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September 10, 2007
Wine Cellar
We own our Brownstone and are thinking about digging a small wine cellar in the basement area - maybe 6X6. Just enough room to get down with a ladder, bring a case up with a pulley. Anyone have any suggestions on who to use, dangers of doing this etc. Building is 65 feet long so I can't imagine if we do it off the walls there would be any foundational issues.
thanks for replying
Comments
I would consult a structural engineer.
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 1:50 PM
This seems like the hard way to do a wine cellar. Even if you dig, how can you be sure the temperature will be stable? And getting up a case with a pulley seems really inconvenient--unless you tend to drink a whole case in one shot.
Wouldn't it be easier add the necessary electricity and install a wine refrigerator?
Posted by: tinarina at September 10, 2007 2:33 PM
Tinarina (great name) The problem with a frig is that even if you get one for 100 bottles, which are as about as big as they come, that's only 7 cases of wine. I'd like to be able to store closer to 40. I am worried about the temperature being stable but I thinking if it's below ground won't that do the trick?
Posted by: Brooklynnative at September 10, 2007 3:05 PM
http://www.spiralcellars.com/us/index.html
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 4:24 PM
Admit it, you are more focused on some perceived "cool oenophile" factor of winching up cases of wine from the depths of your "cellaaaah" than you are about whether it actually makes sense.
Just buy a wine refrigerator already, and subscribe to a decent merchant with ample storage who (for a small additional fee) will sell you and store your vast cases and you can transfer a few cases at a time to your wine fridge once they approach optimum drinkability.
That or properly fund your Baronesque aspirations by buying a proper stone-floored mansion and excavate out a decent cellar.
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 6:15 PM
And since when can't we plan and perhaps even execute eccentric improvments on our property? Most of what we don't doesn't make sense at all...
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at September 10, 2007 7:47 PM
You appear to have had enough to drink already. You don't need more wine.
Posted by: Rehab at September 11, 2007 1:59 AM
Hi: We built a cellar in the basement of a brownstone for a client a few years ago and during excavation of the mud in the basement discovered a large bottle of 1865 Madeira. (I think it was a Carboy)
The house once belonged to Henry Cabot Lodge so the bottle went to Christies and came to California. 32 bottles were decanted from this old bottle and I was able to acquire two.
I gave one to a client in Asia and still have one to drink.
The moral of this story is "dig a hole and build a cellar with a rope and a pulley". It will produce a lot of dirt, perhaps some artifacts, be an endless source of conversation and will be a great place to store wine too. A wine refrigerator is just a kind of shoe box while a cellar is a statement and a pleasure.
Posted by: paulwyatt at September 11, 2007 2:35 AM
Your design concept is rather interesting but rather difficult to use. A wine refrigerator is the simplest method but I have built full wine cellars in basements of Brownstones. My friend was using his original coal storage area below his front steps until its' proximity to the street changed the temperature from season to season.
He hew has a full walk in wine cellar in his basement in Cobble Hill. evang@evang.com
Posted by: guest at September 11, 2007 7:42 AM
I forget the distinctly middle class need to acquire "interesting" bite-sized life experiences in order to have something to say at dinner, "...and just after our 44th pail of dirt, nestled by the orange crack needle was blah, blah, blah".
Keep your wine in shoe boxes, use the money you save to go somewhere or/and do something for someone or/and change something and then you'll have plenty to say.
Posted by: guest at September 11, 2007 7:49 AM
There are other ways to do a wine cellar that don't involve digging, but I agree, go for it. It will be very, very cool, but costly.
Posted by: guest at September 11, 2007 9:48 AM
And it's greener than wasting energy on a 24/7 wine refrigerator. Do it. With the size of your foundation, 6x6 won't be any problem.
Posted by: cmu at September 11, 2007 12:10 PM
You can get large coolers -- up to 500 bottles. They come in kits in case it doesn't fit down your stairs. The refrigeration units tend to be pretty cheap (mine has to be recharged every 18 months or so) but it keeps the wine at 55F. Look on eBay under wine chillers.
Posted by: guest at September 11, 2007 1:21 PM
The middle class tendency to try to put down middle class people with snark and unpleasantness is also a factor you should consider.
Posted by: guest at March 3, 2008 5:27 AM
hi, we are the leading manufacturer of wooden wine cabinet, wine cellar in China,
our technique expert may give you some suggestions,
our email: market@raching.com
http://www.raching.com/indexen.htm
Posted by: aimeeweir at March 4, 2009 9:24 PM
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