With temperatures here reaching 102° F (39 C) over the past few days, it was reasonable to wonder how our passively cooled, below grade cellar would fare in such extreme conditions. Most gratifyingly, the excursion thermometer in the cellar recorded a high temperature of 61°F (16 C), well within my tolerances for cellar temperature. On a subjective basis, the trip down the stairs to the cellar involves a noticeable temperature drop with each step, as a 20° F gradient from living space to cellar is traversed in 12 steps -- quite the shock to the system!
Your faithful correspondent from the oven, Mark Lipton
obwine: NV Cedric Bouchard Blanc de Noirs Inflorescence was quite fine, if a bit rounded for my tastes.