Wine Refrigerators - Five Questions To Ask Before Buying

With an ever growing interest in all things wine, wine lovers have a wide array of accessories and storage options to enhance their wine experience. New stylish wine accesssories are continually introduced as wine affecionados seek out the best ways to share and enjoy serving wine. Let's take a look at wine storage, a very important aspect of wine enjoyment.

If you're a wine lover and don't own a wine refrigerator, chances are you will as your wine collections grows. Wine refrigerators are available for any level of collector and at several price points. Before you buy a wine refrigerator, here are five questions you should ask, along with a few pointers to help you choose.

Big, Small, Or In Between?

Chances are, if you're buying a wine refrigerator, you're pretty much into wine. There are some obvious considerations relating to the best size for you, the first of which is space consideration. Have a clear plan where you'll place the unit within your home and where it best fits within your decor. When in doubt, lean toward a larger unit, as most first time buyers tend to see their wine collection quickly outgrow their storage capacities.

What About Storing Reds And Whites Together?

There's absolutely no problem storing red and white wines together, as long as you're aware of temperature storage needs for each style. In general, reds should be stored at warmer temperatures than whites. So, if you enjoy red wine and white wine and plan to have both on hand, buy a wine refrigerator with dual or multiple zone temperature controls. Doing so allows you enjoy the very best flavor of all your wines.

What Storage Features Should I Look For?

Our wine refrigerator features slide out shelving, making it extremely convenient to access our bottle choice. We hadn't thought of this feature as being important, but it's recommended. Also, make sure your unit can store magnum sized bottles. Some wineries bottle their wine in larger than standard bottles, which are normally about 3.5 inches wide. It's worth checking to see if your chosen unit can handle slightly larger bottles.

What About Temperature And Humidity?

The most important aspect of wine storage is temperature and humidity. Ideal wine storage temperature is 55 degrees, and ideal humidity percentage is between 50 and 70. You'll also need to consider where you're going to place your wine refrigerator. For example, if you'll place your unit in the garage, make sure the wine refrigerator is well insulated so that fluctuating temperatures don't adversely affect wine storage conditions.

Any Other Tips?

Expect to pay about $100 for a small six bottle model, and well over $1000 for a unit holding 50+ bottles. If you're storing your refrigerator in a secluded place in your home, choose function over style. Conversely, if your wine refrigerator will occupy a more prominent place, make sure the unit is quiet enough to live with. Finally, remember that proper wine storage is crucial to enjoying your wine to its fullest potential. Storage at proper temperature keeps a wine fresh, and allows you to enjoy the full bouquet of flavor.