Anyone building this type of cellar would be well served by getting Richard Gold's book on the subject. Also cork flooring is a very good option in the cellar. Cheers

Springtime homes - I really really appreciate your feedback, however you are not entirely correct. I have been reading up on how to set this up and the upper 1/3 to 1/2 of the foundation needs to be insulated to prevent heat transferring from the upper parts of the soil and the exterior foundation. Unfortunately we are forced to either have this at the west or east side of the foundation (one wall) so that creates additional difficulties. It is the bottom portion of the wall and the floor itself that keeps the room cool. The room itself will be close to air tight due to a vapor barrier and a well insulated exterior door entering the room. The walls shared with the house and the ceiling will be VERY will insulated, to the highest R value that we can fit into the space! :) I'm really curious if there is anyone on GardenWeb who has built a passive wine cellar themselves and if they have any specific tips beyond what is standard. There are 3 main questions I have as well. 1. For instance. I wonder if there is a way to separate the concrete floor from the rest of the basement while the foundation is being laid so that there is not any heat transfer through the concrete in the rest of the basement? 2. If one (or two) of the exterior walls are completely under the house and not shared the the rest of the homes foundation, then would their be any difference in how you insulate the concrete from the exterior? 3. And, should I plan for two or three exterior walls? The problem with planning three is that it would make it very difficult to then add a cooling system if this didn't end up working.

It is indeed possible and that's how they were built until recent years. My uncle was a builder in Napa and he simply cut out some of the rock under his home. The temp is constant and the wine is fine. You want to avoid fluctuation and ignore the people who tell you slow fluctuation is OK, fast is bad. They're wrong. It's the change in temp that matters, not the speed of it. Depending on where you are in N. Cal, you can probably be just fine. I have friends in San Francisco who simply keep their wine in their garage - some places are cool enough year round that it works. So if you're giving yourself time, measure the temps where you want to build the cellar and keep a log over a year or so. If you're consistently around 60 or less, you're good. If you're like me, and you're 60 or less several months and several months you're a lot higher, then add a cooling unit that you'll use for several months. Good luck!

IMO we need a bit of info . 1st what do you need in way of storage like how many bottles for sure. Why do you need custom , there are 100s of beautiful wine racks to be found that are not custom. Are you having a tasting space in the wine cellar. What is your style ?