If You Can Have Built-In or Recessed Wine Cellars: What’s the Difference?

If you Can Have Built-In or Recessed Wine Cellars: What’s the Difference?

The most common and important question asked when talking about wine celler is the difference between a recessed and a built-in wine cellar. apart from functioning properly, people want to be sure that the cellar will fit in the space they have allocated for it. If a unit is built-in and it’s unable to exhaust the warm air, it may cause excess heat to be trapped behind the unit. If this happens, the unit won’t be able to maintain proper temperature and your wine may be effectively, ruined. Therefore, it is just as important to determine the correct size and features, of your cellar, as it is to decide on the right application.

Many storage units can be built underground in a basement area, typical of cellars from years past. Alternatively, you can have your wine cellar built in a climate controlled room of your house above ground. Whether you want an extravagant show piece or just a functional home for all of your wines, there are different types of wine cellars that are made to fit any taste or budget.

This is where these terms come in handy:
Wine Enthusiast 28 Bottle Silent Wine Refrigerator Recessed: A wine cellar that does not fit flush within a space is considered “recessed”. It cannot be flushed because, depending on which model you choose, each will have requirements to properly breathe and expel warm air. For example, a lot of my clients want to “build in” a Eurocave digital 260. Because this unit is rear venting, it cannot be built-in as it needs space behind it. I recommend that they recess the unit by placing it in a cabinet with enough empty clearance on each side. By providing air circulation on the top, bottom and back, you are allowing the unit to breathe and operate normally. Recessed units are essentially “free-standing” units that are placed inside cabinets with extra space, rather than built into them.

Eurocave Performance 59 Built-In: Built-In units are built into a cabinet or enclosed space. Built-Ins typically have front venting compressors so they may slide directly into the space without having any clearance around the entire unit. The front exhaust at the bottom is unobstructed. These are flush mounted and are typically seen in kitchens and home bars. Built-Ins can have a more custom look. Many models provide stainless trim around the glass door to match existing appliances. A great example of a built-in would be a Performance 59 wine cellar.

Whether you want fully stocked custom solution so that you'll always have the perfect bottle to drink, or a vault for your investment, there are many different styles of wine cellar out there to choose from. Additions like tasting stands, glass fronted cabinets and climate controls all make storage units perfect for housing your collection. In either case, wine enthusiast storage specialists are here to help you make the correct decision for all of your storage needs. If you have any further questions or are ready to make a wine cellar purchase, check your choices here at Wine Enthusiast.com