There is an old saying that goes something like this: „A wine cellar without a proper cooling system is like a wine bottle without a cork". If you consider it thoroughly, it's not a joke at all. Wine is a natural, sensitive and specific drink. If it is exposed to constant changes in either temperature or humidity, or both, all types of wine can be destroyed. So, wine must be protected from damaging influence of temperature fluctuations by all costs, and there are good ways to accomplish that. Proper climate control systems are designed to protect wine from negative temperature influences, enabling wines to achieve the best aroma and taste during the period of ageing.
Modern cooling systems
Modern technology offers highly progressive climate control machines that can keep temperature and humidity under control at all times. But, you should not think of cooling systems as mere air conditioners. They are specially designed to create the conditions which allow wines to age best. To make your wine age properly, you will need to use artificial climate control, because proper conditions cannot always be created in a wine cellar the natural way. It doesn’t matter if you decide to store your wine in a traditional wine cellar, or improvised variant, like room or closet, you must include one of the many cooling systems available on the market. There are three different cooling systems that are widely used.
Split systems
Split systems are modern, proven and increasingly popular type of wine cellar cooling units because they offer a wide range of possibilities in order to reduce the negative influence of temperature fluctuations in your cellar, by eliminating this problem completely. The split system contains three vital components: a condensing unit, line sets and the evaporator coil which is responsible for air circulation and humidity. For example, Whisperkool produces very efficient split cooling systems. But there is a catch. If your choice is a split cooling system, it's not easy to install, you'll have to hire a licensed HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) contractor to install it. Yet, when it's done, your wine cellar temperature will be kept at optimal levels throughout the year.
Through the wall systems
Through the wall cooling unit is pretty reliable and inexpensive choice for your wine cellar. These units operate on a very simple way-they pull cold air into the cellar and draw hot air out, on the other side of the unit. This means that you need to secure a well-ventilated room located next to the cellar. Most systems are designed for a 30 degree temperature window, which means that the wine cellar temperature won't rise over 65 degrees, and on the other side, the temperature of the ventilation room will not get over 95 degrees, thus creating a perfect balance between the two rooms, and utterly perfect conditions inside your wine cellar. It is important to remember that these cooling units need to be installed in a specific way, so it is important to carefully read and follow the instructions that come with your cooling unit.
Self-Contained systems
This is system based on pipes, and considering that pipes can be run from distance, the whole device can be placed far away from wine cellar, it doesn't need to be installed so close, thus make you a true relief from annoying noises. Most of these devices are designed for larger wine cellars and can be installed on the ceiling, or some other space next to the wine cellar. The working principle is simple, venting pipes send cold air inside the wine cellar and returning pipes draw the air back through the system. A self-contained system can also be equipped with an attached humidifier. This cooling unit must also be installed by a qualified HVAC contractor.
When thinking about a cooling unit, a wise collector must consider a lot of factors, like temperature fluctuations, bottle count and even weather conditions. Sounds pretty complicated, yes, but that is an effort you have to make in order to secure your wine collection. Luckily, there are plenty of modern cooling systems that efficiently control temperature conditions in your wine cellar, and give you the opportunity to change these conditions with the simple click of a button.
