A compact wine refrigerator is the ideal way to store your wine collection in prime condition, whether you are an avid collector or just like to have a few bottles on hand to share with guests. The capacity of a wine refrigerator can range from six bottles up to 800 bottles; a compact wine refrigerator can fit under a cabinet or stand against a wall. Dual zone wine fridges can be used to store different wine types at different temperatures for drinking now or for longer-term storage and aging.

For the many people who do not have the space to build a mini wine cellar, a compact wine refrigerator can provide an ideal solution. A compact under-counter wine refrigerator will store wines at the ideal wine temperature and it should also be remembered that even those wines that are best served at room temperature should be stored in a cool environment prior to opening to protect the integrity of the wine.

One of the advantages of a dual zone compact wine refrigerator lies is its ability to store different types of wines at different temperatures within the same wine cooler unit. The recommended storage temperature for white wines is between 46 and 54 degrees Farenheit and for red wines it is 54 to 64 degrees Farenheit. As well as offering best practice temperature control, a wine refrigerator also maintains the correct humidity for wine storage.

The Correct Way To Store Wine

All wine lovers understand that they must look after their wines and treat them with respect; this includes avoiding any vibration of the bottles, to protect the wine. Look for a good quality wine refrigerator that will be vibration free and one that may use internal LED lighting to further protect the wine.

Even low wattage bulbs can increase the temperature in an enclosed space like a compact wine refrigerator. Wines should ideally be stored in darkness, so the use of LED lights that do not emit any appreciable heat will assist in creating a better environment. Regardless of the type of lights you have, you should only open the wine refrigerator when necessary.

Most compact wine refrigerators have metal racks on which the bottles can lie tilted slightly towards the opening end to ensure the corks remain in contact with the wine. Depending on the space available for a wine refrigerator – from compact under-counter units that can hold up to a dozen bottles to larger furniture-style units with a capacity to store many hundreds of bottles – a wine refrigerator can protect your wine collection from the temperature, humidity and vibration hazards that can alter taste, hasten aging and reduce the appeal of your wine.

At his wine blog – ChrisOnWine – Chris Miley occasionally mentions wine refrigerators amongst many other wine topics.