Are you a wine aficionado or connoisseur? Do you keep a vast collection of wine? Are you interested in buying or setting up a wine cabinet in your home? If so, then this is the right post for you. This article aims to provide a complete guide for choosing the best wine cabinet to suit your needs and taste – so read on to learn more about wine cabinets for your home.
What is a Wine Cabinet?
A wine cabinet is a piece of furniture that stores and preserves wine in the most appropriate conditions to preserve its quality, whether it be for short-term wine storage or long-term wine storage. However, wine cabinets tend to be designed to store wine for long periods of time, and for ageing wine.
A quality wine cabinet ensures that the wine’s temperature is stored is optimal, the humidity levels are right, vibrations are minimal, and the sunlight is kept off.
People purchase wine cabinets for various advantageous reasons, some of which are:
- They provide an enabling environment for wine to thrive and mature. They do this by maintaining the proper stability, temperature, and humidity.
- They are cheaper to purchase than wine cellars.
- They are also easier to maintain compared to wine cellars.
- They offer a variety of designs to choose from.
- They are attractive pieces that can also be used as home fixtures.
- They are a great long-term storage option.
- They have storage for wine accessories.
Types of Wine Cabinets
There are three types of wine cabinets when classified based on their temperature function – single-temperature wine cabinets, dual-zone or dual-temperature wine cabinets, and multi-temperature wine cabinets.
A single-temperature wine cabinet is the most suitable for the long-term storage of wine bottles. The cabinet works by ensuring one consistent temperature all through. However, it is only available on other types of wine cabinets.
Dual-zone wine cabinets offer a more flexible option than single-temperature wine cabinets. It is ideal for a larger wine collection because it can offer storage space for two different kinds of wine at two different temperatures. You can set the two different storage sections to different temperatures depending on the kind of wine stored. Multi-temperature wine cabinets are made to cater to the needs of those with a broader range of wine collections. They possess multiple temperature zones or sections to cater to an extensive collection and long-term storage. They’re the closest option to using a wine cellar.
What to Consider When Choosing A Wine Cabinet
The following factors are significant and should be considered before choosing a wine cabinet. Read on to learn more.
Use
Wine cabinets are generally used for storing wine but can also be used to age wine (these are called ageing wine cabinets). The most important factor to consider when choosing a wine cabinet is what use it will be for you. You have to ensure that the cabinet you would be choosing will serve its purpose. If you would also like the cabinet for cooling, you can get multi-temperature for storing and chilling in different sections.
Number of Bottles
The number of bottles and size of the wine collection are also very important in choosing a wine cabinet. If you have a vast collection or plan to add to your collection, you can choose to purchase a big-sized cabinet or a multi-temperature cabinet. You can also choose to get a freestanding cabinet instead of an inbuilt one as they come in bigger sizes. It is also essential to keep in mind the size of the bottles, and not all bottles are the common 75cl. They could be larger or thicker, taking up more storage space.
Location for Installation
You must choose a location for your installation before making a purchase. This will give you enough chance to map out the space it will be installed. If you’re installing it in your kitchen, you may even consider an in-built cabinet. Check out this post to learn more about places you can store a wine cabinet.
It is not enough to endure that you have an adequate measure of the size of this space. You should also ensure that the location you’ve chosen is away from direct sunlight. The location space you’ve chosen would also allow you to make better decisions on wine cabinet features like colours and type of door.
Maintenance Needs
Wine cabinets, like other appliances, need enough maintenance. You must ensure that the model you choose does not need too much maintenance. You can also look out for cabinets with a carbon filter.
How Long Do You Plan to Store Your Wine?
It is also very important to consider the duration of your wine storage. Consider choosing a mid-range cabinet if you only plan to store or age for a short or medium period, up to 5 years. This is appropriate for those who are not looking for long-term ageing function. For long-term ageing, consider choosing high-end cabinets.
How Much Space Do You Have in Your Home For It?
Ensure that you do not buy large wine cabinets if you do not have enough space. Also, consider the space in your home before choosing if you want in-built or freestanding cabinets. Generally, in-built cabinets are the best option if you do not have enough free space in your home.
Conclusion
Wine cabinets are a perfect solution if you are looking to store a large wine collection in a safe environment to age. At Enofaber, we have a range of wine cabinets available so that you can store wine ready to drink and store wine to age effectively.
Liam Quirk is a world-renowned online marketing guru, sommelier, critic, and wine enthusiast, exploring the world of wine storage, providing insightful articles and expert recommendations for fellow wine lovers.