If you are a wine connoisseur or just someone into wine and the art of wine tasting, then you know what it means to invest in a good wine cooler. It is one of the best ways of storing wine, for people with just a handful of wine collections; people who for one reason or another cannot afford to put up wine cellars. The coolers as you will find out hardly require space. The same can be said about some wine cabinets. Accommodating or creating spaces for them is easy. But before going that far, just what makes a good wine cooler?
Storage capacity
This is where you have to be extremely careful. You will need a sizeable cooler with enough space for several bottles if you are an avid wine drinker. That is of course, obvious. But what happens when one still needs a cooler even when he or she drinks wine twice or thrice a month with just friends? It is easy. Simply go for a single or double wine cooler. If by any chance space is an issue, consider a simple 6 bottle or 12-bottle wine cooler. Keep in mind that there are wine coolers that can hold up to 100 wine bottles. Go for such if you have a wine store or you have friends and guests from time to time for wine tasting.
Temperature range
It is yet another important factor you need to consider. Optimum temperature for storing wine is 10 to 12 Degrees Celsius. That is for red wine. White wine is more demanding. It calls for approximately 12 degrees. The difference may be minimal, but keep in mind that wine is sensitive to temperature. Your desired cooler should therefore have sufficient temperature range if you are to store your wine collection under the right temperatures. A cooler with a temperature range of 12 to 20 Degrees Celsius is highly recommended.
Temperature control options
Temperature control option is handy for adjusting temperature depending on the wine that needs to be stored. But there is more into the options than what meets the eye. The control option is a must have for anyone who lives in an area that experiences extreme weather conditions. That is too much heat or too much cold. Both extremes can affect the quality of your wine. Go for a digital control system to be on the safe side. It is easier to control and is often accurate. Then keep in mind that some wine cabinets also come with temperature control options. They are however, expensive and hard to come across.
Humidity control
Like already hinted, humidity levels can affect the quality of your wine. Low humidity can easily dry out the corks and create space for moisture and air to enter the wine bottles. High humidity on the other hand can result in mold infestation on the cork, which is of course, a bad thing. Maintaining humidity is therefore vital as far as wine storage is concerned. You do not have to worry so much about this. There are already wine coolers in the market that come complete with dehumidifiers. You can therefore have an easy time with the coolers and store your wine under the right conditions. Then while at it, note that the right humidity level for wine is between 50 and 75%. That is the right level for proper aging.
Defrost option
It is impossible to run any cooling system without dealing with frost at one point or another. Go for wine coolers with automatic defrost options. That way, you can have a smooth time defrosting layers of accumulated ice. Remember to stick to coolers with ecofriendly and energy saving defrost systems. They may be expensive but they are worth it.
Shelving
This has everything to do with the with rack system of your desired wine cooler. Note that there are three main types of racking systems. There are wooden racks, chrome wire racks and metal racks. Of the three, chrome wire racks happen to be the best. They look appealing and are durable. The only downside with them is the fact that they may bend after some time and dent your wine bottles with scratches. Wooden racks are just as good, only that they leave less space for wide wine bottles. Metal racks expensive and heavy. Some are however polished and happen to be just as good as chrome wire racks.
Insulation
Any wine cooling system must feature impeccable insulation. Then note that wine cabinets too must have proper insulation features. That is the only way one can prevent warm air from getting into the cooler. The material used to make the door of any wine cooler should therefore be considered. Glass doors may be elegant for those who wish to display their collections. It should however be noted that the insulating capacity of glass is not as good as that of wood and other options that do not provide the see-through advantage. That is where tinted cooler doors come into the picture. They boast of high tech features that can prevent strong UV rays from taking a toll on the quality of your wine collection.
