Mon–Fri 9:30–5:301617 Locust St, Walnut Creek
Tipsy Tuesday
What is the question holding up your cellar? Explore ideas for racking, cooling and wine storage, then bring Mike the part that needs a closer look. A photo of your room or the model you are considering can turn the reading into a useful next conversation.
Why trust the answers
Read with your own room in mind. When a layout or piece of equipment catches your eye, bring the article and your dimensions to Mike at the Walnut Creek showroom to compare the possibilities.
1973
Family run since
Mike joined in 2001 and bought Wine Hardware with Cari in 2014.
235
Articles published
Cellar design, cooling, racking, refrigeration and wine.
15
Cities served
Alamo and Berkeley to Napa, Sonoma and Palo Alto.
1617
Locust St, Walnut Creek
Bring your racking questions and compare options with Mike in person.
Start here
Our most recent piece, and two more worth the ten minutes.
A clear collection record makes a wine cellar insurance conversation more useful. Gather bottle inventories, photographs, equipment details and maintenance records, then ask your insurer or appraiser what evidence they require…
April 28, 2026 · 3 min read
Latest News
April 21, 2026 · 3 min read
A cellar that can grow begins with space for tomorrow’s bottles and a practical route for future work. Map likely additions, equipment access and the…
Latest News
April 14, 2026 · 3 min read
Wine cellar access should suit the household and the collection. Decide who needs entry, how guests are accommodated and what happens if a lock or…
What you get here
Pick the part of the project you are stuck on. Every article ends where the next decision starts.
Design
Under the stairs, behind glass, or the whole basement wall: how the good ones are laid out and what drives the cost.
Racking
Bottle depth, tilt, ladder runs, display rows: choosing racking you will still like when the collection has doubled.
Refrigeration
Transtherm, Le Cache, Marvel and built-ins: what fits the cabinet run, and when a cabinet beats a room.
Build
Insulation, vapor barrier, door seals and the framing details that decide whether the cooling ever keeps up.
Storage
Temperature, humidity, light and vibration in plain numbers, plus what ruins a bottle first.
Wine
Grapes, labels, glassware and serving temperatures: the reading that makes the collection more fun to own.
How we answer a cellar question
It is the same order we use on the phone, and the same order the articles follow.
Length, width, ceiling, wall build-up, the door and what is on the other side of every surface. Bottle count comes out of that, not out of a wish.
Review the room’s construction and heat load before choosing a cooling unit. Discuss the equipment location, airflow and service requirements with the project team.
Racking, cooling, door, finish and install, as a range you can plan around. Then you decide what to do first.
Every article
Newest first. Twenty-four to a page, ten years deep.
Latest News
April 7, 2026 · 3 min read
Nitrogen and argon preservation systems deserve a bottle-by-bottle compatibility check. Start with how much wine you pour, the closures you use and…
Latest News
March 31, 2026 · 3 min read
A decanting area works best when bottles, glasses and a clear serving surface follow a sensible sequence. Trace the path from rack to table…
Latest News
March 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Hardwood wine racks should be judged as complete structures, with joinery, finish and bottle support considered alongside the wood species. Compare…
Latest News
March 10, 2026 · 3 min read
Water management belongs at the beginning of a below-ground cellar project. Document existing dampness and site conditions, then have the building…
Custom Cellars
March 3, 2026 · 11 min read
Sensors and inventory tools are useful when they answer clear questions about a cellar. Decide what you need to measure, how bottles will be recorded…
Latest News
February 24, 2026 · 3 min read
Blackened steel can give a wine display a strong visual presence, but the finish and support details still need review. Compare the actual product…
Wine Tips
February 17, 2026 · 38 min read
Temperature and humidity readings become useful when you understand what measures them and how the room behaves. Begin with the enclosure, equipment…
Latest News
February 10, 2026 · 3 min read
Wine cellar light protection starts with the windows, fixtures and glazed enclosure. Record when direct light reaches bottles and ask what the…
Latest News
February 3, 2026 · 5 min read
A commercial wine display brings guest experience, bottle storage and staff movement into one design. Define the wines on show, replenishment routine…
Latest News
January 27, 2026 · 3 min read
A quieter cellar begins by identifying the sound or vibration that concerns you. Record when it occurs and which nearby rooms are affected, then…
Latest News
January 20, 2026 · 3 min read
All-heart redwood rack care begins with the rack’s actual finish and construction. Keep the maker’s instructions, note any changes in joints or…
Custom Cellars
January 13, 2026 · 10 min read
A custom wine room can be planned for your household without assuming a guaranteed appraisal increase. Keep the construction scope, equipment…
Wine Tips
January 6, 2026 · 3 min read
A wine cooler beside a living room should be evaluated from the sofa as well as at the cabinet. Describe the sound, timing and installation, then…
Wine Tips
December 23, 2025 · 9 min read
A rack kit delivery to a Tahoe home needs a receiving plan as well as an address. Confirm package sizes, site access, who will inspect the shipment…
Wine Types
December 16, 2025 · 8 min read
Champagne bottle spacing should begin with the bottles in your Napa collection. Measure the broadest shapes and their removal path, then compare the…
Wine Tips
December 9, 2025 · 10 min read
During wildfire season, use actual cellar readings and equipment instructions to guide humidity questions. Keep emergency safety decisions separate…
Wine Tips
December 2, 2025 · 9 min read
A wine cooler refrigerant question starts with the exact model and the work proposed. Keep the unit’s documentation and ask a qualified service…
Wine Tips
November 18, 2025 · 10 min read
A damp Pacifica cellar needs the moisture source understood before new racks or finishes are added. Record where problems appear and when they recur…
Wine Tips
November 4, 2025 · 9 min read
Smoke-event planning should begin before the collection needs attention. Keep equipment information, room observations and a contingency contact…
Wine Tips
October 28, 2025 · 9 min read
A cellar in a Sonoma solar home still needs equipment selected for the room and a clear power plan. Ask the relevant professionals how the cooling…
Wine Tips
October 21, 2025 · 3 min read
Shipping wine rack kits in the SF Bay Area starts with the order and delivery location. Confirm package sizes, receiving access, assembly…
Tipsy Tuesday
Curious about a wine or a cellar idea? Call Mike to talk through what caught your interest and where to look next. The newsletter form is a beta preview.
This beta form does not subscribe your address or send an email. Contact the showroom for current information.
When reading is done
The three pages people open next.
Closets, under-stair rooms, glass walls and whole basements, with the photos to prove it.
Restaurants, wineries and retail: wine displays and bulk storage planned for service.
WhisperKOOL, Wine Guardian, CellarPro, VintageView, Transtherm: the gear we stand behind.
Start here
Bring Mike the article, a photo and the number of bottles you want to store. Call (925) 944-1084 to compare the idea with your room and work out the next design decision.