Wine Enthusiast Companies (Wine Enthusiast) is a New York based company that manufactures wine chillers and electric corkscrews containing a small battery charger system (SBCS). From January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2017, Wine Enthusiast sold or offered for sale wine chillers and electric corkscrews containing a SBCS in California through various retailers and distributors.

During the investigation process, Energy Commission staff found that Wine Enthusiast was manufacturing and offering for sale in California, wine chillers and electric corkscrews that were not certified to the Appliance Efficiency Database (Database) per the Appliance Efficiency Regulations.

To settle this matter, Wine Enthusiast executed a settlement agreement (agreement) with the Commission on July 10, 2017, for $153,035.00. Wine Enthusiast has tested and certified all basic models of their wine chillers and electric corkscrews to the Database and has placed a zip code restriction on sales of non-compliant units. This case started as an industry complaint. The penalty monies are deposited into the Appliance Enforcement Subaccount established by SB 454 of 2011(Pavley).