Wine Cooler Buyers Guide
You may have heard the expression “aged like a fine wine”. The goal in storing wine is to age or at least preserve it as best as possible. What many don’t know is just how delicate wines can be. A number of factors can cause the deterioration of wine, including temperature, humidity, and ultra-violet light. The most important of these is temperature. Wine can be affected by storage temperature after only a few weeks - causing loss in flavor and balance. The optimal temperature range for storing all wines is between 50ᵒ - 55ᵒ F (10ᵒ - 13ᵒ C). Wines age faster at higher temperatures and rapid aging can cause chemical reactions within the wine that change its look, taste, and aroma. Extreme high or low temperatures can also cause slow aging, cooked wine, crystal particles, and oxidation. Enter the wine cooler! Wine coolers are refrigerators specially designed to keep wine at its optimal temperature. Some wine coolers also have the ability to control other environmental factors like humidity and vibrations. Now that we understand why wine coolers are important for keeping wine at its best, let’s look at some things to consider when shopping for the perfect cooler.
Things to Consider
What types of wine do you want to store?
As you probably know, white and red wines are meant to be served at different temperatures. It may be important for you to be able to store both red and white wines at their proper serving temperatures. To accomplish this you will want to have a dual zone wine cooler or a separate cooler for each type of wine. A dual zone wine cooler, like it sounds, has two temperature zones. This allows you to set appropriate temperatures for the storage of both your red and white wines.
How much wine do you want to store?
Wine coolers range in size from single bottle chillers to room-size vaults. In general, they are sized according to their bottle capacity, or how many bottles they can hold. When looking for the cooler that best suits your needs, you’ll want to think about how many bottles of wine you keep (or will want to keep) at any point in time. A general rule of thumb is to choose a wine cooler that is a little larger than you think you need. This gives you room to grow and won’t leave you picking and choosing which wines to store properly.
What style wine cooler are you looking for?
Are you looking for a wine cooler that matches your home’s ultra-modern décor? Maybe you want something with old-world elegance that reminds you of your favorite French wine. Wine coolers come in a wide variety of styles to suit your personal taste. Many have glass doors that allow you to see what you’re storing and metal or wood accents to match most kitchens or bar areas.
What can I get for my money?
Your last consideration will most likely be price. Just as wine coolers range from single bottle chillers to huge vaults, they also range in price from under $100 into the thousands. Like with most things, you often get what you pay for. Less expensive models generally don’t have as many features, and can be less accurate in controlling temperature. Higher end wine coolers often have premium shelving and high-tech temperature, humidity, and vibration controls to ensure your wine is kept at its finest. You’ll want to weigh what features are most important to you. Are you looking for a specific size, outer appearance, or overall quality? Whatever you choose, you can rest assured that your favorite wines will be preserved better and longer with your new cooler.
