Wine Cooler

For someone starting out in this most enjoyable of pursuits, there is a learning curve involved such as knowing where to buy the best wines, what type of wines are ageable, the best time to drink and so on. One of the most important considerations is the storage environment of the wine. Most collectors and drinkers of fine wine store it in a wine cellar or use a wine cooler. A wine cooler is also commonly referred to as a wine fridge.

Though a wine cellar is the most popular and the recommended means of storing wine, it is not possible for all wine enthusiasts to own such an area in the home. A wine cooler is the perfect answer in such a situation as the right type of wine fridge will ensure the wine collection is stored in the most suitable condition.

The type of wine cooler necessary is entirely dependent on the wines that are part of a collection. Some say it is best to purchase a wine cooler with the capacity to store three times as many wines currently in the home. It is no good buying a fridge that has insufficient space to store all the required wine.

At the same time, buying a big wine cooler not utilised to full will result in wastage in terms of buying costs and the electrical energy used to run the appliance. It will also take up much space in the home which could be put to better use especially where space is in short supply. Where the number wines that require storage is small, a mini wine cooler is the best option.

Another consideration is the type of wine(s) the wine cooler fridge will store. There are many types of wines including White Wine, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Rose Wine, Dessert Wine and so on. As each wine is different in terms of the type of grape used, ageing and fermentation process, they require storage at different temperatures.

For example will the wine cooler consist of only red or white wine or will it incorporate a combination. For people storing different types of wine all at the same time, it is important to purchase a wine cooler with a duel or multi zone. It enables the fridge to have different temperature sections and allow different wines to chill at together.

For storing wines in the best state, in addition to temperature considerations, light and humidity is something to take into account.

Wine becomes damaged when exposed to ultra violet or fluorescent lights from the sun or artificial sources. As a result all quality wine coolers provide compartments where wine is cooled in the darkness. There are drink fridges advertised as suitable for all types of drinks from soft drink, beer to wine but without darkened doors, wine will deteriorate and become impaired.

Humidity is of concern because of the use of corks to act as a seal. If the humidity of the wine chiller is too low and cork is imperfect in any way, the wine can evaporate from the bottle. It also results in the cork becoming free from moisture which lead to problems with securing the bottle. Quality wine coolers take humidity into consideration and a humidity level around 50 to 70 per cent is adequate for most wines.

A further consideration is the vibrations the wine cooler produce. Vibrations in the fridge results in wine moving within the bottle and leads to the drink becoming damaged. There are thermoelectric wine coolers which produce no noise while operating and there is also certain type of compressor fridges designed to minimise the movement within the fridge container.

Many types of wine fridges are on the market today from established names such as Edgestar, Baumatic, Samsung, Caple, AEG, Bosch and so on. Before making a purchase, it is best to take all the important factors listed into consideration. For the wine lover a wine fridge is a great idea, with the right choice of wine cooler, it is something that will enhance the wine drinking experience.