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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 accessories are continually introduced as wine aficionados 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.
Wine refrigerators are quickly becoming a must have accessory for those who enjoy wine as a part of their lives. These units are available in a wide variety of price ranges, from bargain priced models to others running well into the thousands of dollars. If you're considering a wine refrigerator, here's five questions to ask before making a purchase.
How Large?
The best advice we can give in terms of what size wine refrigerator to buy is this: when in doubt, go larger. Here's why ... if you're considering buying a wine refrigerator, let's face it, you're into wine. Many first time buyers quickly outgrow their wine storage capacity, so plan ahead. As you learn more about wine and try new styles, you'll tend to stock up more. That's exactly what happened to us as we discovered some fantastic finds on our U.S. wine trails excursions.
What about Storing Reds and Whites Together?
Feel free to store both your red and white wines, but be aware there are storage temperature differences between the two. In essence, reds are normally stored at higher temperature than whites. If you enjoy and store both red and white wine, consider buying a wine refrigerator with dual zone temperature controls. This will ensure your wine is stored at the proper temperature.
What Storage Factors Should I Consider?
While we hadn't considered it before our purchase, we really appreciate our wine refrigerator's slide out shelving. Also, we've noticed that wineries are bottling in slightly different sized bottles more frequently in the past. A good question to ask is whether the unit you're considering can store magnum style (slightly larger) bottles.
What Should I Do About Temperature And Humidity?
Proper temperature and humidity levels are crucial in proper wine storage. The best universal temperature for wine storage is 55 degrees. Humidity levels are also important to prevent dried out corks. Remember, cooler temperatures reduce humidity, so keep your wine stored at humidity levels between 50 and 70 percent. Also, consider where you'll keep your wine refrigerator. If it's in an area with frequent temperature fluctuations, like a garage, make sure the unit you buy is well insulated to withstand these fluctuations.
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.
Author: Jim Hofman
Jim Hofman is an author specializing in wine and beer, and is the owner of several websites devoted to wine travel and enjoyment of wine. Be sure to visit Jim's wine resource site for more insight and recommendations about wine accessories, wine storage, and wine refrigerators.
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