terra cotta storage

[lilysue]

I'm interested in terra cotta wine storage units. Was hoping someone could give me an educated opinion on them. They seem fairly difficult to find, so I'm wondering if they are not such a good deal. Do I need to ask a more specific question? Obvious novice here.

[Kcwhippet]

I'm not sure I've actually seen a wine storage unit specifically designed from terra cotta. However, I have seen a wine storage area a friend created under his cellar stairs using round terra cotta flue tiles he got at Home Depot. From what we've seen, they hold and maintain the ambient temperature quite well. The problem is that if the temps fluctuate, they're slower to respond and if the temps go up, they hold the higher temps for a longer time. Also, they're fairly bulky and use a lot more space than a wooden unit. They're more expensive, too. When you think of putting in a storage area, you have to consider the cost per bottle of putting together the area. That's somewhat offset if you plan on being there a long time and your wine turnover is fairly high by consuming about a bottle a day.

[Drew]

...not to mention those unsightly chips on the edges caused by inaccurate aim when placing the bottles.<P>Drew

[lilysue]

Thank you for the info. It's much appreciated.