Everything we tend to be asked — about the cellar, the Cradle, the Uva app, the install, and what it takes to own one. If something here isn't covered, write us and we'll add it.
A smart wine cellar combines architectural wine racking with sensing hardware and software, so each bottle is tracked, illuminated, and indexed in real time. Uva Cellars' system pairs custom-fabricated columns and panels with our Cradle hardware — connected racking modules that detect each bottle, light it on demand, and sync your collection to the Uva app.
The cellar reads as a piece of architecture, not a piece of tech. You see beautiful luxury racking, lit at human scale; the intelligence sits behind the wood and metal.
Each Cradle uses infrared optical sensors to detect when a bottle is placed or removed. Paired with the Uva app's catalog, the system maintains a live, position-accurate inventory of every bottle in your cellar — with no scanning, no stickers, and no manual logging.
No. Uva Cellars works with any standard wine bottle exactly as it arrives from the winery. No tags, no stickers, no chips. You catalog a bottle once in the app; the racking handles the rest.
The Cradle is engineered to accommodate the full range of wine bottle formats — Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, magnums, and large-format bottles — without compromising sensing accuracy or visual presentation.
Yes. The system is designed to retrofit existing cellars as readily as it serves new builds. We replace traditional wood, metal, or peg-style racking with our connected columns and panels, working around existing climate equipment and architectural constraints.
Most retrofits are completed without disturbing the wine itself — bottles are catalogued, moved to a temporary holding cellar, and replaced in their new positions after install.
The Uva app is the digital companion to your physical cellar. It maintains a live inventory of every bottle, controls lighting scenes, recommends bottles based on your palate, food pairing and the occasion, surfaces temperature and humidity readings, and serves drinking-window guidance for everything you own. It also acts as a personal cellar master — a way to deepen your knowledge of wine collecting and drinking through the bottles you already own.
The Uva app is available now on iOS. An Android version is in active development — join the launch list and we'll let you know the moment it ships.
The Uva app's core functionality — lighting control and cellar monitoring — is included with every cellar in perpetuity, at no additional cost.
Advanced features — live inventory tracking and the AI sommelier — are bundled as a two-year subscription with the purchase of every cellar. After that, advanced features continue on an annual basis; the cellar itself never stops working.
The system is capable of continuously monitoring temperature and humidity inside the cellar and surfaces readings and alerts through the Uva app. Active climate control — adjusting your cooling unit in response to those readings — is on the roadmap for a future app release.
Today, the cellar pairs with whatever cooling system you specify; we coordinate the integration during install.
If you don't yet have a cooling solution selected, we work with specialist partners in wine cellar cooling and humidity control. We're happy to collaborate with you and your designer to select the perfect complementary unit for your space.
Each Cradle runs on low-voltage wired power back to a central hub, with a single wifi connection from the hub to your home network. There is no per-bottle battery and no per-cradle wifi.
Core lighting and sensing continue to function offline; the app syncs when connectivity returns. Electrical requirements are documented in advance and confirmed with your contractor before install.
Because every Uva Cellars system is built bespoke to the dimensions, finishes, and bottle count of a specific space, pricing is best discussed once we've had a chance to understand your project. After a short consultation we provide a detailed, line-item proposal tailored to your cellar.
If you'd like a sense of scope before that conversation, tell us about your space — even a few photos and rough dimensions are enough to ground the discussion.
We ship and support smart wine cellars worldwide. Trained Uva install crews operate directly in Edmonton and Calgary; for projects elsewhere we provide detailed installation guides, remote oversight, and partner with vetted local trades to deliver the same finish standard anywhere.
Components ship as preassembled modules. Uva provides detailed installation and measurement guides to designers, architects, and contractors and confirms all electrical and wall-preparation requirements in advance — so coordinate with your contractor early.
Trained specialists then install the system on-site: secure the columns or panels, verify electrical connectivity, pair the app, configure lighting scenes, and confirm bottle detection.
On handover, you receive full app access and onboarding. Uva provides remote diagnostics, firmware updates, and access to future features; add-on modules are available for future expansion.
Every Uva Cellars system carries a two-year full warranty including labor, plus a five-year limited parts warranty. Firmware updates, remote diagnostics, and access to future Uva app features are included for the life of the installation.
Yes. Uva Cellars deploys in private homes, restaurants, hotels, and members' clubs. Hospitality configurations add multi-user permissions, service-floor visibility, and integration with by-the-glass and reserve-list programs.
For restaurant inquiries, reach out via the contact form with a brief sketch of your program — number of seats, list size, and whether you're outfitting a single cellar or a multi-property group.
Yes. Uva works directly with the trade — architects, interior designers, general contractors, and cellar specialists — providing CAD-ready specifications, finish samples, electrical and wall-prep requirements, and on-site coordination throughout the project schedule.
Our trade partner program is active — tell us about the project and we'll route you to the right person. And if you don't have your own designer engaged, we partner with leading interior designers who can provide renderings and help you execute your vision.
Most cellar conversations start with a few photos and a rough room dimension. Tell us about your space and we'll come back with answers, options, and a sense of scope.
