If you live in a place like Vail or Park City, you already know that HVAC/R equipment has special requirements because of the altitude. 

The same goes for wine cellar refrigeration equipment.  That’s why we asked our engineer to create a table that lists the correction factors for our cooling units at diffierent altitudes, listed below.

To use the table, multiply the BTUH correction factor times the CellarPro cooling unit BTUH to get the adjusted BTUH capacity.  Then, compare the adjusted BTUH vs the thermal load of your cellar.  If the cooling unit’s adjusted BTUH is greater than the peak thermal load, you should be all set!

Summary

The performance of mechanical cooling systems will be negatively impacted as altitudes increase because of reduced airflow. In the table below, we provide correction factors for airflow and BTUH at various altitudes – these correction factors should be applied when sizing our cooling systems. Please contact us for more information.

Altitude Correction Table (1)

(1) As altitudes increase, fans will produce reduced airflow, causing the cooling unit to be less efficient on both ends of the cooling system. On the cold side, the SST (saturated suction temperature) will be lower than optimal, and on the hot side, the SCT (saturated condensing temperature) will be higher than optimal – in both cases, the cooling unit’s performance will be diminished according to the correction factors listed above..

In a few weeks, we will begin selling new BILD 1800 wine cabinets.  For customers that are handy and/or on a budget, though these wine cabinets require assembly, they will include a choice of CellarPro 1800 refrigeration sytems, metal racking for oversized bottles,  double-pane tinted glass and a choice of melamine finishes.  Best of all, these wine cabinets will retail below $2000.  For more information and images, please visit  http://www.sonomawineaccessories.com/wine-cabinets/bild-wine-cabinets_2/

If you’re in the market for wine cellar refrigeration equipment or wine racks, now may be the best time to purchase these items, before price increases take effect in coming weeks. 

CellarPro Cooling Systems will be increasing the prices of some of its units cooling from $49 to $99.  This price increase will become effective December 1, 2011.  Concurrently, CellarPro will make all of its wine cooling units “bottle probe ready”, which upgrade will lessen the sting of the impending price increase.

Wine Cellar Innovations will be increasing prices 10% across the board on all of its wine racks, wine cellar doors, wine cellar artwork, flooring etc. effective January 1, 2012. 

To get the best pricing before these increases take effect, call us toll-free at 877.888.9137 or contact us and we’ll get back to you within 1 business day.

Wine cellars are designed to maintain proper wine storage conditions (ie 55-60 degrees & 60-70% humidity), whereas wine coolers are designed to maintain proper wine serving temperatures (ie 55-58 degrees for red wines and 45-48 degrees for white wines).  So, what about putting a wine cooler INSIDE a wine cellar – it’s the best of all worlds, right?

The answer is:  maybe.   Since the wine cooler would be located entirely inside the wine cellar, all of the heat load generated by the wine cooler would go into the wine cellar, and therefore it would need to be included in the box load of the wine cellar.  For a 50-bottle wine refrigerator, the total additional cellar load would be approximately 1000 BTUH, which is not insignificant.

So will it work?  Yes, of course - just make sure that the wine cellar refrigeration system is sized appropriately, and the thermal load is calculated to include the additional heat generated by the wine cooler. 

For more information, including box loads assuming various dimensions, construction materials and configurations, please visit http://www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com/information-center_cp/cooling-unit-buying-guide, or contact us and we’ll get back to you within 1 business day.

CellarPro cooling units are designed to maintain optimal temperature AND humidity conditions for proper wine storage and aging. This means that our cooling units are designed to maximize the sensible load and ignore the latent load inside wine cellars.

What does this mean? The sensible load is the amount of BTUs per hour (BTUH) required to change air temperature. The latent load is the amount of BTUH required to condense moisture from vapor in the air. Our units focus on sensible, rather than latent, loads because we want to condense as little moisture as possible and leave the moisture inside the cellar.

Now here’s the most interesting part: every cooling system has the ability to produce “x” amount of BTUH, equal to the sensible plus latent output. In other words, if the cooling system is generating condensation, this means that some of the cooling unit’s BTUH is being used for the latent load, and therefore the BTUH available for the sensible load is reduced.

The importance of this concept cannot be understated. One of the key takeaways is that cooling units lose some of their cooling ability when they are generating condensation, because some of the BTU is being diverted from the sensible to the latent load. This means that, in addition to insulation, vapor barriers are critically important in determining a cooling unit capacity. To achive maximum cooling performance from your cooling system, you must have an airtight seal in the wine cellar.

If you have any questions about this topic, please give us a call at 877.888.9137, or email us at info@cellarpro.com for more information.

The Wine Specatator’s August 31, 2011 issue has a great article about how to buy wine at auction, including nine strategies to help newbies participate with success. 

Here’s a (self serving!) excerpt from the article:

“Auction houses offer catalogs of their upcoming sales.  Read the catalog’s condition reports carefully.  Wines kept in professional or home temperature-and-humidity-controlled storage are preferable to collections housed in natural or ‘passive’ cellars, because the latter are often subject to temperature fluctuations, whihc can affect wines adversely.”

Only Le Cache wine cabinets feature CellarPro cooling units with adjustable humidity control.  For more information, visit www.lecachewinecabinets.com and www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com.  At www.sonomawineaccessories.com, we carry the complete lines of products from Le Cache and CellarPro, as well as other high-end products from well-known manufacturers of wine cellar racks, wine storage products and wine accessories.

We recently created product demos for Le Cache Contemporary and European Country wine cabinets, and CellarPro 1800 and VS Series wine cooling units.  The Le Cache demos are narrated and animated to highlight product features, galleries, comparisons, options/upgrades and specifications.  The CellarPro demos also include narrated installation instructions for wine cellar installations.

To view these demos, start at the product page for the item you wish to view, and click on the “View Demo” button, or click on a link below:

• Le Cache Wine Cabinets
  • Contemporary Wine Cabinets Demo
  • European Country Wine Cabinets Demo
• CellarPro Cooling Systems
  • 1800 Series Wine Cooling Units Demo
  • VS Series Wine Cellar Refrigeration Systems Demo
  • Wine Cellar Split Refrigeration Systems Demo – coming soon

Let us know what you think!

Customers frequently ask if it’s Ok to build a wine cellar in a basement with concrete walls.  The answer is: as long as the concrete is sealed and the concrete walls are below grade, you can use uninsulated concrete walls in your cellar. But, pay attention to the thermal load in the cellar, which will rise significantly in warmer climates.

Te following table summarizes thermalsload under various conditions and configurations of below-grade wine cellars:

http://www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com/information-center_cp/cooling-unit-buying-guide/below-grade-wine-cellar-thermal-loads

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We get tons of calls from customers, contractors and HVAC/R technicians asking what to do about the condensate drain line - where to put it, whether to use a self-contained evaporator or a pump, or if they should build a drain specifically for the drain line. 

The reason for the calls is that they have experienced massive amounts of moisture and condensation generated by our competitors’ refrigeration equipment, and they want to make be prepared.  Smart! 

What they don’t know is the following:  assuming the cellar is AIRTIGHT with a MOISTURE (AKA VAPOR) BARRIER, our cooling systems will generate very little excess condensation (with 2 caveats* – see below).  The reason why our systems are different is as follows:  when we designed our wine cellar refrigeration systems, we sized the evaporator coils and the compressors so that cooling system can do its job WITHOUT running the evaporator below the dew point.  In contrast, other manufacturers’ coils are much smaller, which means that the coils must be colder to achieve the same BTUH.

In other words, you probably won’t see a lot of excess condensate (ie water) coming out of the drain line from a CellarPro refrigeration system.  The benefits of our systems are tangible: 

• Because the water remains in the cellar, the humidity remains much higher inside the cellar.
• Because the amount of moisture will be minimal on an ongoing basis*, you probably can get away with draining into a bottle for the initial pulldown; thereafter, leave the drain line in the bottle, but you probably won’t see much moisture from that point forward. 

At CellarPro, our systems really are different!

*Caveats:  1.  During the initial pulldown, the cooling unit may generate a lot of excess condensate.  This situation will resolve itself once pulldown is achieved.  2.  The more frequently the cellar door is opened, the higher the risk of excess condensation (because moisture from the ambient environment will enter the room each time the door is opened.

We are excited to announce the introduction of extended warranties for all Le Cache Wine Cabinets, as well as CellarPro 1800 Series wine cooling units and CellarPro VS Series (ie 3200VSi/VSx & 4200VSi/VSx) refrigeration systems.  

These extended warranties enhance the coverage and extend the terms of the standard warranties associated with our wine storage equipment.  The extended warranties differ by product, as summarized below. For complete terms and conditions, please click on the link beside each warranty.

• Le Cache Wine Cabinets:
  • $199 Retail + $49 Deductible per incident
  • Key Features: Increases the warranty from 2 to 5 years on the cabinet; covers all parts and labor; includes in-home service; covers round-trip shipping for replacement cooling units
  • Exclusions: Leveling / door alignment, cleaning the coils, replacing the light bulb, improper installations, commercial customers, non-transferable
  • For more information, visit http://www.lecachewinecabinets.com/wine-cabinet-accessories-lc/lecache-extended-warranty
• CellarPro 1800 Series Cooling Units:
  • $79 Retail + $49 Deductible per incident
  • Key Features: Supplements the standard 5-year warranty; covers all parts and labor; includes in-home service; covers round-trip shipping for replacement cooling units
  • Exclusions: Cleaning the coils, improper installations, acccesories, 220V units, 1800XTSx, commercial customers, non-transferable
  • For more information, visit http://www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com/purchase-wine-cooling-unit/modifications-accessories-cp/cellarpro-1800-extended-warranty
• CellarPro VS Series Cooling Units:
  • $249 Retail + $99 Deductible per incident
  • Key Features: Increases the warranty from 2 to 5 years on the entire system; covers all parts and labor; includes in-home service; covers round-trip shipping for replacement cooling units
  • Exclusions: Cleaning the coils, improper installations, accessories, 220V units, commercial customers, non-transferable
  • For more information, visit http://www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com/purchase-wine-cooling-unit/modifications-accessories-cp/cellarpro-vs-extended-warranty

If you have any questions or need additional information about our extended warranties, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

There are two types of split refrigeration systems used in wine cellars:  conventional split systems and A/C split systems.  Whereas conventional split systems are designed to maintain proper temperature and humidity conditions, A/C split systems inherently cannot maintain ideal humidity levels inside wine cellars.

Conventional split refrigeration systems, like those made by CellarPro Cooling Systems, are specifically designed for wine storage applications.  Conventional split systems use condensing units with single-speed compressors and thermostatic expansion valves that are located in the evaporators, and are designed specifically for use in wine cellars and wine storage applications.

In contrast, home air conditioning systems that are modified for use in wine cellars are called A/C split systems.   Unlike conventional split systems, A/C split systems use variable-speed compressors and electronic expansion valves that are located in the condensing units.

A/C Split System Overview:

• A/C split systems consist of an outdoor air-cooled condensing unit matched with a single or multiple fan/coil evaporator units.
• These units use “Electronic” control (ie there is no liquid solenoid valve).
• These systems are pre-charged with refrigerant R-410A.  Additional refrigerant is added depending on the length of the line-sets.
• The system is inverter controlled, automatically speeding up or slowing down the compressor and condenser fan to match the system capacity within a given capacity range.
• The evaporator fan is 3-speed, with automatic speed control and forward-curved centrifugal blowers.
• Because the expansion device is located in the condensing unit, the liquid line is actually a two-phase flow line, and must be insulated.  These application rules are more complex and line run lengths are more limited compared to a conventional system.

A/C split systems are sub-optimal for long term wine storage applications, and should be avoided in favor of conventional split systems for the following reasons:

• A/C equipment is designed for both comfort cooling, (“latent cooling”), which removes moisture from the air, and “sensible cooling”, which reduces the temperature.  In contrast, conventional split systems focus exclusively on sensible cooling, thus reducing temperature while removing as little moisture as possible.   As a result, conventional splits are better equipped to maintain the ideal humidity conditions in side wine cellars.
• The catalog design limit for most A/C equipment is 67°F DB, which is significantly higher than the optimal wine storage conditions of 55°F DB.  In most cases, A/C controllers cannot be set below 60°F, and therefore must be rewired and retrofitted to achieve desired wine storage temperatures.  Under these circumstances, the manufacturer’s warranty may become void, forcing the customer to rely exclusivly on the HVAC installer for any/all recourse.
• After A/C split systems are retrofitted, the coil temperatures necessarily will operate below the manufacturer’s recommended minimum temperatures, and therefore will reduce coil temperatures below the cellar dew point. This is likely to result in frosted conditions, thereby extracting moisture from the room and reducing the cellar’s humidity below ideal levels.
• A/C split system compressor ratings are quoted for air conditioning applications, making it difficult to calculate the correct BTUH for wine storage applications.  Therefore, contractors must engage in trial and error when sizing A/C split systems for wine cellars, as opposed to using proper engineering models and scientific data.
• Due to the complexities of the controller and the two-phase piping system, A/C split systems require a higher level of expertise and training than conventional split systems, thereby increasing installation and maintenance costs.

Before purchasing a split refrigeration system for your wine cellar, it is advisable to ask your contractor what kind of refrigeration equipment he intends to use.  If  you don’t understand his answer, feel free to give us a call and we’ll be glad to help.  Our toll-free number is 877.726.8496.

CellarPro Cooling Systems recently launched its Mini Split 3000S wine cellar refrigeration system, priced at $2499, for use in wine cellars up to 600 cubic feet.  WhisperKool also sells a Platinum Mini Split, priced at $2495, which is advertised for use in wine cellars up to 500 cubic feet. 

We believe WhisperKool’s coils and compressors are undersized, which forces their condensing units to work extra hard and can result in premature failure.  Take a look at the following table:

We are thrilled to announce that, as of today, we are launching our reengineered CellarPro 1800QTL cooling units.

We were able to reduce the noise level of our 1800QTL cooling units, while maintaining our superior performance, by redesigning the fan components used on the condensing side of the cooling unit. Our newly reengineered 1800 QTL cooling units will use two fans instead of one fan to exhaust the hot air, resulting in lower RPMs and meaningfully quieter performance without sacrificing cooling power.

CellarPro 1800QTL cooling units are available for immedate use in all Le Cache wine cabinets. Now, Le Cache customers will enjoy the QUIETEST self-contained wine cooling units in the market, along with all the features and benefits that come standard on all CellarPro cooling units, such as:

• Oustanding cooling performance
• Adjustable humidity control
• Electronic thermostat and digital display
• Audible and visual alarms
• Interchangeable top or rear vent exhaust
• High-performance air filtration system
• Auto defrost
• 5-Year warranty (parts and labor)
• Made in the USA

Please note that we will leave the prices for Le Cache Wine Cabinets and 1800QTL cooling units unchanged.  At CellarPro and Le Cache, we are committed to the continuous improvement of our products and services. If you have any questions about our redesigned cooling unit, please don’t hesitate to ask.

When installing a split refrigeration system, it is CRITICALLY IMPORTANT to use the correct size lines, which typically are installed in advance, because once you close the walls, it is very difficult to change these lines. 

The most common types of wine cellar refrigeration systems are:

• Through-the-wall wine cooling units
• Split systems
• Ducted systems

Advance planning is required for each of these systems. 

• For through-the-wall cooling units, an opening in the wall must be framed to fit the cooling unit. 
• For split systems, the copper lines that connect the evaporator and condensing units must be installed in the walls.   The size of these copper lines MUST follow the manufacturer’s specifications, otherwise the cooling unit will not perform as advertised.  Click here to view our line sizing chart.    In addition, wiring  between the units may be required (when electronic control is desired), as well as the condensate drain line.
• Ducted systems require ducting to be installed during the construction phase and cannot easily be added after drywall has been added.

For more information about each of these refrigeration systems, refer to our wine cellar refrigeration buying guide.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact CellarPro Cooling Systems.

One of our competitors recently launched a new (cheap) product line of wine cellar refrigeration equipment under a new name and website, with a different phone number and contact address than their existing brand.  It seems like they don’t want anyone to know that they’re affiliated with the new brand.  Is it because the new brand is low quality and they don’t want to drag down the established brand?   Or maybe they don’t want to cannibalize sales of the established brand?  Or maybe they’re embarrassed because the new brand has a shorter warranty and hard to look at? 

Frankly, we don’t understand their logic; nevertheless, we wanted to pass along the following suggestions to our competitor:

• You forgot to remove the parent name Vinotheque in the warranty.
• Your reference to Stockton in the warranty gives away your identity.
• Whisperkool’s phone number is listed in the new site and gives away your identity.
• It took exactly 27 seconds to lookup the owner of the URL – ie Vinotheque – using whois
• Even after you clean up your site, give your customers more credit – they will learn your identity no matter what you do

Though the new brand name sounds a lot like CellarPro, that’s where the similarities end.  At CellarPro Cooling Systems, we manufacture advanced wine cellar refrigeration equipment, made in the USA with the finest components and the latest technology, and backed by the best warranty in the industry.   All of our performance results, load calculations, drawings and specs are posted on our site.  We are proud of our products and we have nothing to hide.

To our competitor:  if you feel like hiding from your product, what’s the point??  Anyway, good luck with your new venture!

We are excited to announce the launch our new line wine cellar split refrigeration systems, covering 400 to 2000 cubic feet, as follows:

* Exposure to temperatures below 40°F requires the addition of our compressor heater.
**Our exterior hood (sold separately) allows our condensing units to be installed in external environments, subject to the temperature range noted above. Our outdoor hood will retail for $300.
***Decibels measured at low fan speed.

Our Split system evaporators use the same variable speed fans and advanced controls that we use in our VS Series through-the-wall cooling units. As a result, our Split systems provide super-quiet operation, outstanding cooling power and adjustable humidity control that our competitors can’t match. In addition, we offer 5 years for the compressor, and 2 years on the entire system, of warranty coverage. ETL certification is pending for all units.

Find images, cut sheets and more details about CellarPro Split refrigeration systems for wine cellars.

We are pleased to announce that, going forward, we will offer two types of condensate drain line modifications for customers who purchase CellarPro 1800* wine cooling units.  When these cooling units will be installed in wine cellars (as opposed to wine cabinets), we strongly recommend adding one of these modifications. 

• Condensate Drain Line -  Our 1/2″ ID fitting and drain line provide a path for excess condensation to exit from inside the cooling unit.  The condensate drain line exits from the rear of the cooling unit, and should be drained into a bucket or drain.  Instead of the heating element, we include a “hot gas loop” that should evaporate approximately 3 oz per hour.
• Condensate Drain Line + Heating Element - Same os the condensate drain line, we add a 100W heating element (which replaces the hot gas loop) that should evaporate approximately 6 oz per hour. 

The heating element upgrade makes sense for high-humidity environments, and/or wine cellars with compromised moisture barriers, and/or environments that cannot accommodate the drain line.

We reduced the price of the condensate drain line (which previouslywas offered as our “Wine Cellar Modification”) from $100 to $75.  The price of the condensate drain line + heating element is $150.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our products.

* Please note:  A condensate drain line and heating element are standard in larger CellarPro cooling units, such as our 3200VS and 4200VS cooling units.

Wine Guardian recently announced that their “through-the-wall [cooling unit] sets itself apart from other wine cooling equipment by being the quietest and most energy efficient though-the-wall system available in North America. These findings have been confirmed in independent lab testing conducted by Clarkson University.”

Who did Wine Guardian choose to benchmark against?  The tested units included “two WhisperKOOL units, manufactured by Vinotheque (models 4200 and 8000), and one Breezaire unit, manufactured by Breezaire Products Company (model 4000).”

Want to take a guess why Wine Guardian didn’t include CellarPro in their tests? Maybe it’s because CellarPro cooling units (at the low fan speed) are 6 decibels quieter than Wine  Guardian’s quietest unit?  Nah, probably not.

If you care about the noise level of your wine cooling unit, take a look at our decibel chart, then decide for yourself.  Or contact us and we’ll be happy to give you ALL the facts.

We are pleased to announce the introduction of the CellarPro 3200VSi and 3200VSx wine cellar cooling units.

Offered with the same dimensions and all the same features as our popular 4200VSi and 4200VSx cooling units, the 3200VSi and 3200VSx cooling units are designed for wine cellars ranging from 400 to 800 cubic feet.  The 3200VSi is designed for through-the-wall or ducted use in internal environments, and and the 3200VSx is designed for through-the-wall use in external environments.  (“VS” designates “variable speed”, “i” designates “internal” and “x” designates “external”).

CellarPro 3200VS and 4200VS cooling units are designed to provide optimal performance in extreme temperatures, ranging from 40 to 115 degrees.  In addition, our cooling units provide adjustable humidity control and super-quiet operation (nearly 10 decibels quieter than Whisperkool’s comparable cooling unit at the low fan setting). Our unit offers variable fan speeds so that customers can use low (ie quiet) fan speeds for mild environments, and higher fan settings when conditions require additional BTUs. Visit www.CellarProCoolingSystems.com for detailed performance charts and to compare Whisperkool, Breezaire and CellarPro cooling units.

All CellarPro 3200VS and 4200VS cooling units are loaded with the following standard features and upgrades:

- Designed to operate in extreme temperature conditions (from 40 to 115°F)
- Variable Speed Fans:  allows customers to select between Super-Quiet (54 Decibels at Low Fan Speed) and Maximum Power (66 Decibels at High Fan Speed)
- Advanced Electronic Thermostat
- Adjustable Humidity Control
- Thermostat-Controlled Condensate Evaporator with “On/Off” Switch
- Digital LED Display
- Energy-Saver and Quick-Chill Modes
- Multiple Audible and Visual Alarms
- Min/Max Temperature
- Maintenance-Needed Indicator
- Power On/Off Switch
- Auto-Defrost Cycle
- 1/2″ ID Condensate Fitting and Drain Line
- Fully Ductable
- Condenser Air Filter
- Adjustable Mounting Brackets
- Dual Power Source – Front or Rear
- High-Performance Compressor
- Oversized Coated Evaporator Coils
- Dual High-Output Centrifugal Fans
- Stainless Steel Drain Pan
- Removable Powdercoated Steel Case
- Rechargeable Refrigerant Schraeder Valve
- Vibration-free Operation
- Compatible with a Dedicated 15-Amp Circuit
- ETL Tested and Certified (UL Standards)

CellarPro is accepting and shipping orders immediately. For more information, contact us via email anytime or call 877.888.9137 during normal business hours.

Wifey asked me to find a certain holiday gift for my son, so naturally, I did was a google search for the item, and then clicked on one of the top ads that included the words “Free Shipping”. 

To my suprise, when I tried to purchase the item, the site tried to charge me a “handling fee” - call me crazy, but doesn’t that seem wrong?

So I sent an email to the site asking for clarification, and received the following response: 

“Sorry.  Shipping and handling are 2 different things.” 

Really? 

At Sonoma Wine Accessories, we won’t play bait and switch games with you.  Our shipping policy is clearly stated on our site, we’ll honor our advertisements, and we’ll pay YOU if if we make a mistake.

You don’t have to settle for second-rate service…`

We are excited to announce the launch of our Dual Zone Modification for Le Cache Wine Cabinets.

The dual zone modification provides two completely separate temperature zones inside Le Cache wine cabinets, with optimal storage conditions in one hald of the cabinet, and optimal serving temperatures in the other half.

The zone modification is available exclusively with larger Le Cache wine cabinets – ie sizes 3100, 3800 and 5200. This modification is perfect for restaurants, hotels and bars that need to maintain both serving AND storage conditions inside one cabinet. Please note: the dual zone modification automatically includes an upgraded CellarPro 1800XTS cooling unit, which provides additional BTU required to handle the additional thermal load.

The dual zone modification will be available and ready to ship with cabinets at the end of November. The price of the dual zone upgrade (including the upgraded cooling unit) is $399.

For more information, please click on the following link: www.lecachewinecabinets.com/wine-cabinet-accessories-lc/dual-zone-modification.

We are pleased to announce the introduction of the CellarPro 1800XTSX wine cellar cooling unit.  In addition to the components in our popular CellarPro 1800XTS, the 1800XTSX adds:

• an outdoor weather hood;
• coated condenser coils;
• power cord modification (ie the cord exits from the front/side, rather than the rear, of the cooling unit); and
• wine cellar modification (ie drain line for excess condensate)

The CellarPro 1800XTSX cooling unit will cool wine cellars up to 400 cubic feet in capacity with R19 insulation. Check our wine cellar BTU capacity chart for more information.  The cooling unit can be installed and exposed to external conditions ranging from 40 to 95 degrees.

CellarPro is accepting orders immediately, and expects to begin shipping orders by mid November.  For more information, contact us via email anytime or call 877.888.9137 during normal business hours.

Storing and cellaring wine is a funny business! The goals are Goldilocks conditions:  not too warm but not too cold; not too wet but not too dry; you get the point!

The good news is that there are things you can do increase your odds for success.  Here are our top facts that you probably didn’t know about successfully storing and aging your wine:

1. The ideal humidity inside wine cellars is 60 -70 percent.  At higher humidity, your bottles labels will become moist and, eventually, moldy; at lower humidity, your corks may dry out and crack (read our Wine Storage Tips for more info). 

TIP:  To increase the RH (relative humidity) inside your wine cellar, you can increase the FON setting on the control panel of any CellarPro cooling unit.  In addition, you can increase the fan speed on your cooling unit if you have variable speed fans, like CellarPro’s 3200VS and 4200VS cooling units.

2. Wine cellars should be constructed with an airtight seal, lots of insulation and a moisture barrier.  If you don’t have enough insulation, no problem – you’ll just need a more powerful cooling unit, and your energy bill will go up – but these issues can be overcome.  However, if you don’t have a moisture barrier or an airtight seal, your cooling unit will generate a ton of condensation, which will need to be drained or evaporated somehow.

TIP: You can reduce the amount of condensation on your evaporator coils by increasing FON setting on the control panel of any CellarPro cooling unit.  In addition, you can reduce condensation by increasing the fan speed if you have variable speed fans on your cooling unit, like CellarPro’s 3200VS and 4200VS cooling units.

3. The ideal temperature for STORING ANG AGING wine is 55-60°F.  In contrast, ideal wine SERVING temperatures range from  low 40s (Champagne) to high 40s (white wines) to mid 50s (red wines). 

TIP:  If you want to lower the temperature of the cooling unit to achieve serving temperatures, you can reduce the minimum setpoint of any CellarPro cooling unit by first changing the LS and ALL parameters on the control panel.  For step-by-step instructions, please contact CellarPro Cooling Systems.

4. The most cost-effective wine cellar cooling units are through-the-wall units like the CellarPro 1800 series.  These units are self enclosed, fully charged and ready to install out of the box.  The downside can be that the rear of the units generate hot air, they need cool return air, and they create noise, all of which can be negative if the unit will be installed in a living space.

TIP:  You can install the ENTIRE cooling unit inside the cellar with our CellarPro 1800 rear duct kit.  You’ll still need to duct the hot air exhaust, and cool air supply, from outside the cellar, but the noise and disturbance will be drastically minimized.  If you install the entire cooling unit inside the cellar, don’t forget to insulate the outside of the duct hood.

5. The cooling unit will cycle on and off to maintain the desired temperature inside your wine cellar.  The more insulation you use when you construct the wine cellar, the less it will run to maintain a given temperature.

TIP:  If you want to manage the cycle times (and therefore the noise from the cooling unit), you can do any of the following:

1. Increase the FON setting, which will reduce the compressor cycle time, save energy and increase humidity inside your wine cellar
2. Increase the minimum temperature setpoint.  The higher the temperature, the less the cooling unit will run.
3. Increase the thermal mass inside the cellar.  Initally, the cooling unit will run more to get the thermal mass to the desired temperature; however, once the pull-down is complete, the cooling unit will run less frequently with a larger thermal mass
4. Keep the coils clean.  This will improve the efficiency of the cooling unit, and therefore reduce the cooling unit’s run times.

I got a funny call from a prospective customer today.  He said that the Wine-Mate  1500 top-vented cooling unit in his Vinotemp cabinet was failing – again – and he was tired of worrying about his wine collection.  He asked, “Will your cooling unit fit in my Vinotemp wine cabinet?”

“Yes, it will fit – perfectly,” I answered.  “So why should I buy your unit?” he asked. “ They’re all made by the same manufacturer, right?” 

Hold on there, cowboy.  What did you say?  “Well, that’s what I was told, by someone in the industry.”

So, let’s be clear.  Wine-Mate cooling units are made by the people who bring you Vinotemp.  CellarPro cooling units are made by the people who bring you Le Cache.  The two companies are completely separate and unrelated.  Aside from the dimensions and ventilation of Wine-Mate’s 1500 and CellarPro’s 1800 cooling units, the units are totally different machines, with different components, designs and warranties.  Customer service at the two companies couldn’t be more different.

Do your homework online – it’s not hard to find reviews of both companies .    Or call both companies, and ask questions about the products.  You’ll quickly get a feel for how different the two companies are.  Then decide for yourself!

At CellarPro, we rigorously test and benchmark our cooling units against the competition, and publish the results for all to see.  We have benchmarked our wine cooling units against the big boys -  Breezaire and Whisperkool  – in head-to-head comparisons, and have created charts and summaries that can be viewed at www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com. 

At this time, we have not tested any Wine Guardian cooling units.  Wine Guardian seems to have a good reputation in the marketplace, and their products are priced at premium levels, but if they’re so good, why is their warranty so shoddy?

• 6 months Parts & Labor
• 15 months Parts

Wow!  At CellarPro, depending on the model, all of our cooling units offer parts AND labor coverage for 2 to 5 years, and we always cover the compressor for 5 years! 

Wine Guardian’s warranty is really puzzling in light of their high prices and premium positioning.  In business school we learned about asynchronous information – the concept that, when one party has more information than the second party, there is the potential for the second party to get fleeced.  A common example is used cars, where the seller knows the history of the vehicle, whereas the buyer has no information, so the seller has an inherent advantage.

The point is that Wine Guardian has the most infomation about its products, and one can’t help but wonder what the company is signalling how it feels about its products by making the warranty so short.  Either way, CellarPro’s warranty policy is the best in the industry – and make no mistake, we ARE signalling how we feel about our products.  Very, very confident!

Q: Is a vapor barrier really necessary in my wine cellar? What if I don’t have a vapor barrier?

A: Yes, a vapor barrier is a critical element in the construction of a wine cellar.  Without a vapor barrier, moisture-laden air from the ambient environment will be pulled into your wine cellar.  If this happens, the cold evaporator coils inside the cooling unit will develop a lot of condensation, and the resulting water will need to be drained from the cooling unit.  Otherwise, the water may damage the internal components of the cooling unit, as well as the wall and surrounding surfaces where the cooling unit is mounted.  In addition, without a vapor barrier, the insulation and drywall may develop mold over time,

Many wine collectors – and homeowners – dream of building a wine cellar in their home.  It’s no wonder – what better way to increase the value of your home, and show off your sophistication to your friends! Just make sure you plan ahead and follow some basic rules, and you’ll soon be sipping wine from (or in!) the wine cellar of your dreams.

1. Where do I start?

Before building a wine cellar, ask yourself why you are building the cellar.  Will the cellar be purely for storing wine, or will it also be used for entertaining and displaying your wine collection?  If your wine cellar will be used purely for storing wine, then you should opt for unstained wood racks made from pine and metal, which sell for as little as $2 per bottle. You can skip the “display” racking – you’ll get increased bottle capacity for the same price.

If you want to create an area where you can proudly display your wine and entertain guests, consider common upgrades like islands, archways, tabletops and waterfalls, which will add elegance and personality to your wine cellar. Also consider using premium hardwoods like redwood or mahogany, which can be stained in a variety of finishes, to match the décor or achieve a distinctive look.

2. How should wine be stored?

The ideal conditions for storing and aging wine are 55-60˚F and 60-70% relative humidity.  If you don’t have a space where these conditions exist naturally, you’ll need to create a controlled environment to store your wine.  Ideally, wine will be stored in darkness, with minimal vibration and disturbance as it ages.

Wine Coolers: Most wine coolers are temperature-controlled, and do a great job of maintaining wine at proper serving temperatures.  Wine coolers are ideal for short-term storage of wine.  However, most wine coolers have temperature variations that are too wide for proper storage of fine wine, and few maintain proper humidity conditions for long-term storage and aging.

Wine Cabinets: One option is to purchase a refrigerated wine cabinet. Generally, wine cabinet bottle capacities range from 100 to 700 bottles, and are available in a variety of styles.  At the cheaper end of the spectrum, you can purchase a wine cabinet with metal wine racks and a basic cooling system that will last for a couple of years.  At the higher end of the spectrum, you will find fine furniture pieces with all-wood racking, premium wood finishes and advanced cooling systems.

Wine Cellars: Another option is to build a temperature-controlled wine cellar.  Though more expensive than wine cabinets, standalone wine cellars can be designed any number of ways, with many options to store a variety of wine bottles, stemware and accessories.  Wine cellars must be constructed with adequate insulation, a moisture barrier and an airtight seal (see below for more information).

The rest of this article focuses on wine cellars.  For more information about wine coolers and cabinets, please contact us at info@SonomaWineAccessories.com.

The three most important aspects of a quality wine cellar are: insulation, vapor barrier and airtight seal.

• Insulation – we recommend a minimum of R12, and R19 if possible.  To the extent the cellar shares an exterior wall, R30 insulation is preferable for that wall.  Since most walls are constructed with 2” x 4” studs, you should be able to use 2 x 1½” bats (3” total) with R6 per inch, or R18 total insulation.
• Moisture barrier – it is IMPERATIVE to use a vapor barrier when constructing a wine cellar.  The most common vapor barrier is 6 mil poly sheeting (also called Visqueen), which should be wrapped around the entire wine cellar on the OUTSIDE (ie the warm side) of the insulation.
• Airtight seal – when the wine cellar door is closed, the wine cellar should have an airtight seal.  For example, the door should have weather-stripping and a door-sweep to prevent air from entering the cellar when the door is closed.

4. Concrete walls are great for wine cellars, right?

Unfortunately, concrete walls provide awful insulation and are very porous. The R-value of an uninsulated, 8-inch-thick basement wall built using normal-weight concrete is 1.35. By doubling the thickness of the wall to 16 inches, the R-value only increases by 0.50.  Given its porous nature, concrete doesn’t do a good job of keeping moisture out of the wine cellar.

If you have concrete walls in your cellar, you’ll need to attach a layer of poly coating and then rigid foam insulation to create a moisture barrier and adequate insulation for those walls.

5. How will glass (walls, windows or doors) impact the wine cellar?

Glass has low R-value, and therefore provides poor insulation in wine cellars.  The R-value of “thermal double pane glass” is around 3.

This means that you’ll need to account for the glass when you calculate the thermal load of your wine cellar.  Calculating the thermal load is the best way to size the cooling unit for your wine cellar.  Be careful about relying on the “rated capacity” estimates from the cooling unit manufacturers – their assumptions used may be very different from the conditions in your wine cellar, which is why you need to calculate the thermal load.

6. How do I select a wine cooling unit?

There is a direct correlation between price and performance when it comes to selecting a wine cooling system:

• Through-the-wall cooling systems are the most cost-effective and easiest to install. They are shipped fully-charged and ready-to-use in a self-enclosed case. The downside of through-the-wall cooling units is that they take up space inside the cellar, and noise from the cooling unit can be heard inside and outside the wine cellar. They also require a hole in the wall to fit the cooling unit, and sufficient space on BOTH sides of the wall so that proper ventilation can occur.  Cost: $1,000 – $3,500
• Split cooling systems are built so that some of the components are located outside the wine cellar, and some of the components are located inside the cellar. The two sets of components always will be connected by two refrigerant lines, which need to be charged and braised by a qualified professional in the field.  In addition, power and drain lines may need to be setup by the professional. The advantage of split systems is that the condensing unit can be located in a remote location, which mitigates noise from the compressor, and split systems don’t require having a big hole in the wall.  The disadvantage is that split cooling systems require professional installation, which is expensive. Cost: $5,000 and up
• Ducted cooling systems, where the entire cooling unit is located remotely and cold air is ducted into the wine cellar, are the most expensive wine cooling systems. Their main advantages are that the wine cellars won’t be subject to noise from the cooling unit, and commercial systems can be serviced by most HVAC professionals. In addition, space in wine cellar can be maximized for wine storage, because the cooling unit doesn’t take any space inside the cellar. The disadvantage of ducted systems is that they require professional installation, and the vents must be designed and constructed into the building structure, so that retrofits can be prohibitively expensive. Cost: $3,000 – $6,000 plus installation.

7. How do I select wine racks?

The most popular types of wine racks are as follows:

• Individual bottle storage: each bottle is cradled in its own cell, either single or double deep. Difference size cells are designed to accommodate various types of bottles, such as Bordeaux, Burgundy/Champagne, Magnums and splits.
• Diamond Bin Storage: Diamond bins provide bulk storage with flair. Bins provide maximum flexibility because they accommodate any size bottle, but they’re best suited for long-term storage because bottles at the bottom are difficult to access, and bottles must be handled carefully because they are resting on each other.
• Case Storage: Wood and cardboard case wine racks are designed to hold wine bottles in their original cases. Some case storage comes with sliding shelves for easy access. Make sure to specify wood vs. cardboard cases, because wood cases are wider/shorter and cardboard cases are narrower/taller.
• Tabletops: With individual bottle or bin storage below, tabletops provide excellent spaces for opening bottles and pouring wine. Tabletops can be made from matching woods and/or stone surfaces to match your design. Tabletops also provide space to store and display accessories like stemware, decanters and bottle openers

8. What about my large-format bottles?

Have you ever noticed the difference in size between Bordeaux/Cabernet and Burgundy/Pinot bottles?  For most wine cellars, individual bottle storage for 750ml bottles will make up a large part of your wine racks, so you’ll want to make sure that the slot sizes are wide enough to accommodate today’s large-format bottles. Generally, 3 ¾” is wide enough for most Bordeaux, Burgundy and many Champagne bottles.

If you have a lot of Magnum or split bottles, you’ll need dedicated storage for each of these bottle types.  Same goes for larger bottles like Double Magnums, Jeroboams, etc.

9. Are wine racks kit Ok, or do I need custom wine racks?

Wine rack kits are offered with a variety of configurations and options, so in many cases, it’s possible to attain a custom look while paying a mass-produced price. First, decide if you want your wine racks to go all the way to the ceiling, or is it Ok if they stop at six feet. Then, think about which configurations, options and wood species you want in your wine cellar. Wine rack kits offer many – but not all – of the configurations, options, stains and wood species offered by custom wine racks, so if you have flexibility, you’ll probably save money.

10. How much will it cost?

The cost to build a wine cellar will include some or all of the following components:

• Construction – wine cellars need proper insulation and moisture barriers to create an airtight environment inside the cellar. Framing for the cooling unit and structural support in the floor also must be included in the construction of the wine cellar. Cost: Variable depending on the size of the wine cellar
• Wine Cooling Unit – constant temperatures ranging from 55-60 degrees and humidity ranging from 50-70% are ideal conditions for wine storage and aging. Wine cooling units are designed to maintain ideal conditions, and are offered primarily in through-the-wall, split, or ducted systems. Cost (including installation): $1,000 – $10,000
• Wine Racks – choices range from kits to complete custom solutions, and vary in cost based on the number of bottles, amount of customization, type of wine racks, type of wood and choice of upgrades and options. Metal racks also are a low-cost option, especially for bulk racking. For individual bottle storage, metal wine racks are sub-optimal because they can tear bottle labels and, over time, may lose their form and crumple under the weight of the wine bottles. Cost: $2.00 – $20 per bottle
• Wine Cellar Door – Exterior-grade insulated door must provide an airtight seal and high thermal insulation. Cost: $600 – $3000
• Wine Cellar Floor – From tile to concrete to cork wood, just about any floor surface will work as long as it matches your décor and aesthetic design. Keep in mind that softer surfaces (like cork wood) will be more forgiving if/when you drop a bottle, and sealed surfaces (like tile) are easiest to clean and repel stains. Cost: $3 – $15 psf
• Accessories – Lighting, wood paneling and artwork are examples of accessories that add finishing touches and create unique wine cellars, but add cost to the project. Cost: Variable

Please visit our table at Pinot Days on June 27, 2010.  We hope to see you there!

For readers who are technically inclined, we asked our manufucturing engineer why so many Breezaire cooling units are failing after just 3 years in the field. His answers to our questions are below.

First, a bit of context. For 17 years, Le Cache used Breezaire cooling units* exclusively in its wine cabinets. In 2006, we started receiving alarming numbers of calls from customers complaining that their cooling unit “won’t get below 60 degrees”, “runs all the time”, “won’t cool properly” and “won’t get above 49 percent humidity”, and started to notice a significant increase in manufacturing defects. That’s when we decided to develop CellarPro cooling units.

At CellarPro, we use premium components and advanced manufacturing and testing processes from beginning to end. As a result, it costs us more to build a CellarPro unit than our wholesale cost to purchase a Breezaire unit! But we felt like we had no choice, and after reading the following Q&A, we think you’ll agree.

Q. It looks like we’ve repaired approx. 50 Breezaire units in the last few months. What are the most common failures?

A:
Qty / Description
9 / Bad Controller
1 / Bad Compressor
41 /  Leak Evaporator
0 / Leak Condensor
2 / Leak Gas Loop
2 / Bad Cap/Strainer
1 / Bad Fan

This data is not 100% complete, but it outlines the general trends. Some units had multiple issues. Most common is a leak – we have stopped doing the detailed leak detection because it is so time consuming, so if the unit does not have a charge we replace the evap, hot gas loop, and cap/strainer. Most of the units with controller problems also had a leak. I would estimate 10% of the leaks to be in the gas loop, the rest are evaporator leaks.

Q. What is causing the failures?
A.

Controller: not a quality component. Between 15 and 20% of the returned leaking units also have a bad controller. Having the unit run excessively creates two problems: 1) increased coil wear on the inside due to long run times and cap tube system inability to regulate, so velocities can get higher than optimal 2) Long runs create excessive moisture on the cold side, and heat on the hot side, which accelerates the corrosion of the hot gas loop.

Evap leaks: Not conclusive, but I believe a portion are internal source leaks due to controller problems or undersized units causing excessive run times. Another factor could be that Breezaire does not evacuate their coils as effectively, or they leave their systems open too long during the brazing process which can create acids in the oil. If the leaks are external, eg acid from the wine bottles, which is a corrosive agent to coils, Breezaire’s grey coating may not be sufficient to protect against this.

Q. Is there anything we should tell customers to do in the field to extend longevity?

A. Run the unit at the highest setpoint that can be tolerated.  At 55F, the Breezaire unit may have to run constantly.

Q. Will CellarPro units experience the same failures?
Our controller is more reliable, we have defrost cycles, we have larger coils to minimize condensate generation, TEV’s to regulate the flow to prevent excessive internal refrigerant velocities, and we have electrofin coating on the coils which is much more effective against external corrosive agents. We have some risk with the hot gas loop, but we do a better job of insulating it from direct contact with other metal. A portion of the BA failures were mechanical due to a sharp mounting bracket crimped down on it, which we do not have.

Q. Should we change anything in how we manufacture our CP units?
A. We do make continuous improvements as we learn more from field feedback. With regard to what we’ve seen on BA units, our current design, components, and manufacturing processes minimize our risk of similar field failures.

*Le Cache wine cabinets used Breezaire’s WKB 1060 and WKB 2200, which are the same as WKD 1060 and 2200, WKC 1060 and 2200 and WKCE 1060 and 2200 cooling units, except that the “E” units have Electronic, rather than mechanical, controls.

I spoke with a customer yesterday who was trying to decide between CellarPro’s 4200VSi and Whisperkool’s Platinum Extreme 4000 wine cooling units. We first spoke last week, then he spoke with Scott at Whisperkool, and then he called us again yesterday.

The customer – a contractor – is building a wine cabinet inside a butlers pantry for his client, and he needs a cooling unit that can be located remotely and ducted. Initially he considered the CellarPro 1800 wine cooling unit, but these units can’t be ducted. So we talked about the CellarPro 4200VSi wine cooling unit, which CAN be ducted, and has the added advantage of variable speed fans. Because the wine cabinet is a small space, the low fan speed should be enough to maintain optimal wine storage conditions inside the cabinet, which is great news because the low fan speed is SO QUIET at 53 decibels. In comparison, Whisperkool cooling units have just one fan speed:  LOUD.  Whisperkool’s 4200 XLT emits 63 decibels, and Whisperkool’s Platinum Extreme 4000 cooling unit emits 67 decibels.  Yikes!  To compare the different cooling units, view our Cooling Unit Comparison Chart.  To view the different sound levels, click on our Cooling Unit Sound Performance Chart

After we spoke last week, the customer called Whisperkool to learn about their products.  According to the customer, when he asked Scott at Whisperkool about the variable speed fans on CellarPro cooling units, Scott replied that, “According to CellarPro’s Owner’s Manual, they do not recommend using the low fan speed.”

Huh?

Here’s the deal:  we have three fan speed settings, and each one produces a certain amount of BTU per hour (BTUH).  You can use the low, medium or high setting – whichever is most appropriate for your cellar.  To guide you, we published a thermal load chart at 55 degrees and a thermal load chart at 60 degrees, so you can calculate the thermal load of your cellar and see which fan setting will work for you.

Not only are CellarPro’s wine cooling units quieter than Whisperkool’s cooling units, they are less expensive (up to $1,000) with  more features and variable speed fans to suit most applications. At CellarPro, we’re committed to providing the highest level of customer service in the industry.   We won’t feed you silly arguments to sell you our products.  Our goal is for you to make the right decision.  You can count on it!

Postscript: The contractor purchased the CellarPro 4200VSi cooling unit – and his client loves the cooling unit!

As of April 27th, the Mark Squires’ Bulletin Board is available only to subscribers to eRobertParker.com. If they closed the BB because they couldn’t take the growing voice of dissent, what a cowardly thing to do! Maybe they did it to increase subscriptions to the Advocate? Seems hard to believe… They said that it cost too much to manage – I don’t believe that reason whatsoever – it seems like a red herring to me.

The BB had traffic and content – even if the content had lots of backbiting, pettiness and machismo, and even if traffic was declining, the asset meant a lot to many contributors and even more lurkers, which made the site a HUGELY valuable asset!

What stupidity! What cowardice! What supreme arrogance! What a waste…

We currently offer U-Line and Danby wine coolers, and wanted to see how well these wine coolers perform in a head-to-head competition.

By and large, both wine coolers did a fine job of maintaining proper and consistent wine storage temperatures in both the upper (warm) and lower (cold) zones.  Both wine coolers look great, are super quiet and have minimal vibration when running.  Refer to the following performance charts for more information:

• Danby DWC518BLS Wine Cooler – Temperature and Humidity Performance
• U-Line 2275ZWCS Wine Cooler – Temperature and Humidity Performance

As shown in the charts, Danby’s wine cooler failed the humidity test, maintaining humidity around 40 percent inside the wine cooler (60 percent is ideal for proper wine storage and aging.)  On the other hand, U-Line’s wine cooler did an excellent job of maintaining appropriate humidity levels at an average of 59 percent inside the wine cooler.

U-Line’s wine cooler is more powerful than Danby’s wine cooler, with a bigger compressor and almost double the refrigerant charge.  U-Line’s wine cooler also is more energy efficient than Danby’s wine cooler, by approximately 25 percent.  And U-Line’s wine cooler is made in the USA, whereas Danby’s wine cooler is made in China.
Danby’s wine cooler (Silhouette DWC518BLS Stainless) can be purchased for $949, and U-Line’s wine cooler  (Echelon 2275ZWCS Stainless) can be purchased for $2,399.  Is the difference in price worth it?  If you plan to use the wine cooler to store and age wine for 2+ years, humidity becomes an increasingly important issue.  Also, if you plan to “build in” your wine cooler, U-Line is perceived as a higher-value brand, and probably will create more resale value. But if you are planning to use the wine cooler simply for chilling and serving your wine, the price / performance combination of Danby’s unit can’t be beat.

Our free shipping promotion on Le Cache wine cabinets will be ending soon!

Shipping costs, which include inside delivery to a ground floor, setup and removal of packaging materials, range from $400 to $800 depending on the size of the wine cabinet and the shipping destination.

To take advantage of this free shipping promotion, you must submit your order by March 31.  Even if your cabinet ships after March 31, you will receive free shipping on your cabinet.

If you place your order at www.lecachewinecabinets.com, we won’t charge your credit card until your cabinet ships, and if you change your mind before the cabinet ships, there’s no charge and no penalty.

Don’t miss this limited time offer!

Question: Which wine cabinet do you think has higher wine bottle capacity:

Cabinet A:   71w x 31.5d x 40h (inches)

Cabinet B:   68w x 29.5d x 40h

Answer: You would think that the larger cabinet would have higher bottle capacity, right? In fact, the manufacturer of wine cabinet A advertises capacity for 174 bottles and the manufacturer for wine cabinet B advertises capacity for 284 bottles – fully 63% higher than wine cabinet A!

So what gives? Well, for one thing, Le Cache (the manufacturer of wine cabinet A) has bottle spacing to accommodate large-format bottles. Our spacing is 3 3/4″ in each and every cell. Americave, the manufacturer of wine cabinet B, has tighter spacing – they claim 3 1/2″ – so if you divide the width of each cabinet by the cell space, cabinet B would gain 1 column of space – roughly equivalent to 20 bottles of additional capacity.

So where is the space for the other 90 bottles? We don’t know!! But if you’re considering the purchase of a wine cabinet or credenza from Americave (aka Vintage Series and Estate wine cabinets), make sure you ask the right questions – otherwise, you’ll have far less capacity than you bargained for – and by the way, did the salesman mention that all sales of Americave, Vintage Series and Estate wine cabinets are final? And it takes 8-12 weeks to build? And they use Breezaire cooling units?  And it’s almost $1000 more expensive than the Le Cache wine credenza?  Maybe higher price is related to the higher bottle count….

Good luck!

We’ve been trying different aerators at home, and the Vinturi aerator is our favorite, for several reasons. Most importantly, the shape is the most natural – not too big or ornate, but not flimsy or cheap. It’s easy to clean, and feels like it will last forever.

Another reason we like the Vinturi aerator is it’s simplicity. It doesn’t get inserted into a bottle, it doesn’t need a filter, it can be held by hand, or can be used with a stand (the Vinturi Tower).

Vinturi’s aerator is really easy to clean. There are not skinny tubes or impossible-to-reach enclosures, and it’s dishwasher safe – though really, all you need to do is rinse the aerator for a few seconds after you’re done pouring.

All the aerators seemed to perform about the same – all seemed to smooth out tight, young wines – so at the end of the day, it’s about personal preference – we would never use an aerator for our nicely aged bottles – but for everyday swill, the Vinturi aerator is the way to go

In addition to FedEx classes of service and USPS Priority Mail , we offer SuperSaver flat-rate shipping for selected items in our store. With SuperSaver rates, we’ll charge a flat rate of $6.95 and ship your order to you via FedEx Ground, Priority Mail or Parcel Post, depending on the package. If you’re not in a rush, our SuperSaver rate usually will be the cheapest shipping rate in our store.

If the correct rate does not appear in your shopping cart when you place your order, please contact us via email or call us toll-free at 877.888.9137. We will not only refund the difference, we also will apply a 5% discount to the items that you purchased in your order. Get more information about our shipping policy.

Today we sent our customers an “opt-out” email message so that people who don’t want us to bother them can choose to opt-out of future emails from Le Cache – CellarPro – Sonoma Wine Accessories. It was not a phishing scam. For those people who opted out, our system automatically will deactivate their email addresses to protect them from future correspondence.

We place a high premium on respecting our customers’ privacy, and sending an “opt-out” email is a good standard procedure.

For questions about this topic, let me know!

We gave away our first $100 gift certificate to Melanie C. yesterday for recommending that we offer Acro Tacks on our site.

Here’s what Melanie had to say:

“My husband and I had some custom storm windows made for our restored lake house and the carpenter found these great little number tacks to keep track of the old fashioned windows. As soon as he saw them, my husband thought they’d be great for numbering our bins in the wine cellar. We had our carpenter get a set and they work great! We loved them so much we got 11 more sets to give away at our Christmas party, they were a smash!

The package said Acro Tacks and I seem to remember that the company was somewhere n the mid-west, (Ohio?).

Let me know what you think!”

It’s easy money!  Simply recommend a wine accessory or related item that we don’t currently offer on this site, and we decide to add the item, we’ll send you a gift certificate for $100 that you can use to purchase anything on our site!

So what are you waiting for?

Effective January 15, we will be increasing the prices of our wine cabinets an average of $350 per unit.  We have not increased our prices in 3 years; nor did we increase our prices when we switched from Breezaire to CellarPro cooling units.  The price increases reflect increases in our manufacturing costs that have accumulated over several years.  We also will be raising the prices of CellarPro 1800 QTL, QT and XT wine cooling units by $100.

At the same time that we raise our prices, we will introduce free shipping for our wine cabinets.  The free shipping promotion, which is for a limited time, includes inside delivery and setup (ie “white glove” delivery) to a ground floor.  To take advantage of our free shipping promotion, use the following code when checking out:  LCFS1Q10. 

The net effect of these changes will be a reduction in the delivered price of our wine cabinets.  We appreciate your business!

The Wall Street Journal recently published an interesting article about champagne bubbles. 

According to the article, researchers at Columbia University found that carbonated bubbles (in sparkling wine, soda and beer) “activate our taste buds” and spray droplets of aromatic chemicals into the air. 

In addition, bubbles actually mix the beverage, which can affect its scent and flavor.  Bubbles absorb aromatic compounds from the liquid as they rise, and this constant convection of bubbles adds to the flavor of the beverage. 

The shape of the champagne glass can affect how thoroughly bubbles mix the beverage.  Bubbles appeared to mix champagne more completely in a narrow flute than in a coupe (a broader, more shallow glass.)

So when you break out the Dom on New Year’s Eve, pour the bubbly into flutes – and don’t miss the fragrant mist at the surface of the flute as the bubbles explode!

For this reason, it’s important to enjoy champagne in a glass with

 and narrow flutes are recommended to ensure thorough

I just read a post from a contractor who struggled with a faulty wine cooler and poor customer service from the wine cooler manufacturer.  To read the post, click on the following link:  “Vinotemp doesn’t deliver customer satisfaction.”

The point of this post isn’t to slam the Vinotemp, but rather to highlight the importance of doing your research when it comes to purchasing expensive products online.

Wine storage, wine racking and wine accessories are sold by all kinds of companies, including small,  large and everything in between.  Here are five rules before spending money on wine storage products online:

1. The lowest price may be lowest for a reason.  If you purchase the lowest price item, be prepared – and willing to accept – a certain failure rate.
2. Read and understand the retailer’s return policy.  Are there restocking fees? Who pays freight?  Can anything/everything be returned?  For how long?
3. Investigate online what other customers have to say about the product and the retailer.  Take what you read with a grain of salt – some people have axes to grind – but trust your gut, because it’s not hard to get  a pretty good sense for whether you’re about to step into a pile of poop.
4. What does the product warranty cover?  Ie which parts? what about labor? Are you responsible for any fees?  How long does the warranty coverage last?
5. Does the online retailer have a phone number and physical address?  Can you find names of owners or senior managers in case you need to escalate an issue?  Read “About Us”  to learn about the owner’s of the company, their values and how they do business.

In the wine accessories business, shopping is fun and bargains abound.  Just remember:   an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure!

SmartMoney magazine published an interesting article today. The main point of the article is that 2009 was a very good year to start a wine collection, because wine prices have come down drastically due to lack of demand resulting from the weak economic environment.

For collectors interested in starting or adding to their wine collection, the article recommends staying away from “mass-produced” wines, and focusing instead on low-production “crafted” wines from Burgundy or Bordeaux.  In addition, stick to highly-rated wines produced in celebrated years.

Most importantly, the article recommends paying close attention to “proper wine storage”, which along with the provenance, or history of ownership, can have a surprising impact on value.

We agree! For more information about proper wine storage and related products, please visit www.lecachewinecabinets.com and www.cellarprocoolingsystems.com.

We received – unsolicited – the following email exchange that a prospective customer had with the folks at one of our competitors:

Competitor: Hello, I will forward drawings on Monday, look forward to working with you on this project. Thank you

Customer: Thanks. Question on the WhisperKool, which unit is it? and how does it handle excessive ambient humidity? I.e. drip pan .. etc

Competitor: The unit is a UL 1200 with quiet fans, there is a heating element in the compressor fan to evaporate excessive moisture. No drain line is required.

Customer: I found the following on Goggle search for WhisperKool 1200:

Hello all,

I am looking for some advice on a Wine Storage unit I’m having trouble with. I purchased a Vinotheque (Villa Series; model 330) about 4 years ago. It worked just fine for about 2 years, then the cooling system failed (it ran, but did not cool). Even though it was beyond the 1-year warranty, they sent me a replacement, and I installed it (sent them the non-working unit back). Now, 2 years later, the same thing has happened (it runs, but does not cool). I called their customer service again (not really expecting them to offer a replacement); and they have a “Customer Care Program” to exchange the 1000 BTU with another for about $750 (plus shipping). They also offered, for the same price to send a 1200 BTU unit. I just not sure I want to spend $800 each two years to “maintain” my Vinotheque.

I would expect a quality Wine Storage to work correctly for at least 10 to 15 years, even longer since it’s not located in a harsh environment. Has anyone else had experience with WhisperKool cooling units; either good or bad? Does anybody think that these can be repaired at a reasonable cost?

I’m struggling with the choices of either getting an exchange unit or just scrapping the whole thing and getting something else.

Thanks for any and all suggestions. Also are there any other forums where I might read about others’ experiences with Wine Storage Cabinets.

Michael

Competitor: This is a planted email, by my competitors. These emails are planted by Le Cache / Breezeaire cooling system. They are there to discourage customers from Vinotheque, and sway them to their less expensive models. People buy Vinotheque for the reputation and service. That’s why my competitors attack me there, it’s obvious they can’t touch the craftsmanship (when seen in person). Our warranty is 2 years are parts and labor and shipping, 5 years on the compressor. The man below doesn’t put his name or email, if he did I would look up the history . We document every sale and any warranty history. Even the last line below is a “winner”. The statement is baiting customers to write a bad or frustrating experience. Happy customers won’t take the time to respond, generally. One last note is we sale wine cellar WK units ( 1600, 3000, 4200, 6000, 8000, SS4000, SS8000 and the Extreme series) also WK units for cabinet ( 1000 BTU, 1200 BTU, 1200BTU UL approved , 2300 BTU). Why I know it’s a plant is the open-ended sentence— “Has anyone else had experience with WhisperKool cooling units; either good or bad? Does anybody think that these can be repaired at a reasonable cost?” this man is trying to bring in the Cellar WKs to confuse the reader, these units are the flat best that’s why the T.W.E still offers are product even though it has replicated it in China as “Grand Cru”. Cellars need to be built with insulated doors and vapor barriers ect, ect (on website), Customers and contractors sometimes cut corners or use the WK in the wrong application( vent to outside, cement walls ect, ect). If it fails, we are there to trouble shoot it and correct the unit or replace it. Problem is sometimes we find out the end user has disregarded how to install( manual) the unit or built a substandard cellar. We point this out to them and they blame our unit, they have the same problem over and over again with other cooling systems and eventually come to the same conclusion. Now at that point who goes back and amends their email from the year before, and says they were wrong. If you had this man’s email I would like to respond to him. If I knew his last name? I would be able to determine what he is saying is true and as I suspect a planted email. I have many customers I can refer to you as to my quality and warranty, If you like I will see if I can give you there email address? We have been in business for over 27 years, in 2001, Mr. Schneider brought the company ( formally Nordicorp). He has spent a fortune in product development, to keep us #1. I hope you choose to buy Vinotheque, my personal cell #209-###-####, my home # is 209-###-####. I know of no other Sales Mgr that believes in his product that much he would do that….. I do!

Customer: To the contrary of what you have said, I was routed by Le Cache to Vinotheque because they could not match my stain. Here is an E-mail from Le Cache Customer service:

We would need a wood sample to try to match a cabinet. From the picture, it looks like the lot of cabinets with our lightest Provincial stain would be a good match. We have these cabinets in the mission style (credenza, 1400 and 2400) and the Contemporary credenza. It is likely that the other cabinets would be too dark to match your stain.

If matching your stain is a priority, you may want to consider purchasing a wine cabinet from Vinotheque. They are a competitor, but their products are well regarded and they will be able to match stain colors for you.

Let us know if you have any further questions.

Best regards,

Customer Service
Le Cache Premium Wine Cabinets
531 Mercantile Drive Cotati, CA 94931
(P) 877.532.2243 • (F) 707.794.8005
www.lecache.com

Competitor:That is unusual, never happened in the last four years?

Customer: Can you then build a unit using a CellarPro wine cooling unit?

Competitor: Unfortunately we do not do that, but I do recommend them.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We have never “planted an email” about a competitor, and it’s pathetic that the competitor dismisses the online customer’s problems by blaming Le Cache. We are too busy managing our own businesses to waste time creating and planting phony emails.

On our site, we compare wine cabinets from Le Cache vs. Vinotheque, EuroCave, SubZero, Vinotemp and WCI. These comparisons are meant to highlight the differences between the wine cabinets, such as features, bottle capacity, size and price. We also have a wine cabinet shopping guide to help customers understand how to evaluate different wine cabinet features.

When you call Le Cache and CellarPro, we will give you our honest advice and opinions, even if it means that you purchase a competitor’s product. Guaranteed.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words on Robert Parker’s wine forum!

We are proud to introduce the launch of our Mission Series wine cabinets. Straight lines and stunning details define the Modern Series, which was created by acclaimed Bay-area furniture designer Berkeley Mills exclusively for Le Cache. Outside the cellar, engineered wood mullions and ebony accents offset hardwood doors, insulated paneled walls and the natural grains of hand-stained cherry wood veneer. Inside the cellar, wine collections are protected from UV rays by double-pane tinted glass and pampered by all-wood universal racking and an advanced digital cooling system from CellarPro Cooling Systems that was engineered to maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions for proper wine storage and aging. Though such features typically add hundreds to thousands of dollars to the final cost of a wine cabinet, we offer our wine cabinets with all-inclusive pricing – at significant savings to other manufacturers’ products. We also promise to ship each wine cabinet within three-to-five days of purchase, compared to the industry average of six to eight weeks.

Customer feedback played a significant role in the design of our wine storage cabinets. For example, we extended the use of its SB/0™ Technology to allow our wine cellars to be placed flush against the wall in response to complaints that existing wine cabinets, which require up to six inches of clearance between the wine cabinet and the wall, are too intrusive. We also designed our all-wood wine racking to accommodate not only standard Bordeaux bottles, but also increasingly popular larger bottle sizes, such as Burgundy, Pinot and many Champagne bottles. Our new Mission Series comes in two upright sizes to accommodate wine collections ranging from 172 to 286 bottles, and a credenza unit that accommodates 180 bottles. Mission Series wine cabinets are available in a choice of Provincial or Classic cherry hand-stained finishes, with prices starting at $3,499.

Our entire collection of wine cabinets and wine accessories can be seen at www.lecachewinecabinets.com. Our website also offers a wine cabinet shopping guide, wine cabinet comparisons and more information about the proper storage and aging of fine wine.

We are pleased to announce the introduction of the following products (anticipated in March/April 2009).

Mission Series wine cabinets. Developed by Berkeley Mills, a highly acclaimed designer of arts and crafts furniture, the Mission Series will be launched initially with our double-deep credenza, Mission 1400 and Mission 2400. These three items will be available in our exclusive Provincial and Classic cherry finishes.

Contemporary Credenza. This single-deep credenza is perfect for small spaces, and perfectly matches the clean lines and simple elegance of our popular line of Contemporary wine cabinets. This credenza also will be available in our exclusive Provincial and Classic cherry finishes.

All Le Cache wine cabinets include standard features like hardwood doors and beautiful cherry wood veneer, all-wood universal racking, high-performance CellarPro cooling units and the best customer service and warranty coverage in the industry.

View our new Mission credenza and Contemporary credenza.

In recognition of today’s difficult economic environment, we have decided to postpone the price increase that had been scheduled for January 1.

Effective January 1, 2009, the prices of Le Cache’s Contemporary Series wine storage cabinets, European Country Series wine storage cabinets, Wine Vault Series wine storage cabinets and Loft Series wine storage cabinets will increase by an average of 4.1 percent.

This price increase reflects the higher cost of the CellarPro wine cooling units that now come standard in all of our wine cabinets. CellarPro wine cooling units are the finest in the market and represent a significant upgrade over the cooling units that we used previously, providing additional cooling power and better performance in warm environments; many extra features, alarms and settings; and, for the first time, adjustable humidity control.

We will apply new prices to all orders received after December 31, 2008.

Thank you for your interest in Le Cache!

Our 1800QT wine cooling unit received 5 stars and the following review at beveragefactory.com, an authorized dealer for CellarPro cooling units.

Thanks Jim!