Whole Cellar has been enjoying one heck of a 2015, and it’s with good reason: we’ve recently been awarded Best in Design Best in Customer Service by Houzz this year! Winning one award is an achievement in itself, but winning two? Well, we must be doing something right if we’re included in two categories in the Best of Houzz 2015 list!

So, how deserving do you think we are of those awards? Well, you be the judge below!

Best in Design

Out of the many projects that we have posted on our Houzz profile, one of those which grabbed the Houzz community’s attention is our Cape Cod project in Boston. This particular wine cellar houses almost 1800 wine and champagne bottles—some of which are stored in high-reveal display cases—while also allotting enough space in the center table where people can come in to taste wine at a leisurely pace.

The Cape Cod job, in essence, perfectly exemplifies the modern Whole Cellar design philosophy: we still maintain a sharp eye for aesthetics, but we never sacrifice functionality for it. This is why we have obtained the positive reputation we have, not just on Houzz, but on just about any state we have worked in.

Our stellar work ethic had also encouraged new clients to contact us simply because of our reputation on Houzz. Many of them, however, did not have an inkling of how they would be able to have a wine cellar built in the first place. Thankfully, we were more than happy to assist any new clients who simply wanted to have a wine cellar installed in their homes. This is the reason why we also won Houzz’s Best in Customer Service award.

Best in Customer Service

Customer feedback, more than anything else, determines the success or failure of a business nowadays. That is why we make it a point that providing an optimal customer experience is a major factor that defines Whole Cellar as a brand.

Many of the clients we have worked with, in fact, do not lead the kind of “affluent” lifestyle many people associate with clients contracting us for their wine cellar projects. Rather, a good number of them are middle-class homeowners just wanting to have their own wine cellar that adds value to their property while still remaining affordable.

In this case, this is where a project like a closet-to-wine storage conversion in Texas demonstrates the kind of attention we give to our clients. Since the space afforded to us was limited to the confines of a closet, we had to find a way to work within the boundaries of the room given to us. Happily, the client found the finished product suited his preferences exactly.

A Wine Cellar for Every Homeowner

Gone are the days when building a wine cellar for one’s home was defined by an impossibly high barrier to entry. Nowadays, residential wine rooms are seen as much a part of the household as the bedroom or the dining room. The modern wine cellar now has the capability of serving multiple purposes other than simply being a room to store one’s wine collection. We can now say that wine cellars are truly made for everyone.

For everyone who has helped us attain the recognition from Houzz by voting us in for these prestigious categories, thank you very much from the bottom of our hearts. We hope to match, or even exceed, the high expectations of quality you expect from a product or service produced by Whole Cellar.

To view our complete profile on Houzz, you can visit our profile page here.

To see the complete list of Houzz’s ‘Best Of’ winners, visit this link.

To see a complete review of our services, visit our reviews page on Houzz

Call us at +1 (949) 355-4376 to speak with one of our design consultants and get a one-of-a-kind 3D wine room design for free.

Wines need a safe haven, where they can age gracefully under the right environmental conditions.  There are many available wine storage options in the market today, including wine fridges.

You can find many wine fridge products from one of the most trusted wine storage design experts, Blue Grouse Wine Cellars.  Listed below are the different brands of quality wine fridge that Blue Grouse offers, and their specs.

Vinotheque Wine Fridges

Vinotheque wine fridges are an ideal choice if you are looking for quality wooden wine storage furniture.  Their wine fridges are available in different wood species, depending on the model you choose.  Several wood stain options are also offered.

The versatility of these wine fridges makes it easy to blend them with kitchen cabinetry and other home furniture.

Closet Wine Fridges

The Vinotheque Closet Wine Fridge model features a display row with LED lighting.  It is equipped with a WhisperKOOL 2500 wine cellar cooling unit -one of the most trusted brands of cooling systems.

Closet Wine Fridges are available in 3 stain colors (light, medium, and dark).

Wine Reservoir

The Wine Reservoir model is the entry-level product of Vinotheque.  It is equipped with a WhisperKOOL 2500 wine cellar cooling unit, to maintain the ideal temperature and humidity inside the fridge.

It has wire shelving, which maximizes wine storage capacity and grants flexibility in storing various sizes and shapes of wine bottles.  Wood choices include Luan and Mahogany hardwoods and veneers.

Sienna Wine Fridges

The best thing about Sienna Wine Fridges is that the full length windows and simple structural design make your wine bottles the center of attention.  The panels are made of Alder hardwood and veneers, and the racking is made of high quality metal.

Optional LED lighting and a display row are available with Sienna Wine Fridges.

 

Clos Pegase Wine Fridges

The main design features of Clos Pegase Wine Fridges is the attractive French windows and intricate dentil moldings.  This type of wine fridge comes in 6 sizes that can house various types of wine bottles.

Clos Pegase Wine Fridges are equipped with a QT wine cellar cooling unit that operates quietly.  They come with a liquid measuring thermostat option, where a probe measures the wine temperature inside the bottle.

Wood options include Alder, Red Oak, Maple, Black Walnut, Cherry, and Mahogany.  Wood stain options include light, medium, dark, natural, and limed.

Wine KoolR Wine Fridges

Wine KoolR wine fridges are an economical wine storage solution with a striking design.  Choose this brand if you are in need of a wine storage capacity of 120 up to 800 wine bottles.

Wine KoolR offers wine fridges in single deep or double deep configuration.  They come unassembled, so they are convenient to move to your preferred storage space.

Assembly procedure is fast and easy.  Assembly service is available for metro Vancouver customers.

KoolR Slimline Wine Fridges

There are three types of Slimline wine fridges.  These are the KoolR Imperial Slimline, Sovereigh Slimline, and Goliath Slimline wine fridge models.  They vary in size and storage capacity:

Imperial Slimline: 120 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

Sovereign Slimline: 240 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

Goliath Slimline: 400 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

The KoolR Slimline wine fridges are in single deep format.  They are made of a reinforced, stackable, heavy duty honeycomb plastic material that enhances insulating properties and reduces the weight and size of the wine fridge.  Color choices include black oak and mahogany wine.

The door is a reversible Lexan glass door which can be hinged on either side.  It is installed with a keyed lock for security.  A virtually silent digital wine cooling unit maintains the ideal temperature and humidity inside the fridge.

KoolR Full Wine Fridges

The KoolR Full wine fridges are the double deep version of the KoolR Imperial Slimline wine fridges.  Here are the three different types of the double deep KoolR wine fridges and their storage capacities:

Imperial Full: 240 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

Sovereign Full: 500 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

Goliath Full: 800 standard 750ml Bordeaux bottles

Double deep KoolR wine fridges have the same design and quality features as those of the Slimline version.

Le Cache Wine Fridges

If you are looking for fine furniture for your fine wines, choose Le Cache Wine Fridges.   They can easily blend with virtually any décor, or become the center of attention in a room.  With Le Cache, you can be sure of top quality craftsmanship, and the fridges can be passed from one generation to another.

Le Cache Loft Wine Fridge Models

Le Cache Loft Wine Fridges have aluminum doors, with the choice of two finishes; namely, black matte and brushed aluminum.  The door can be hinged on either side.

The Loft wine fridges have black laminated walls and dual-pane tinted glass.  They feature all-wood universal racking with 3 ¾ inches opening.

To maintain the ideal temperature and humidity inside the wine fridge, an ultra quiet CellarPro cooling system is installed, featuring digital display, temperature control, and adjustable humidity control.

To make climate control more efficient, a top-vent exhaust, foil-backed polyisocyanurate insulation, and low-heat interior light were used.

Below are the different Loft wine fridge models and their corresponding storage capacity:

Le Cache Loft 1400: 172 bottles (160 racked, 12 bulk)

Le Cache Loft 2400: 286 bottles (256 racked, 30 bulk)

Vinopro Wine Fridges

Vinopro is known for their stylish, functional, and affordable wine fridges.  Vinopro wine fridges are one of the best new offerings of Blue Grouse Wine Cellars.

Enjoy the many options with Vinopro wine fridges:

Models: BU-490, BU-145, BU-130, BI-56

Bottle Capacity: 24-194 wine bottles

BU-490: 194 bottles

BU-145: 46 bottles

BU-130: 41 bottles

BI-56: 24 bottles

Temperature zones: Single or Dual

Door types: All glass or stainless steel

Installation: Built-in or Free-standing

All of the models are available in single and dual temperature models (same price), except for the BI-56 wine fridge, which is available in single temperature only.

Vinopro wine fridges have the following features:

• Stainless steel pull handles
• Slide-out beechwood shelves
• Touch-key control panels with digital display on the door
• Power on/off
• Automatic control panel locks
• Interchangeable Fahrenheit and Celsius units of temperature
• Circulated fan cooling for balanced temperature
• Low vibration
• Auto defrost
• LED lighting
• Smoked tempered glass doors

Enjoy one year full-system warranty and 3 year warranty for compressor.

 

EuroCave Wine Fridge Storage Cabinets

Avid wine connoisseurs choose EuroCave wine fridges for their quality and design.  EuroCave wine fridges have unique features that make them stand out among the others brands.

Twin Process Thermal Control for an Even Temperature

This special feature keeps the temperature inside the fridge constant, even when the temperature outside reaches up to 35 degrees Celsius.

This is achieved using SRA aluminum walls, which promote the even distribution of temperature, as well as by ensuring that the heating and cooling processes are balanced.

Hygro + System for Constant Humidity Levels

Relative humidity is kept constant above 50%, using stucco aluminum walls that distribute moisture evenly.  This keeps the cork moist, which in turn maintains an air tight seal for the bottle.

Cellular Insulant for Effective Insulation

EuroCave is built with a CQI cellular insulant, and 5cm cabinet walls.  This combination provides solid and effective insulation.

Separate Vents for a Breather Effect Ventilation

EuroCave wine fridges have separate vents, one for air intake, and one for air output.  The air intake vent has a charcoal filter for air purification.

Alarm System for Better Security

The alarm system is triggered when the temperature or humidity level goes wrong, or if you simply leave the door open.  This lets you know right away that you need to check on your wine storage fridge.

Better Storage Capacity

The design maximizes the storage space for higher bottle capacity.  The durable shelving of EuroCave wine fridges can house wines of different sizes or shapes.

Different EuroCave Wine Fridge Models to Choose From:

• 

  EuroCave Tete a Tete System

  Revelation Series

• Professional Series
• Pure Series
• Premiere Series
• Collection Series
• Compact Series
• Tete a Tete System

All of these wine fridges come with a carbon filter with a meter, a lock, a reversible door, and a brilliant amber lighting strip.

These design features, and the wide selection of wine fridge designs, make EuroCave Wine Fridges a favorite among many wine aficionados.

Blue Grouse Wine Cellars offers these different brands of wine fridges.  Contact them now to choose your own wine fridge.

San Clemente is one of the most beautiful and peaceful communities in California. That’s why so many people are looking to move there recently. One of our clients recently did, by buying an old home next to a gorgeous seaside view, and he was satisfied with his purchase of it so far—well, except for that musty wine cellar inside his newly purchased home. With 856 wine bottles comprising his own collection, he was looking for the room to be renovated quickly. Fortunately for him, he contacted Whole Cellar to build his San Clemente home wine cellar project.

When we first arrived at the client’s home in February 2015, we were greeted with the dismal sight of an old wine cellar that had major insulation problems. The single pane glass installed on its windows and doors were only compounding this problem even more.

Custom Built Wine Cellars San Clemente California Coastal ProjectWe decided that nothing less than a complete overhaul was necessary for this job. So, not only did we strip the wall coverings bare, we also removed all of the old wine racks that were previously held there. The purpose for this was to properly re-seal the walls so the room could be tightly insulated. As for the single pane glass, we replaced them with dual pane.

Custom Wine Cellars CA, Wine Rack Installation & Wine Guardian Cooling Units One challenge we were presented with during the course of doing this job was deciding on the ideal cooling system for the wine cellar in question. It needed to be a standalone unit, and it should look “compact” enough to be stored inside an enclosure that only measures up to 400 cubic feet.

We eventually found the one we were looking for in the Wine Guardian Ducted System. Its in-system humidification module is extremely user-friendly since it allows the unit’s temperature and humidity levels to be adjusted with the use of a remote control. It’s ideal for limited spaces, and it also performs just as well as any of its “bigger” refrigeration counterparts.

We then went to what is perhaps the most important facet of the whole project: the wine racks that will store the client’s wine bottle collection. He was aiming for a classic wood look, so we had the wine racks fashioned with Alder wood as the primary material. We finished the construction of the custom wine racks with a chestnut stain and finished with clear lacquer.

The San Clemente home wine cellar project went on for three months, and it was finally completed on April 2015. Thankfully, the client liked our work so much that he practically allowed us to “use” his home for documentation purposes. To see more of the projects we did, you can check out our recent jobs at Florida and Coto de Caza, California.

 

You do not need to go over your budget to have a custom-looking wine room. You can opt for a modular wine cellar, an economical storage solution for a growing collection. In Coquitlam, British Columbia, a client of Blue Grouse Wine Cellars originally had a few modular storage racks. They wanted to create a custom-looking wine cellar by adding more modular units. Blue Grouse Vancouver created a unique and effective wine cellar design according to their client’s requirements. 

A Master Builder Has Created an Effective Home Wine Cellar Design for a Growing Collection

One of the challenges that residential wine cellar builders often encounter is finding a storage solution that will fit the client’s growing collection, budget, and space.

At Blue Grouse Wine Cellars, they can overcome any challenge in wine cellar construction. With extensive experience and passion in building effective wine rooms, they were able to create a functional wine storage space for their clients in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The owners originally had a few modular storage racks, which they bought from Blue Grouse. Later on, they decided to build a dedicated Vancouver home wine cellar to store their favorite vintages. So they came back to Blue Grouse Wine Cellars, and purchased more modular wine racks.

The racking had to be installed in a utility space, located in the lower level of their home. The wine cellar, which has an area of 7 square feet, was designed to hold approximately 680 bottles.

Modular Wine Racking System – a Flexible Solution for a Budget-Savvy Collector

Your wine rack design should not only enhance your storage space. It should also suit the size of your room, the size of your collection, and your budget.

With the increase in demand for unique wine storage solutions, modular wine racks are becoming more popular among homeowners. This racking solution is ideal for budget-conscious homeowners, who are planning to expand their collections in the future. Another benefit of the modular racking system is its ability to create a custom look in your wine room without breaking the bank. Investing in fully customized wine cellar is much more expensive.

Blue Grouse Wine Cellars offers a wide range of high-end modular storage units. Since these wine racks are available in different sizes and designs, clients will have more options to mix and match racking configurations. You can customize your own racking layout using the modular dimensions found at http://bluegrousewinecellars.com/racks/bluegrousewineracks.html, or you can send your requirements to blue Grouse, if you want them to create a 3-dimension plan for you.

Some of the Modular Storage Systems Offered by Blue Grouse Wine Cellars

All of Blue Grouses’ wine racking modules are manufactured with master craftsmanship and quality materials. Their precision kit wine racks are suitable for collectors who are looking for a budget-friendly storage solution. Although beautiful on their own, these modular units can create a more attractive wine display when added with custom features, like top shelves, a stemware rack, an archway, crown moldings, and a stain.

The Artisan Collection is a high-end modular racking system that offers custom-level quality. If you have the right tools and are willing to do the racking assembly, the Vintner Keeper Wine Racks made from California redwood are a good option.

With various wood options and racking designs to choose from, it best to discuss your requirements with your chosen specialist. At Blue Grouse Wine Cellars, their goal is to create wine rack designs that will satisfy both the aesthetic and functional needs of their clients.

Beautiful Racking Configurations Combined

An elegant wine storage room was created by combining attractive wine rack configurations. There are individual bottle slots at the top sections of the left and right walls. Below these sections is a horizontal display row, which runs horizontally through the middle of the racking. It features specific vintages from the owner’s collection. The lower section of the racking consists of the diamond bins, which are intended for bulk storage.

The focal point of the room is the back wall. It has a beautiful backsplash, made from reclaimed wood. This eco-friendly feature adds visual appeal to the Vancouver home wine cellar.

Blue Grouse also added a countertop area at the back wall, which gives a good view of the backsplash. The countertop provides a convenient space for decanting and pouring wine. It can also be used to display a few bottles, and store wine glasses, decanters, and other accessories that you want to keep within the racking. The countertop is constructed from plywood that matches the finish of the modular wine racks.

The Racking Material Used to Create an Impressive Vancouver Home Wine Cellar Design

Your choice of wine rack material can make or break the look of your wine room. It is for this very reason that you should seek the help of an expert. The common materials used in manufacturing wine storage racks are wood and metal. Wood is a favorite choice of homeowners who want to achieve a warm ambiance in their wine cellars. Additionally, wood is durable, flexible, and can blend well with any decor.

The owners chose All Heart California redwood to match their existing modular wine racks. Redwood has the ability to absorb and retain any type of finish very well.  Its reddish brown color and beautiful grain patterns add sophistication to a wine room. Expect darker hues as the wood ages.

The sturdiness of this material provides redwood wine racks with the ability to withstand the humid conditions in wine cellars. Redwood storage racks contains natural wood preservatives that make them highly resistant to insects, molds, decay, warping, and shrinkage. They can last long even without staining or finishing the wood.

Achieve the Look of a Custom Wine Cellar. Contact a Professional.

Choose a modular wine rack system to build out a full California home wine cellar. With a master builder, like Blue Grouse Wine Cellars, you can have a custom-looking storage space without having to spend more. Request a free 3D modular racking design today!

The Florida home wine cellar project was one of the most ambitious undertakings we ever have taken part in. With a tight budget to work on, we had to ensure the cellar would still look great in spite of it. In addition, the room is specified to be strictly climate-controlled to maintain the contents of the wine bottles that will be stored in it. Have we accomplished all that was specified? Well, here are two words that we can answer back to you: you bet! 

A client from Florida recently contracted us to create a home wine cellar for him. Since a non-flexible budget was given to us, we had to make sure that we only chose the ideal kits and materials for this project.

We started by browsing through our comprehensive selection of custom wine rack kits. We eventually settled on using a combination of modular wine racks, which we modified by adding a little touch of custom designing. Having to design the back wall means we also had to take into consideration the installed wall lighting. We essentially had to be extra careful about fitting any installations there.

We then added solid x bins underneath the arch to ensure that even the wine case storage shelves below the wine rack could also look stylish. Finally, we devised a unique “wheat” stain look for the mahogany wine rack and a lacquer finish. Seeing the finished product, the client was particularly impressed with the classy look we were able to give his wine rack kit.

The Wine Cellar Climate Control System by WhisperKool

The cellar that we were working on was essentially a modest space. So, we had to procure a cooling system that was easy to install and is self-contained. We settled on the WhisperKool SC 4000 unit because of positive feedback about its longevity and its housing design that fits in with the aesthetic of the wine cellar.

The wine cellar was also required to be kept at 55°F. Since the WhisperKool SC 4000 has a 30°F temperature differential, it can exhaust the entire area while not exceeding 85°F.

 A Simple and Elegant Wine Tasting Room

The client finally requested that all of his 900 wine bottle collection be stored in the wine cellar. However, there were some issues that needed to be addressed first; constructing the cellar ceiling and upgrading the entrance to the room.

A wine tasting area with style was one of the priorities we had to consider before starting the project. So, we settled on using reclaimed wood for the ceiling, which lent it a rustic feel. Furthermore, the client decided he wanted an arched entrance leading to the cellar, and we took it a step further by constructing it with bare bricks.

So, not only did we produce the ideal Florida home wine cellar project, but we designed it to be the ultimate wine cellar entertainment experience.

Closet conversion is becoming popular in the design and construction industry.  Many home owners are considering having a vacant small or large space in their home converted into something useful.

One residential owner in Newport Beach contacted a California wine cellar builder to request help in converting his closet into a custom wine cellar.  The client wanted a wine storage and display space that was both functional, and elegant.

Vintage Wine Cellars, the California wine cellar builder that the client contacted, came up with a gorgeous custom wine cellar design.  It featured a stunning wine rack design to store and display wine bottles, a wine cellar cooling system to cool the wines, a glass wine cellar door, and matching wine cellar flooring.

Wine Rack Design Features

The wine storage and display racks are a combination of several different wine rack designs, including:

• Single bottle storage wine racks
• Horizontal display wine racks
• High reveal display rows
• Arched tabletop
• Diamond bin cases
• Rectangular bins

 

The single bottle storage wooden wine racks store 750 ml wine bottles individually, in cubicles with 3 ¾ inche openings, which are perfect for easy bottle access.  The bottle holders on each cubicle are hand sanded, to protect wine labels from scratches.

The horizontal display storage with a high reveal display row runs on the entire length of the walls.  This feature angles the wine bottles at 15 degrees, keeping the corks moist and the bottle tightly sealed.  An LED lighting fixture was also added, to illuminate the angled wine bottles on the display row.

At the center of the wine closet is a tabletop with an archway, where wine pouring or decanting can be done.  It features a lovely art piece, which is highlighted by a puck lighting.

At the bottom of the tabletop are solid diamond bins, which store wine bottles one on top of the other.  Diamond bins are ideal for bulk wine storage.

At the side of the wine closet are rectangular bins, which maximize the small storage space.  This wine racking style gives the wine collector an option to store wines by group (by variety, origin, size, age, etc.). This wine rack design is a wise option for storing 1.5L and 3L bottles.

The wooden wine racks are made of Premium Redwood, one of the best wood types used in the wine racking industry.  A dark walnut stain was applied to the wooden wine racks.  The natural aesthetic appeal of the stained redwood adds beauty to the wine cellar.

The total storage capacity of this wine closet is 840 wine bottles.

 Efficient Cooling using a Fully-Ducted Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

This Newport Beach California wine closet is highly functional, as it is equipped with a wine cellar cooling system.  This maintains the right balance of temperature and humidity inside the wine closet.

Vintage Wine Cellars installed a fully ducted wine cellar cooling unit from Wine Guardian.  It is a self-contained wine cellar cooling system, and it can be installed either indoors or outdoors.

For this Newport Beach California wine closet, the cooling unit was installed indoors, in the attic located just above the wine cellar.  The wine cellar cooling system is assembled in a platform with a drain pan.

The duct system of this wine cellar cooling unit supplies cool air into the wine cellar and exhausts hot air outside. A louvered grill that matches the wooden wine racks covers the cooling unit.

Wine Cellar Entryway and Flooring that Attractively Matches with the Wine Racks

The cellar door used is a Barolo style dual-paned glass wine cellar door.

This entryway has two door openings, and it has certain features that ensure a tight seal to the room, and these include weather stripping and a concealed door bottom.

The wine cellar door was coated with a Chestnut wood stain, creating a beautiful contrast against the Premium Redwood wine racks.

To enhance the look of the wine cellar, the owner chose a unique tile flooring. The color scheme of the flooring matches charmingly with the wooden wine racks.

Get Started with your Own Wine Cellar Design!

Vintage Wine Cellars did a great job completing this Newport Beach California wine closet renovation project, considering the limited space their team had to work on. Vintage Wine Cellars specializes in wine cellar design, installation, renovation, and even maintenance, for both residential and commercial locations.

If you have a custom wine cellar project in mind, whether in Southern or Northern California, just contact Vintage Wine Cellars California Wine Cellar Builder for a free design consultation. Visit their page at http://www.vintagewinecellars.com/.

Meeting the Client and Starting the Project

The Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club is among the finest private clubhouses in Orange County, California.  The 36-hole country club features a 44,000 square foot clubhouse thatis an ideal setting for weddings, business meetings, and private parties.  The club recently remodeled Preserve, their upscale dining room, to include a 1,380-bottle capacity wine enclave, where members can store and display their private collections.

In November 2013, Coastal Custom Wine Cellars was contacted by an architectural firm in San Diego, California.  They wanted to add a glass covered custom wine enclave to the newly remodeled Preserve Dining Room.  The room measures 11’ wide, 2’ deep and about 9’ tall.  After several consultations, and a couple of site visits, Coastal prepared a three dimensional design.

A 3D wine celalar design work from Coastal provides a three dimensional illustration of the proposed wine cellar design.  The wine cellar design package includes plan views (elevations and 3D views), total bottle capacities, construction guidelines, and an audio/video tour of the design.

The Wine Cellar Design Features

Stunning Metal Wine Rack Displays

Coastal Custom Wine Cellars, SoCal’s leading expert in wine cellar design and construction, created a climate-controlled commercial display wine room, encased in glass, that features VintageView metal wine rack displays.

Three sets of seamless 1/2″ glass doors provide access to the wine enclave.  To stabilize the climate conditions inside the wine storage space, the Coastal team recommended a Model D088 from Wine Guardian.

Unlike wood-based wine racks, metal wine rack displays provide a contemporary look that will go well with any modern interior.  VintageView metal wine rack displays are designed to hold bottles in a label forward orientation, allowing for ease of product recognition.

The horizontal placement of the bottles also helps maintain the continuous contact of the cork with the wine, thereby ensuring its sealing quality.

To increase the total bottle capacity of the custom wine enclave Coto de Caza CA, the Coastal team installed metal wine displays in single and triple deep configurations.

Triple depth wine racks can hold three bottles in a single row; two wine bottles are stored behind the visible bottle.

The metal wine racks are mostly label forward horizontal displays.  A presentation row running the width of the racking system was also installed, for showcasing the finest wine bottles in the collection.

The metal wine rack displays come in a black satin finish, to give them a stainless steel effect.  A three deep configuration wine display rack is located right in front of the series of glass doors that lead to the wine enclosure.

Single deep display racking is installed on the rear, fixed glass panel.  The wine rack design is set up in such a way that the bottles appear as if they are floating when viewed from the outside.

Tempered Glass Walls and Doors

The Coto de Caza Golf and Racquet Club contemporary wine cellar display is encased in seamless 1/2″ tempered glass walls and doors.

The glass covered custom wine enclave is an aesthetically pleasing addition to the clubhouse’s Preserve Dining Room.  The heavy duty glass doors are hinged on self-closing, commercial grade pivot sets.

Installating the Wine Cellar Cooling Unit

To maintain the ideal wine storage temperature of 58 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity between 50 to 60 percent, the Coastal team recommended a self-contained air duct handler, by Wine Guardian.

After conducting a heat load calculation, it was determined that the Model D088 wine cellar cooling unit would most efficiently cool the glass encased wine cellar.

Wine Guardian is a world-renowned manufacturer and provider of wine cellar cooling solutions.  Their wine cellar cooling products provide whisper-quiet operation and superior cooling performance.  They offer different types of cooling systems, including through the wall units, split cooling systems, ducted units, and humidifiers.

The Model D088 is a self-contained, fully ducted wine cellar cooling unit, that is ideal for medium to large residential and commercial wine cellars.  This cooling unit not only provides optimum temperature and humidity control, but also adds to the aesthetic quality of the wine storage space.

Since this wine cellar cooling unit can be ducted up to 25 feet away from the wine enclosure, it eliminates the presence of mechanical equipment in the room, thus promoting a quiet storage environment.

For this particular project, the cooling unit was placed in the ceiling.  Installing the climate control unit out of sight eliminates any presence of mechanical equipment in the custom wine enclave Coto de Caza CA, and allows the wine cellar builder to maximize available space.  Ceiling mounted units also provide better air distribution and circulation.

About the Wine Cellar Builder

Coastal Custom Wine Cellar Builder has over ten years of experience in designing and building commercial and residential wine cellars in California, and throughout the country.  They provide all aspects of wine storage needs, including wine cellar cooling systems, wood and metal based wine racking, wine cellar doors, and wine cellar flooring.

If you have a wine cellar project in mind, just contact Coastal Custom Wine Cellars. Click here.

Texas Wine Cellars – Storage Closet Conversion Project

(a processed Video Transcription)

Texas Wine Cellar Closet Conversion

The Williams wine cellar project.

Walk with me on a journey where we took a storage closet pantry and turned it into a beautiful Texas wine cellar.

Our clients had a closet they wanted to turn into a wine cellar. The door was a solid door.

The interior included shelves on the three walls. The left wall was exterior wall and the ceiling was nearly 11 feet tall.

The 3D Drawings

We discussed racking, cooling, and doors with the customer, and created a drawing for their approval. He overhead view shows the room, and the doorway, which is on an angle. We have three elevations of wine racks – elevation A (the left wall), elevation B (the back wall), and elevation C (the right wall).

Elevation A

On elevation A, we positioned the RM 2600 ductless split system at the top. We created a grill cover and box to incorporate the unit into the racking.

This wall is made up of all individual bottle racking for 750-sized bottles. It has a high reveal display row with a light valance where we positioned our LED lighting. The crown molding around the entire room is a 4-inch crown. The base molding is a standard 1 ½ inch base.

Elevation B

Elevation B includes more individual bottle storage at the top and a solid arch with puck light opening. Here, we will install an LED puck light. The tabletop will be created out of reclaimed wine barrels. The area below the tabletop is double deep to accommodate room for six wood cases.

Elevation C

Elevation C is all solid horizontal racking. The entire upper is made to hold 750-sized bottles. The bottom section from the tabletop level down can hold Magnum size bottles. The Magnum racks can also accommodate 750-sized bottles if needed.

On the end of this rack, we have placed the mini quarter round unit end the row nicely before the door. The 3D views will better show how the wine racks will look upon install. This is the overhead, the left wall and back, the right wall and back.

Wine Racks and Door

Here you can the small shelves in the quarter round section at the end. This is the back wall and the view of the Coto door from the outside. We made this door square with arched glass instead of a fully arched door as shown on our website. On to the completed project and our after photos.

Here, we are walking to the cellar, and first see the Coto door. This wine cellar door is created with knotty alder wood, stained with Chappo stain and lacquer.

The color was chosen to work well with the current cabinetry next to the door. The door has a square top with arched glass. The great design in the center of the door is hand carved.

Racking and Door Features

The handle set and lock is a French colonial egg and dart from the hardware catalog on our website. It is in oil-rubbed bronze. The iron on the door is black. Both the upper and lower sections of the iron is operable. It opens for ease of cleaning the glass behind.

As we enter the room, we see the individual racks on the left side. They were created from knotty alder wood and were left unfinished. The display was a high reveal without posts. This means, there is not a divider between every bottle. The display row has a light valance above to hide the LED ribbon lighting. The upper section includes a grill cover and box, which hides the RM 2600 split wine cooling system.

The upper back wall includes more individual bottle storage above the arch. The back wall includes the individual bottles and arch tabletop, and double deep case storage. The arch is a solid arch with an LED puck light.

Here’s a view showing the arch area with racking on both the left and the right. The case storage below the tabletop is double deep. The reclaimed wine barrel tabletop is the cooperage style with cooperage markings. The right wall has horizontal wine racks to hold 750-sized bottles at the top, and it accommodates Magnum size bottles at the bottom.

The horizontal racks are solid and have a dimple base to hold the bottles in place. The mini quarter round at the end has shelves, which can hold bottles standing up. The center inside of the Coto door is a solid wood piece. The great design is on the front side only. Here’s the view from the other end of the hall with the door open to the cellar.

Work with a Trusted Builder to Transform Your Room Into a Lovely Wine Cellar

The Williams are enjoying their new climate-controlled wine cellar. We were able to take a simple close pantry space and transform it into a functional and beautiful Texas wine cellar.

Call Wine Cellar Specialists today to begin a wine cellar for your home.

Wine needs an effective wine storage solution. If you plan to start a wine collection of your own, you should invest in a good wine storage solution. Here are some tips when starting your own wine cellar in Orange County, California.

Why a Wine Cellar is Essential to Every Wine Collection

There is no point to starting a wine collection if you do not have an effective wine storage solution. Wine is a beverage that can easily go bad if it is not stored properly. Among the different kinds of wine storage solutions, a wine cellar is the most ideal type. Have a wine cellar built in your own home, to make sure that your wines are safe and aging tastefully. This article will discuss a few of the Dos and Don’ts when it comes to starting a residential wine cellar in Orange County, California.

The Dos of Starting a Residential Custom Wine Cellar in Orange County, CA

When you’re starting your own home wine cellar in Orange County, here are some things that you should do:

1. Do Have an Estimate of the Size of Your Wine Collection

One of the essential considerations when planning to build a wine cellar is how big you want to be. The size of a home custom wine cellar depends on how much room you need for wine storage. Have a realistic estimate of the amount of wine you intend to collect. Some people are satisfied having 5 to 10 bottles, but there are those who collect upward of a thousand wines. It is also recommended to anticipate the growth of your wine collection. Build your wine cellar with adequate space to accommodate a growing wine collection. Generally, most people need more space than they first thought.

2. Do Apply Proper Insulation to Your Wine Cellar

A climate controlled environment is a vital aspect of proper wine storage. Fluctuating temperature and humidity levels are one of the worst enemies of wine. Regardless of how expensive your temperature control equipment is, or how efficient your wine cellar cooling unit is, if you have not applied proper insulation within your wine storage room, you can never achieve consistent temperature and humidity levels. The mylar or bubble wrap insulation is becoming more common these days, because it has no nasty glass fibers for your to worry about, and it gives a good R rating without taking up much volume.

Ideally, there are two common methods for applying vapor barriers and insulating wine storage rooms, and these are spray foam or a 6 mil vapor barrier and fiberglass batts. Although spray foam is more costly, it does prevent any possibility of puncturing a vapor barrier by a screw, running wire or with plumbing inserted during the cellar construction. With non-shrinking closed cell spray foam, screws or any object that punctures will not compromise the enclosure. The foam will simply expand to fill all the crevices, to ensure a tight seal in the wine storage room. There is no need for a 6 mil vapor barrier when using spray foam. Regardless of what method you use, make sure that there are no air gaps in between the insulation and drywall.

3. Do Remember that Balance is Essential in a Wine Collection

Many wine experts advise novice wine collectors not to start their wine collection for aging wines. Instead, start a collection for drinking, or else you will be stealing from your future stocks as early as the first year from when you started. Moreover, make sure that at least some of the wine in your residential custom wine cellar is for guests and not just for your own enjoyment. You want to make sure that when you have friends and guests visit, you can entertain them with some of your wine. Lastly, your collection should include both wines that are ready to drink, and wines that are to be opened when they have reached maturity.

4. Do Keep in Mind that Your Taste Will Change

It is said that when you start your wine collection, start first with wines that appeal to your taste. You do not need to rely on reviews and other people’s opinions of what good wine is. Although this is true, you should keep in mind that your taste in wine will change. It is important to make sure to leave room for whole new regions and styles of wine. But then again, just like tip number 4, keep in mind not to stock too heavily in any one area.

5. Do Choose a Wine Racking System that Offers Flexibility

When choosing wine racks for your custom wine cellar in Orange County, California, choose those that can cater to wine bottles of different sizes. It can be very frustrating to buy a case of magnums, Champagnes and other large-sized wine bottles, only to find that you wine racking system can only cater to regular sized wine bottles.

The Don’ts of Starting a Home Custom Wine Cellar in Orange County, CA

The following are tips on what NOT to do when starting your own home wine cellar:

1. Don’t Build Your Custom Wine Cellar Just Anywhere

Wines are easily damaged by heat. Therefore, it is imperative that you do not have your home custom wine cellar built in an area close to a source of heat, like a water heater or a stove. Consider carefully the location of your wine cellar before beginning its construction.

Too much vibration is another thing that can negatively affect your wines. Although  not disastrous, too much vibration will keep the wine from aging well, because the process of long chain polymerization will be interrupted. Do not build your wine cellar near any appliance that produces vibration, like a washing machine. Also, wine cellars should ideally be constructed away from the area in your house where the center of activity is going on, like the living room.

2. Don’t Store Anything with Foul Odor Near Your Wine

This is something that is commonly overlooked when designing a wine cellar in California. Off smells can permeate the corks of wine, and alter its flavor negatively. Never store any paint, thinner, or any chemicals with foul odors near your wine. Also, the stains and finishes you choose to apply on your wine racks shouldn’t exude any strong odors.

3. Do Not Take for Granted the Design of Your Wine Cellar

Besides making sure that your wine cellar in Orange County, CA is functional, you should also give importance to its design. The aesthetic appeal of your wine cellar should be part of the considerations during the planning phase of your wine cellar construction. Have your wine cellar designed by a professional.

US Cellar Systems, a California based wine cellar manufacturer that we work closely with recently announced an important new innovation in one of their commonly used components. The LRC Expansion Valve is now externally equalized. Learn how this is to be installed and some of it’s performance advantages.

New Expansion Valve

The LRC Expansion Valve looks almost like a pressure regulator, mounted inside one of the US Cellar Systems refrigeration system for wine cellars. It is a common component in all of the series offered by US Cellar Systems, except for the CC series.

Wine Cellar Refrigeration Technical Update – New LRC Expansion Valve Saves Time and Effort This valve is now externally equalized. This gives the system better performance on all of the systems and makes it more convenient to adjust.

Installation of the New System by LRC

When installing, add a T with an access shrader. This has a key advantage. You will be able to measure your evaporator coil pressure at the evaporator, instead of having to go all the way out to the condensing unit to look at your gauges. This makes adjustments to your system much more convenient.

Wine Cellar Refrigeration System Adjustment

Use a 3/8” nut driver or a ratchet and a 3/8” socket.

You can adjust the valve by turning the head on the top of the regulator. To increase pressure you turn clockwise. To decrease pressure you will turn counter-clockwise.

Caution! Remember to make small adjustments. Never go all the way in with the adjustment. If you go too far in you can damage the diaphragm and then the expansion valve will no longer adjust. This damage will not be covered under warranty, so be very cautious when making adjustments to prevent such harm to the system.

Contact US Cellar Systems for Support and Advice

If you’re in need of technical support for your wine cellar refrigeration system, contact US Cellar System here: +1(562) 728-5774.

If you’re interested in purchasing one of their systems, feel free to contact sales and customer support: +1(562) 513-3017.

This new expansion valve has important advantages; they can give you more information about it if you’re interested in learning more.