The Wine Grotto Features & Amenities

Wine must be kept in an environment where temperature is constant and stable. Fluctuating temperatures experienced in most wine refrigerators is only acceptable for short term storage. Here at The Wine Grotto, we strive to maintain a temperature of 55ºF +.5º and have successfully done so for over a decade. 55ºF is the ideal temperature that enables your wine to reach its full potential. We accomplish this by:

• The design of the building envelope is as critical to proper cellaring as the climate control systems themselves. The absence of either will result in less than ideal conditions. Minimizing the influence of the outside environment by virtue of 7" rigid insulation around our 8" block walls and our 2" foam insulated cool roof in addition to our 8" bat insulation. If power should go out you want to minimize the rate of heat gain. Skylights, exposed ceilings and glass walls may look great, but they are not appropriate for long term storage.The temperature at The Wine Grotto is further stabilized by the thermal mass of our 10,000 square feet of wine storage holding in excess of 20,000 cases of wine. It takes days for our temperature to swing as much as a wine fridge can change in an hour.
• Continual air circulation minimizes temperature or humidity stratification and improves the stability of environmental conditions.
• We have excess capacity with our cooling units so that we can maintain proper temperatures even when a unit is being serviced.  With 28 chillers and air-conditioning systems at the STORBOX facility we regularly inspect each to insure uninterrupted cooling.
• We manage our temperature performance by daily inspections of current and historical temperature logs.

Acceptable levels are generally held to be between 60% and 75% relative humidity (RH). Here at The Wine Grotto, we strive to maintain a relative humidity of 65-70% and have done so since opening in 2001. Lower relative humidity can cause corks to dry and wine to spoil by not keeping the top of the cork moist and pliable. Conversely, higher relative humidity can cause corks and labels to mildew. Our strict adherence to humidity monitoring assures that relative humidity remains constant. Cooling systems strip moisture from the air so there is a constant need to replenish it. We accomplish this using purified water to eliminate mineral dust that can damage labels and bottle presentations. All perimeter surfaces are sheathed in a vapor barrier.

The ultraviolet wavelengths of natural and incandescent light harms wine, and this is the type of lighting most prevalent in the home setting. Here at The Wine Grotto, we use fluorescent lighting with specially installed filters that eliminate the damaging rays. Our lighting is motion activated to further minimize its effects.

Vibrations experienced by wine stored in household wine refrigerators or wood flooring will impair the quality of your wines by accelerating the aging process. The professionally designed and constructed Wine Grotto, which utilized the finest and sturdiest construction materials, help to minimize this effect. In addition, the current mass of over 20,000 cases further serves to dampen vibrations. Our expansion area enjoys a concrete floor that is over 12" thick.

Each wine tenant is assigned an individual access code which allows them onto the property. To enter The Wine Grotto, a state of the art Bioscrypt/Fingerprint scan is required. Further enhancing our dedication to security are 32 high resolution digital security cameras, placed strategically throughout the facility. Our staff inspects the entire Wine Grotto daily. Finally, the facility security system is monitored after hours. Your security, privacy, & discretion are of our utmost concern.

The Wine Grotto is far and away the newest building providing wine storage in the San Gabriel Valley and surrounding communities. Seismic building codes are continually being updated to provide stronger buildings able to withstand greater earthquakes. Although no one can guarantee that your collection will be safe from the affects of an earthquake, The Wine Grotto offers a superior product to protect your collection. Our lockers further insure that bottles are confined to each shelf minimizing the likelihood of breakage.