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.

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.

Wines are one of those rare commodities that require a consistent and stable environment, in order to preserve and improve their quality over time.  Wine cellars are specially designed to provide the best climate conditions for storing and aging wines.  To maintain the ideal wine storage temperature of 55°F to 58°F, a wine room must be outfitted with insulation and vapor barriers, as well as equipped with the proper wine cellar cooling system.

A wine cellar refrigeration unit is engineered to help stabilize temperature and humidity levels in a wine storage environment.  There are three main categories of climate control systems:  through-the-wall self-contained cooling units, ducted self-contained refrigeration systems, and split systems.  Each make and model has its own unique features, but all are designed to efficiently cool a wine cellar.

To ensure optimum wine cellar climate conditions, it is crucial to have your wine room fitted with the right type of Orange County wine cellar refrigeration system.  There are several factors that should be taken into consideration when deciding on a climate control system, such as size and location of the wine cellar, amount of insulation, ambient conditions, and the number of wine bottles intended for storage.

This recently completed Orange County wine cellar refrigeration replacement project shows the importance of providing your wine cellar with the proper wine cellar cooling system.  This project was serviced by Arctic Metalworks, Southern California’s leading manufacturer and supplier of commercial grade wine cellar refrigeration systems.

Initial inspection of the wine storage space shows that the existing cooling unit, a through-the-wall breeze air style refrigeration unit, is not capable of cooling a large wine cellar (10’ x 6’).  The homeowners also complained that the unit was blowing hot air and noise into their living space.

The Arctic team recommended removing the existing refrigeration equipment and replacing it with one of their wine cellar refrigeration systems, Arctic 0050 ½ HP split system.  A split system wine cooling unit is considered as one of the most efficient cooling option.  This type of climate control system is designed to be unobtrusive and quiet.

A split wine cellar refrigeration unit houses the evaporator coil and the condensing unit separately.  Separating both components allows for flexibility in installation and helps eliminate noise.  The evaporator coil is mounted in the wine cellar, while the condensing unit can be located outdoors or in a well-ventilated adjoining room.

For this refrigeration replacement project, the Arctic team installed the condensing unit outdoors.  The unit sits on a 24 x 24 air conditioning pad.  Arctic Metalworks created a custom-designed sheet metal cover to protect the condensing component of the refrigeration system against the rain and other harmful outside elements.

The Arctic team used refrigerant lines to connect the outdoor unit to the indoor evaporator coil.  Refrigerant lines are a set of tubes or pipes that transport refrigerant through a wine cellar cooling system.  The suction line is responsible for transporting gaseous refrigerant, while a liquid line carries refrigerant in its liquid form.  A drain line is also needed to remove water that is produced during the dehumidification process.

Arctic Metalworks installed a digital room thermostat with backlit display.  Thermostats are control systems that help maintain the correct temperature in a wine room, and at the same time allow wine collectors to regularly monitor the climate conditions inside their wine cellar space.

The entire climate control system runs on 115 volt/ 20 amp electrical receptacles.  After inspecting the refrigeration equipment for leaks, the Arctic team started the system and charged it with R134a, a type of refrigerant that is non-ozone depleting and is completely safe for the environment.

When deciding on a wine cellar refrigeration unit, always consult with a wine cellar refrigeration expert.  They will perform a heat load calculation to determine the best cooling option for your wine enclave.  Professional refrigeration experts will also take into account any constraints in your storage space, as well as your specific preferences to ensure that the cooling unit will suit the conditions of your wine room.

Arctic Metalworks is a family owned and operated multi-division company that designs and builds Orange County wine cellar refrigeration systems for both residential and commercial applications.  The company also specializes in wine cellar construction and renovation, as well as handmade wine racking systems.

The Arctic team has carved out a name for themselves as a leading manufacturer of commercial grade quality climate control systems and providing professional prompt service.  They have a full service team of refrigeration specialists and technicians on standby should your cooling system require maintenance or repair.

A wine cellar refrigeration system is designed exclusively to help create and maintain a stable and consistent wine cellar environment.  Temperature plays an important role in the maturation process of wines, while the correct humidity level keeps the cork moist and expanded, and thus maintaining its sealing quality.  For optimum wine storage conditions, the temperature must be kept within 50°F and 55°F, with the relative humidity between 60% and 75%.

On the market are three primary categories of wine cellar refrigeration systems: self-contained cooling systems, ductless-split refrigeration units, and ducted-split climate control systems.  These units are available in a range of sizes, configurations, and cooling capacities, that can address the unique specifications and needs of commercial and residential wine cellars.

For optimum cooling performance and efficient operation, a ductless-split refrigeration unit is the best cooling option.  This climate control system uses a line set to connect two separate units; the evaporator unit is installed inside the room and the condensing unit outside.  Separating both components allows the noise-producing condenser to be located remotely, thus reducing the production of noise and vibration inside a wine storage space.

Although the condensing unit can be located indoors (such as the attic or garage space), wine cellar cooling installation specialists recommend locating the unit outdoors, where it can receive proper ventilation.  Since these indoor spaces have a tendency to gather heat throughout the summer months, placing the condensing unit in one of these areas can lead to a compressor failure and bring serious consequences to expensive wine collections.

This recently finished wine cellar cooling installation Aliso Viejo CA project demonstrates the importance of providing a well-ventilated space for condensers.  The project involved replacing an existing condensing unit that was damaged due to exposure to extremely high temperature levels.

The condensing part of the residential wine cellar cooling system was originally located in the garage, which had a temperature reaching up to 100 degrees in the summer.

The heat emanating from the garage space reduced the chilling capacity of the condensing unit, causing a warm wine storage environment in the process.

Upon initial inspection by Arctic Metalworks, the refrigeration component was discovered to be overheating.

To keep the condenser perpetually cool, the Arctic team suggested moving the unit to the side yard.

The Arctic wine cellar cooling installation Aliso Viejo CA team fabricated angle brackets to hold the residential wine cellar cooling system in place.

After anchoring the angle mounts to the walk, the condensing unit was removed from the carport and secured to the brackets in the yard.  Two additional copper tubes were attached to the existing line set, which is located in the garage space.

After completing all copper and electrical wiring connections, the Arctic wine cellar cooling installation team attached a rain shield to the residential wine cellar cooling unit to protect the compressor against elements, and recharged the system with R134a refrigerant.  Starting and testing the system allowed the Arctic team to detect a compressor malfunction.

The existing condenser had to be replaced with a new one; it failed due to the high heat in the garage space.  The Arctic wine cellar cooling installation team came back a few days later to replace the outside half of the split refrigeration unit with a brand new 1/3 hp Arctic 0033 split system.  The wine room climate control system is now in perfect working condition, and the client is very happy with the result of the wine cellar cooling installation Aliso Viejo CA project.

When building commercial and residential wine cellars, it is important to integrate the proper support infrastructure (such as insulation, vapor barriers, and an exterior grade entryway door) into the wine cellar design, to ensure that the wine cellar environment remains stable and tightly sealed.  A carefully constructed wine enclave will not only create the best climate conditions for storing and aging wines, but also allow wine cellar refrigeration systems to provide optimum cooling performance.

Arctic Metalworks specializes in wine cellar refrigeration systems, for both commercial and residential wine cellars.  This family owned and operated business is committed to manufacturing and supplying top quality wine cellar climate control systems, backed by a team of refrigeration specialists dedicated to providing exceptional service and professionalism.

Their wine cellar cooling products are manufactured from commercial grade materials, and are designed to fit the unique needs and specifications of a custom wine cellar.  This Southern California-based company expanded their business to include wine cellar construction and renovation, as well as custom wine rack making.