Large Home Appliances

A wine refrigerator may seem like a frivolous expense that only rich people and “wine snobs” would concern themselves with. But, in truth, if you enjoy entertaining and you enjoy wine, it can be a great addition to your home appliance collection-especially if you are someone who likes to collect and serve vintage wines. A “wine cooler” as this refrigerator is sometimes called, keeps the wine at an ideal storing and serving temperature. It is a lot less expensive and takes up a lot less space than a wine cellar, so it is affordable for even beginning wine enthusiasts.

Is It Different Than A Regular Refrigerator?

A wine refrigerator is different from your regular refrigerator in many important ways. This is why many people choose to get a special refrigerator for their wine. Your food refrigerator is kept at well below 50 degrees-this is well below the ideal temperature for storing wines. Also the refrigerator in your home is opened and closed several times each day which alters the temperature many times which is bad for wine storage. A wine refrigerator maintains the temperature at the perfect level for wine and it is not opened and closed several times every day.

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The basic purpose of a wine cellar is to effectively control the aging process of wine. Once bottled, wine starts to mature, so proper storage is essential for it to mature in the right manner. The advantage of having a wine cellar is that you don’t have to go out and get a bottle of wine every time you are ready to sit down and eat, or want to enjoy a glass. Having your own cellar enables you to plan and store wines for special occasions, even the odd unforeseen ones.

A wine cellar is basically a storage place for wine. Any dark cool room will do; it doesn’t necessarily have to be underground. A wine cellar can be any location from a spot below the basement staircase to a room built especially for this purpose. Innovators work with the homeowner to design a cellar, which might include carvings, pillars, molding along the wall and perhaps a decorative wine-tasting table that is usually positioned outside the cellar. Traditionally, a wine cellar was underground because such a location kept the wines at a proper temperature. Ideally, a wine cellar should be dry and cool. The ideal temperature to be maintained is 50°- 55°F, but a reasonably consistent temperature between 45°F and 70°F is acceptable. What’s important is that the temperature remains constant. If there are changes to the temperature, the change shouldn’t be drastic. Although wines age faster in warmer temperatures, excessive heat can damage the wine. Expertise lies in getting the temperature just right.

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