Hi all, the wife and I are in the midst of a full on kitchen remodel. We've recently found a love for wine and have worked a small (28-34 bottle) under counter wine cooler into our design. The problem we have now, is deciding on exactly what to get. Everything we've looked at seems to have temp controls that allow settings for reds OR whites. But considering that we enjoy both, what do we do here? I have seen a few models that offer two seperate sections in the same unit, with different temp controls for each. But some of the reviews I've read of those (avanti models) were rather mixed. I know some varieties simply don't need to be chilled at all. But is the difference in temp between chilled reds and whites so different that it would be bad to put them both in at the same temp?
I installed a U-Line 60 bottle cooler. It is a standard cabinet width and height so it was easy to remove an existing kitchen cabinet and slide the U-Line in place. The bottom shelves are cooler than the top so I put whites on the lower shelves and reds on the upper shelves. U-Line is expensive but worth it. Mine is 13 years old and works good as new.
In the Beginning (about 7 years ago), there was Avanti. You had your choice between a 24 bottle model or a 34 bottle model. Then came Danby, Haier - all reputable vendors of small appliances. Eventually, everyone and his brother began importing Chinese dorm refrigerators and marketing them under "Private Labels." Stateside, Marvel and U-Line had always offered front-vented, "built-in capable" alternatives produced in the U.S. and priced accordingly. Capacities have grown, esthetic offerings have diversified and the hi-tech nonsense has taken over. Now Marvel makes Viking, U-Line makes Echelon, Sub-Zero makes a fortune .... Every appliance maker has gotten into the act. And none have reinvented the laws of physics.
Wine refrigerators can meet some applications. If you live in Phoenix & are used to warmer-than-civilized household temperatures ... if you have a second home or travel extensively and the A/C thermostat is set high ... if you have a neat wet bar in the rec room and want a toy in the cabinet system ... then a wine refrigerator may make sense.
In any event, these things are not suitable for "storage" in a technical sense. We're dealing with machines and Mother Nature here, so there are no absolute answers. But any wine that is going to be around a couple of years from now belongs in a more appropriate environment than a wine refrigerator. That's why capacities are moderate (~150) ... the assumption is that you'll "consume and replace" within the next year or so.
If you do have a handful of "aging" wines, rent a locker in a proper storage facility - any major metro area will have a few.
On the other hand, over 70% of the wine bottled is ready to drink the same day. Given that there's a $Gazillion (at last estimate) in wine inventories sitting @ 72 degrees in wine shops, restaurants and bars (all perfectly safe), there's no material difference between racking a bottle in the dining room or wine refrigerator for most folks.
We're still trying to figure out this "Multi Temp" thing. As with hamburger meat, "storage" temperature is significantly distinct from "serving" temperature for wine. An enclosure, somewhere between 12 and 24 cubic feet, cooled by a single machine, cannot consistently maintain a 25 degree differential internally. Even if it could, you'd have a hurricane inside.
A consistent, single temperature of 55 - 57 degrees is optimum for any wine for long term storage. Consistency between ~ 50 and ~ 75 is perfectly OK in the short term. The wild swings that can result from under-engineered, "Multi Temp" machines aren't particularly good for the wine - and you'll ultimately be chilling or decanting a given bottle before serving anyway.
Haier, Avanti, Danby are quality imports with a stable and reputable North American presence ... even the more expensive American products - Marvel, U-Line, Sub-Zero, Viking, etc. are obviously superior products. On the other hand, there are a few alternative, imported "brands" that have neither the service histories, warranties, nor vendor support provided by mainstream lines. Stick with the aforementioned and you'll be OK. Anything actually built in the States is a safe choice.
These are just refrigerators - there is nothing"special" about any of them. The principles are pretty simple, as are the mechanical systems.
A true wine cellar will cool slowly and gently to avoid severe fluctuations in temperature. It must access the ambient fresh air supply in order to achieve/maintain appropriate humidity levels.
Refrigerators with modified thermostats have no means by which to access the ambient absolute humidity and they cool relatively quickly. When an area is cooled quickly, the warm air (and the associated humidity) is evacuated quickly.
1/3 of the battle is temperature (mid 50's), but fluctuations can have adverse effects, long term, and the dehydrative effect of quick cooling can lead to oxidation/evaporation of the wine.
To the extent wine refrigerators accomplish anything, just keep your wine in the mid 50's. Any red wine that you remove with your 98.6 degree hands, decant and decant or allow to breathe in a 72 degree dining room will warm to proper serving temp in short order. Stick your whites and sparklings in the kitchen fridge for 1/2 an hour - or freezer for 15 minutes ....
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