About Wine Guardian
Wine Guardian is a world-renowned leader in wine cellar cooling. An Air Innovations company, we combine the resources of a global leader in environmental control systems with a passion and expertise in wine preservation to deliver wine cellar cooling units to meet every need, from the largest commercial cellars to small cellars for wine storage at home.
Wine cellar cooling systems, built on innovation.
Regardless of the size or type of the wine cellar, Wine Guardian systems have been consistently relied upon to deliver superior performance in wine cellar temperature and humidity control, ensuring the perfect conditions for your wine collection.
Meet the father and son entrepreneurs who created Wine Guardian
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 are also 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 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 has WG-controlled 900-bottle cellar in his Cazenovia, New York home and another 200-bottle cellar in his second home on Nantucket. Mike recently installed a 600-bottle cellar in his home on Skaneateles Lake, one of the wine-producing Finger Lakes in Central New York. He is using a ducted, water-cooled Wine Guardian cooling unit with humidifier. It is installed in an adjacent mechanical room, mounted over the door to conserve space.
Wine Guardian manufactures ducted, ducted split, ductless split, and through-the-wall wine cellar cooling units, along with offering cellar humidifiers, and sends these wine conditioning systems all across the globe.
Meet Wine Guardian Sales & Service
Chris Jones
Division Manager, USA and Canada
Chris Jones is the Wine Guardian Division Manager and is responsible for leading and managing domestic Wine Guardian Sales to achieve sales targets and expand market share. Chris is a graduate of Geneseo State University and has over 30 years of sales and sales management experience across numerous industries. Professionally, he has been recognized by his past employers with 16 Presidents Club and 28 100% Club Sales achievement awards.
John Patalita
Export Manager
John Patalita serves as Director of International Sales at Wine Guardian. He has over 25 years of experience in marketing, new product development and sales. John worked in Europe for ten years and speaks fluent English, French, Polish and Spanish. Turn to him for expert direction on wine cellar applications outside the U.S. and Canada.
Adam Nardone
Applications Engineer
Adam Nardone is Wine Guardian’s Applications Engineer. He graduated from Monroe Community College with an Associate’s in Mechanical Engineering Technology. Adam explains Wine Guardian systems and runs heat loads to ensure every customer has the ideal cooling system for their cellar. Outside of work, Adam enjoys kayaking around the finger lakes, hiking and camping in the Adirondacks with friends, and fishing. Contact Adam today for your wine cooling system selection.
Maria Carey
Customer Service / Account Manager
Maria is Wine Guardian’s Account Manager. She has 20 plus years of experience in customer service. She assists management with customer inquiries, works with distributors, coordinates with parts and service, writes orders and tracks shipping. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her two cats Buster and Lilly.
Russ Warner
Technical Support Manager
Russ Warner works with Wine Guardian customers on installation and operational questions they may have about Wine Guardian systems and equipment. In addition, he tracks issues in the field and works with Wine Guardian’s engineering and manufacturing departments to ensure continuous process improvement. Russ has over 30 years experience with the company and is there when you need him for expert installation and technical product support.