How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar 3rd Ed. [Paperback]

Richard M. Gold Ph.D. (Author), PhD Richard M. Gold (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1996

A construction guide for home wine cellars based on the science of deep soil temperatures. Invokes modern readily available materials and standard construction techniques. Ideal for the do-it-yourselfer or hired carpenter. Also reviews wine purchasing and consuming strategies, bin design and construction, how to organize a wine tasting group, and more. An underground classic, first published in 1983. Revised third edition. Over 24,000 copies in circulation. The only serious treatment of the subject.

Editorial Reviews

Review

To Richard Gold - The wine cellar maven who has probably saved more fine wine from damaging temperature extremes than anyone alive. All the best, Bob Worried about your wine? Don't call 911. Buy Gold's wine cellar reference book and save your treasures from any damage. All the best, Bob -- Robert M. Parker, Jr., author of The Wine Advocate

About the Author

Dr. Gold's academic training is in biological psychology. PhD University of Chicago. Retired Professor, University of Massachusetts. Over 50 published articles and chapters in Psychology. As an avid amateur enophile and amateur carpenter, he sought a book to guide him through the design and construction of a home wine cellar, but found none. He gathered scientific information on the physics of deep soil temperatures and applied it,using current building styles and materials, to home wine cellar construction. A very specialized but pragmatic do-it-yourself guide.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Sandhill Publishers; Third Edition edition (July 1, 1996)
• ISBN-10: 0967159806
• ISBN-13: 978-0967159805
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Drinks & Beverages > Wine > Cellars

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbeatable for a Scientifically Built, Budget Wine-Cellar, February 22, 2000

By 

Random Joys "nicholasgeo" (Carmel, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar 3rd Ed. (Paperback)

Gold is a Ph.D. and you know it when you read the graphs that explain the relation between humidity and temperature. Despite the forbidding subject, Gold has produced an easy-to-read guide on how to build a wine cellar, but more importantly, on why to build it and what the goals of the design should be. I am building my secong wine-cellar now and what I learned from this book is invaluable. The book will also save you a lot of money that you would otherwise spend on cooling that not only you do not need, but is bad for humidity and constant temperature (I learned the expensive way, had to take mine out).

If I had to identify a drawback, it is the low-budget orientation of the book. Some can afford to spend more on wine cellars and it would be useful to know the more high-tech humidification and insulation alternatives, that the book does not cover. Then again, technology changes so fast, that such a segment would soon be outdated. Make sure to find a specialist insulation contractor.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read this book before building!, May 2, 2000

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar 3rd Ed. (Paperback)

I've recently begun collecting wine, and decided that I'd turn a corner of my basement into a cellar. I've read Dr. Gold's book cover-to-cover BEFORE even designing the cellar, and I'm glad that I did. He goes into detail telling you why something needs to be done (or ought not to be done), and provides lots of example. His dry wit makes reading the book easy and enjoyable.

I can hardly wait to begin building so I can collect more wine! (ok, I want to drink some too :-) )

My only reason for not giving the book 5 stars is due to typographical issues. The fourth edition really does need someone to thoroughly proofread it - there's numerous instances of "is" being used instead of "in", or some repeated words (e.g., "it it"), and one page where some addresses should be, but instead 1/2 of the previous page is reproduced. Nothing that makes the book unreadable, just slightly more typographical flaws than you'd expect to find in a book - and especially given that the author is an extremely refined fellow.

If you want to build a cellar, or are even just curious about doing so - BUY THIS BOOK.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Outdated Book, November 24, 2004

By 

Enchanted Tiki Room (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How and Why to Build a Wine Cellar 3rd Ed. (Paperback)

This book appears to be full of good information. I used it to construct two small cellars, both using refrigeration. They measured up to 7' x 12'. For my third cellar (the collection just keeps growing) I hired a consultant, and discussed the cellar with several others. All disagreed with some of the very basic principles in Gold's book. He may have been first out with this information, but the book is not up to date. If you are undertaking a serious project, especially if it is underground, you are better off hiring a consultant with experience. As another reviewer pointed out, some of the information in the book is contradictatory. Some is just wrong. Some is useful only for cold weather climates.