Jun 17th, 2009 by wineracksamerica
One of the fastest growing areas of our business pertains to the cooling of wine. Nearly every wine cellar we design and sell includes some type of strategy for cooling.
In the olden days (5-10 years ago), wine cellar cooling units looked and acted like World War II army surplus. All ugly exteriors and bulky design. Well, no more. The proliferation of wine cellar construction has driven a dearth of new, attractive and innovative cooling unit designs, much to the delight of companies us and our clients.
These days there is a huge variety of cooling units available to address any number of wine cellar scenarios. One of the best advancements has been the ducted wine cooling unit. These powerful units allow users to install the cooling unit up to 50 feet from the actual wine cellar, with small ducts leading to and from the cooling unit in order to deliver fresh, cool air and remove warm air.
This innovation eliminates all noise and vibration from the wine cellar and makes installation sleek and invisible, since from inside the wine cellar you only see the vents leading to and from the cooling unit.
Some of the best quality and innovative units are manufactured by Wine Guardian and proudly distributed by Wine Racks America. For detailed instructions and installation guides visit WineRacksAmerica.com or call one of us here at 1-888-373-6057. Happy cooling!
Dave Mulligan
Wine Cellar Consultant
Posted in Cooling Systems, Wine Cellar Construction | No Comments »
May 6th, 2009 by wineracksamerica
The summer of wine is almost upon us. The dreary days of winter are gone and now is the time to get back on task with all of those home improvement items on your to do list. If adding a wine cellar to your home is on that list, then all of your procrastination through those winter and spring months is about to pay off. I imagine that you are thinking of finishing that deck in your back yard so you and your loved ones can sit together as you toast the beauty of the setting sun with your favorite glass of Chardonnay. That is a great idea but let me pose a question if I may; Wouldn’t a stunning wine cellar to store that coveted bottle of vino be great also?
Let me suggest that you hold off on all of those exterior projects for a while and finally get that wine cellar built. First, let me explain why now is the perfect time to get it done:
We have been working very hard here at Wine Racks America to bring you new products to increase the style, beauty, function and storage capacity of your cellar. We can build you almost anything your heart desires, and if you are one of those Americans that buys into this whole “Recession” idea then we can design you a stunning wine cellar using our kit racking that will fit any budget.
New items have been designed and added to our website WineRacksAmerica.com that can add that special touch without breaking the bank. Take a look at our new arches:
These arches make a beautiful centerpiece or focal point in your wine cellar. Lights can be added to create a showcase or to light up your decanting area. The beauty of this product is in it’s simple yet elegant design. You see this to is a modular piece that fits right into any wine cellar design and meshes perfectly with all of our other modular wine cellar racking. Even more, these arches can have molding added to them which ties the whole system together and allows you to have a seemingly built in system.
So wait no longer. Now is the time for you to stop procrastinating. Today is the day for you to stop waiting for your children to grow up and surprise you with a wine cellar (because that will never happen). So give me a call here at Wine Racks America and soon you will be lifting your glass to toast your sweet new wine cellar instead of that sunset that, as you may know, will be there even after your cellar is finished. Do not be deterred any longer by your ever shrinking retirement, laugh in the face of these hard times.
Drink long and Prosper,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist
Tags: wine, wine cellar, wine cellars, wine products, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in Cellar Design, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Greetings again and welcome to ALMOST spring! As wine cellar business ramps up again for the spring home project building rush, we are getting a lot of questions about the stain we apply to our racking. Here is an exerpt from a recent question we received that I thought would be good to share:
Question: “…I was checking out your photo gallery and found a lot of wine racks that were finished. This is the way I would prefer to go but I have been cautioned that the stain would change the taste of the wine. Is this true, and if so does it change the outcome of the cellar?” - Ron S. MI
This was a very good question that deserved a detailed answer:
“Thank you for your inquiry. Stain can definitely be a confusing step in your cellar project. While we cannot account for all of the photos we receive from our customers, Wine Racks America only uses and recommends water-based stain with our wine cellar products. We recommend avoiding oil-based stains and urethane products commonly used in furniture finishes.
Why? Water based stain does not contain the harsh chemicals found in oil stain or polyurethane, which CAN damage your wine after exposure, especially when the cellar is new (they seep through the cork).
As a result our stained redwood cellar products have a matte finish, and are medium reddish-brown in color. Our special recipe stain is semi-transparent and will even out color variations in the redwood without completely covering the beautiful redwood grain.
Consequently, our cellars look “finished” but not “glossy”, and are safe to use immediately with your wine. We have lots of great references and have finished hundreds of wine cellars with no known issues.”
While stain can be a tricky subject and there are plenty of differering approaches to it out there, this is hopefully some good information that will help those of you out there with questions about applying finish and/or stain to your wine cellar. Have a great day!
Jeff O.
Tags: wine, wine cellar, wine cellars, wine rack, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in Cellar Design, FAQ, Wine Cellar Construction, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Feb 23rd, 2009 by Wine Racks America
When I take a moment to reflect upon all of the people across this county that have purchased storage solutions from us here at Wine Racks America, I am overwhelmed.
To think, not long ago the idea of storing mass quantities of wine in your home was an act that only the wealthy were able to commit. Now, for a few hundred dollars, anyone can have ample wine storage.
What is it about wine and the hording thereof that is so appealing to so many Americans? In my opinion, it all stems from our own past. All cultures have dabbled with the preservation of substances that make you feel happy. For most of us of European descent this substance has always been wine.
I believe that the idea of knowing that you have a cellar full of great wine equates to knowing that one has a future of happiness. If housing prices continue to drop, if fuel prices keep rising, at least we can imagine that walk down into our cellars. We can dream of standing in front of our wall of wine deciding upon which bottle to pull out of the rack. We can see ourselves gently corking the bottle. We can imagine the sound as the wine slides into our glass. Then comes happiness as we swirl the wine around, smelling it then taking our first sip.
No matter what goes on in our lives we know that happiness can always be found in cellars all across this great country. So after reading this blog, open a bottle and toast our economy and our “wise” leaders, because although we aint got much, we still have wine.
Drink Often,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist
Tags: wine, wine cellar, wine cellars, wine rack, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in Cellar Design, Wine Cellar Construction, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Feb 17th, 2009 by Wine Racks America
Times are tough - America is in the midst of an economic downturn the likes of which have not been seen in a long time. Nearly two million people have lost their jobs so far, and more companies are looking for anyway they can to save a buck. In the difficult months/years ahead we would like to pledge our support for the American manufacturing base and the American worker, and remind everyone out there to be mindful of where they are purchasing their products and services from.
Wine Racks America is a full-service manufacturer of high quality redwood and pine wine cellar components. We manufacture attractive, durable wine cellar products right here in the U.S.A. We employ skilled and dedicated woodworking professionals, and pay an honest wage to our workers and their families.
In 2008 Wine Racks America experienced a record-breaking sales year due to the loyalty of our customers and their dedication to support American companies like us. In times like these, I am proud to work for a company that creates and supports American jobs.
Most companies will not advertise that their products are manufactured outside of the U.S., so do what I do, ask them!
Cheers,
Ian
Tags: racks, usa, wine, wine cellars, Wine Racks
Posted in Corporate, FAQ, Press Release, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Jan 12th, 2009 by Wine Racks America
Greetings from Wine Racks America and welcome to 2009! We are very excited to meet the new year and are grateful to our incredible, amazing and dedicated customer base. Thank you for a record-breaking 2008!
This year we will steadily add new and improved products to our wine cellar kit racking systems. To kick of January we have introduced our new Wine Case Storage Rack. This sturdy yet inexpensive rack allows the user to store a variety of small and large format wine bottles, cardboard cases, and for the first time ever provides storage for wide wooden cases such as the ones you might get from Opus One. This product is also ideal for putting large format 3 Litre bottles (Jeraboams) on display, as each shelf space will hold one on its side.
This rack looks amazing by itself or paired with other racks from our Wine Cellar Kit selection, and is further enhanced by the clear, knot-free construction and cabinet quality assembly methods that hide or do away with any visible hardware and fasteners. View this nifty addition to our product line here: http://www.wineracksamerica.com/Wine_Cellar_Kits/Wine_Case_Storage/rectangular_bin.html
Let us know if you have any questions about this or any of our fine products, and we’ll keep you all informed as 2009 unfolds. Have a great day!
Katie
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Oct 15th, 2008 by Wine Racks America
Good afternoon to all of you wine lovers on the West coast. If you are not “blessed” to be living in the glorious state of California, please note that this message may not apply to you.
Today I want to talk about one of wine’s worst enemies in the golden state. If you live there then you already know what I am about to say. This word strikes fear into the hearts of all Californians. That word is: EARTHQUAKE! Now I know that for most of you the last thing on your mind in the event of a 5.2 quake is wine. But let me be clear about something. If you live in an area that shakes a lot, your wine can be thrown from its comfy nest. Quakes have no respect for good taste. Whether you have one wine rack that holds 20 bottles or a cellar that holds 20,000 these quakes are after your wine, what are you going to do to keep it safe?
Please don’t panic. We here at Wine Racks America have a very simple solution for you. No, the solution is not to uncork every bottle and pour it down your throat in an attempt to rid yourself of the worry. Just take a look at this:
Yes built in California for Californians “The Quake Guardian® Wine Guard System” will keep your keep your wine bottles from flying off your wine rack in the event of an earthquake. I would assume that your walls would probably cave in before you bottles bounce to the ground.
Watch a video demonstration of how this product works.
As always, if you have any questions please feel free to call me at
1-888-373-6057.
Drink Well,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist
Tags: california, california wine, earthquakes, wine, wine cellars, wine rack, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in FAQ, Wine Cellar Construction, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Greetings again from the owner’s desk at Wine Racks America. As we are at the beginning of the holiday season now my thoughts have turned to gift giving, and what our company might offer to customers during this holiday season.
I read a statistic recently that has really stuck with me, and since a lot of you may be in the market for a gift soon I thought I would share it. According to a recent survey from a source that I honestly cannot remember, the U.S. will soon surpass every other country in the world for the number of individuals per capita that consume wine. Within 5-10 years the U.S. will be populated with 148 million wine drinkers, which makes the U.S. a more likely place to see someone drinking wine than either France or Italy (!). Wow, how things have changed.
I remember growing up in the 70s and 80s and NOBODY was talking about wine (at least good wine), but now it really seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue - pun intended. Anyway, with that many new wine enthusiasts on the scene each year, the need to keep that wine stored and organized is likely to grow and, you knew it was coming, I happen to know of this great place that makes wine racks and sells all kinds of storage-related products!
I won’t turn this into a sales pitch, suffice to say that in our experience many new wine drinkers are reluctant to purchase racks or specialty storage items until they are more ’seasoned’ - whatever that means. So, if you are an older experienced wine consumer and know someone who is fresh on the wine scene encourage them, point them our way, give them a lovely wine storage product from our web site, or better yet give them a wine storage gift certificate this holiday season and let them choose something of their own.
With so many new wine aficionados every day you won’t have to look far to find a qualified recipient, and hey - it’ll probably get used. Have a great day.
Jeff
Tags: wine, wine cellars, Wine Gifts, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in Corporate, Customer Service, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Many people who have made their home in the Western United States have learned to live with the many challenges that this climate creates. Here in Utah we have learned to live with the state’s quirky wine & liquor laws; not to mention the bears, snakes, bad drivers and of course a very dry climate.
As you might know, a dry climate is good for sand and sage brush but it is lousy for storing wine. Even a fully sealed and insulated cellar complete with a cooling system doesn’t solve the extremely low humidity in the West. The truth is that if your wine cellar is not operating at 60-65% relative humidity your wine could be at risk. Low humidity levels may result in compromised seals and oxidized wine.
Here at Wine racks America we have recently added an innovative solution to our product linup specifically aimed at our clients in arid parts of the country. The Wine Guardian Humidification System is the solution that your dried-out corks have been looking for. This unit can be freestanding, mounted to the wall, or integrated into right into your wine cellar racking. All it needs is a water line, drain line and power and you are good to go.
So rejoice! Say good-bye to your brittle corks; act as if you live in the muggy East or South with their fancy humidity and supple bottle closures. To learn more about this great product look no further than WineRacksAmerica.com
If you have any questions please feel free to give me a call at 888-373-6057 or email me at chancock@wineracksamerica.com
Cheers,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist
Tags: wine, wine cellar, wine cellars, wine humidification, wine humidity, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in Cellar Design, Cooling Systems, FAQ, Wine Cellar Construction, Wine Cellar Sales, Wine Racks | No Comments »
Aug 22nd, 2008 by Wine Racks America
Building a wine cellar is a lot of work. Installing a vapor barrier, insulating the entire space and installing the proper green board drywall can really take a lot of time out of our busy schedule. All of this back breaking work just for wine. Wow, we must really love it.
What if there was a way to eliminate at least one of these steps in an attempt to save time and money when building your very own wine cellar? Well there may be a solution that all of us could have access to. This solution is light years beyond ordinary wine cellar construction; this revolutionary approach will probably end up saving the world!
Well, the world will be safe with out this new wine cellar construction idea, but if I can help someone save a little time and money then my job will be just that much more enriching. Here is a phrase that needs some explaining: Closed cell polyurethane insulation. This is a sprayed or foamed-in-place application than can, at the very least, save a step in building out a new wine cellar, and at most might just save you a couple of bucks. This product usually performs better than simple batting insulation because it molds to all surfaces. All closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation produced today is made from a non -CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) gas as the foaming agent, so it won’t kill your mice!
It is said that 1 inch of the product has an “R” factor of 7. Wine cellars would therefore require at least 2.5 inches which would yield around an “R” factor of 18 or 19. This product is water-vapor permeable, but with around 2.5 to 3 inches the dew point should be well within the material leaving no chance of mold or mildew inside your cellar.
What does this mean to wine enthusiasts? One less step. No longer must you wrap the warm side of your cellar with 6 mill plastic, then apply insulation, then green board. Now, with this product, one can simply apply the polyurethane insulation and cover it up with green board.
For more information about this product, or if you just want to talk about wine cellars, send me an email at: chancock@wineracksamerica.com.
Drink Well,
Christian Hancock
Wine Cellar Specialist
Tags: wine, wine bottle, wine cellar, Wine Cellar Construction, wine insulation, Wine Racks, wine storage
Posted in FAQ, Wine Cellar Construction, Wine Racks | No Comments »