Connoisseurs of elite alcohol always think about how to store drinks so that they do not go bad. In this case, a wine refrigerator for the home will create special conditions for storing the drink, as a result of which it will not lose its original bouquet and aroma.
Home wine cabinetPreviously, for these purposes, special storage facilities were built in basements. At the same time, all construction rules were followed, which made it possible to maintain the desired temperature and humidity. Nowadays, wine lovers and collectors do not need to purchase
Requirements for a wine cooler
The most important conditions for storing expensive and high-quality wine is temperature. However, certain varieties require different temperatures. Previously, it was quite difficult to solve this problem. Nowadays, the situation has changed, since most wine refrigerators for the home are equipped with several compartments with different temperature conditions.
However, temperature is not all that wine requires from the refrigerator. To preserve the taste and special aromas of each variety, a certain moisture is needed. Often this figure varies from 50 to 70%, but there are exceptions. Experts say that the wrong moisture regime during storage of wine can lead to dry cork. As a result, air enters the bottle over time, which affects the quality of the drink. Thus, an expensive drink may simply turn sour.
In modern refrigeration units for wine, an optimal level of humidity is maintained, which becomes possible due to the presence of a special drip humidification system. Lava stones can be found in the most advanced models. They are able to independently regulate the level of humidity. That is, when it becomes too humid in the department, they absorb excess liquid from the air, and if there is a shortage, they release it.
Another important requirement for a home wine cooler is its maximum stability. If a bottle of wine is constantly exposed to mechanical vibrations, sediment may appear on the bottom of the bottle. In modern refrigerator models, you can find special compressors that are fenced with rubber cushions. All this helps to reduce the level of vibration during the operation of the refrigerator. Moreover, some models are completely devoid of the usual for all compressors, as they are equipped with a cooling system equipped with a Peltier effect.
What to look for when choosing a refrigerator?
A wine collector must have a refrigerator at home to store their drinks. You need to choose such a unit very carefully, since it depends on how long the wine can be stored and how long the device itself will work.
Experts recommend paying special attention to the quality of the shelves. It is desirable that they be made of wood, although options from metal or plastic will cost less. Combined options are also offered, some of which are quite worthy of attention.
Home wine cooler must be well ventilated, this will not allow the accumulation of unpleasant odors inside. This moment does not affect the quality of the wine, but opening the refrigerator with nasty aromas will be, to put it mildly, unpleasant. Refrigeration devices for storing wine are often equipped with special charcoal filters. They provoke forced air exchange in an enclosed space. It is important to change the filter periodically. This must be done at least once a year.
On sale, you can also find versions of refrigerators with natural ventilation, that is, air passes through an opening in the bottom of the refrigerator. Some units are equipped with fans. Thus, the air enters the chamber already cold.
Many connoisseurs are not averse to exhibiting specimens from their collection for all to see. Thus, guests can immediately see which "values" are stored in the refrigerator. For this, cooling units with transparent doors are purchased.
Experts do not recommend this option, since the wine loves the dark and does not tolerate the sun well. Ultraviolet rays have a detrimental effect on the noble drink. If the collector nevertheless decides to purchase a wine refrigerator with a transparent door, it is worth additionally using an opaque film.
In the case when it is planned to store a large collection of various wines in the refrigerator, you need to take care of the zoning of the unit. Wine coolers with two and three sections can often be found on sale. Each zone maintains a certain level of humidity and temperature. Thus, several types of noble drinks can be correctly stored in one refrigerator.
It is worth noting that many wine refrigerators for home allow you to manually set the temperature regime, this is very convenient, but you can only do self-tuning with a clear knowledge of your business.
Types of wine coolers
Wine cabinets for home can be temperature and climatic, that is, mono-temperature and multi-temperature. In the first case, the temperature is constantly maintained in the range from 4 to 160C. This is fine for most types of wines. Experts believe that such a refrigerator is quite enough for long-term storage of elite alcoholic beverages, including wine. Such a unit, as a rule, does not take up much space and is in many ways similar to ordinary home refrigerators.
Multi-temperature options differ from the previous ones not only in the number of functions, but also in cost. Thus, for an additional fee, the buyer buys a wine cabinet for the house with high-quality ventilation, air filtration with coal, automatic temperature control and other useful options.
Climatic refrigerators are not well suited for long-term storage of wine. Their main task is to prepare the drink for serving. The main reason why wine cannot be stored in such a refrigerator for years is the lack of the ability to maintain the required humidity. Most often, multi-temperature devices do not allow to establish free air circulation in departments.
These types of wine cabinets for the home are offered with both solid and glass doors. Moreover, the latter option is always tinted to protect against ultraviolet rays.
Wine refrigerators are also distinguished by their spaciousness. The larger the unit, the more expensive it will cost.
Special functions in wine coolers
Collectors of elite alcoholic beverages often place higher demands on wine storage cabinets. For example, if the refrigerator is planned to be installed in an unheated room or on a balcony, you may need a unit with a heating effect. This is necessary for those situations when the air temperature in the external environment falls below the acceptable value for wine. Stability is very important for this drink, so this option is in great demand.
In elite models, you can even find special sections for storing cigars. The humidor is usually built into the refrigerator door or placed on the bottom shelf. Connoisseurs know how important storage temperature and humidity are for quality cigars.
There are also very expensive models of wine coolers. For example, the option proposed by designer Joshua Saling is a cooling unit with a mass of compartments. Only one bottle can be placed in each of them. Moreover, for each cell, you can set a certain temperature. It is very convenient for storing different types of drinks.
When choosing a suitable wine cooler, it is necessary to determine the amount of free space that can be allocated for its installation. Built-in wine cabinets are very popular, which can be
