Father and Son Entrepreneurs Create Wine Cellar Cooling System

May 8, 2009-- The founders of Air Innovations, father and son Larry and Mike Wetzel, have spent most of their careers designing and manufacturing specialty air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. They also are both passionate about collecting fine wines. It became only a matter of time before they applied their expertise in both subjects to building a better wine cellar cooling system. The result was Wine Guardian, a commercial-grade unit sold in North America and Europe, first introduced by the company in 1998.

The Wetzel family's first wine cellar was hand-dug by Larry and a teenaged Mike under their 1820's farmhouse foundation, utilizing the natural coolness and humidity from the earth and stone surrounding it. From that date forward, wine cellars became an essential part of their future residences.

The first attempt at providing artificial cooling came about in Larry's 1989 house renovation and involved using a home air conditioner--still the basic framework for many wine cooling units today. It soon became apparent that the unit couldn't adequately keep the recommended 55 degrees Fahrenheit nor provide the proper humidity. It was also cumbersome and noisy. After studying what was available for purchase, the Wetzels determined they could build a better product, and soon Wine Guardian was born.

Larry, who is an active member of the international burgundy wine organization, the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, has a WG-controlled 900-bottle cellar in his Cazenovia, New York home and another 200-bottle cellar in his second home on Nantucket. Mike, who lived in Strasbourg, France for several years and is particularly knowledgeable about the wines of the Alsace, recently installed a 600-bottle cellar in his home on Skaneateles Lake, one of the wine-producing Finger Lakes in Central New York. His cellar features a ducted, water-cooled Wine Guardian with humidifier, which is installed in an adjacent mechanical room and mounted over the door to conserve space.

Wine Guardian wine cellar cooling units can be ordered in four sizes to condition fine wine collections from 20,000 bottles to fewer than 500 bottles, and are designed to maintain optimal temperature and humidity so wine can be kept at the correct aging temperature. The units are self-contained and ductable, which makes them quiet and easy to install in many different types of locations, up to 25 feet away from the actual wine cellar. Wine Guardian products are made of commercial-grade components and corrosion-resistant, powder-coated aluminum for durability. They are ETL and CSA safety certified.

Wine Guardian products are distributed internationally, and representatives can help customers determine which size unit and what options are best suited for their wine cellar design and storage needs and the preservation and enjoyment of their valuable wine investments.

Wine Guardian is a registered trademark of Air Innovations®, which designs and manufactures Wine Guardian wine cooling systems at its headquarters in Syracuse, New York. Air Innovations, established in 1986, builds specialty air conditioning, refrigeration and environmental control products that also are used in the defense, aerospace, healthcare, semiconductor and retail industries.

Air Innovations President and CEO Mike Wetzel (left) and Chairman Larry Wetzel design and build Wine Guardian wine cellar cooling products at AI corporate headquarters located near the wine-producing Finger Lakes region of Central New York

For more information on Wine Guardian products, visit www.wineguardian.com, call toll-free 800-825-3268 in the U.S. and Canada (315-452-7400 other international) or write info(at)wineguardian.com.