Designing Custom Wine Cellars

Designing the perfect wine cellar requires knowing how clients plan to use it as well as creating the right atmosphere; temperature and humidity control are two factors that can either positively or negatively affect the aging process of wine. And because wine is an investment for most homeowners, it’s important to utilize a wine cellar designer early in a project so the proper setup is created.

Most wine cellar designers suggest storing wine in an environment of 55 to 65 degrees and between 50 to 70 percent relative humidity. To maintain constant temperature and humidity, proper insulation is suggested. “We stay away from fiberglass insulation because it can literally get saturated inside the wall unless one has a good vapor barrier. In a 2x4 wall, we like to go with 3½ in. of ridged polyurethane. That means it will have a foil cover on both sides of it which acts as a vapor barrier,” says Patrick Wallen, owner of Artistic Wine Cellars, San Rafael, Calif.

Proper insulation offers the versatility of placing the wine cellar anywhere in a house. “It’s just a matter of constructing the room properly. We recommend having R-13 on the walls and R-19 on the ceilings, then a moisture-resistant drywall and a door of exterior grade with weatherstripping around it,” says Matt Helm, Southern California design consultant for Cincinnati-based Wine Cellar Innovations.

A refrigeration unit is just as important as the insulation. “There are two types of refrigeration: a ductless split system and an air-handler split system. Both operate with a compressor outside, which is similar to a central air-conditioning system for a regular home. The ductless system has a unit that is mounted on the wall in the wine cellar. That one is very easy for remodels or jobs where space is an issue. The other is a forced-air system with supply and return vents inside the cellar with the runs hidden in the walls,” Helm says. “It’s a much more finished and cleaner look.”

Because maintaining constant temperature and humidity is so important, some companies offer technology to monitor these factors. “We manufacture wine cooling units that can call a homeowner if it’s too hot or cold to tell them they need to check it,” says India Hynes, owner and president, Vinotemp Corp., Rancho Dominguez, Calif. “We also have a tracking system with an inventory panel.”

Where to Begin

At the beginning of the design process, many designers prefer to sit down with a homeowner for an interview process. “We want to determine his buying styles, how his collection has grown over the past few years, where he thinks it’s headed for the next 10 to 15 years, and what kinds of bottles he buys. We need to know if he buys magnums or double magnums — for long-term investments or if he primarily buys 750 ml,” Helm says.

Once the buying style is determined, designers then will focus on racking and appearance. “We focus much more on the form: what people can do to make it their own, what type of wood choices they’d like to see on the inside and how they are going to personalize the wine cellar,” Helm adds.

Wine cellar designers stress the importance of knowing if the client plans to use it for bulk storage or to show off their wine. “If it’s just for storage, then we’ll include a solid wall of wine. If the homeowner wants to show it off, we have a presentation rack that will break up a wall or different depths of racks,” says Doug McCain, owner, Wine Master Cellars, Denver.
If homeowners plan to show off their wine, it’s important to rack the bottles in a manner that clearly shows off the labels.

“We can do high reveals, waterfalls or cascades to show off the wine bottles,” says Luis Mora, founder and CEO of Grotto Custom Wine Cellars and Cabinets, Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Proper racking is important with regard to the cork. Bottles should be stored horizontally so the cork is in contact with the wine. The temperature in the room also can affect the cork. “If the room is any dryer than expected, corks would dry out, and any wetter, mold would develop on the bottles,” Mora adds.