood for Wine Racks
With various wood species used in construction today, it is best to seek the help of an expert when choosing your wine rack material.
Redwood and mahogany are most commonly used for making wine racks through oak, pine and other woods can also be used in some circumstances. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we do not recommend inexpensive materials, such as Poplar, Fir, Western Red Cedar or any aromatic Cedars.
The smell from these woods could go through the corks and taint the flavour of your wine. Some cedars, called non-aromatic, still have some smell to them and should be avoided.
Redwood
Wooden Wine Rack System Made from Premium Redwood
If you love wine cellar racks with reddish tones, you should go with Redwood. It exhibits attractive grain patterns, which are more visible when the wood is stained or lacquered.
Additionally, Redwood is also known to withstand the humid conditions in wine cellars and is highly resistant to mildew, decay, and shock. Its resistance to rot is due to its high level of tannin. So you can expect your Redwood wine racks to last long if maintained properly.
Storing your favourite vintages in Redwood wine racks will add an eco-friendly feature to your wine cellar because the wood is a sustainable material. You can Premium Redwood if you want wine racks with lighter tones or All Heart Redwood for darker racks.
Redwood has similar properties to Cedar, but it has limited availability and is denser. Redwood is also smoother and has fewer knots than Cedar.
Pine
Unfinished Pine (Left) Lacquered Pine (Right)
Pine is also a good material for wine racks because it is attractive, versatile, resistant to decay, durability, and cost-effectiveness. When left unfinished, this softwood will add a lighter feel to your wine cellar.
But keep in mind that it should only be used when the racking will not be in a climate-controlled wine cellar, but in a home or store under regular living conditions. It does not hold up well to cold temperatures and high humidity.
Mahogany
Lacquered Mahogany Wine Storage Racks
When it comes to strength and durability, Mahogany has an edge over other types of wood, making it a favourite material in manufacturing wine racks. It also takes finishes and stains very well.
Unfinished Mahogany Wine Racks
It may display ribbons, stripes, ripples, blisters or rope patterns. Mahogany wine racks are tan to reddish-brown in colour.
They are sanded to reveal their attractive grains. Kiln drying the wood makes it resistant to damages caused by moisture such as warping and splitting.
Another advantage of Mahogany is its non-aromatic quality. Woods used for refrigerated wine cellars must have no strong odours to protect the wine’s aroma and taste.
Mahogany subspecies include Amber Blaze, African, Philippine, Prime, Malaysian, and Sapele. Among these options, Malaysian Mahogany has the most distinctive tone variations and grains.
Alder
Knotty Alder Wood
Another wood species that we use in manufacturing wine racks is Alder. It has an even texture that makes painting a great option.
It is the most suitable material for those who want burl clusters and knots to be visible on their reddish-brown wine racks. The knots vary in colour, shape, and size.
Knotty Alder is a medium density wood with varying wavy grain patterns and lends a rustic appeal than Clear Alder.
Different Types of Wine Rack
In order to create a stunning display of our client’s collection, we use pre-built, custom, or a combination of these wine racks. Our creative team will make sure that your wine room with wood racks will enhance the beauty of your residential or commercial property.
Pre-Made Wine Racks
Pre-Made Wooden Wine Racks
Our pre-built wine racks or wooden wine rack kits are available in standard sizes and heights. These storage units are constructed with 1 ½ inches toe-kick base and horizontal dado spacers. One unit can be stacked on top of the other as your collection grows.
Custom Wine Racks
Custom Wooden Wine Racks by Wine Cellar Specialists
Custom wine racks are built according to the specific requirements of the client. They are constructed according to the room’s shape and size. The owner can also incorporate his or her own unique design to achieve a stellar custom wine display.
Custom racking is ideal for irregular-shaped rooms. If you are building a wine cellar in a space under the stairs, custom wine racks are recommended so that your racking can fit the ascending ceiling perfectly.
Bottle Configurations for Wine Rooms with Wood Racks
Residential Wooden Custom Wine Racks with Mixed Bottle Orientations
Individual wine racks suspend bottles within the rack and allow air to circulate around the bottle. Each bottle is in its own separate niche. They also make it easier to see and pick the desired wine from the wine cellar. An individual rack for 750 type bottles should be 3 ¾” in diameter to be able to store most any of the larger and odd-shaped bottles in today’s market.
Other individual bottle sizes can also be included in your Texas wine cellar to store magnums, very large champagne bottles, split size bottles, or any size bottle you might have. Display rows can be built into the individual racks.
These are rows of individual bottles that are lying back at an angle to show the label. A display row should keep your bottle at no more than a 15-degree angle so that the wine still touches the cork to keep it moist.
Bin wine racks allow wines to be kept horizontally together in compartments and help to store wine in a space-saving way. This is a good way to store many bottles of the same type of wine together. There are many types of bins that can be used such as X cubes, diamond bins, rectangular bins and more.
Do You Want a Wine Cellar with Wood Racks? Contact a Professional Today.
Investing in a wine room with wood racks offers many benefits. At Wine Cellar Specialists, we will help you through the complete process of wine cellar construction.
We design exquisite wine cellars with the right storage space and effective cooling systems to suit your personal needs.
We will also select a floor type that compliments the room as well as a wine cellar door to complete your package.
With Wine Cellar Specialists, you get your personal wine cellar consultant who can help you to create a cellar that becomes one of the most aesthetic features of your home décor. https://www.winecellarspec.com/.
You can avoid wine storage problems when you work with the right builder. Wine Cellar Specialists is composed of HVAC experts who have been providing wine cellar cooling solutions for residential and commercial applications. We know and understand the importance of regulating the temperature andhumidity levels in your wine cellar. We have extensive experience in the installation of wine refrigeration systems in Texas.
Temperature and Humidity Control and Wine Cellar Cooling Tips from HVAC Experts in Texas
So you want to build a wine cellar in your home. Congratulations. Making this decision is the first step to best protecting your wine collection, whether you’re collecting as an investment or just as a way of making sure that no matter the occasion or the food being served, you have the right wine to pair with it. Paramount to your wine cellar is the cooling unit you install, and the type of cooling unit you install will depend largely on how large your cellar will be, the type of wine you plan to store, and where in your home you build your cellar.
Humidity: Why Should It Be Regulated
Humidity is one of the factors that can affect the quality of your wines. Therefore, it must be regulated to prevent wine storage problems. The ideal humidity level in a refrigerated wine room is 60 to 70 percent. Failure to stay inside this range will cause wine spoilage.
One of the adverse effects of humidity levels exceeding 70% is mold growth, which can ruin your wine labels, and worst, the corks. When mold grows on the corks and will contaminate the wine stored inside the bottle that it seals. Moreover, mold will also damage the structural integrity of your wine cellar as it can degrade your wine racks, door, and walls.
When the humidity level is below 60%, the corks will dry out and shrink. The decrease in the cork’s size will allow oxygen to enter the bottle and oxidize the wine. An oxidized wine has off-flavors and unpleasant smells.
Temperature: What is Its Importance in Wine Storage?
Temperature control is vital in building wine cellars. Ideally, a refrigerated wine cellar should have a temperature between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Very high temperatures or temperature fluctuations will alter the chemical properties of your wines because heat accelerates the process of aging.
The Role of an Efficient Wine Cellar Cooling System in Controlling the Conditions in Your Texas Wine Room
Keep in mind that aregular air conditioning system will not help in controlling the humidity in your cellar. A wine cooling system is designed to do just that – keep your wine cool. An air conditioning system, like the one you may have in your home, will dry out the air in residential or commercial cellar, which couldeventually dry out the corks.
An efficient wine cellar cooling system designed by reliable manufacturers is intended for achieving the optimum conditions needed for your wines to reach their proper maturation.
Types of Wine Cellar Cooling Systems Offered by Wine Cellar Specialists in Texas
Some systems are ducted and others are not. Some have separate evaporators and condensers, others are all in the same unit. The type of system you need will also depend on where you live. Live in the western part of the United States and you may need to increase the natural humidity level in the room where your cellar is. Live in the north or northeast, and in the winter, you may need to increase the humidity, but in the summer you may not need as much.
When you add a climate control system to your wine cellar, as the room will be cooled, and because of the vapor barrier in the walls encompassing the room, and the liquid mass of wine in the room, the humidity will naturally increase inside the room to be higher than the air outside of the room. Most parts of the country do not need extra humidification once the room is functioning. All of the cooling units will help to get rid of excess humidity and regulate the humidity in this way. The right refrigeration/cooling system is out there for you. And there are experts who can help you find the option that will work best for you in your home in Texas.
So what about winter in areas that see temperatures in the single digits? If your compressor sits outside, this must be taken into consideration when ordering your unit. Some cooling units can withstand the super cold temperatures, others cannot. Some can have low-ambient protection added for areas of the country where it is needed. This will protect your compressor when temperatures fall below 40 degrees outside.
Most cooling systems come with built-in temperature controls. See other blog posts for why going with a digital control is best. But humidity controls are often missing. Most of these units still help to control your humidity by getting rid of the excess. There are only a few systems on the market which claim to actually add humidity back into the room when it becomes too low. If you live in a very dry climate, it is as important as temperature control. If you do not regulate and control the humidity level in the room where your wine is stored, the dry side of the cork can dry out even more, which can eventually lead to air seeping through the cork, which can destroy your wine. Keep the humidity between 60 and 70 percent and you can ensure your cork doesn’t dry out.
Creating a safe wine storage facility requires the help of a professional wine cellar builder. Failure to store wine in a climate-controlled environment will result in waste of time and money you spent for your collection. For this very reason, Wine Cellar Specialists recommends investing in a functional Texas custom home wine cellar that will preserve wine for many years to come. They ensure that every wine room they build is installed with essential components, especially the wine cellar cooling system. Their expertise in proper wine storage enables them to build safe home wine cellars.
One of the Most Outstanding Custom Wine Cellars Designed and Built by wine Cellar Specialists
An Effective Residential Custom Wine Cellar – the Perfect Place for Your Growing Collection
Custom Home Wine Cellar Designed by Wine Cellar Specialists Texas
Any oenophile worth his or her weight in wine knows that enthusiastic wine collecting needs a suitable place at home in which to grow. Fortunately, as more and more people turn to wine as a hobby, your options for building a wine cellar or having a wine cellar built in your home continue to grow.
Wine cellars are not particularly difficult to find room for in a moderately sized home, and you can not only find plenty of do-it-yourself guides to help you along the way, but also get help from experts ready to make your dreams come true.
Wine Cellar Specialists is your one-stop source for all things related to wine storage. They provide the essential components for your Texas home wine cellar, such as wine racks, cooling systems, doors, and flooring. They have found that the cellar itself is often the easy part of the project. You may know where in your home you can build a space in which to store your wine.
With the help of an expert like Wine Cellar Specialists, you do not have to break the bank to build a functional wine cellar in your home. They will create a well-thought-out design that will suit your functional, aesthetic, and financial requirements.
A well-designed residential wine cellar will not only keep your wines safe for many years. It will also enhance your guests’ drinking experience. Wine Cellar Specialists cares for your collection. Therefore, they always see to it that every wine cellar they build has high-grade components and are installed correctly.
Preserving Wine Quality with an Efficient Wine Cooling System
Wine Cooling System – an Essential Component of Texas Wine Cellars
You may know about the temperature requirements for your cellar, and you may even know about the difference in humidity your cellar needs to be at, compared to the rest of your house.
Wine needs a stable environment to preserve its desirable characteristics. Extreme temperature changes will deteriorate your wines. To achieve the ideal wine storage conditions, wine be stored in a wine cellar equipped with a reliable wine cooling system.
The type and capacity of your cooling unit depend on the number of bottles in your collection, and the size and location of your wine room. If you are not sure which refrigeration system suits your needs, please see the different wine cooling options offered by Wine Cellar Specialists.
Wine Cellar Specialists will perform a heat load calculation for the proper sizing of your wine cooling system. This process will ensure that your equipment is not too big nor too small for the size of your wine cellar.
This team of experts has extensive knowledge and understanding about proper wine storage. They know the crucial role of wine cellar refrigeration units in protecting the wine’s from external factors such as heat, light, odor, and vibration. They offer reliable wine cellar cooling systems from the following top-notch manufacturers:
WhisperKOOL
Wine Guardian
CellarPro
US Cellar System
CustomWine Racks
Whether you want something custom to your taste, or you want one of our modular rack kits, Wine Cellar Specialists can help.
Your wine rack system is one of the factors that contribute to the overall appeal and functionality of your Texas home wine cellar. You must choose the right material and design to allow for a more organized storage system, to ensure bottle safety, and to create attractive wine displays.
Wood and Metal Custom Wine Cellar Racks
Wine racks can be made of wood or metal. Wooden wine racks add warmth to your storage space. They are durable and offers design flexibility. Their timeless appeal make them a favorite choice of homeowners, builders, designers, architects, and contractors. Redwood. Mahogany, and Alder are some of the attractive and durable wood species used for manufacturing wine racks.
Metal wine racks are ideal for modern homes. They add sleek appearance to custom wine cellars. Master builders recommend the VintageView metal racking systems. They are known for their durability and ability to match any décor. The label forward orientation of VintageView wine racks makes it easier to see the wine labels.
Custom Wine Cellar Doors
Texas Custom Wine Cellar Door
But you know one part of the wine cellar that often goes overlooked until the very end? Wine cellar doors. Don’t leave your door as an afterthought. It is as important as your cellar itself.
As many options as you have for cellars, your options for cellar doors are just as limitless. Keep in mind that the door needs to be exterior-grade, provide insulation, and have proper weather stripping. Beyond the practicality of the door you pick – it is the FIRST thing you and your guests see when you walk into your cellar. You want to pick something that not only fits the rest of your home but also fits your cellar AND your personality.
If you choose a door that opens into your cellar, but make sure that the door will not hit any racks (or, more importantly, any bottles of wine) when it opens. If you pick a door with glass, make sure the glass is duel pane tempered glass and properly fits the door frame. Most of the cold air that escapes from a wine cellar escapes from under the door. An automatic door bottom will help to seal below the door. If you pick a poor door, then all of the work you’ve invested in your cellar and your wine may be for nothing.
Any wine collector knows that a wine cellar is the way to go. Not only does it give you total control over your wine and its storage, but it will also, in time, add value to your home.
You may choose between solid wooden door, a glass door with wooden frame and wrought iron grill, and a seamless glass door.
An Expert Can Help Build Your Dream Wine Cellar
Why build a wine cellar? Why not build a Texas home wine cellar? And why not let the experts help you make your wine cellar dreams come true?
Wine Cellar Specialists has proven its expertise, reliability, and creativity in building outstanding refrigerated wine cellars for homes.
If you have questions or want more information about how they can help you build a custom wine cellar, call Wine Cellar Specialists at 972-454-0480, or you can e-mail them at info@winecellarspec.com. They can help you stay within budget, find something that fits your needs, and something that not only shows off your superior taste but also complements your fine wine collection.
You want to build a wine cellar, or maybe you already have one, and you’re thinking about how to fill it (with more than your wine collection, that is). Texas wine cellars are more than the racks you put inside, and of course you will needs racks, because bottles of wine should be stored at a 15 degree angle to make sure the cork doesn’t dry out.
Adding Furniture to Your Texas Home Wine Cellar
Some wine enthusiasts invest in furniture to add a decorative touch to their wine rooms, enhance the wine drinking experience, provide convenient access to wines, or add space for serving and decanting wine.
Wine Tables
Functional Wooden Wine Table in a Texas Wine Cellar
Did you know that some modern wine cellars also have tables inside that can serve as a tasting station?
Or, in some homes, the wine cellar is where dinners begin and end. How fun, to select a bottle of wine out of your collection in front of the people who will enjoy it.
A wine table is similar to any other table in your home. However, remember, if your wine cellar is climate controlled, it will be approximately 55 degrees in the cellar.
You will probably not want to sit around your table while you casually drink your wine. You may use it to sit a case on when unpacking your wines. You may use it to sit your bottles on when selecting which wine to drink.
When you pick a wine table, look for the same features as you would any other table. The table should be a comfortable height, size, and the material of your table should be sturdy and match the rest of the décor. It should hold up well in a high humidity. A wine table is not the place to splurge on bells and whistles. You don’t want your table to overwhelm the room.
Your table should compliment your racks, which should be easy, as most racks come in materials that tables also come in. If you are going with a modern look, then pick a wood or metal table that will look good next to metal wine racks.
Eco-Friendly Wine Barrel Table
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they create wine tables made from wood or metal. For eco-friendly homeowners, a wine barrel table is recommended.
Since it provides a unique space for serving and tasting wines, hosting wine tasting parties can be more memorable.
Pairing furniture in your Texas wine cellar is as much art as it is science, and like pairing a good wine with a good meal, you should think about what you’re doing before starting out.
Wine Cellar Stools/Chairs
The table won’t be complete without some stools or chairs around it. These pieces of furniture can be made of hardwood or metal. Texas home wine cellar builders also recommend stools or chairs made of reclaimed wine barrels.
It is ideal that the material of your stools or chairs complement the wine racks.
It should also be chosen according to the size of your Texas wine cellar, your personal style and budget.
Wine-Rolling Ladders
Wine Cellar Rolling Ladder
Another furniture element to consider is installing a ladder, if your racks are high enough to warrant a ladder. Not only can a ladder make reaching those hard-to-reach bottles easy, but it can probably roll out of the way when not in use, leaving plenty of room to move around it.
Dragging a chair in each time you want to reach those top shelves isn’t really an option, nor should it be an option. Think about your current and future wine collection needs when designing your custom wine cellar, and when deciding how to furnish it.
Make sure the ladder will roll well on the flooring you pick for your cellar. Use a solid wood or tile floor when installing a ladder.
Pick the layout that will work and look the best for you. Remember, no two wine cellars are the same. Yours should reflect you and your collection.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they offer straight and bent wine cellar ladders. They offer wood and metal library ladders. Wooden rolling ladders are made from quality hardwoods: Mahogany, Cherry, Birch, Alder, Red Oak, Maple, Walnut, or White Oak. The wood can be applied with your chosen stain, or can be left unfinished.
For the metal wine cellar ladders, you can choose between matte, white, gloss black, colored powder-coated, metallic beige, or standard milled aluminum finish.
The furniture you use inside your wine cellar will depend on how large your wine cellar is as well as how many racks you have for wine. Keep in mind that your cellar should not only accommodate your current collection but also grow with you.
Furniture may get in the way of such growth, so make sure that you choose items that will work with your future needs. No matter the direction you go, your decisions should be right for you and your needs.
Need help? Wine Cellar Specialists can help find the furniture that will complement your wine storage space. Don’t have a Texas wine cellar yet? Contact Wine Cellar Specialists at +1 (866 ) 646-7089.
So you’ve decided to build a home wine cellar. Or, you already have one. Great. You know you’re a serious wine collector when you have a wine cellar in your home. Not only do you have a safe place in which to let your collection age and gain in value, but you also have a great place to take guests coming over for dinner. Let them wander in your cellar, maybe even select the wine you’re serving with dinner. Or, rather, select the wine with them.
Proper Wine Storage Tips
But as with anything, there is good storage and there is bad storage.
Good storage can help protect your wine while bad storage and destroy your wine in no time at all.
Make sure that doesn’t happen to you by following these simple rules for storing wine in your home (whether in a home wine cellar or in your kitchen).
Wine Should Not be Exposed to Excessive Heat
Wine should be stored in dark places. Don’t let the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays get to your wine.
These rays can damage your wine and, in some cases, make it undrinkable. That’s why most experts suggest storing wine in a Texas home wine cellar, or, lacking that, on a rack that you’re able to keep in an out-of-the-way place.
Your wine storage space must be installed with the proper lighting system. Seek the help of an expert to ensure that your wine cellar lighting does not emit too much heat.
Keep Wine Away from Vibration
Believe it or not, vibrations (like what you’d feel in a room abutting a garage with a door that opens and closes electrically) aren’t good for your wine. Where you store your wine should be as free of vibrations as possible.
Too much vibration can accelerate the chemical reactions in the wine. It can disturb the sediments in wine and may ruin the complex flavours and aromas of the wine. Building a wine cellar near any equipment, machinery, or appliance is not recommended.
Temperature and Humidity Must be Regulated
The temperature and humidity of the place where you store your wine are critical for best protecting it. If you can use or have access to a hygrometer, great.
The humidity in the room where you store your wine should be between 50 and 75 percent. If you realize that the humidity is low, do something about it. Install a humidifier, if you’re storing wine in a room as opposed to a cellar. And if you’re storing wine in a climate-controlled cellar, your unit will already get rid of excess humidity.
Keep in mind that wrong humidity levels can cause moisture build up in your Texas home wine cellar. When this happens, your wine room can be a breeding ground for moulds and mildew. These fungi can damage your wine labels, the quality of your wines, as well as the integrity of your racking.
In the rare cases where you need to add humidity, a wine cellar humidifier can be installed or use the poor man’s method… add a small container of water across the room from the cooling unit. The moisture will be drawn up through the air as the unit tries to rid the room of excess humidity. Problem solved.
As for temperature, your wine should be stored in at approximately 55 degrees. Make sure you can control the temperature in the space where you are storing your wine. Most climate control systems come pre-set at 55 so you do not have to adjust.
When the temperature is not regulated, wine cannot preserve its desirable characteristics. Very low or very high temperatures can cause unpleasant tastes in wine.
Choose Quality Wine Racks Manufactured by an Expert
Beautiful Wine Racks System
The way you rack your wine is also important. Did you know that if you have a display row where your wine is stored at an angle, it should be at no more than a 15-degree angle so the cork stays moist? If you buy pre-made racks, make sure this is possible.
If you’re having racks built, make sure your builder knows what he or she is doing. It is best to hire a company who specializes in wine cellars. Even then, be aware that all of the manufacturers do not make their racks with the same quality or specifications.
Also, make sure that your wine rack system is designed with features that will enhance your drinking experience with family and friends. Your chosen builder should assess all your functional and aesthetic requirements. This will help them create a Texas home wine cellar that will store and display your favourite vintages safely and beautifully. See quality wine racks offered by a master builder.
Organize Your Collection Effectively
e-Sommelier Wine Inventory System
Finally, you have to keep your wine storage organized. The organization is key to a good wine storage system. Store your wine by category or by collection. Keep a written record of what you have and where you are storing it.
Depending on your collection, you may be doing this for insurance reasons anyway. If you have a large collection you might want to invest in a computerized inventory control system. It really is the best way to make the most of your storage system.
A Wine Storage Specialist Can Build a Safe and Attractive Wine Room for You
With the help of a master builder, you can have a Texas home wine cellar designed to store your collection properly. Planning to start your wine room project? Wine Cellar Specialists can help you! Contact them today at +1 (866 )646-7089 or request a 3D wine cellar design for FREE!
You will most likely need a wine cellar cooling unit. Even if you decide to put a cellar in your basement, which may have the properties you’d expect from a wine cellar, you probably will not want to try to get by without a cooling unit. Basements, especially in the United States, can be too warm at times to properly store your wine. It may be the correct temperature… and even the correct humidity during some of the year. However, the fluctuation of temperature and humidity is what can destroy your wine. It will most likely not be stable enough all year round for your wine collection and storage needs. Continue reading →
Wine will not last long if stored in poor conditions. It needs to be kept in an environment where temperature and humidity are regulated. Which is why it is important that you invest in a Texas wine cellar installed with the right components. This will make wine collecting more enjoyable. In this article, you will learn how the ideal storage conditions will help wine mature properly in your Texas home wine cellar.
Vital Components in Wine Cellar Construction
Proper Wine Cellar Insulation Must be Installed by a Specialist
As you probably know, the cooling unit you put in place in your Texas home wine cellar will help to determine how your wine will be when you decide to open and drink it.
Getting Expert Opinion on Wine Cellar Storage Conditions
Before your begin your installation project, consult with a Wine Cellar Specialist to determine the exact cooling unit that will be best for your circumstance and have them do a heat load calculation.
Heat Load Calculations Give Most Accurate Account of Size of Cooling Unit Needed for Proper Conditions.
You cannot go just by cubic footage to properly size your unit. Many other factors are involved such as amount of glass, interior or exterior walls, what is above and below the cellar, type of insulation to be used, etc.
Without first doing a heat load calculation and figuring out which unit will work best for you, costly mistakes can be made that are very difficult to undo later down the road.
Before talking about the conditions under which to store red and white wine, let’s review what your cellar should have before you move in any wine.
Wine Cellar Preparations to Achieve Optimum Storage Conditions Needed for Proper Aging of Red and White Wine
There are several key steps in building a wine cellar that’s designed for ideal wine storage conditions.
Adding a Vapor Barrier
There are two ways to make sure your wine cellar has the proper vapor barrier:
The old method, which we no longer recommend, is to add 6 mil plastic to the warm side of the cellar and fill the studs with batt insulation. This method can be easily compromised over time and years later, you could have moisture issues if the seams come apart or the plastic is penetrated.
The recommended method is to use the correct thickness of closed cell foam. This acts as your vapor barrier as well as insulation. You must use a minimum of 3” on any interior walls. We recommend at least 5” on exterior walls, ceilings, and any floors that are not on slab. Any seams or double studs, etc, must also be polysealed correctly to eliminate any areas where moisture could penetrate. It is wise to have a specialist do the foam for you.
Adding a vapor barrier and insulation will depend on which method you are using. If using the plastic and batt method, you can install the plastic part before your cooling lines and electric are run. If using the foam method, DO NOT foam until the electric and cooling lines are installed.
Insulation of Walls and Ceiling
The proper insulation should then be installed in the walls and ceiling. When using the old method, you will get R-13 insulation in the walls and R-19 in the ceiling. If you use foam, you will get R-19 and R-30, which is better. The more insulation you add, the less work your cooling unit will have to do. This could save you money in the long run… so insulate well to achieve the perfect storage conditions in your wine cellar.
Cooling Systems are Essential in the Proper Aging of Wine
Before installing your walls, depending on the wine cooling unit you are using, you may want to run a drain line, your copper lines (if applicable) and be sure to wire for your electrical. All units will need a place to drain and must have a dedicated circuit for the compressor.
For the walls, you have a choice. You can use any moisture resistant material. You can put a ½” plywood down first to make it easier to attach your racking to the walls… recommended especially if using metal racking. Then add greenboard, or something similar. Another method is to add a heavy paneling such as a tongue and groove board or other board material that you might like to see in your room. Just make sure it is moisture resistant. If you are painting the walls, use a latex paint.
Installation of Wine Cooling System
Now install your cooling unit. Again, depending on the unit you use, you may need to hire a licensed HVACR contractor for this. An HVACR contractor is required for your warranty to be valid if you are using any split system.
These are very basic steps. Clearly, there is more to building a wine cellar in your home than the steps we list above, but we list them to give you an idea of the work involved in creating a space in your home that will preserve and help age wine in a room with ideal storage conditions.
A master wine cellar builder can help you throughout the process, from deciding the kind of cellar you want and where you want it to doing the actual work.
The Right Type of Wine Racks is Important in Wine Storage
Proper Storage of Red and White Wines
Wine Cellar Specialists can Build the Proper Wine Storage Place for your Collection
Once your cellar is in place, you get to move on to the fun part – actually storing your wine. We will cover in a series of other blog posts the types of racks you can use in your cellar, but here, let’s briefly talk about the best wine cellar storage conditions for red and white wines.
Wine Storage Conditions The Same for Red and White Wine
Both red and white wines should be kept at the same storage temperature. They both react the same way to the same storage conditions.
Drinking temperature is a different issue. Keep in mind that serving wine too hot or too cold can result in flat flavors and aromas. The right serving temperature can help preserve the freshness and fruitiness of wine.
White wines may not be chilled enough in your wine cellar. Before serving white wine, take the wine out of your cellar and put it into an ice bucket before you are planning to serve it. Serving champagne? Definitely chill champagne on ice before serving it. If you add water to the ice, the wine will chill faster.
Importance of Optimum Storage and Serving Temperature in the Aging Process of Wine
Red and White Wines Must be Stored at the Ideal Storage Temperature
The 55 degree wine storage temperature is equally important, if not more so, with your red wines. They typically are the wines that need more time to age before drinking. However, the 55 degrees is not the temperature you will want to drink your red wines at either.
The Right Drinking Temperature for Red Wine
Contrary to popular belief, red wine should not be served at normal room temperature. Depending upon the wine you are drinking, the ideal drinking temperature varies. There are may charts available online to help you along the way. When in doubt, serve the wine a few degrees cooler than room temperature. Richer aroma is released as the wine warms up to room temperature.
Cooling and the Aging Process of Wine
No wine should be served over 68 degrees F. Keep in mind that the cooling process helps age your wine and will let you store it for longer periods of time than just putting it away elsewhere.
One unit can serve to store red and white and conditions ideal for them, but remember you may need to take an extra step (cooling or “warming”) before serving.
Essential Wine Accessories for Serving Wine
In addition to serving wine at the right temperature, you can invest in wine accessories to enhance your wine drinking experience.
Aerator
An aerator is a must-have gadget of wine enthusiasts. It is used to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in wine. This process is called aeration, which can help increase your pleasure of drinking your precious wines, especially young ones.
Aeration allows wine to be exposed to the right amount of air, giving wine a smoother texture and pleasant aromas.
Decanter
Wine Cellar Specialists Master Builders of Wine Storage Rooms Texas
Another important wine cellar accessory is the decanter. The dark residuals in your glass or wine bottles are known as sediments. Before drinking wine, these sediments should be separated from the liquid to eliminate harsh flavors.
It is a common practice to let a bottle stand vertically for at least 24-36 hours prior to decanting. This will allow for easy decanting because the sediments will settle at the bottom of the bottle.
Other Tips in Serving Wine
When pouring wine, the wineglass must be on the table, not in your hand.
Use a bigger wine glass for reds, and smaller ones for whites.
Pour only 5-6 ounces of wine in a glass.
Contact a Wine Storage Expert
When it comes to providing wine the perfect wine storage conditions, you can rely on Wine Cellar Specialists. They have built climate-controlled wine cellars in Texas, Chicago, and Florida. Request a custom wine room design today or call them at +1 (866 ) 646-7089.
While you can build a wine cellar in any part of your home, remember that where you build your wine cellar will affect how much you spend yearly in Cellar-related costs. The temperature in most wine cellars is between 55 degrees and 58 degrees, and wine cellars typically have a humidity of between 50% and 75%, so, if possible, pick the coolest and most humid place in your house and be sure to use the correct amount of insulation and vapour barrier in the wall construction. Doing so will help you lower your overall costs, because this may allow you to use a smaller-sized cooling unit. Continue reading →
After deciding to build a wine cellar in your home (or have one built), you should look at the cellar’s overall efficiency first. How the cellar will look, and whether or not it will match how the rest of your house looks, should be a secondary concern. Of course, the design isn’t an afterthought, but at the end of the day, the colours you use in your wine cellar, if you use colors, will not help you protect and store your wine collection. Continue reading →
If you have asked yourself if you need a wine room or even a custom wine cellar in your home, then you already have your answer. Just asking the question means that you have gone beyond the normal wine drinker who may have a few bottles on hand for the occasional dinner party or night in. Because a wine cellar (and, let’s face it, wine) is an investment, you should be thinking about the type of wine room you want in your home, not just whether you want one. Your wine cellar should grow with you and your collection, and unless you’re not planning to sell your home, then your home wine cellar should be built in such a way that it will appeal to someone other than you. A wine cellar, and or even a wine tasting room may be a nice incentive for someone buying a home, so make sure it is. Continue reading →
Wine storage is much more than the wine you choose to store inside. In fact, the wine, contrary to what you might think, is less a factor in an effective wine cellar than the cellar itself. Of course, ultimately, the wine inside your cellar is what will matter, but in the beginning, and, to some degree, going forward, the cellar itself is what will make or break your collection. Without the right temperature and humidity, and in less than ideal conditions, the wine you hope to one day enjoy or sell (wine as an investment is not as rare as you may think) will not be there. Instead, with some careful planning, forward-thinking, and the right cellar, how you want your wine to be when you one day drink it is achievable and very possible. Continue reading →
Premade wine racks may not fit in your space or be exactly the style you are looking for, as premade… or kit racking… comes in specific modules and specific sizes. You can have a wine racking company create custom racks for you. I would not advise trying to build the racks you need yourself. Wine racks have very specific parts to them that the average person would not even think about. The cubicle size must be correct and the rails the bottles sit on must be properly sanded so the rough edges don’t tear the labels on your bottles. The degree of angle in-display racking must be no more than 15 degrees so that the corks don’t dry out. Making sturdy, functional and beautiful wine racking is not something that anyone can do. I have heard nightmare stories of people who have hired their woodworker or cabinet maker to make their wine racks, only to discover when they were finished that they had a beautiful product that was not functional. Just as you would not hire a wine racking company to make your kitchen cabinets, you would not hire your cabinetmaker to make your wine racks. There are even some wine racking companies in the marketplace that don’t get it all right. Choose your wine racking company carefully. Racks are essential in any cellar, especially if you want to be able to quickly identify the wine you plan to use. And since there are many styles of wine racks available… and many ways to create a custom design, work closely with your wine cellar specialist to come up with something that works for you. Continue reading →
How you display and store your bottles of wine in you wine cellar is as important, if not more important, than the construction of your wine cellar itself.
Display Your Wine Collection Beautifully and Efficiently. Choose the Right Wine Racks.
Before you can design and/or pick the right racks for you, you need to consider how many bottles of wine you already own, how many bottles you are planning to acquire, how many bottles you will store at one time, and how long you plan to store your wine before you consume it. Continue reading →
Depending on your wine storage needs, as well as the space you have available in which to store wine, you may need to decide between a simple system comprised of wine racks, or you may opt to build in your home a custom wine cellar, which would include wine racks as part of its overall construction and usability.
Choosing the Best Wine Storage Solution for Your Needs
Every wine collector has different functional, aesthetic, and financial requirements. It is for this very reason that you should work with an experienced Dallas, Texas wine cellar builder. At Wine Cellar Specialists, they offer effective wine storage solutions that cater to their clients’ needs.
Depending on your needs, you can invest in wine racks or a wine cellar.
Wine Racks
Wine racks can fit in your kitchen. And that may be just what you’re looking for. Racks are inexpensive and can easily store a few bottles of wine. If you’re not a serious collector, or if you’re not planning to hold on to the wine you buy for any length of time, then go with a rack. There are several great options out there, and most of them require little time on your part. In fact, if you find a premade rack that works for you, even better.
Wooden Wine Racks
Wine Cellar Specialists, a wine storage expert in Dallas, Texas, offers wine racks built with efficiency, durability, and appeal. You may opt for wood or metal wine racks.
Wood Wine Racks
One of the most versatile wine rack design, wooden wine racks can be used in traditional and modern wine cellars. It’s available in various styles and sizes. You can even use a black stain for a contemporary look to show off your collection! The different types of wooden storage racks are stand-alone, wall-mounted, modular, stackable, and custom wine racks.
Metal Wine Racks
Modern floating wine racks
The popularity of modern design for custom wine cellars has been growing consistently, along with the rise of technology. No need to keep your wines in the dark, show them off with these minimalistic metal wine racks.
Wine racks designed to mount on the wall are highly recommended for small wine storage spaces. Stackable wine racks are ideal for a growing wine collection since you don’t need to modify your racking if you want to add more bottles.
Wine Cellars
An Elegant Wine Cellar Installed in Dallas, Texas
Just like other wine collectors, racking alone is probably not for you. Valuable red and white wines should not be stored in the kitchen, not if you expect them to increase in value and remain robust. Building a wine cellar in your home is probably the right option for you.
The wine cellar you build should regulate humidity and temperature since both are essential to protecting your investment.
Dallas, Texas wine cellars are designed to maintain the optimum conditions need in the proper ageing of wine. They are equipped with a wine cooling system that can keep the temperature and humidity at the ideal range. Without an efficient climate-control system, your collection will go to waste.
If you want, you can also install a refrigerator in another part of your home. Never put a wine refrigerator inside your wine cellar. The motor on the unit will give off heat and make it harder to keep your room at a constant temperature. Your cooling unit will be fighting the heat coming from the refrigerator. You can use the refrigerator to chill the white wines you intend to drink soon. But for storage temperature, your white wines and your red wines can be stored together in the same wine cellar.
More Tips from a Wine Cellar Expert in Dallas, Texas
Home Wine Cellar with Wine Barrel Racks
Wine Cellar Specialists provides the following tips to help you determine the right storage solution that suits your needs.
When planning your home wine storage system, whether using a cellar in your home or racks in your kitchen, long-term thinking requires you to think about durability. Don’t just go with a wine rack that looks strong. Make sure your rack can stand on its own and can handle the number of bottles of wine you’d keep on it at one time. Don’t plan for the least possible situation. Make sure your rack can handle anything you may want to use it for.
Consider the way your home looks before buying your wine racks. If your home is more modern and metal, then go with a metal rack, but if there is a lot of wood in your home, then go with a wood rack. There is also the possibility of reclaimed wine barrel racking. This is a more costly way to go but, if you can afford it, it truly makes for a magnificent look. It also has the smell of a winery when you walk into the room as the wood used for this racking was originally used for barrels that held wine. That wine smell is still in the wood.
Your wine storage system can be as individual as your specific taste in wine. No matter the vintage, and no matter your choice, storing your wine is as important as pairing it with the right meal and for the right dinner guests.
Need help? Contact Wine Cellar Specialists today at +1 (972) 454-0480.
Mistakes in wine room construction can be avoided if you work with the right company. We, at Wine Cellar Specialists, have extensive knowledge in proper wine storage. We have designed functional custom wine displays and installed Texas wine cellars with the proper components. Before the wine room installation, there are important questions that need to be answered, to ensure that our clients will be happy with the beauty and functionality of their wine rooms.
Questions That Needs to Be Answered Before Custom Wine Cellar Installation
A Wine Cellar Must be Built by a Professional
Yes, wine cellars are a good investment, especially if you are a wine connoisseur. Consider your wine collection. Maybe you don’t know how you became a collector.
A couple of bottles you bought for dinner became a case for a week’s vacation with friends and all of a sudden you’re reading labels and asking about vintage and years.
What’s next? Worrying about storage temperature. If you don’t think about it, that special bottle you’re saving for a golden anniversary or for when that promotion goes through may not taste as special as you are hoping.
Once your thoughts turn to storage temperature, it’s time to think about a wine cellar of your very own.
Some questions you may have, or at least some questions others at the start of their wine cellar process have had, and some answers. Of course, your situation is unique to you. Some of the questions may not apply. Remember, we’re here to help. Call us at 972-454-0480, or you can e-mail us at info@winecellarspec.com.
Is special construction required?
Wine Will Age Properly in the Right Environment
The fluctuation of temperature is the number one cause of wines going bad. You want your wine cellar to have a constant temperature of between 55 degrees and 58 degrees, and maintain a humidity of between 50% and 75%. The temperature in most homes hover around 70 degrees, and the humidity in most homes is somewhere between 20% and 30%.
Of course, where you live, and the temperature and humidity outside probably affect the temperature and humidity in your home.
The proper insulation and vapor barrier in the walls are the first steps to creating a wine room. These will keep the wine cellar humidity at the ideal range by preventing the warm air from leaking into the wine room.
Without proper insulation, molds and mildew can build up in your wine cellar, which can damage the integrity of your racking and walls. This can also damage the wine labels.
The next step is to find out which climate control system is right for you. After the assessment of your needs, Wine Cellar Specialists will be able to recommend the type and brand of wine refrigeration system that suits your storage requirements. This will stabilize the temperature and humidity in the wine room. Regular air conditioners don’t have the capacity to provide the right environment that will help the wine to age gracefully.
Yes. However, keep in mind that where you install your wine cellar will affect how much you spend on its upkeep going forward. Also, heat, light, and vibration can affect your wine. Pick a spot without windows preferably (so you don’t have to worry about covering them) and away from any noise is best. The type of climate control system you can use also depends upon where your room is located. Consult a Wine Cellar Specialist.
When does the cooling unit go in?
Normally, your refrigeration system goes in after the drywall is installed. However, you will want to run the electrical and drain lines during your wall construction.
Do I need to install special flooring?
Texas Wine Cellar Flooring
Yes. You need to install flooring that can withstand high humidity. Carpeting just will not do, since it may likely rot.
Concrete is OK, as long as it is sealed properly. Porcelain or granite tiles, cork, or hardwood flooring is most often recommended.
Custom wine cellar lighting is key to achieving a moody and dramatic look
While it’s fine to opt out of installing lighting for your custom wine cellar, we highly recommend adding a bit of decorative lighting to improve the overall ambient of the space. Furthermore, it adds some pizzazz to your wine collection. With LEDs, you don’t have to worry about the heat it produces. It won’t affect the temperature and the state of wine bottles, thanks to the low-power nature of LED. Alternatively, you can install a chandelier to illuminate the entire room space. The combination of warm lighting and dark-shaded bottles creates a soothing look and feel for a Texas custom wine cellar. What’s even better is that it works and blends well whether it’s traditional, modern, or contemporary custom wine cellars.
How to properly light a Texas custom wine cellar?
If you are planning to add lighting decorations to your wine cellar, you need to know how to install lights in a wine cellar the right way. Aside from chandelier or ceiling lighting, you can try the backlit style. With the bulbs hiding behind wine bottles, the illumination creates a silhouette effect that dramatically adds mood to a wine rack. Sometimes, the color of the wine makes everything a lot more interesting. Another style that’s popular nowadays is accent lighting. All you need to have are several LED strips and run them along the shelves. You can get creative and find the best spots for accent lights. This is one of the best ways to light a custom wine cellar, especially if you want wine racks to be the focal point.
I don’t want to build my wine cellar. Can anyone do it?
Wine Cellar Specialists Texas
Yes, most likely. A blanket statement like anyone can build your wine cellar is difficult to back up. If your builder follows proper Texas wine cellar construction and enclosure guidelines, then yes, anyone can help you.
The materials your builder will need for your wine cellar are easy to find and often used in other home projects. But you should ask any builder you consider for the job if they have experience with wine cellars, and if not, if they work with anyone who does.
When it comes to installing climate control, many units will require a licensed HVAC/R contractor.
The most affordable builder, or the builder who promises to have your wine cellar finished in the shortest amount of time, may not be the best builder for your job. Think long-term appreciation, not short-term satisfaction. We, at Wine Cellar Specialists, will create your wine cellar from start to finish… or work with your builder to help educate him on the best methods when building your room.
Having your Texas wine cellar designed and built by an expert will prevent waste of time and money. There are important factors that need to be considered in wine cellar construction, thus hiring a wine cellar specialist is necessary. This will ensure that your wines are stored in a safe place, allowing them to age for years to come.
A Texas Wine Cellar Built by an Expert Will Keep Your Wines Safe
A custom wine cellar is not that far out of your reach. You don’t have to do it by yourself.
There are specialists and experts who are more than happy to work with you to bring your wine cellar design to life. And if you don’t want to go the route of turning the project entirely over to someone, then work with a wine consultant, who can give you pointers on your cellar.
Wine reaches proper maturation when it is stored in an environment with stable temperature and humidity. The ideal wine storage conditions in Texas wine cellars cannot be achieved without the help of a builder who has extensive experience in wine cellar design and installation.
Your chosen wine cellar company should aim not only to create an exceptional design for your wine storage space, but also to ensure that your prized collection is stored in a climate-controlled environment.
They should be able to help you determine the best location for your wine cellar, the best type of climate control that will work for you, a design that is functional and incorporates everything you want in your room. A consultant will work with you and if you have your own contractor, consult with them as well to make sure the room is constructed correctly. Continue reading →
So you’ve decided to build a wine cellar in your home. Do you know the environment to create in your wine cellar to best protect your wine? Learn all about it and more in this, the first in a series of blog posts about creating an ideal environment in your wine cellar.
Achieving Optimum Temperature and Humidity Levels for Graceful Wine Aging
Wine Guardian Cooling Unit in a Teas Home Wine Cellar
Your Texas wine cellar should constantly be at a temperature of about 55 degrees. As important as temperature is, so is humidity. Keep the humidity in your wine cellar somewhere between 50 and 75 percent.
Too high of a humidity can cause mold and mildew and your labels to fall off. Too low a humidity can cause your corks to dry out, air can seep into your bottles, and your wine can be ruined.
Do you live in a low-humidity area? Some types of climate control units help to regulate your humidity by adding moisture, others simply get rid of excess humidity. Some wine cellar owners like to add a humidifier to their cellar while others might want a fountain.
The poor man’s method is a container of water across the room from the cooling unit. The unit will pull the moisture through the room. Most areas of the country do not need any type of humidification.
When cooling a Texas wine cellar with the liquid mass of the wine in the bottles, the humidity naturally rises. Your cellar will automatically have a higher humidity than it will have outside the room. The vapor barrier in the walls, floor and ceiling helps to keep the humidity inside the room. This is why most cooling units are made to get rid of the excess humidity.
Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Wine Cellar Cooling unit
Picking a wine cellar cooling unit is where you need to be sure to consult an expert. He or she is best able to help you pick something that will work for your wine cellar. Many things are considered when deciding what you can use.
Where in the house or building is the cellar located?
Do you want to see the unit or not?
Are you OK with hearing the unit or not?
How big is your wine room?
What is the amount of insulation in the room?
What is the type/style of wine cellar door installed?
The size of the room, the amount of insulation, even the style of the door being used are all factors in determining the size of unit you can use. Your cooling unit expert at Wine Cellar Specialists can do a free heat load calculation for you by plugging in all the factors needed to determine the correct BTU’s necessary for your unit. All cooling units need to have a dedicated circuit and all units will have a drain line for excess condensation.
Types of Wine Cooling Units Recommended for Texas Wine Cellars
Self Contained or Through-the-wall: A unit that is mounted through the wall (hence the name). It pulls air from the adjoining room and also releases hot air into the same room. This separate room must be heat and air conditioned and be at least two times the size of the wine cellar. Some of these systems can have the hot air ducted to another area. Consult your expert.
Ductless Split System: Called a “split” because the evaporator coil is in the room where the unit is. It is connected to the condenser in another room or outside the home via 2 copper lines. If you live in a climate where you have winter days of below 40 degrees, this must be taken into consideration when choosing your unit. Some units can withstand these temperatures. On others you must add a low ambient kit for cold weather.
Split-air handler or Ducted Split System: This system requires ducting to the wine cellar from the evaporator coil, which can sit in another room, closet or attic. The evaporator is connected to the condenser via 2 copper lines. The condenser can be in another room (at least 1-2 times the size of the cellar) or outdoors. Again, if placing the condenser outdoors, be sure your wine cellar expert knows your climate temperature fluctuations year round to be sure your unit has everything for the conditions it will be in.
Water-cooled system: This system uses cold water to cool the coils in the unit, and is installed in an indoor space. By using water, no refrigerant is needed or used, and an air handler creates the cold air you need in the room. This type of unit is usually only used when the building has a water reservoir in place that circulates through the building and can be tapped into. You do not want to hook this up to a regular city water and sewer system.
A climate control system will do more than simply circulate air in your cellar. The right system will help protect your wine by maintaining constant wine cellar temperature and humidity. The fluctuation of temperature and humidity is the biggest cause of ruined wine.
More Wine Cooling Tips
Wine Cellar Specialists, a wine cooling expert in Texas, always make sure that the room is prepared for the installation of the wine refrigeration system. They install the proper amount of insulation, a vapor the barrier, and sealing components for the door and flooring.
Installing the Proper Insulation and Vapor Barrier Can Protect Both Your Wine Cooling System and Wines
Climate-controlled wine cellars must be insulated by a professional to prevent the environmental factors from damaging your wine. The R factor (thickness of insulation) depends on the thickness of the walls and ceiling. R19 is the minimum insulation that must be applied the interior walls of your wine cellar. For the ceiling, above ground floor and any exterior walls, R-30 insulation is recommended.
Wine Cellar Door with Proper Sealing Components by Wine Cellar Specialists Texas Builder
Wine cellar builders should be using closed cell spray foam as insulation and vapor barrier. Before the foam is sprayed, any seams should also by polysealed. Proper vapor barrier and insulation can help to prevent mold growth by sealing the wine cellar and allowing the proper sized cooling unit to work efficiently. When closed cell foam is used as your insulation in the correct thickness, another vapor barrier is not necessary.
Some contractors use plastic sheeting applied to the warm side of the walls. At Wine Cellar Specialists we only recommend closed cell foam. Plastic sheeting is too easy to be compromised over time and can then allow moisture to enter the room, causing mold or mildew issues.
With the appropriate insulation and vapor barrier installed, your Texas wine cellar can store your collection safely for years to come. It also allows your wine cooling system to function properly, preventing significant expense. Your wine cooling unit may not work correctly, overworking the refrigeration system, if your wine cellar has not been properly sealed.
Sealing the Door and Flooring
An exterior grade door must be used in a cooled wine cellar. It must be equipped with weather stripping on all four sides of the doorjamb. It will prevent unwanted entry of the outdoor air. It is also imperative to add a threshold or bottom sweep to the door. Our wood and iron doors have the option of an automatic door bottom which is a great way to seal against the loss of air from your wine cellar.
Your floor will need to have a vapor barrier and insulation if it is above ground. Flooring should be made of a solid material applied to a level surface. Ideal flooring materials are ceramic tiles, hardwood, and marbles.
Need Help? Contact a Wine Cellar Cooling Expert.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers quality cooling systems for Texas wine cellars. Contact them at +1 (866 ) 646-7089!
You will most likely need a wine cellar cooling unit. Even if you decide to put a cellar in your basement, which may have the properties you’d expect from a wine cellar, you probably will not want to try to get by without a cooling unit. Basements, especially in the United States, can be too warm at times to properly store your wine. It may be the correct temperature… and even the correct humidity during some of the years. However, the fluctuation of temperature and humidity is what can destroy your wine. It will most likely not be stable enough all year round for your wine collection and storage needs. Continue reading →
As you probably know, the cooling unit you put in place in your wine cellar will help to determine how your wine will be when you decide to open and drink it. Before talking about the conditions under which to store red and white wine, let’s review what your cellar should have before you move in any wine.
Preparing the Room to Meet Wine Storage Requirements
Prepare your wine cellar before installing your cooling unit.
Put a vapor barrier in place in the walls and ceiling. A vapor barrier consists of 6 mils plastic sheeting and must be installed on the warm side to serve as a barrier between the cellar and the rest of your home. The room should be wrapped like a package so no moisture can escape.
Put a vapor barrier on the floor. If the floor is concrete, you can use a product that goes on with a trowel found at most hardware stores. One recommended product is Bosticks MVP4.
Any tile or wood flooring can be installed right over this product once it drys. If your floor is above ground, you will want to add your vapor barrier and insulation just as you did on the walls and ceiling, while building up the floor.
The proper insulation should then be installed in the walls and ceiling. A minimum of R-13 in the walls and R-19 in the ceiling. However, the more the better. The more insulation you add, the less work your cooling unit will have to do. This could save you money in the long run… so insulate well.
Before installing your walls, depending on the cooling unit you are using, you may want to run a drain line, your copper lines (if applicable) and be sure to wire for your electrical. All units will need a place to drain and must have a dedicated circuit for the compressor.
An Efficient Wine Cooling Unit is a Vital Component of Wine Cellars
For the walls, you have a choice. You can use any moisture-resistant material. You can put a ½” plywood down first to make it easier to attach your racking to the walls… recommended especially if using metal racking. Then add a green board, or something similar.
Another method is to add a heavy paneling such as a tongue and groove board or other board material that you might like to see in your room. Just make sure it is moisture resistant. If you are painting the walls, use latex paint.
Now install your wine cooling unit. Again, depending on the unit you use, you may need to hire a licensed HVACR contractor for this. An HVACR contractor is required for your warranty to be valid if you are using any split system.
These are very basic steps. Clearly, there is more to building a Texas wine cellar in your home than the steps we list above, but we list them to give you an idea of the work involved in creating a space in your home that will perfectly preserve and help age any wine you store. Experts can help you throughout the process, from deciding the kind of cellar you want and where you want it to doing the actual work.
Best Conditions for Wine
Once your cellar is in place, you get to move on to the fun part – actually storing your wine. We will cover in a series of other blog posts the types of racks you can use in your Texas wine cellar, but here, let’s briefly talk about the best conditions under which to store your red and white wine.
Both red and white wines should be stored at the same temperature when it comes to storage. Ideal storage conditions protect wine from harmful environmental factors, preserving its desirable characteristics.
Drinking temperature is a different issue. Keep in mind that serving wine too hot or too cold can result in flat flavors and aromas. The right serving temperature can help preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the wine.
White wines may not be chilled enough in your wine cellar. Before serving a white wine, take the wine out of your cellar and put it into an ice bucket before you are planning to serve it. Serving champagne? Definitely chill champagne on ice before serving it. If you add water to the ice, the wine will chill faster.
The 55-degree storage temperature is equally important, if not more so, with your red wines. They typically are the wines that need more time to age before drinking. However, the 55 degrees is not the temperature you will want to drink your red wines at either.
Contrary to popular belief, red wine should not be served at normal room temperature. Depending upon the wine you are drinking, the ideal drinking temperature varies. There are many charts available online to help you along the way.
When in doubt, serve the wine a few degrees cooler than room temperature. The richer aroma is released as the wine warms up to room temperature. No wine should be served over 68 degrees F. Keep in mind that the cooling process helps age your wine and will let you store it for longer periods of time than just putting it away elsewhere.
One unit can serve to store red and white and conditions ideal for them, but remember you may need to take an extra step (cooling or “warming”) before serving.
Essential Wine Accessories for Serving Wine in Your Texas Wine Cellar
In addition to serving wine at the right temperature, you can invest in wine accessories to enhance your wine-drinking experience.
Aerator
An aerator is a must-have gadget of wine enthusiasts. It is used to reduce the level of carbon dioxide in wine. This process is called aeration, which can help increase your pleasure of drinking your precious wines, especially young ones. Aeration allows the wine to be exposed to the right amount of air, giving the wine a smoother texture and pleasant aromas.
Decanter
Another important wine cellar accessory is the decanter. The dark residuals in your glass or wine bottles are known as sediments. Before drinking wine, these sediments should be separated from the liquid to eliminate harsh flavors. It is a common practice to let a bottle stand vertically for at least 24-36 hours prior to decanting. This will allow for easy decanting because the sediments will settle at the bottom of the bottle.
Other Tips in Serving Wine
When pouring wine, the wineglass must be on the table, not in your hand.
Use a bigger wine glass for reds, and smaller ones for whites.
An Expert Can Help You Build Your Dream Texas Wine Cellar
Climate-Controlled Texas Wine Cellar
While you can build a wine cellar in any part of your home, remember that where you build your wine cellar will affect how much you spend yearly in cellar-related costs.
The temperature in most wine cellars should be between 55 degrees and 58 degrees, and wine cellars typically have a humidity of between 50% and 75%, so, if possible, pick the coolest and most-humid place in your house and be sure to use the correct amount of insulation and vapor barrier in the wall construction.
Doing so will help you lower your overall costs, because this may allow you to use a smaller-sized cooling unit.
Planning Your Wine Cellar Project
After you’ve picked the spot in your house where you will build your wine cellar, plan carefully. How much money are you willing to invest initially and going forward? What do you want your wine cellar to look like? Can you find building materials locally, or are you going to have to special order materials? Are you prepared to do the work yourself? How will you protect your wine?
Careful assessment of your functional, aesthetic, and budget requirements, will help your chosen builder determine the most suitable wine cooling system, flooring, racking, lighting, and doors.
Wine Cellar Specialists, an expert in wine cellar design and installation, can make your Texas wine cellar a safe haven for your collection, and a beautiful addition to your living space.
Wine Refrigeration System
Wine Cellar Cooling Systems Texas
Your cellar will need the correct size and type of cooling system. The size and location of your cellar are factors that must be taken into account in determining the type and capacity of your climate-control system.
The wrong choice of cooling system can cause temperature fluctuations that can be detrimental to your wines. Wine loses its quality when stored in a room with unstable conditions.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers different types of refrigeration systems to meet the unique requirements of their clients. The only use cooling units from trust manufacturers such as Wine Guardian, US Cellar Systems, CellarPro, and WhisperKool.
You can dramatically increase the beauty of your wine cellar by picking amazing flooring.Since it contributes to the overall appeal and functionality of your wine room, the type of your flooring must be chosen carefully.
Don’t limit your thinking to just tile. While you may ultimately go with a tile floor, consider cork or reclaimed wine barrel flooring. Any moisture-resistant material can be used on the floor.
Wine Racks for a Safe and Stunning Texas Wine Cellar
Wine Racking Designed by a Texas Wine Cellar Builder
Now, think about the wine you are planning to store. Not all bottles are the same size and shape, so you should think about the type of the wine racks you will install.
Look at all of your options.
Make sure that the cubicles of the standard 750 racks will hold any larger or odd shaped bottles. They need to be at least 3 ¾” wide.
Do you want to store magnum or larger sized bottles?
Will you have any larger Champagne bottles in your collection?
What about the smaller split size?
Will you want storage for wood cases?
Do you want all of your bottles in individual cubicles or do you want bulk storage such as X bins or Diamond bins?
What about display rows?
Regular display rows or horizontal displays are available in some racking.
A waterfall style display rack is another possibility.
Consider the wine you will store and choose storage racks that you think will protect and store your wine the best.
You may choose wood or metal as material for your racking. Your choice should depend on the look and ambiance that your want for your wine room.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they consider these important factors in choosing a wine rack design that will store your wines safely and beautifully.
Then there are your wines.
Do you already have them?
Are you waiting until your cellar is finished before you get them?
You’re thinking about a wine cellar, so you must already be a wine aficionado or live with someone who is.
At the end of the day, a wine cellar without wine is an empty wine cellar.
When you’re planning your budget for the project, think about how much money you will spend on wines.
Also, when planning your budget for future years, think about how much you plan to spend on acquiring new wines.
A do-it-yourself wine cellar is not impossible, but it is not easy. A wine cellar may boost your resale value, help you store your collection of wine, and be something to brag about. Let’s face it – how many people do you know who have built their own wine cellars? Or who even have a wine cellar in their home?
Working with a professional wine cellar designer and installer can help you build a safe and exceptional Texas wine cellar.
What the Best Custom Wine Cellar Builder Can Do
Wine cellar with contemporary design by Wine Cellar Specialists
If you want a custom wine cellar that is built to your liking made with high-quality products and top-notch service, work with Wine Cellar Specialists. With plenty of wine cellar designs to choose from including traditional, contemporary, modern and transitional design, Wine Cellar Specialists can help. Check out our gallery of completed projects here!No matter where you live or what your wine cellar needs, we can help. Call us at :+1 (972) 454-04809, or send us a message!
One of the reasons wine loses its desirable characteristics is choosing the wrong wine cellar cooling system. Keep in mind that a regular air conditioning system for homes should not be used to stabilize a wine cellar environment. Wine Cellar Specialists, a wine cooling expert in Texas, is dedicated to helping clients select the best wine refrigeration system that suits the requirements.
Why it is Crucial to Work with a Wine Cellar Cooling Expert in Texas
You cannot enjoy the true bouquet of your favorite vintages if you do not store them in a climate-controlled environment. Wine must not be exposed to excessive heat, direct source of light, odor, and vibration. It is a smart idea to invest your time and money in building a safe place for your precious collection: a wine cellar designed to achieve the optimum storage conditions.
The Ideal Environment Required for the Graceful Aging of Wines
The ideal temperature in a wine cellar is between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, while the humidity level must range from 60 to 70 percent. Excessive temperature fluctuations will accelerate wine’s aging process, which can result in off flavors and aromas.
High humidity levels also have a negative impact on the quality of your wines. If your wine cellar exceeds the ideal humidity level, the cork will shrink, become brittle, and eventually lose its elasticity.
The cork’s elasticity plays a significant role in sealing the bottle and prevents an unwanted amount of oxygen to enter. When it decreases in size, air will mix with the wine and cause wine oxidation. An oxidized wine smells like burnt fruit or wet cardboard.
Wine Cellar Refrigeration System Installation Project in Texas
While you need to make sure that the temperature and humidity in your wine cellar are maintained at the right levels, there are different ways you can do this. When you set out to build a wine cellar in your home (or have one installed), you will more than likely hear about different cooling options. The primary options include self-contained, ductless split, and ducted split systems.
Essential Tips in Choosing a Wine Refrigeration System for Your Cellar
Which system you go with will depend on your needs. Before deciding, consult with an expert. They can help you decide in which direction to go, and may be able to offer services with about putting the cellar in place. Most wine cellars, if done correctly, will need little long-term maintenance, so an initial expense may be worth it if your later costs are minimized.
As mentioned in a different blog post, a wine cellar is not going to keep any white wine you serve at a temperature desirable for serving. You must remember to take out the white wine and chill it before serving.
Never Put a Wine Fridge Inside Your Wine Cellar
So, while a cellar is the best place in which to store white wine, some people also install a wine refrigerator somewhere else in the home in which to keep white wine that you intend to serve and drink soon. You do not want to put a wine refrigerator inside the cellar itself. The motor will give off heat and combat the cooling system, making it take more energy to cool the room.
Buy a Wine Cooling Unit That Has a Humidity Control Feature
Wine Cellar Cooling System Installed by Experts in Texas
A wine cooler is not the drink you can buy, and it is not some type of cooler you take with you on a picnic or to the beach. A wine cooler, or cooling unit, is desirable because it will help keep your cellar at one steady temperature. For storing wine, temperatures should be close to a constant 55 degrees. Most wine cooling units you can buy will not come with a humidity control device on the unit.
However, they all will help to control the humidity by getting rid of the excess. There are some units, which claim to re-route the moisture and add it back into the cellar when needed. These units have “humidity control.”
In most parts of the country, low humidity is not an issue. When the room has a proper vapor barrier and insulation, and the unit is cooling the room, the humidity will naturally rise higher than the air outside of the cellar.
If humidity is a factor for your wine cellar, you can install a humidifier, use a unit that has humidity control, add a fountain, or try the poor man’s method of adding a container of water to the opposite side of the room as the cooling unit. The unit will draw the moisture up through the air adding extra humidity to the room.
Different Types of Wine Cooling System Offered by Wine Cellars Specialists in Texas
Self-Contained Wine Cooling System
At Wine Cellar Specialists, we always make a careful assessment of our client’s needs to ensure that every component we install meets their aesthetic, functional, and financial requirements. There are several ways to keep your cellar cool.
We offer self-contained through-the-wall, self-contained ducted, ducted split, and ductless split wine refrigeration systems. You and your chosen builder must understand the features of each of these climate-control systems.
Self-Contained Through the Wall Wine Cooling Systems
The most cost effective is a self-contained unit, which goes through the wall and into the next room. You have to have a room that is at least twice the size of the cellar for this type of unit. The exception is if you duct the exhaust out of the second room to another area. Some units allow for this option.
There is also a wine cooling unit made that can vent to the outdoors. It is meant for extreme conditions. Be sure that you have the correct unit if placing the unit in an outer wall. Anyone can install this type of unit. However, it is the noisiest of all of the systems, as the fan and compressor are both in the one unit.
Self-Contained Ducted Wine Cooling Systems
One of the most popular styles of cooling units today is the ducted self-contained system. If you have a room next to the cellar or an attic above it is a perfect way to cool your room. Both the evaporator and condenser are contained in one unit and is ducted to and from the cellar. This unit does not require an hvac contractor to install as it comes pre-charged with the freon already in the system.
Ductless Split System
Ductless Split Wine Cooling System
Another unit is a ductless split system. With this unit, the evaporator, or fan coil is placed inside the cellar and is connected via two copper lines to the compressor which can be placed either in another large room in the house or outdoors.
Ducted Split System
Self-Contained Ducted Wine Cooling System
The fourth type of cooling unit is a ducted split system. This is a system where the evaporator and the condenser are both located remotely and the cool air, and the return air are ducted in and out of the room.
The evaporator is indoors in a separate space and is connected to the condenser (which usually sits outdoors) with two copper lines.
Both the ductless and the ducted split systems must be installed by a licensed HVAC/R contractor. There are other types of units on the market as well.
Avoid Costly Mistakes by Working with a Wine Cellar Cooling System Specialist in Texas
Consult with a wine cellar specialist in Texas when choosing the type and brand of your wine cooling system. Purchasing the wrong unit can be a costly mistake. A well-built wine cellar can be located anywhere in your home where one of these units can be installed.
If you need help, please do not hesitate to call us at +1 (866 ) 646-7089.
After deciding to build a wine cellar in your home (or have one built), you should look at the cellar’s overall efficiency first. How the wine cellar will look, and whether or not it will match how the rest of your house looks, should be a secondary concern.
Wine Cellars – Design & Efficiency
Of course, design isn’t an afterthought, but at the end of the day, the colors you use in your wine cellar, if you use colors, will not help you protect and store your wine collection.
Making sure your cellar is efficient means that your wine cooling unit must be the proper size for the room and emit the proper BTU’s to efficiently cool the room according to your specific conditions. (see other blog posts for information on cooling unit options)
Your cooling unit, more than likely, is going to look and sound very different from what you might be thinking. Depending upon which type of unit you can use in your situation, the look of your cooling unit could vary greatly.
Selecting the right Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Wine Cellar Climate-Control System
When you pick your wine cellar cooling unit, there is usually an external temperature display on it. The wine cellars’ cooling unit will help you monitor and regulate your wine cellar’s temperature. With some units this display can be placed in a spot inside or outside of your wine cellar.
On others, it is attached to the unit itself. This temperature display will show you how hot or cold your cellar is, and if the temperature fluctuates out of your preset range, it will “tell” the cooling unit to readjust the temperature inside the cellar. This should happen automatically.
Because your wine cellar, as one expert puts it, is “dark and damp,” always install moisture-resistant materials during the build-out of the project. These materials can be covered with a latex paint.
Types of Wine Cooling Systems for Texas Custom Wine Cellars
Depending on how you plan to use your wine cellar (is it for an investment, or do you plan to drink the bottles of wine you will store in your cellar), you will want to choose the best cooling option for you. Wine Cellar Specialists can help you decide the system to put in place in your home.
Through the Wall or Self-Contained Units
Self-Contained Cooling System
When it comes to practicality and ease of installation, the self-contained or through the wall cooling system is a top choice. Since this cooling option does not require a licensed HVAC/R technician, it will save you from the labor cost. The unit can be mounted between the wall studs.
An adjacent room, which must be at least twice the size of the cellar, is required. It serves as an exhaust of the heat generated by the refrigeration unit.
Ducted Self-Contained Systems
Ducted Self-Contained System
With a ducted self-contained unit, noise is reduced. The unit is installed 25 ducted feet away from your Texas custom wine cellar, resulting in a quieter operation compared to the self-contained system.
Another advantage of choosing this type of refrigeration system is that no cooling equipment is visible in your wine storage space. If you want a clean look in your cellar, go for the ducted self-contained system.
Split Refrigeration Systems
Split Refrigeration Systems
Just like the ducted-self-contained cooling system, the split system allows for quiet operation. The condenser and the evaporator are installed separately. The condenser, which is a noisy component of a refrigeration system, is installed outside your wine cellar, while the evaporator is placed in the room.
Incorporating a wine cellar into your house is not overly complicated. Doing it right means taking your time, focusing on efficiency, and making sure you have the right people helping you make the right decisions that will best protect your investment and give you your desired result.
You Can Have a Functional and Appealing Home Wine Cellar with the Help of an Expert
If you have asked yourself if you need a wine cellar in your home, then you already have your answer. Just asking the question means that you have gone beyond the normal wine drinker who may have a few bottles on hand for the occasional dinner party or night in.
Because a home wine cellar (and, let’s face it, wine) is an investment, you should be thinking about the type of custom wine cellar you want in your home, not just whether you want one.
Your wine cellar should grow with you and your collection, and unless you’re not planning to sell your home, then your wine room should be built in such a way that it will appeal to someone other than you.
A Residential Custom Wine Cellar may be a nice incentive for someone buying a home, so make sure it has broad appeal.
One benefit to having a wine cellar of your own, is it allows you to buy wine in bulk. Wine by the case is less expensive than one or two bottles.
Wine by the case is also less expensive when it is young, and if you know wine (and if you want a wine cellar in your home, then you must know wine), these young wines, once mature, will taste better and result in a larger return on your investment. It also allows you to purchase larger quantities of a wine that you discover and particularly enjoy, to assure that you will be able to have a stock of it for the future.
Home Wine Room Chicago
How will you use your wine cellar (in other words, what prompted you to ask the question in the first place?)? Will you use it strictly for storage, will you also use it as a tasting room, or is it to be a showplace? How you plan to use it is important to know, because that can affect the way you construct your room, or at least the size of it and how the racking is designed.
If your wine cellar will be used just for storage, then think about how many bottles of wine you currently have as well as how many bottles of wine you plan to accumulate.
Your cellar should be able to grow with you and your collection. Make sure you can maximize the bottle storage for the space you have. If you want a wine room and think that you just don’t have the space, look around at unused areas. Do you have a stairwell? And, if you do, can you build out underneath it? Unused closets? Maybe you use it to build out a cellar.
Residential Wine Cellars Designed and Installed by Wine Cellar Specialists in Texas and Chicago
This contemporary home wine cellar is located under the curved staircase. The racking is made of metal and wood, resulting in a unique wine storage space.
Installed with attractive mahogany wine racks, this residential wine cellar aesthetically appealing and offers great features. A rolling ladder was added for easy access to bottles stored beyond normal reach.
This modern design was created by Wine Cellar Specialists for their client in Dallas, Texas. The metal wine racks from Vintage View are mounted on the wall, creating a sophisticated custom wine display.
Located in the basement, this home wine cellar displays the owner’s wines in unfinished redwood wine racks. A wine barrel table was added to add a distinct look to the wine room.
An Efficient Wine Refrigeration System is Essential for Proper Home Wine Storage
Wine Refrigeration Systems
Where you build the room will be dictated by the ability to install your climate control system. Controlling the temperature is critical to ensuring your collection is protected and continues to grow in value.
When the ideal temperature (55-65 degrees Fahrenheit) is maintained in a cellar, wine will not be oxidized. Oxidation causes off flavors and discoloration in wine.
Additionally, an efficient wine cooling system also regulates humidity levels need in preserving wine’s quality. Humidity levels higher or lower than the normal range (60-70%) will damage the corks and wine labels.
If you have considered building a wine cellar in your home, then don’t ask yourself if you should build one; ask, instead, how big you want it to be and what will go inside of it.
Wine racks are the framework of your custom wine cellar.
Whether you are building your wine cellar for storage or display, you must take into consideration what kind of racking system you want. Wine racks make your wine cellar collection organized. A well-organized collection of wine is not only pleasing to the eyes but it’s also practical for the owner. You won’t have a hard time trying to find any particular wine you want in your collection.
What wine rack should you use for your custom wine cellar?
Revamp your custom wine cellar with a wooden wine rack.
Wine racking systems come in all shapes and sizes. There are two major types of wine racks. First, there’s the wooden rack. Then, there’s the metallic racking system. What material to use depends on your preference, how large your wine collection, and the reason you are building a wine cellar.
Wooden racksare good insulators. These racks lessen the heat going through your wine bottles. This feature is favorable since heat could trigger premature spoilage of your wines. And, wooden racks give your wine cellar a classy and traditional look.
Metallic racks, on the other hand, give your custom wine cellar a modern and contemporary look. These racks are known for their durability and strength. Given they are installed in an optimum wine cellar condition, metallic racks are easy to maintain.
Whether you’ll be using your custom wine cellar for storage or display, making a well-informed decision onwhat wine rackto use could make the most of the functionality for each variant.
Chicago Home Wine Cellar Installed with a Cooling System
Poor conditions can be detrimental to wine. Investing in a climate-controlled wine room can protect your investment from harmful external factors.
Wine Cellar Specialists offers a turnkey solution for clients who want to have a custom wine cellar in Chicago that has the ability to maintain the right temperature and humidity levels.
Temperature and Humidity – Factors that Affect Wine Quality
A wine storage room is much more than the wine you choose to store inside it. In fact, the wine, contrary to what you might think, is less a factor in an effective wine cellar than the cellar itself.
For Chicago custom wine cellars of course, ultimately, the wine inside your wine room is what will matter, but in the beginning, and, to some degree, going forward, the cellar itself is what will make or break your collection.
The optimum conditions in a wine cellar can be achieved by regulating the temperature and humidity.
Optimum Conditions Needed by Wine for Proper Maturation
Without the right temperature and humidity in your wine cellar, and in less than ideal conditions, the wine you hope to one day enjoy or sell (wine as investment is not as rare as you may think) will not be there.
Ideal Wine Cellar Temperature
A Stable Temperature Keeps Wine at Its Best
In order to preserve wine’s complex characteristics, it needs to be stored in a room where the wine cellar temperature is approximately between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wine Cellar Humidity
In addition to temperature, humidity can indirectly affect the quality of your wine. Your wine cellar should be able to keep the humidity level between 50-75%.
Too low of a humidity level in your Chicago wine cellar may dry out the cork, allowing unwanted oxygen to get into the bottle. When this happens, oxidation occurs. Oxidation causes off flavors and flat aromas in wine. It also causes wine discoloration. Premature browning in reds and a deeper yellow color in whites are indications that wine has been oxidized.
Too high a humidity level can trigger mold growth that can damage the wine labels and wine racks.
Achieve Proper Storage Conditions by Careful Planning and Choosing the Cooling System Ideal for Chicago Custom Wine Cellars
Wine Guardian Refrigeration System Offered by Wine Cellar Specialists Chicago
With some careful planning, forward-thinking, and the right cellar, how you want your wine to be when you one day drink it is achievable and very possible.
Some people choose to build their Chicago custom wine cellar in a basement, and while this may be the best space in your home in which to create a cellar, (assuming you actually have a basement), keep in mind that the conditions in your basement are not necessarily ideal for wine storage or more importantly the proper aging of your wine collection.
Also, you should create an environmentally controlled space for your wine collection.
Installing a Refrigeration System Can Help Maintain Constant Temperature and Humidity in Chicago Wine Cellars
So make sure that regardless of the conditions outside, or even in your home, you are using an efficient refrigeration unit.
Such a system also means that your cellar does not have to be in a basement.
Effective wine cellar cooling units correctly controlling your wine rooms climate means the sky is the limit when it comes to cellar location, or is at least only limited by the size of your home.
Of course, where you place your wine cellar is based on how a cooling system can be installed. If installing a self-contained unit, you need to be able to vent directly through the wall outside (only units specifically designed for extreme conditions) or to another room that is heat and air-conditioned and is at least twice the size of your cellar.(the most cost-effective method.)
If using a split system, you can place your condenser up to 50 feet from the evaporator and either copper lines or ducting might be used. There are many ways and types of cooling systems.
Avoid These Common Custom Wine Cellar Cooling Mistakes
Whether it’s traditional or modern custom wine cellars, proper cooling systems are required to prevent wine molding.
Knowing the right thing to do doesn’t mean you’ll end up with no mistakes during the process. Even if you’re knowledgeable about proper custom wine cellar cooling, there’s always room for error (as well as improvements). That said, you should avoid these common mistakes when dealing with a cooling unit:
Blending or mixing hot air exhaust and fresh air intake — the cooling unit won’t work correctly if it re-uses its hot exhaust air. If you’re challenged by room space, there are various types of cooling units to choose from, such as a split system, ducted system, and self-contained system.
Making the wine cellar the source of fresh air — make sure that fresh air will come from an external source and not within the cellar to ensure proper airflow.
Not paying attention to the cooling unit’s extreme temperature capability — as a custom wine cellar owner, you should be familiar with the capacity of your cooling unit. There are seasons when the temperature is extreme. Make sure the custom wine cellar cooling unit is capable of adapting to a consistently changing environment.
Picking a cooling unit based on one factor — never ever choose a cooling unit based on one factor. A lot of things can affect humidity. Not only the size of the wine cellar itself but also the walls that surround it. Whether it’s glass, wood, or any specific material that encloses a wine cellar, this affects the thermal load of a room which contributes to the humidity level.
Consult a Wine Cellar Specialist to Determine What Can Be Used in Your Situation
You must choose the correct cooling unit for your Chicago custom wine cellar so that it cools efficiently for your particular conditions. Not only the size of the room but the insulation, the door, where the cellar is located inside the home are all factors when determining the correct size of the unit.
At Wine Cellar Specialists, they make a careful assessment of their client’s needs to ensure that all the components are of high quality and installed properly.
Heat Load Calculation
Wine Guardian Refrigeration Unit Installed by a Chicago Expert
A wine cellar specialist can do a heat load calculation to determine the size of unit that you will need. The correct unit can be counted on to keep your wine collection safe. Do not size your cooling unit solely by the cubic footage of your wine cellar. A heat load calculation will take into account the size of your room as well as the amount of insulation, glass, the number of doors, interior and exterior walls, etc. to determine the amount of BTUH needed to correctly cool your room.
You will find that temperature and humidity will become common words around your home, as these are the two aspects in your cellar that are keys to proper wine storage.
Digital Control – an Important Feature of Cooling Units for Chicago Custom Wine Cellars
The cooling units automatically run in cycles to maintain the correct temperature.
Digital controls are part of most units, but is offered as an option, consider going with it, even if it adds to the price of your unit.
Protect Your Wines from Being Damaged. Contact a Professional.
Wine Cellar Specialists – a Reliable Wine Cellar Cooling Expert
Prevent wine spoilage by choosing a wine cellar cooling expert in Chicago. Let Wine Cellar Specialists help you determine the refrigeration system that can maintain the ideal temperature and humidity in your wine room.
We had a start to finish excellent experience with Wine Cellar Specialists. After talking to a couple of carpenters about converting a closet into a small wine cellar I wasn't very confident they knew what they were doing so I started looking for expertise and found Wine Cellar Specialists.
I had my consultation with Brad Cupp and he was very passionate about their business and options
Steve Gee
We had a fantastic experience with Brad Cupp and Wine Cellar Specialists-Dallas. They converted an under-the-stair closet into a fabulous refrigerator cellar that holds about 400 bottles of wine. The attention to detail and craftsmanship was well worth the time it took to complete this job. You don't always get what you pay for, but in this case, I truly believe that we did. Thank you for an exceptional job.
Timothy Martin
Wine Cellar Specialists provided us a custom black iron/glass door as the main feature to our new wine cellar. The quality is excellent and the look is just what I asked for. Thanks so much.
Aiden K
I purchased a wine cellar door from Wine Cellar Specialist and had the pleasure of working with Alex. She helped me design a custom door that was absolutely beautiful. This was a very big project and she was so kind and professional and held my hand throughout the whole process. It was an amazing experience. I researched other companies before choosing Wine Cellar Specialists and it was their customer service and attention to detail that made my decision so easy. I highly recommend them for any wine cellar project.
G
Gary Anderson
Great experience with the process and progress completion - Brad Cupp dons well in coordinating and communication. All the sub contractors were good to work with and were attentive to cleaning after work. Plus the important end result was a wonderful wine cellar that can accommodate over 700 bottles of wine in relatively small area. Highly recommend!
Prepare your wine cellar before installing your cooling unit.
Both red and white wines should be stored at the same temperature when it comes to storage. Ideal storage conditions protect wine from harmful environmental factors, preserving its desirable characteristics.
