Grand Cru Wine Fridges

[asajoseph]

Hi everyone - just wondering if anyone has any experience with these?

How is the long-term performance? Do they hold a good temp? They look flash on the website - but reviews are impossible to find, and hard to judge the build quality / spec from what I can find online.

Cheers!

[Matt@5453]

Hi everyone - just wondering if anyone has any experience with these?

How is the long-term performance? Do they hold a good temp? They look flash on the website - but reviews are impossible to find, and hard to judge the build quality / spec from what I can find online.

Cheers!

I bought a 194-bottle single zone unit back in 2018 for work. Paid just over $3K for it online.
Performance has been excellent. Temperature has been fine.
Agreed - they are very nice looking units, that was part of the decision at the time.

So far so good.

[asajoseph]

Cheers Matt - mind if I ask which model specifically?

[Matt@5453]

Cheers Matt - mind if I ask which model specifically?

Its the Grand Cru Pro 194P

[redstuff]

I purchased two Grand Cru 320s in early 2016. During summer here in Canberra only the bottom shelf can maintain the set temperature. For example, mine are set to 13 C and there is a temperature gradient that goes up to the top shelf which can get to 22 C. This year wasn't as hot so only got to about 19 C. The problem is there is one fan at the top that is useless at circulating the air inside.

www.grandcruwinefridges.com.au/products/grand-cru-320

[asajoseph]

Thanks for that input redstuff - that does not sound ideal... Is the ambient temperature particularly high around your fridge? I don't think I could accept a 22 degree temp in there...

Asa

[redstuff]

Thanks for that input redstuff - that does not sound ideal... Is the ambient temperature particularly high around your fridge? I don't think I could accept a 22 degree temp in there...

Asa

Room temp in the wine room gets to about 27 to 30 C some days but those temperatures get relaxed as nights in Canberra cool down a bit. I know of another that bought the same pair of fridges (it's actually sold as the Grand Cru 640D) that has simillar temperature variation. These fridges have gone up in price considerably! When purchased they were $3K each now $5K. I would spend that money on cold room panels and an aircon tbh. I keep my champagnes and whites on the lower shelves and ending up with screwcap Barossa reds of lower value at the top. My 10 year old 170 bottle vintec just died, which contains all the top tier stuff - not sure what I'm going to do now!

[asajoseph]

Yikes.

Don't think I'll be locating my fridge in a room that gets above 20 degrees (partially below grade and naturally fairly well insulated), but I don't think I can quite get my head around a product which can't achieve some semblance of consistency on internal temperature. It's just not worth the risk with the wine.

That said, with all the horror stories I've read about Vintecs, and some of the more recent stuff I've seen on Liebherr, I think I may just bite the bullet and splash out on Eurocaves....

[cuttlefish]

The two Liebherr's I purchased about 6 years ago have been good fridges and seem to hold tenp pretty well. They make a slight running noise. Hopefully they keep on keeping on. I try to leave them alone as much as I possibly can.
They're the all-black solid door version (as opposed to glass-door). I have had no issues with condensation or mold thus far. One for whites and one for reds and both set and forget at 14 celsius.

[tarija]

That said, with all the horror stories I've read about Vintecs, and some of the more recent stuff I've seen on Liebherr, I think I may just bite the bullet and splash out on Eurocaves....

Are Eurocave that much better?

Only 2 years warranty, so it is no better than all the other common brands. Eurocave price is ridiculous as well, $11,000 for a 170 bottle fridge?! I could store 170 bottles of wines offsite for 15-18 years at that price.

[asajoseph]

I'm prepared to pay for quality in this situation. My key concerns are:

1. Performance of the unit, including ability to hold a consistent, even temperature throughout, as well as the usual protection against light & vibration (anecdotally I read much about the former, almost nothing about the latter).
2. Longevity of the unit - how long will this thing actually work for.

I honestly pay little attention to warranties - perhaps if the unit completely collapses, but unless they're extreme, I don't foresee it being practical to expect protection in a warranty for issues like internal temperature inconsistency or variation. If the unit just isn't designed or built well enough to begin with, a warranty isn't much use.

Based on anecdotal evidence (i.e. what I've read on forums over the years), I believe EuroCave is the best, most reliable unit - albeit the most expensive by some distance. I have previously heard very good things about Liebherr, but recently read a review which indicated that the internal temperatures were not consistent, which has given me pause.

On one hand, I don't want to fork out more than I need to (who does!) but given the value of the wine going into it, I see the $$$ savings from investing in a cheaper unit now if the quality isn't right as a complete false economy.

[asajoseph]

The two Liebherr's I purchased about 6 years ago have been good fridges and seem to hold tenp pretty well. They make a slight running noise. Hopefully they keep on keeping on. I try to leave them alone as much as I possibly can.
They're the all-black solid door version (as opposed to glass-door). I have had no issues with condensation or mold thus far. One for whites and one for reds and both set and forget at 14 celsius.

Thanks - I think I prefer the glass-fronted options (this cabinet will be somewhere where it will be v. visible), but I'd be interested to know how you've found the internal temperature consistency - is it even top-to-bottom in the cabinet?

Cheers!

Chee

[Jimmya]

Yikes.

Don't think I'll be locating my fridge in a room that gets above 20 degrees (partially below grade and naturally fairly well insulated), but I don't think I can quite get my head around a product which can't achieve some semblance of consistency on internal temperature. It's just not worth the risk with the wine.

That said, with all the horror stories I've read about Vintecs, and some of the more recent stuff I've seen on Liebherr, I think I may just bite the bullet and splash out on Eurocaves....

I think the issues with vintecs are well known, what are the issues with Liebherrs???? these normally have very good reputations

[Alan Foo]

Cellar12.jpg

Every day is a bonus now. Bought this Transtherm Ermitage plain black door back in 2002 for $3,300. It has been kept in the garage from day one. Touch wood.......... it is still in perfect conditions since the day I bought it. It can keep about 170 to 190 bottles and I use it for long term keeping. Temperature is at 10 to 12 degrees and is a single zone.

[cuttlefish]

The two Liebherr's I purchased about 6 years ago have been good fridges and seem to hold tenp pretty well. They make a slight running noise. Hopefully they keep on keeping on. I try to leave them alone as much as I possibly can.
They're the all-black solid door version (as opposed to glass-door). I have had no issues with condensation or mold thus far. One for whites and one for reds and both set and forget at 14 celsius.

Thanks - I think I prefer the glass-fronted options (this cabinet will be somewhere where it will be v. visible), but I'd be interested to know how you've found the internal temperature consistency - is it even top-to-bottom in the cabinet?

Cheers!

Chee

Yeah, mine are single-zone, but I've never actually measured their consistency with another portable thermometer. I once had one of those, but I think I threw it out.
They seem to keep a good temperature. The bottles always feel a good temperature when I take them out.

[asajoseph]

Yikes.

Don't think I'll be locating my fridge in a room that gets above 20 degrees (partially below grade and naturally fairly well insulated), but I don't think I can quite get my head around a product which can't achieve some semblance of consistency on internal temperature. It's just not worth the risk with the wine.

That said, with all the horror stories I've read about Vintecs, and some of the more recent stuff I've seen on Liebherr, I think I may just bite the bullet and splash out on Eurocaves....

I think the issues with vintecs are well known, what are the issues with Liebherrs???? these normally have very good reputations

You say that, but I can’t even garner much by way of reliable info on vintec - mostly just from this site!

It could be nonsense, but I read a couple of reviews of Liebherr units which suggested internal consistency wasn’t great. No idea if true & how common across the range (if at all).

As I said, expertise in this area is hard to come by.

[asajoseph]

The two Liebherr's I purchased about 6 years ago have been good fridges and seem to hold tenp pretty well. They make a slight running noise. Hopefully they keep on keeping on. I try to leave them alone as much as I possibly can.
They're the all-black solid door version (as opposed to glass-door). I have had no issues with condensation or mold thus far. One for whites and one for reds and both set and forget at 14 celsius.

Thanks - I think I prefer the glass-fronted options (this cabinet will be somewhere where it will be v. visible), but I'd be interested to know how you've found the internal temperature consistency - is it even top-to-bottom in the cabinet?

Cheers!

Chee

Yeah, mine are single-zone, but I've never actually measured their consistency with another portable thermometer. I once had one of those, but I think I threw it out.
They seem to keep a good temperature. The bottles always feel a good temperature when I take them out.

Thanks mate - every piece of information is helpful!

[asajoseph]

Cellar12.jpgEvery day is a bonus now. Bought this Transtherm Ermitage plain black door back in 2002 for $3,300. It has been kept in the garage from day one. Touch wood.......... it is still in perfect conditions since the day I bought it. It can keep about 170 to 190 bottles and I use it for long term keeping. Temperature is at 10 to 12 degrees and is a single zone.

Nice wine collection…. *ahem* fridge.

Transtherm manufacture some of the vintec units, no?

[Jimmya]

Product review or the amount on gumtree that "no longer cool" provides all the info you need on vintecs....I've also previously owned one