Sep 11, 2023
All the inspiration in the world won't get you very far in creating a remarkable wine storage project without the big-picture knowledge of who to actually build the room.
- This article is part of the Complete Guide to Building the Modern Wine Cellar. Learn about this topic and earn either AIA or IDCEC credit.
It's important to start thinking about the construction of the room — including deciding if cooling will need to be added — early in the project to allow for the most options to best meet the project need. Here's where to start.
- Passive vs Active
- Passive Cellar Construction
- Active Cellar Construction
- Cooling Units
- Glass & Wine Cellars
Passive vs Active Wine Storage
The most important consideration in planning the construction of a wine display is deciding if your client should invest in a climate-controlled display or rely on room temperature. There are several considerations that can drive this decision, the most important being the types of wines your client plans on storing.
Passive wine cellars/rooms have no additional climate control functionality; they use ambient temperature rather than conditioned air. The room’s conditions are not changed to benefit the wine. Ideal locations for passive cellars include places in a home or restaurant that are naturally cooler, such as basements, closets, or areas that receive only indirect sunlight. Selecting naturally cooler locations keeps swings in temperature moderate and seasonal, minimizing damage to the wine.
Active (or cooled) wine cellars are typically fully climate-controlled areas that use technology to bring the wine to the optimum conditions. With the proper systems and insulation in place, a cooled wine cellar can be set to the perfect storage temperature and humidity level to ensure wine ages in ideal conditions. There is more flexibility in terms of location for these types of cellars.
How to Pick
There are several factors to consider when deciding which option works best:
- How long are wines being aged for?
- What is in the collection?
- What is the collection turn rate?
- What are the long-term collection goals?
- Where is the display space, and what is its climate?
For inexpensive or moderately priced ready-to-drink wines, long-term storage considerations are not nearly as important. They are ideal candidates for passive cellars. Everyday drinking wines don’t age as well and are often consumed within the first year of purchase.
If premium wines are being collected and years/decades of aging are expected, take the time to plan an active system designed to store wines for decades, as improper storage conditions can adversely affect the aging process and ruin the taste of the wine. A cooled cellar with optimal temperature and humidity control is the best way to protect that investment.
Regardless of what is in the collection, if the turn rate is very quick and long-term storage is not a concern, then a passive cellar is an adequate solution. If the cellar is currently storing only everyday wines, but the owner has plans to become a fine wine collector, consider expanding the wine storage plans so the wine-buying habits can grow into the room.
Key items to consider:
- Overall project budget: Adding a cooling system and the requisite insulation can add thousands of dollars to a project’s budget.
- Access to the insides of walls: If the walls are already finished, proper insulation of a climate system could require ripping out the drywall or other materials. Starting from bare studs makes this process easier.
Local Climate
The climate in the chosen display location is key. Maintaining a constant temperature over time is more critical than the actual average temperature level. If temperature fluctuations are a common occurrence in the chosen location, then a cooled cellar should be considered.
Passive Wine Cellar Construction
Since passive cellars/rooms don’t have any additional climate conditioning, choosing the proper location is of utmost importance. Even if wine is being stored on a short-term basis, it is possible that the wine could be ruined. Avoid direct natural light and keep passive displays away from areas that are typically warmer than other rooms in the house.
Basement-level passive cellars permit cool temperatures from the ground to permeate the room. They also allow heat to escape up into other floors. Passive cellars are often installed into finished walls quickly and cost effectively.
Freestanding wine displays are easy to integrate into passive spaces as well.
Since passive cellars/rooms don’t have any additional climate conditioning, choosing the proper location is of utmost importance. Even if wine is being stored on a short-term basis, it is possible that the wine could be ruined. Avoid direct natural light and keep passive displays away from areas that are typically warmer than other rooms in the house.
Basement-level passive cellars permit cool temperatures from the ground to permeate the room. They also allow heat to escape up into other floors. Passive cellars are often installed into finished walls quickly and cost effectively.
Freestanding wine displays are easy to integrate into passive spaces as well.
Active Wine Cellar Construction
Since this will be a cooled, moisture rich environment, including materials that are mold resistant should be top of mind. For example, if drywall is the material chosen for the wall of an active cellar, moisture-resistant drywall must be installed and be finished with a moisture-resistant interior wall paint.
Wall and flooring materials must be able to withstand the high-humidity environment of the wine cellar. Marine grade plywood may be a required substrate on walls and floors to attach finishing materials such as tongue and groove.
Doors should be exterior grade and insulated with weather stripping and should include a threshold and door sweep. Basically, help the cooling unit be as efficient as possible.
If glass is in the design, double- or triple-pane glass is the most efficient for a cellar with a cooling system. In humid environments, insulated glass may be required to prevent condensation. If a cellar gets direct sunlight, the glass must be rated to fend off UV rays.
Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Like air conditioners, each cooling unit has a BTU rating. Factors that determine the load needs of the unit are:
- the total cubic square feet of the room
- the number of “cracks” (such as doors, windows, and other elements) that result in heat loss
- the insulation value in the walls (recommended minimum R-19) and ceiling (recommended minimum R-30), and
- the heat value of the lights.
The wine room must be built as a separate environment from its surroundings. The choice of cooling system should account for the heat or cold that may transfer through any adjoining wall, floor, or ceiling, especially when they are directly connected to the exterior of the home. Each cooling system has a specific rating of how much it can cool the outside temperature.
Be aware that undersizing a cooling unit can lead to premature failure and/or prevent the system from reaching the desired set temperature.
Self-Contained Wine Cellar Cooling Units
They are the noisiest but also the most economical and easiest-to-install option. Generally, these are wall-mounted units that include an exhaust to push heat out of the room into an adjacent area.
Ductless Wine Cellar Cooling Units
The evaporator is located inside or near the wine room. The condenser, which is the noisy part of the unit, is located within another space that dissipates the noise. The units are connected by line set, which allows easier installation into projects like remodels where there might not be access to ceilings to create unique ductwork for the project.
Ducted Wine Cellar Cooling Units
Ducted systems can be self-contained or split systems. Much like the furnace, these systems can be housed in a mechanical room and require ductwork to push air into and out of the wine room, exhausting to the exterior of the home. These are common for wine cellar installations in new builds where the installer has access to create ductwork.
Glass and Wine Rooms
It doesn’t take much more than a few minutes of searching sites such as Houzz, Instagram, and Pinterest to find numerous examples of glass wine cellars. This goes against every piece of common sense that we’ve come to understand about safe wine storage for any length of time. Two things to know about the glass wine cellar trend:
- Wine displays are increasingly becoming residential design add-ons for people who love wine but don’t collect it, meaning many wine storage projects are for more casual drinkers.
- Smart wine cellar builders understand how to create safe, long-term wine cellar storage environments even when glass walls or glass doors are used.
Here are some considerations when creating a glass wine cellar and deciding whether to use frameless (single-pane) or framed (double- or triple-pane) glass:
- Glass choice makes a difference. Note that insulation guidelines for cooling units typically recommend ratings of R-17 and above. Even triple-pane glass won’t come anywhere near that.
- Frameless glass provides virtually no insulation.
- Framed glass products provide R-7 to R-9 ratings.
- This means adding glass can easily double the amount of cooling power (BTUs) required.
Perhaps the most controversial topic in wine cellar building is whether single-pane glass is ever appropriate for a conditioned wine cellar space. The answer is yes, but you need to set the proper expectations and ensure you are working with a seasoned glass professional.
Frameless Glass Wine Cellars
The reasons many customers opt for single-pane, frameless glass wine cellars are cost and minimalist style. This style works in many situations.
Consider that no matter how well installed, humidity will transfer through the cracks. This can lead to condensation, and its severity will fluctuate based on the local climate (tropical Miami compared to desert Sedona, for example.)
Beyond that, single-pane glass offers virtually no insulation value. This makes it extremely difficult to get a wine cellar temperature to the ideal 55°F (13°C) point. The low 60s is much more reasonable and perfectly acceptable for most wine collections.
Framed Glass Wine Cellars
Framed (double- or triple-pane) glass brings a respectable element of insulation and solves the issue of heat and humidity transferring through cracks. This means it is much easier to get perfect conditions for collections that feature wines meant to age by the decade.
Often constructed of steel, the framed look can also be more desirable for certain customers. The main drawback is the cost, as a wall of triple-pane framed glass can easily become the most expensive element of a wine cellar project.
Many wine cellar builders will specify glass walls only when framed due to some of the abovementioned issues. For serious collectors who want to get the most out of a cooling unit, consider recommending against the significant use of glass.
This article is part of the Complete Guide to Building the Modern Wine Cellar.
