If you’re short on space but have a growing wine collection a compact wine refrigerator is the ideal way to store it. With capacities ranging from eight bottles up to 800 bottles, a wine refrigerator can be located on or under a kitchen cabinet or or be placed against a wall as a piece of furniture. A dual zone wine fridge is available that can be used to store different styles of wines at different temperatures for aging or drinking.

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.

The advantage of a dual zone wine refrigerator is its ability to store different types of wines in the same 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. Besides providing temperature control, a compact wine refrigerator will maintain the correct humidity for storing wine.

The Right Way To Store Wine

Most wine lovers understand that they must treat their wines with respect and avoid vibration to the bottles to protect their wine. Any good quality wine refrigerator should be free from vibration and some of the better wine refrigerators are now beginning to use LED lighting in the interior to further protect the wine from deterioration.

Even low wattage bulbs can increase the temperature in a small enclosed space like a compact wine refrigerator. Because wines should be stored in darkness, the use of LED lights that do not emit any appreciable heat will assist in creating a more stable environment. It is recommended that you only open the wine refrigerator when necessary.

Most compact wine refrigerators utilize metal racks – the bottles are stored tilted slightly towards the opening end to ensure the corks remain in contact with the wine. Regardless of the available space for a wine refrigerator, tall and slender units that can hold up to a dozen bottles or larger furniture-sized units with a capacity of many hundreds of bottles can protect the wines from the hazards that can change their taste, hasten their aging and reduce their overall appeal.

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

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