This is one of the most common questions to ask and of course there is not one definitive answer.  This will depend in a number of factors including the size and location of the space and the type of finishes and fittings selected. However as a guide, most cellars we see built cost between $15,000 – $30,000+. Cost of main inclusions:

• Climate control equipment: from $6,000
• Insulation for ceiling, walls and floors: approx. $55 per m²
• Glass (double glazed AND argon filled, with an energy or UV rating): approx. $850 – $1000 per m² (plus frames and door hardware)
• Wine racking systems: from $300 per m² for proprietary systems, more for custom
• Building and construction costs

Here are some examples:

ROOM CONVERSION: Estimated cost $36,000

• Existing room.
• Built stud walls for insulated plasterboard and to create cavity for cellar conditioner.
• Installed double glazed, argon filled with UV coating windows and door for visual appeal.

• Continuous, insulated plasterboard KingSpan K17 on walls and ceiling.
• Incorporate 2 x penetrations for Inoa cellar conditioner air inlet and outlet.

• Completed fit out.
• Dark walls and minimal lighting inside cellar minimises UV heat and creates sophisticated ambience.
• EuroCave racking systems combine oak and black steel.
• Approximately 2,000 bottles.

BASEMENT CELLAR: Estimated cost $27,000

• Spare wall in living area.
• Insulated area appropriately.
• Allowed for space to duct Inoa cellar conditioner.
• Inset racking into wall for seamless aesthetics and stability.
• Installed double glazed, argon filled with UV coating windows and door for visual appeal.
• Utilised floor to ceiling mounted racks to display wine in front of glazing and maximise bottle capacity in the space.
• Completed fit out with Vintage View and Bordex wine racking.
• Filled with approximately 1,000 bottles of wine.

CELLAR UNDER STAIRS: Estimated cost $30,000 (includes high end custom joinery)

Space under stairs filled with boxes of wine making it difficult to find individual bottles and risking ruining wine with no climate control.

Allowances made to install climate control unit.

Insulated area and lined with timber for sophisticated aesthetics.

Custom joinery designed and constructed to fill the unusual space.

Transformation complete turning a dead space into a beautiful wine cellar for approximately 650 bottles.

WINE WALLS OR WINE ROOMS

$24,395 for cabinets plus joinery

$32,380 for cabinetsplus joinery

$61,050 for cabinets plus joinery

$97,580 for cabinets plus joinery

Wine requires a consistent temperature of 12-14°C to mature as the wine maker intended. Whilst traditional underground cellars in Europe have metres of earth protecting them around the perimeter and most importantly ABOVE the cellar, this is not the case for most wine cellars in Australia.

To build a cellar with the essential environment conditions required to protect wine, there are a lot of technical specifications and considerations. Sufficient insulation, protection from light and UV, correct cooling equipment and adequate ventilation to guard against musty smells and label damage are all requirements of a cellar.

Many underground cellars we’ve seen built have been done so using concrete or double brick and these do not provide sufficient insulation. In fact, these are very poor insulators and in the Australian climate, these materials can heat up and prevent the cellar from keeping to correct temperature. Even worse, these spaces often open into basement car parks and garages so the warm air comes straight in through the surrounding walls. Without proper insulation and climate control equipment, the end result will just be a “hot box” storage area, something that we see far too often.

Then there is the need climate control in the cellar. While some specialised climate control systems can utilise refrigerant piping or water coils for cooling purpose, most require some sort of ducting to an external area of the house or a large, well ventilated space. A standard air conditioner should not be used as they are not cold enough (often not operating below 18°C) and can reduce humidity which is detrimental to wine.

Having said all that, a cellar can be built almost anywhere in the home as long as it is built to specification including proper climate control and insulation.

So if you have your heart set on an underground cellar, don’t despair… but do talk to an expert during the planning stages. Achieving 14°C is never as easy as people think. Trying to retro fit insulation and a cellar conditioner after building the cellar can be a messy and costly process. Talking to a cellar expert upfront might save you and your clients money and pain down the track!

Yes, a cellar can be built almost anywhere in the home as long as:

1. It is built to specification including correct insulation, glazing, lighting and so forth.
2. It incorporates climate control equipment installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Climate Control: A wine cellar climate control system turns almost any space into a custom cellar by recreating the essential conditions required to mature your wine perfectly.Wine needs to be stored at the same consistent temperature of 12-14ᵒC, and a humidity level of 55% to 75%. Many people overlook the need for a cellar conditioner, however vast changes in temperature can be very detrimental to your wine collection. Selecting the correct climate control system will depend on the size of your cellar, its heat load, its location and the space available to install the unit and ducting appropriately.

Insulation: All wall, floors and ceilings of the wine cellar must be insulated properly with approved materials such as Kingspan Kooltherm 17 and K3. Insulating only between stud walls is not sufficient as it must be continuous with no gaps. Any glazing MUST be double glazed with argon filled cavities and an energy or UV coating.

Ducting: Each climate control system has different requirements for ducting. A through the wall unit and some ducted systems needs ducting which leads to outside or a well-ventilated space that is at least three times greater than the cellar. A split system needs a little ducting close to cellar but then uses refrigerant piping to connect to condenser positioned elsewhere in the home or outside. A water cooled unit requires access to a large body of water for cooling purposes. Any air ducting needs to be insulated and not exceed the recommended number of bends.

The short answer to this is “YES” – If you want it to perform its crucial role of protecting your wine collection that is. Refer to Jancis Robinson, revered wine writer for over 30 years:

“Wine is relatively sensitive to storage conditions and is one of the very few consumer products that can improve with age” -Jancis Robinson

Creating the perfect conditions for your wine cellar will ensure that your collection matures as the wine maker intended. We know from experience that there is no greater pleasure than opening a well cellared wine with some age that is “fresh” and lively rather than that dull sensation you can experience with poorly stored wine.

To climate control your cellar, a purpose designed cellar conditioner is required. Do not install a standard air conditioner as wine requires a consistent temperature of 12-14°C.A standard air conditioner is generally not cold enough (often not operating below 18°C) and can reduce humidity which is detrimental to wine.

A cellar conditioner can create 4 of the 5 essential conditions for a wine cellar, however, climate controlling your cellar takes more than just simply installing a wine cellar conditioner.

There are a lot of technical aspects that require consideration during the design and building stages of your project. Engaging the right people and planning a cellar properly can avoid costly reworking down the track.

The team at MacPhee’s has been involved in thousands of residential and commercial wine cellar projects for 18 years. We work with leading architects, builders and developers as well as home owners providing expertise and technical advice about the best, most effective cellar designs.

Glass cellars make a spectacular feature in the home so it’s no wonder that many clients want to incorporate glass walls or doors in their cellar, particularly if it is positioned close to living areas.

You can absolutely build a cellar with glass walls or door but if you want it to maintain the essential environmental conditions to cellar your wine properly, there are some guidelines that you must consider upfront in the planning stages to ensure the effective operation of your cellar.

1. 1. Any glass walls or doors MUST be double glazed with argon filled cavities and an energy or UV coating.
   2. Any glass walls or doors will elevate the heat load in the cellar. The more glass used the higher the heat load and the harder the cellar conditioner needs to work. This will need to considered when deciding which climate control system is most suitable for you cellar.
   3. Other surfaces in the cellar (walls, doors, floors) must be insulated properly with approved products and be continuous, not just between studs.

The team at MacPhee’s has extensive experience wine cellars. We work with leading architects, builders and developers as well as home owners providing technical advice about designing and building a wine cellar.

When space is limited, building a wine cellar under the stairs can be an appealing option. Some important things to consider are:

1. Do you want the area to be climate controlled and if so, how will the area be insulated and ducted?
2. Vibrations can be detrimental to wine over long periods of time so consider where people walking on the stairs will have any sort of impact on the area below.
3. Consider your fit out carefully. To make the most of the space and maximise bottle capacity, a racking system which can be staggered on an angle (such as Bordex wine racking) may be best.

CASE STUDY: MacPhee’s designed, built and installed this climate controlled solid timber home wine cellar under an elaborate staircase in Sydney. Whilst the client was previously storing his wine by the case under this staircase, a number of cases had to be moved each time he needed to locate a particular bottle. MacPhee’s met the client’s request for access to as many individual bottles as possible whilst maximising the use of this unique space, using adjustable storage shelves for individual bottles, bins for multiple bottles and displays for special bottles. A small bench for opening and decanting wine was installed as well as a large roll out shelf at floor level for bulk cases to make use of an awkward angle.

Before Pics

After Pics

The best racking solution depends on your priorities. Here is a checklist of some things you should consider:

1. Do you want to maximise capacity with bulk storage or create a space where you can display your precious bottles?
2. Are you looking for a functional space to cellar your bottles or somewhere you can linger or entertain guests?
3. What sort of aesthetic are you looking to achieve? Do you prefer a modern look or a more traditional style cellar?
4. Do you want to mount your wine racks on the wall or does it need to be free standing or installed floor to ceiling?
5. Do you have any magnums in your wine collection that you need to provide space for?

Then of course there is the question of budget. Having custom joinery designed and built can be expensive so luckily, there are plenty of modular racking systems that can be customised to fit almost any space and be personalised with finishes.

Metal wine racks are usually available in a number of options such as silver or black, and some timber wine racks can be stained to complement the fit out.

For a more comprehensive list of things to consider, download our e-book now…

Designing and building a cellar has a lot of technical aspects that require consideration. It is an area that requires specialist knowledge that architects, designers and builders don’t always have. Likewise, a traditional air conditioning installer does not always have experience with wine cellars, which need to deliver the five essential environmental conditions required to cellar wine properly, not just a cold environment.

If you are planning a cellar in your home, it is critical that you get the right advice up front. In our 18 years of experience, the most successful wine cellar projects are those designed and built by a team that has worked closely with our team of wine cellar experts and followed our advice regarding building materials, insulation, ducting, cooling equipment and so forth.

The end result is a wine cellar that not only looks amazing also performs its important role of protecting your wine.

From a functional perspective, a good cellar must deliver the following five essential environmental conditions:

1. Consistent, low temperature(12-14°C ideal)
2. High humidity(55-75% ideal)
3. Fresh airflow
4. Minimal vibration
5. Heat and UV free lighting

To achieve these conditions, a wine cellar needs the correct climate control equipment and insulation which our team can help you with. Of course, if you are investing the time, effort and money to build a wine cellar in your home, then you also want to love the space, to feel joy every time you walk past the space or open the door to enter. This is a more subjective measurement but here are some things to consider:

• Do you want the area to be visible from the living space?
• What sort of aesthetic appeals to you and what will complement the style of your home?
• FDo you want to use the cellar purely to store wine longer term or do you want to entertain in it, taking friends there for tasting?
• Do you tend to buy wine in bulk or collect individual bottles along the way?
• Do you want to maximise capacity or is it more important to display wine?

Sometimes a cellar is not the best option to store your wine collection. Ask yourself, what do you want to use the space for? Is it purely for the storage of wine, or are you wanting to create an entertaining / tasting area? Are you planning to cellar your wine for longer term or do you want to have wine close at hand and ready to service at ideal drinking temperature? What space do you have available for the cellar?

A “wine wall” created with multiple wine cabinets is a great alternative depending on your needs.

These are some of the benefits of a wine wall.

• There are less technical considerations and space required for a wine wall. There no need to do any building works unless you want to integrate wine cabinets and there is no need to worry about insulation, ducting through wall or treatment of condensation… simply plug the wine cabinets into a powerpoint and you’re set.
• Wine cabinets or fridges can be integrated into joinery into any part of the home. You can also incorporate a bar area for glassware, decanters and so forth into the joinery.
• The room will remain at ambient temperature making a wine wall or wine tasting room a more comfortable option if you want to enjoy the space by entertaining near your wine. The low temperature required to cellar wine is restricted to the inside of cabinet (not the whole room).
• Wine cabinets can provide easier access to wine bottles so you and your guests can easily go through your collection to select a bottle. Including a multiple temperature cabinet means you can keep various wine varietals at ideal drinking temperature, ready to serve.
• Wine cabinets are generally more energy efficient costing as low as $20 per annum to run.
• No annual servicing/maintenance by a qualified refrigeration mechanic required.
• You have the ability to relocate / move cabinets in the future if you move home.

The MacPhee’s team is the exclusive distributor within Australia for EuroCave, inventor of the wine cabinet and world leader in wine storage, service and preservation equipment.

EuroCave invests significantly into research and development. EuroCave wine cabinets offer leading technology and are made to exacting standards with no plastic interiors, low noise levels, enviable energy efficiency ratings and quality, luxurious finishes. To find out more, click “More Info Wine Cabinets” to be redirected to the EuroCave website.

When selecting which climate control system will be the most appropriate for your wine cellar, there are three key questions you must ask yourself:

• What is the size of my cellar? You must select a unit that is suitable for the cubic space of your cellar.
• What is the heat load of my cellar? This will vary depending on the materials used to build cellar, the size of it and any other heat generating equipment in the cellar.
• How much space is available for the unit and for ducting? Consider whether you want equipment to sit in the cellar, adjacent or even in the ceiling or bulkhead. Also, what space is available for ducting.

Here is a summary of the different types of climate control systems available:

 

Through the Wall Systems

 

 

 

 

Ducted Systems – Air Cooled

 

 

 

 

Split Systems

 

 

 

 

Ducted Systems – Water Cooled