There are some things that you should consider or at least be aware of prior to installing any of the self-contained cooling units in the WhisperKOOL XLT Series. This in no way is meant to replace or summarize the detailed instructions found in the owner’s manual.

It is recommended that you obtain the assistance of a wine storage professional who will work with licensed contractors, refrigeration technicians, and racking companies to build well-insulated wine cellars that will stand the test of time.

If you have or are intending on purchasing a self-contained cooling unit you are probably aware of its’ cooling capability but it is worth repeating. Assuming you want to maintain your cellar at approximately 55F you need to exhaust the unit in a room that will not exceed 85F as there is a 30F temperature differential.

It is also crucial that you select the correct strength cooling unit for your particular situation. Some cellars though will have certain design limitations such as glass doors, concrete, or brick walls and floors which do not offer the insulation capacity required to maintain an optimum wine cellar environment.  In this case you should move up to the next most powerful cooling unit to allow for adequate cooling of your wine collection.

You should ensure that there is unobstructed airflow to and from the unit when installed. Avoid the temptation to try to camouflage the unit by installing racking in front of it. There should be at least three feet of horizontal clearance in front of the unit to enable the unit to work efficiiently.

Also, make sure to mount the unit within 18 inches of the ceiling. Since warm air rises this will allow the cooling unit to capture the warm air and replace it with cool air. It is also neccesary to have a dedicated electrical circuit installed by an electrician. This will help guarantee that the unit has enough power to run effectively.

As mentioned in the beginning of this article, these guidelines are simply meant to be helpful tips and reminders as you prepare to install your WhisperKOOL self-contained cooling unit.

There is a huge market for wine cellars these days.  While they used to be considered a high-end amenity currently 10-15% of all homeowners consider a wine cellar as a must-have.

Of course you can enjoy the benefits of owning a wine cellar while living in your home but its positive effect on your home’s resale value should also be considered.

Certainly the classic location for most residential wine cellars is in the basement, after all the idea is to create a cave-like environment for the wine.  However, cellars are becoming more of a focal point in some homes becoming a part of the living space such as near the kitchen or dining room.In other cases a lot of empty nesters who don’t want to move take a spare bedroom and turn it into a wine cellar.

This can present some challenges when it comes to installation of a wine cooling unit. The WhisperKOOL Extreme series of cooling units offers tremendous flexibility of installation.  It is ideal for hotter climates where outside temperatures can be over 110°F, cold climates where winter prevents many units from operating effectively and in limited spaces where ventilation is a problem.

Constructing a wine cellar does not require any elaborate techniques. Some essentials are a good vapor barrier, insulation, moisture-resistant drywall and an exterior grade door.

People build a wine cellar with two main goals; to maintain the proper temperature and humidity to ensure that their wine collection ages well.  To accomplish this a condenser unit to maintain humidity some sort of temperature control is a must. 

Having an effective air conditioning unit can provide you with a very comfortable working environment. They a help to remove hot air and replace it with cool clean air. You will normally see units used in environments where its difficult to maintain a constant temperature. In order to enjoy the benefits offered by air conditioning units, it is essential to service and maintain them properly throughout the year.

Unfortunately due to a lack of time maintenance of air conditioning units are not kept up. It is also very easy to forget about your air conditioning and assume to it is ok. This is when opting for professional air conditioning service is the best option. Carrying out routine maintenance makes sure that your air conditioning unit is working fully and also any filters are cleaned out so the air is clean. Paying for maintenance or air conditioning repair regularly not only increases its efficiency, but also increases its life span.

Taking out a year long maintenance contract will mean you will have no worries and unit will regularly be looked at throughout the year. Professional engineers will take adequate care of your unit. For commercial places and offices that have air conditioning units, such a contract is a must. You cannot afford to have a malfunctioning air conditioning unit when you are responsible for providing good working conditions.

Although you may need to spend a small amount of money on themaintenance of your air conditioning units, the cost will ultimately be recovered when the unit works smoothly and efficiently. The overall functioning of any air conditioning unit depends on key components. These key components include filters, coils, power cords, switch, thermostat drain ports and fan. These key components must be serviced on regular basis in order to keep your system working for long duration.

Learning these key points could save you money and your wine collection.

Consult a wine cellar professional

Every wine cellar has a unique set of challenges that need to be identified during construction. A cellar professional will help you to address all of the variables that are associated with creating the most efficient cellar environment.
Cooling units make noise

Regardless of the make, all cooling units make noise due to the compressor and the airflow through the fans. A split or ducted system can help if noise in the designated area is not acceptable.

Temperature differential

This critical specification for a cooling unit plays a major role in its ability to cool your cellar to the desired 55F for wine storage.The temperature differential is the difference a unit can cool from the area it is exhausting into.What this means is that if a cooling unit has a temperature differential of 30F and the temperature of the area it is exhausting to is 90F then the wine cellar will only be able to maintain a temperature of around 60F. For exterior exhausting applications a 55°F or higher temperature differential is highly recommended.

Insulation affects cooling unit performance

The more insulation you have, the more efficient your cellar will be. Without insulation, your cooling unit will work harder to maintain the proper temperature. This results in a shorter lifespan for the unit.  Note: concrete walls are not appropriate for a wine cellar, as they absorb cooling. Your cellar requires framed walls with insulation.
 
Install a vapor barrier

Just as you need insulation to help regulate cellar temperature, you must install a vapor barrier to help your cooling unit maintain the proper humidity. Lack of a vapor barrier will result in improper humidity and will compromise the wine storage environment. Consult your local regulations and building ordinances for proper vapor barrier installation.

Redundant cooling systems for high value collections

If for some reason your cooling unit fails a redundant system can ensure that your wine collection is not harmed. This could be a second cooling unit or even the home A/C unit for a limited period of time. As well a backup generator is a good idea in case of power failure.

You must connect your drain line

Cooling units are designed to maintain proper humidity in your wine cellar. This process involves evaporation and condensation, and creates moisture. Your cooling unit requires a drain line. It is critical that the drain line is connected at all times to ensure that there is no water damage to the walls and other components of the wine cellar.

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There is nothing better than sitting down with family and friends and sharing a nice bottle of wine.  That you selected and purchased it years ago and it matured magnificently in your very own wine cellar makes it even more enjoyable.

Red wine will develop and improve in the bottle for the short, medium, or long term depending on the style of the wine and the quality of the particular vintage.  Although some white wines will also benefit from (usually short-term) cellaring, most are best enjoyed when relatively young.

Wine is best stored somewhere cool, dark, airy, and free from major vibrations and dampness.

Let’s look at the major factors in more detail:

Temperature

If you intend to mature wines for 5, 10, 15 years or more, temperature is the single most important factor of wine cellaring. Constant temperature is crucially important.  Temperature changes (especially rapid change in temperature) cause corks to expand and contract, allowing air to enter the bottle. There is no surer way to create oxidization of the wine and thus render the wine undrinkable. Suitable temperatures for storing wine are between 11ºC to 17ºC but several degrees either side of this are safe.

Humidity 

It is crucially important to monitor humidity within the cellar. The ideal humidity level for wine is between 62.5% and 72.5%.  Most wine cellars suffer from lack of humidity (especially air conditioned cellars), which leads to corks drying out, shrinking and eventual wine leakage and oxidization. Placing some warm water in a large tray on the cellar floor can help treat lack of humidity.

A very high level of humidity (say too long a time at above 75%) will cause labels to fall off and; if there is no/low level of air movement, will cause mould to grow on corks and labels. Mould is devastating for wine. Therefore, an ideal environment for wine not only pays attention to temperature control but also ensures air flow and humidity control.

Light
 
A cellar should be as dark as possible as wine is badly affected by light. Light can cause undesirable chemical reactions within the bottle and often spoil the wine.  UV light can cause hydrogen sulphide compounds to develop in wine. Therefore, the ideal lighting conditions for a cellar is no sunlight and all lighting (globes and tubes) to be UV FREE.  All Lighting at MW wines cellars is kept to an absolute minimum and is provided by special UV FREE light globes that are turned off when not in use.

Water
 
Cellars that are flooded out (especially underground cellars) are an all too common occurrence causing substantial damage to the wines. A good wine cellar will be designed to protect against flooding. Cellars that are well above ground level are safest as water will simply drain away immediately.

Air Flow

Adequate airflow in wine cellars will prevent almost all unwanted vermin and mould. Whilst extreme amounts of dry air movement could logically dry out corks, very cold air (say below 5°C) will likely chill the wine and prevent a slow balanced maturation. A climate control system is specifically designed to ensure gentle but present humidity controlled air movement, at the appropriate – not too much – not too little, level.

Size
 
It is remarkable how much wine can fit into a relatively small space, especially if you use a simple wooden or metal racking system, which will keep wines well ventilated, and provide easy single-bottle access. Bottles should be stored on their sides so that the cork remains wet with the label facing up so that you need not disturb a wine to identify it. 

Keep these things in mind and you can look forward to enjoying wine from your very own cellar for years to come.

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I love the Wine Regions of Western Australian. I love the natural beauty of the Margaret River. Picture, if you can its pristine white beaches that disappear into the horizon. Envisage, if you can, the rolling sand dunes sitting next to a vibrant native forest. Come and see it for yourself. There is nothing like a western sunset that gently glimmers and falls into the lazy Indian Ocean.. It’s no wonder this place is home to so many acclaimed wine makers. This is a beautiful place that produces some of Australia’s best wine.

The Margaret River region is without doubt one of our greatest fine wine areas boasting over 120 wine producers. Local names such as Moss Wood, Cullen and Leeuwin Estate sit comfortably among the greatest Australian producers, with their wines highly sought after both domestically and overseas.

The winemakers here aspire to not only make wines that stand up to the best from Australia but match up as great wines of the world. They deliver brilliance in each and every bottle they produce.

Quality Wines have been coming from Leeuwin Estate, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Howard Park and Pierro for a long time. They have collectively been responsible for producing the region’s greatest wines.

These guys should be keeping a close eye on the wine coming from Woodlands and the newly revitalised Xanadu wineries. Voyager Estate is another rising star from the Margaret River.

The original vines of what is now Voyager Estate were first planted in 1978, under the name of Freycinet Estate. In 1991, these vineyards were bought and significantly expanded on. The area is now become known as the ‘Golden triangle of Chardonnay’ due to the amazing quality of the wines from produced here.

The current releases from Voyager Estate include three absolute knockouts. I recommend you try them all:

1. The Voyager Chardonnay 2006 ($35) has powerful white peach and citrus fruit on a taut and youthful palate with a little creamy leesy complexity and brilliant length. It’s one of the best 2006 Margaret River Chardonnays.

2. A favourite, at least for enjoying now, is the 2005 Shiraz ($35). The Margaret River is generally not known for making a standout Shiraz, but this is a wonderful example of a dense cool climate Shiraz with clove and blackberry fruit trimmed with hints of wild violets. In the mouth there is a youthful feel yet there is plenty of vitality that it will only get better with time.

3. Best known of the wines from Voyager Estate is their Cabernet Merlot ($60), with the 2004 release one of their best to date. This wine is really built for the long term with gravelly cassis and blackberry fruit rounded out nicely with some subtle notes of olive and oak. In the mouth there is a gentle burst of fruit all tide up with in a significant, bold like structure. But in ten to fifteen years it will be a fabulous drink.

Many people hurtle through life at warp speed only to come to its end wondering what it is all about. A few lucky ones have discovered that the art of quietly savoring life makes it seem like they have lived well when it is time for them to depart this earth.

If you are one of the fortunate ones, you likely have a home cellar or at least iron wall wine racks to hold your precious hoard of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Chablis, Merlot, or Pinot Noir. Yes, wine, because wine never fails to warm the heart, making it very hard for one to be morose or sad with it around. Some people prefer a Gallo, others prefer a Robert Mondavi. Still others would swear Australian wines are the best, while others would tell you it’s South African, Chilean, or French. Individual preferences may vary, but the means of storing wine at home stay the same and are universal.

Not All Wines Should Be Kept.

How long a wine may be stored depends on the wine type. Many are of the type which does not keep long, while others can be kept for 20, sometimes 30 years. Generally speaking, cheap wine would not benefit from long term storage. Neither will wine which come in a container other than glass.

Other wines of this type include Gallo, Hardy’s and Jacob’s Creek, as well as wines from France labeled “Nouveau” and “Vin du pays” the German QBA, and all other wines marked “table wine”.”

Keep Only Wines That Have the Potential to Improve Over Time.

Even though your favorite wine wall decor or grapes wall decor will keep forever, you should seek out advice when it comes to how long you can store your favorite wines.  As a rough guide, here’s how long the popular ones may be stored:     
Zinfandel 2-7 years
Shiraz 2-15 years
Pinot Noir 2-10 years
Cabernet Sauvignon 2-20 years
Merlot  2-10 years
Chardonnay 2-6 years
Sauvignon blanc 2-4 years
Chenin blanc 2-30 years

Temperature

Place your wine racks where the temperature does not fluctuate wildly – anywhere between nine and fifteen degrees Celsius, with eleven the ideal.

Humidity

Around 70% would be best; lower it and the cork might dry out, allowing oxygen to get in and turning your wine to vinegar. If the humidity falls too much, it may not harm the wine, but it can cause the labels to rot, which makes it difficult for you to tell which wines are prized and which are not.

Light

If it gets warmer than 25 degrees Celsius, your wine will be rendered unfit for even cooking, let alone to be enjoyed off the wine glass, so keep your treasure trove away from sunlight or any other artificial light.

Vibration

Wine is optimally stored in surroundings that are not disturbed by vibrations, so place your iron wall wine racks in a basement room.

Equipment

Be sure that your iron wall wine racks have slots that are roomy enough to accommodate a bottle of champagne. Place these in an area with no access to obvious odors.

If you liked this article, you may like this one about removing your fireplace.

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