The terms wine cooler and wine refrigerator are used interchangeably and refer to the same type of wine refrigeration appliance. A wine cooler or wine refrigerator is a shorter term wine storage appliance. A wine cooler or wine refrigerator keeps wine at appropriate storage and serving temperatures, which, depending on the type of wine that is being stored, range from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 4 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius. A wine cooler or wine refrigerator typically holds up to 60 to 70 bottles of wine. Wine coolers or wine refrigerators are excellent for shorter term storage and aging of wines and should be used to store ready to drink wines at their proper serving temperatures. Wine coolers or wine refrigerators are generally not intended to age wine for multiple years.
In contrast to wine coolers or wine refrigerators, wine cabinets are intended for longer term wine storage and are designed to keep wine at 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 13 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are typically considered to be ideal conditions for the longer term storage of wine. Further, wine cabinets’ cooling systems are usually structured to maintain humidity levels up to 70% versus the typical 50% to 60% that is achieved in wine coolers or wine refrigerators. Higher humidity levels better protect and keep the cork snug in the neck of the bottle. Wine cabinets store bigger collections of wine with larger systems holding 500 bottles or more. Lastly, most wine cabinets have detailed wood finishes and trim and thus double as attractive furniture pieces.
A traditional wine cellar is an underground wine storage area. Underground wine cellars naturally provide ideal conditions for aging wine. Underground areas, typically caves or other natural spaces, provide consistent cool temperatures, high humidity and low light levels. Underground wine cellars date back thousands of years to ancient Roman civilizations and beyond. The Romans used underground catacombs to store their wine. People in CE or AD Europe used caves for the same purposes. Today, a wine cellar can refer to: 1) a below ground structure that, naturally provides the cool and humid conditions needed for longer term wine aging or 2) an above ground wine storage area with temperature and humidity maintained by a climate control system. Both above and below ground wine cellars are usually large storage areas holding hundreds to thousands of wine bottles at typically 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 13 degrees Celsius, and up to 70% humidity.
In contrast to wine coolers, wine refrigerators and wine cellars, which store and cool up to hundreds to thousands of wine bottles, a wine chiller normally refers to a single or double wine bottle holder that is kept cooled in a chilling device until needed. When a bottle of wine needs to be chilled, the wine bottle is placed inside the wine chiller for five to ten minutes. Wine chillers can cool wine bottles for hours before needing to be replaced back into the freezer for cooling.
A wine rack is a storage device that characteristically holds bottles of wine on their side. Traditional wooden wine storage racks are used in wine cellars. Modified wine storage racks are also employed in wine cabinets and wine coolers or wine refrigerators.
Published 7/15/2009 12:00:00 AM
Tags: Wine Coolers, Wine Refrigerators, Wine Cabinets, Wine Cellars, Wine Chillers, Wine Racks