Tag Archives: wine cellar cooling systems

Basic Construction Specifications when Building a Custom Wine Cellar in Canada

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Planning to have a custom wine cellar in Canada? Whether it’s a commercial or residential wine cellar, there are specifications you need to follow in order to make sure that your wine storage room will function properly. Here are a few construction specifications for wine cellars in Vancouver:

1. Cellar Wall & Ceiling Frame

When building a wine cellar, make sure that the wall framing is built using standard 2×4 or 2×6 construction methods. It’s also imperative that you know and follow the building codes in your area. If metal studs will be used, be sure to place at least 5 rows of nailers horizontally in between studs at the right heights, or attach firing strips on the left edge of the metal studs. These nailers or strips are where the wine racks will be attached, so these have to be very durable.

2. Wine Cellar Vapor Barrier & Insulation

You need to install a vapor barrier and insulation to your custom wine cellar in Vancouver if it is to be chilled. Vapor barriers and insulation make sure that the cold inside the wine storage room is kept inside and remains constant.

In creating vapor barriers, you first need to apply 6-mill plastic sheeting to the warm side of the wine cellar walls. You must apply a vapor barrier on the outside walls and ceiling of your custom wine cellar. Make sure that the seams are taped and sealed before the walls are closed.

In cases wherein it’s not possible to apply a vapor barrier on the outside of the studs or joists, you must apply plastic inside the wine cellar to the outside walls. What most people commonly do is wrap the entire interior of their residential wine cellar in Canada leaving the plastic loose inside the stud cavity. In between the studs, you can apply insulation. It is imperative that all of the cellar’s walls and ceiling are completely wrapped in plastic so that vapor barrier is effective. Insulation for the walls should be R13, or greater while R19 to R30 is best for the ceiling.

3. Custom Wine Cellar Doors

If your custom wine cellar is to be chilled, the exterior grade of your wine cellar door should be solid core 1.75”. You may also choose to have glass on the cellar door; if so, you must use sealed insulated glass. To prevent warm air from penetrating the door, exterior grade weather stripping is also required.

4. Residential Wine Cellar Lighting

The best type of lights are LED lights, but if you want to use recessed cans and halogen lighting accents, you must have a good wine cellar cooling unit to remove the heat generated by these lights out from the cellar. It is important to consider also that lighting that emits more heat also consumes more power.

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Canada Wine Cellars – Balance in Temperature and Humidity

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Wine storage and aging is one of the most meticulous interests that you can pursue. This is because wine requires a delicate balance of environmental factors so that it can age properly. This is why it is important to learn how to properly store and cool wine.

You should know the ideal conditions that should be present in your Canada wine cellar to make sure that your precious vintages age to their best possible potential with the passage of time.

Temperature

Wine storage temperature is a major factor a wine collector must take into account to keep his wine safe. It must be kept constant in your wine cellar. The ideal temperature for storing wine is different for reds and whites. For red wine, the best temperature is anywhere between 50-55ºF. For white wine, the optimal temperature is 45ºF.

Constant fluctuations in temperature will cause wine to age prematurely, resulting in “flat” flavour and wine faults and preventing the drinker from savoring the desirable flavors and aromas of the vintage. Remember to keep your wine away from direct sunlight too, as this adds unnecessary heat and light which can interfere with wine’s aging process.

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Wine Storage Essentials for the Wine Collector in Vancouver, Canada

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The art of storing wine goes way back to ancient Egypt. In those days, wines that had been properly stored and allowed to age tastefully were only served to the pharaohs. Wine tastes exquisitely good if it properly stored, and that is why only the elite class of society in ancient Egypt were given the privilege of drinking properly stored wine.

Today, although good tasting wine is available and accessible to all people, we still put great value on proper wine storage. People who do not put importance in the proper storage of wine will not be able to taste wine in its best quality.

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Vancouver Wine Cellars – Enemies of Wine & How to Avoid Them

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Wine has certain needs and demands in order to have superb quality. We can say that a wine is of high quality if it tastes good and its flavor and aromas are pleasant to the nose and palate.

Wine needs to be protected against its worst enemies in order to achieve the quality that you are looking for. What are wine’s worst enemies? What can you do to prevent them from harming your precious collections?

 

Factors That Affect Wine Quality & Tips for Proper Wine Storage

Heat

Too much exposure to heat can damage wine, affecting its overall characteristics and ability to age gracefully as well as its physical and chemical stability. Heat damage is usually caused by improper and abusive shipping processes or improper wine storage at home or commercial wine stores. Signs that wine was damaged by heat are a brick red-brown color and sherry-like taste.

To avoid your wines getting “cooked”, they must be stored in a wine cellar or wine cabinet with the right wine cellar refrigeration system that has the ability to maintain temperature between 55-57 degrees Fahrenheit. Choose efficient and easy to install cooling units such as those offered by Blue Grouse Wine Cellars.

WINE BOTTLES TINTEDLight

UV rays can be detrimental to your wine because they cause wine degradation. Too much exposure to sunlight will cause the wine cork to dry out.

They will also accelerate the wine’s aging process, leading to premature aging and development. As you have noticed, most wine bottles are tinted. This can somewhat protect the wine against the sun’s exposure just like sunglasses do to our eyes.

If you love your wines, store them in a cool, dark place and away from direct sunlight. For your wine cellar lighting, opt for incandescent bulbs which emit minimal UV light.

Low Humidity Levels

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Characteristics of the Best Wine Cellar Cooling Systems in Vancouver Canada

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Wine lovers and wine collectors know how important it is to store wine in the right conditions, and therefore also know the necessity of having a wine cellar cooling unit installed in a custom wine cellar in Canada. The question then is how do you know which wine cellar refrigeration systems is the best for your wine cellar in Vancouver?

One of the important wine cellar accessories is a wine refrigerator or wine cooler. This a unit used for the short term storage of wine. Its primary purpose is to chill wine before serving. Even with a wine refrigerator, you need to find the best one for your beloved wines.

Here are two basic characteristics of the best wine coolers:

1. Ability to Cool Wines to the Right Serving Temperature

Wines are served at a different temperature from its temperature when it was stored. Wine coolers or wine refrigerators are primarily used to cool wine to the proper serving temperature. Generally, wines should be served at a temperature of at least 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Ability to Protect Wine Efficiently

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