Why You Should Store Wine In A Wine Cooler And What Features To Look For When Buying One

If you are passionate about wine, then you must store it correctly. Due to various chemical reactions, all the wine will eventually go out, this is accelerated by storing it at the wrong temperature, the wrong humidity, or worse, the wrong temperature and the wrong humidity; To delay this, you must store your wine properly. After all, it doesn’t matter if you’ve spent a few pounds on a bottle of wine, or thousands of pounds, you don’t want to store it, only to find that when you come to drink it, it has skyrocketed. Storing it properly will ensure that your wine lasts longer.

We have all seen large country houses with cellars where wine can be properly stored at the right temperature and humidity. Unfortunately, today, not many of us have such facilities; This is where the wine cooler comes in. The wine cellar stores the wine at the proper temperature and humidity until you are ready to enjoy it. This is vital if you are going to store it for personal consumption at a later date, or if you plan to store it as an investment – the right wine cellar will reproduce the temperature and humidity of a traditional cellar. Wine coolers range from countertop refrigerators containing a small number of bottles that can be placed virtually anywhere, to refrigerators designed to blend into your kitchen, to large freestanding refrigerators intended to hold many bottles for the serious wine connoisseur or a hotel o Wine coolers are specifically designed to help you store your wine properly and mimic the conditions of a cool, humid cellar.

So, I hear you say, “Can’t I just keep my wine in my home refrigerator?” No! Your normal household refrigerator has three main problems. First of all, it is too cold to store the wine for more than a week, which means it will turn off faster. Second, the humidity is wrong and changes considerably depending on what’s in your fridge and how you use it. This is not a problem with screw cap wines, however this can greatly influence the effectiveness of a cork in preventing air from reaching your wine. Third, you store many other items in your refrigerator with strong smells and tastes that can contaminate your wine. So only if you have no other alternative, you should use your home refrigerator to store your wine, and then only for a while. “Ok, what about my beer cooler?” No! Beer coolers have become hugely popular in recent years. However, they are generally small versions of your home refrigerator, meaning they are too cold. They have the advantage that, in general, foods with strong tastes and odors are not stored in them; however, they generally do not have racks inside to ensure that the wines can be stored properly on their sides and do not control humidity. So, better than a household fridge? Possibly. As good a place to store wine as a wine cooler? Certainly not!

So once you’ve decided to protect your wine and store it properly, the next obvious question is “What features should I look for when buying a refrigerator?” This can be a potentially confusing topic, so let’s take a look at the features you might want to consider when deciding which refrigerator to buy. The characteristics of your wine cellar will determine how effective it is for storing your wine, as well as how easy it is to live with it on a day-to-day basis. Choose the wrong refrigerator and very soon you may regret your decision. Choose the right refrigerator and you can enjoy many happy years of use. The following is not an exhaustive list, but it does contain some of the things to consider when choosing your refrigerator.

• Freestanding, built-in or countertop– Where do you plan to put your fridge? Basically, there are three types of refrigerators, freestanding, built-in (sometimes called ‘built-in’) or countertops. Freestanding refrigerators can easily be placed in any available space or can be used to proudly display your wine in the middle of your lounge or restaurant. Built-in refrigerators are an integral part of your kitchen and as such your kitchen would need to be modified or designed accordingly. Finally, the countertop refrigerator is a simple addition to your existing space and can be added virtually anywhere.
• Close with key– Where do you plan to have your fridge? Do you need to restrict access in any way? In a household refrigerator, this may be to prevent young children from accessing your wine. In a commercial refrigerator, this may be to restrict access, if, for example, your refrigerator is in the middle of a busy restaurant. In addition to this, by restricting the opening amount of the refrigerator, the temperature and humidity in the refrigerator will not fluctuate as much.
• Multiple temperature zones– Are you planning to store different types of wines in your refrigerator or do you plan to serve wine straight from your refrigerator? This may require different temperatures. By having a refrigerator with different zones, you have much more flexibility in how you use it, and you may be able to get away with it without using a wine cooler.
• Anti-vibration– Some existing refrigerators have “anti-vibration” cooling systems. Consider how much your home refrigerator vibrates each time the compressor is turned on, these vibrations will disturb the sediment in your wine. By having an anti-vibration function in your refrigerator, your wine will remain unaltered.
• Temperature range and setting– Different wines must be stored and served at different temperatures. By having a setting available to you, you can configure your refrigerator accordingly. Keep in mind that wine coolers can chill OR HEAT your wine to the perfect temperature.
• Noise– Where do you plan to put your fridge? There is a big difference in the noise that some refrigerators generate. If you plan to put your refrigerator in a laundry room, then this is not a problem. However, if you are placing your refrigerator next to your dining room table, it just might be!
• Humidity control– When storing wine, humidity and temperature are important. Higher spec refrigerators also control this. Obviously, if you plan to put £ 10 bottles of wine in your fridge then you’re not going to spend thousands of dollars on a fridge. However, if you store many bottles of wine that are worth hundreds or thousands of pounds, you may want to invest in a high-end refrigerator that controls humidity to protect your investment.
• Tinted glass– UV light will speed up the process, which means your wine will fade over time. Many refrigerators have tinted glass or glass that blocks UV light to prevent this from happening, thus replicating a dark basement. Please note that you should never store your fridge, and therefore your wine, in direct sunlight.
• Sliding shelves– Many refrigerators have shelves that slide out so you can easily find and access your wine.
• Turning on– Not only does your refrigerator lighting help you find your wine, but many refrigerators have LED lighting that can be colored, giving your refrigerator a sleek and contemporary look, turning your refrigerator into a display case to display your collection of fine wines.

So if you want to get the most out of your wine, or you know someone who is passionate about wine, make sure it’s stored properly and invest in a wine cellar. With the information in this article, you should be well on your way to making an informed decision about the best refrigerator for you.