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800.549.3832
"I Want to Buy A Wine
Cellar"
"Cellar" simply refers to an environment that is
suitable for indefinite wine storage, regardless of whether it’s the
size of a shoebox or as big as a house – a free-standing cabinet or
an integrated room.
There is no "better" or "best" or "finest" cellar.
Ignoring the cheap stuff, there are several lines of quality
products, imported and domestic, and among them one
or a few will ultimately prove to be more appropriate
for a given client’s priorities and parameters. Most often,
the answers to fundamental questions will help narrow the
focus.
In what part of the household will it be located (garage,
formal living room, kitchen, informal area , etc .....)?
To
what extent are esthetics important? (very formal, semi-formal,
casual or just short of "butt-ugly" is OK)
Will the ambient routinely and consistently
exceed ~ 80 degrees, requiring heavy-duty cooling and/or
additional insulation?
Thermal-paned, insulated glass doors are fine
for an air-conditioned living room. They are not sufficient for
uncontrolled environments in excess of ~ 80
degrees.
Heavy duty cooling generates a little more
sound than most people would like inside the house and is
unnecessary if the ambient is within that ~ 80 degree
window.
Or is this a commercial application?
Front-of-the-House or Back?
Wine storage systems operate between the high 40’s and
low 60’s. None will achieve or maintain serving temperatures for
whites and sparklings.
These machines cool slowly and gradually and will not effectively
recover in high usage situations.
Structurally, few cabinets are actually designed to
withstand the use and abuse of fast-paced operations.
On the other hand, reds can be maintained @ serving
temperature and back up whites are protected. We’d recommend that
pars be kept in a traditional refrigerator, but custom refrigeration
systems are available in furniture cabinets if
necessary.
Will your collection be standard Bordeaux and Burgundies,
or do we need to accommodate a significant # of odd formats?
Do you have any dimensional limitations? (Including
clearances for sufficient ventilation!)
Given that any hobby – wine collecting, golf, poker … may
have a tendency to grow beyond expectations, what capacity would you
reasonably anticipate in the foreseeable future?
In general, the fixed costs of the cooling system, labor
and materials for the construction of a wine cellar is such that the
incremental costs, per bottle, can be very nominal. Due to the
economy of scale, for example, the cost differential between a 300
bottle cellar and a 400 bottle cellar can ~
$200.
What are your electrical requirements?
Most mechanical systems require a dedicated, 110v with 20
amp breaker. 220v is available with some
lines.
There are certainly any number of other potential
elements that may help focus on alternatives that will be most
appropriate - with the exchange of a few questions and answers, we
can help you narrow the focus. Among the established, mainstream
U.S. mfg's, construction materials and techniques will be very
equivalent ... the real distinction is the cooling system and the
racking. Redwood is the most appropriate species for racks and will
allow the storage of most standard formats. Metal (or a combination
of metal and wood) can transfer vibration and will hold only limited
formats and therefore have a tendency to damage labels in a tight
fit.
Certainly, the industry standard of mechanical systems is
Breezaire. there is no "replacement" that is "just as
good." With an immaculate ~ 20 year service
history and the most comprehensive warranties in the industry, it is
used by every mainstream cabinet producer - from ChateauCraft to Le
Cache, Vinocraft, Impressions and all the other names under which
they are re-marketed.
Vinotheque is the exception - they are a quality company,
but they manufacture Whisperkool or the "QT". Obviously, they are
going to put their own machine in their own cabinets. Both the
cabinet and mechanical systems are of solid quality as
well.
Mechanical warranties should be 6 years minimum – due to
their service histories, we provide extended warranties on any
Breezaire or Whisperkool product. Our Lifetime Loaner programs and
warranties on Breezaire cooling systems never require any "deposits"
or hidden costs.
Eurocave, Transtherm and Cavavin are highly dependable
imports that utilize a "cold wall" or static cooling system, as
opposed to the American forced air machines. Neither system is
"better" or more functional.
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