Off topic here. Sorry.

My house has three basements, all dating from the victorian era when the house was expanded twice.

The first cellar is the main cellar with chimneys/fernace, etc.
The last cellar is the old wood room and tool room.

But in the middle is what I beleive was an old Cannery? Is that the right word; a basement pantry? They are two large rooms under my kitchen with rows and rows of shelves for what looked like home preserved, pickled, and home canned misc things; basically a root cellar I suppose.

The  outside walls are granite and the basement is fairly cool. The tree inner walls of the rooms are wood and brick.

Here is the question? If the room was suitable as a cannery, then can I make it into a wine cellar? Wine cellars are somewhat rare in Northern New England, and I am not sure. I rather not buy special equipments other than shelving; but I rather not waste time if the conditions are poor for wine.

Any suggestions?

I can't see why it would make a bad wine cellar, per se, but you want to make sure that it doesn't ruin your wines.  I believe the typical temperature of a wine cellar is between 50-57 F on a consistent basis, and a pretty decent humidity level.  I've never been to the Northeastern coast, so I don't know what kind of humidity you get, but wine cellars need a decently high humidity level, roughly 60%.  Gauge what your weather's like, and if your cellar gets hot in the summer, you may need a cooling system for the cellar, or a refridgeration system.  Otherwise, if your home stays relatively cool, you should be all set :)

Hope that helps!

I'm far from an expert, but I understand that darkness and temperature are the main considerations. There's a little blurb about it here: www.winerackshop.com/storage.htm   but I'm sure a little googlery would turn up more info. As far as I can see, it should be fine for a cellar as long as the temperature doesn't drop to around freezing (but I really wouldn't put too much reliance on my opinion on this!)

Attached Link: http://www.cellar-creations.com.au/

I've seen wine cellars in original fruit cellars.  I'd guess that the conditions
are similar: steady cool temps.

Incidentally, I'd love to see either photos or a floor plan, even if crude,
of your house.

Your description of "three separate cellars" stirred my curiosity!  Are
they connected, or do you have to enter each from a separate wing
of the house?

Thanks for the info. You promted me to use some search terms I hadn't considered.

Seems temp should be steady year round (tricky in Maine) between 40 and 65 degrees  with humidity over 50

Thanks for the link esther. Cool. I am going to  blow up the pic and read that more. Excellent.

hey ockham,
Here in Maine there is a building tradition called "Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn."
Imagine three quares built like a snowman, each slighly smaller as they go back, but not centered, instead each staggered like steps. I have a garage instead of the barn. The driveway that runs along side such houses opens to what is called a "Door Yard", where most typical access is.

My basements are all connected, but you can see where they broke through to each one. It seems the additions were added quite quickly. The connection of each building is sort on interesting. I'll post some pics. It's trippy. I have three attics too; one is accesses by a genuine sliding panel in a wall.

The house, registered as "Stowe House", occupied by local pastor Charles Stowe, son of american author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Restoringthe house has been fun with lots of fun discoveries and mysteries, like hollow walls with walled-up passages and bookcases behind the plaster.

Can you see me waving?

Attached Link: http://www.daz3d.com/i.x/shop/itemdetails/-/?item=5499&cat=421

I think I'd have to dig the floor a bit deeper for a vault. :) ah Europe. They did nothing subtle did they?

What a cool place to live! Could never do a wine cellar here, I'm on a small ranch in California....way too hot. I love old houses with history, think of the stories those walls could tell.
Marque

*Restoringthe house has been fun with lots of fun discoveries and mysteries, like hollow walls with walled-up passages and bookcases behind the plaster.

always fun :)
my mum and dads house they bought in Chatham UK had a wonderful suprise...

in the 50's and 60's there was a fad to remove or close off fireplaces and replace them with electric ones.. when they bought the house in the late 90's, Dad started to work on the house.. when he removed the plywood over the fireplaces, he got a lovely shock.

the orginal victorian fireplaces are still in place. each in perfect condition... and worth more than the house is....

Wow! You would have all been thrilled to bits. YOu get lucky sometimes. Well it wasn't just luck because if he hadn't done the hard work he would never have found it. Love esther

From what I have come to understand, fireplaces were so much work, and so numerous in the old houses, people actually loathed them and did wall them up to prevent heat leaking out when forced hout air and steam radiators came onto the scene.

I still have two main fireplaces, one in the front parlor parlor and the other above it in the Master bedroom.. But two smaller fireplaces in the back of the house, which were probably 200d stoves for the summer kitchen and winter kitchen are gone.

One of the precious owners added drywall over aged plaster in many room. I removed some of t and discovered some cool wallpapers. I took samples and made a wallpaper diary. Upstairs in the library there was the most incredible red chinese wallpaper with female figures and hand painted trees. I wasn't able to save it, so I left much of it under three walls.

In a walled up closet I did find boxes of old records from the 40's and before. I don't have a player for them, but set them aside for when I do.

I have come to really appleciate that back then, they really understood how to make a house flow, vent, breathe, and last.

Quote - In a walled up closet I did find boxes of old records from the 40's and before. I don't have a player for them, but set them aside for when I do.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/90a0/

:-D

Now that is very cool, isn't it. Thanks for that links. :D

Anton, this is so cool! You are in the UK? We have an old Victorian Queen Anne Style (turrets) house in a rural village Holly in Michigan, US, we have been restoring for 21 years. I grew up in an old house in Detroit, and have always loved old houses. You may have a kitchen. Kitchens were often seperate from the main house or in a basement because of fires. A friend of mine has a house in Detroit that has three basements. A wine cellar, a pool (the game - billiards) room, and a recreation room.) Old houses cost a lot to fix up and heat, but they are so cool!!!!! New houses have not much character.

I just re-read this thread. Fruit cellar????? My grandmother was a German immigrant and we had a fruit cellar. She canned and cooked in the basement of our house in Detroit and we even had a little kitchen down there because there was no air conditioning those days. She even made her own ketchup. We had an old gas stove on legs and a farm table from her farm when Detroit was still rural. Too bad you are not here in the states. All of you could come see our old old Queen Anne!! Our next-door neighboor has secret rooms in hers!

Not sure about the temperature in Maine, but in DE, my folks' house has a dirt-floor section of the basement that's essentially a glorified closet, but was intended for storing home-made canned goods and wine together, so there is hope. That's a gorgeous, gorgeous house! What I wouldn't give for that much space. grin