Having a glass of wine is one thing. Having it served at the perfect conditions is the next level for the real wine lovers.
Why do you need a wine cooler and choosing the right one
The idea that wine needs its own cooling system can seem as preposterous as the idea of a closet only made for shoes (and yet…). But, just as every Korean family has a kimchi fridge, the wine lover should need a separate wine cooler. This is because an average refrigerator’s conditions are not ideal for fostering gentle evolution.
If wine wants to mature correctly, storage conditions should be as close as possible to an underground wine cellar. The temperature supposed to be cool but not ice cold and, crucially, the temperature should remain the same. The humidity should be relatively high. There should be no disturbance from sunlight or vibration. The vicinity shouldn’t contain anything malodorous. Give the bottles space to lie horizontally undisturbed for as long as you want or can hold off drinking them.
Many of these conditions, which are approximated as closely as possible in a wine cooler, are aimed at keeping the cork seal intact. For example, humidity doesn’t affect the wine per se, but in a dry environment the cork will dry out and lose its flexibility, allowing oxygen to enter the bottle too quickly and mess up the wine.
The temperature change will affect both the cork and the wine itself. When the bottle is placed at a temperature of 28ºC or more, the cork seal will break and wine will leak out of the bottle. Most sensible wine storage stays below 20ºC. When looking at white wine bottles, the sparkly crystals you sometimes spot in the bottom of whites stored in the fridge are just organic acids that have been forced out of solution.
Too much movement and vibration will trigger unpredictable chemical reactions like a reduction in certain acids and aromatic compounds, leaving your treasured bottles stripped of their specialness. Natural light can cause so-called “light strike,” which is a particular risk for clear bottles that do not block out enough UV (Cristal, we’re looking at you). Having a wine cooler will solve all these issues. Wine coolers can store the bottle horizontal, stable, UV-protected, a constant temperature that can be changed to your desires and nice fancy look.
Which size to choose?
As you understand by now the need for special storage, how to choose a fridge? An important aspect to consider is your lifestyle and level of interest in wine. If you have external storage but entertain regularly at home, a large 180 bottle wine cooler is sufficient, while if you drink at home only occasionally a 40-bottle model will do. If you’d rather not get external storage, consider going up to a 66-bottle fridge to give yourself some space for medium-term storage. For the casual drinker who simply wants the few bottles they enjoy to be stored properly (good on you!) those cute 24-bottle models to allow you to cater a good party or two.
To make it easy for you in terms of placing or installing. There are multiple sorts of wine coolers available on the market. Under counter wine fridges, built in wine cooler, stand-alone wine coolers, wine racks, freestanding wine coolers, and so on. Compare your desires with the options that are available and go for the best.
White and red wines in one wine cooler
Wine coolers also provide multi zone wine cooling systems. For example a dual zone wine cooling system will make it easy for you to cool your white and red wine in the same device. Without any worries and temperature differences as every zone can be set up the right temperature.
In the end it’s all about what’s available in your market, fits into your budget and suits your desires for enjoying a wine at its best.
