| There are some people in this world that buy | | | | thing you'll notice about fridges in the home is that |
| wines to then hold onto them. The reason is that | | | | they vibrate. If wine undergoes vibration the wine |
| wines get better with age and also increase in | | | | will be destroyed. Make sure you store wine |
| value. This is why these sorts of people are | | | | somewhere that's vibration-free. |
| having wine cellars built. If this is you, you want to | | | | What About Air Conditioning Units? |
| make sure that your wine is kept at the optimum | | | | If you already own an air conditioning unit, it can |
| temperature and humidity. Generally it's suggested | | | | be tempting to try and use this for cooling your |
| that you aim to keep your cellar at around 55F or | | | | cellar. The problem with these units is that it dries |
| 13C and humidity levels at 70%. You might be | | | | the cork out causing oxidization because it takes |
| lucky and find your basement provides these | | | | moisture from the air. Simply turning your air con |
| conditions naturally, however if it doesn't then | | | | unit on and off throughout the day is not a clever |
| buying a wine cellar cooler is strongly advisable. | | | | idea because it causes wild fluctuation in |
| Simply putting your bottles of wine in a regular | | | | temperature. |
| fridge you would have in your kitchen just isn't | | | | No, Buy a Wine Cellar Cooler |
| going to work. Your fridge has been designed for | | | | These are the reasons you should only use an |
| keeping fresh produce such as cheese, vegetables | | | | actual wine cellar cooling unit to keep your wine |
| and meat. They are not designed for storing wine | | | | cool. There is no point in cutting corners as you'll |
| for the foreseeable future. A cold and dry | | | | only end up disappointed. |
| atmosphere is perfect for vegetables and meats | | | | These units are specifically designed to maintain |
| but useless for your vintage wine collection. | | | | the perfect temperature which will allow your |
| Do Regular Fridges Work? | | | | wines to age to perfection. The air won't suddenly |
| There are some pieces of equipment you can | | | | get cold but will gradually get colder and colder. |
| buy to rapidly make food cold to prevent it going | | | | They also don't extract moisture from the air and |
| off. The food is blasted with cold air to get it to | | | | they help maintain humidity levels. However if you |
| the temperature you desire. A thermostat | | | | live somewhere very dry such as Spain or |
| controls when the unit switches on and off. If it | | | | Arizona then you might need to supplement |
| gets too cold it switches off and when it wants | | | | humidification with a humidifier. |
| to get colder it switches on. This process | | | | For the ultimate wine cellar cooling system choose |
| continues like this. This is OK for food but for | | | | the split air system. I have to warn you though |
| wine you should avoid this sort of refrigeration at | | | | that they are very expensive and cost a lot |
| all costs. | | | | more money than standard cooling systems. |
| Regular refrigeration units not only are too cold | | | | They work by installing the unit outside and |
| but they remove too much moisture. Because | | | | circulating the air to and from your cellar and they |
| wines don't emit any moisture they are then in an | | | | are very quiet. You can even have extras such |
| environment which is wholly unsuitable. Thus | | | | as alarm units, humidifiers and dehumidifiers. |
| causing the wine corks to shrink in size letting air | | | | If you are planning a wine cellar then the chances |
| into the bottle. This is definitely not something you | | | | are that you're a bit of a wine buff and take pride |
| want to happen because air reacts badly with the | | | | in your collection. Don't do yourself an injustice by |
| wine causing it to oxidize and taste awful. Another | | | | buying equipment which simply isn't up to the job. |