Wine Chiller
While considering the purchase of a wine chiller or wine cooler, you may have a few questions about the various types of units or specific models available, or even questions regarding the very art of wine preservation. You may even go as far as to ask yourself if it is even worth buying one. We actually get that question all the time. Here we address this common question and go over what makes these wine chilling devices so special.
Why can’t I just use my refrigerator?
The inside of most wine refrigerators are simply too cold. Now, this generally will not damage the wine, but will slow the aging process, which will result in less than optimal taste when it comes time to drink it after the aging process. But some run their refrigerators so cold that they end up freezing their wine unintentionally. Sometimes this causes the bottles to burst. Also, some people make the mistake of trying to defrost the wine in hot water, especially when guests are about to arrive. This abrupt fluctuation in temperature does indeed spoil the wine. One other issue about refrigerators is that they are constantly being opened and closed, which also causes temperature fluctuations. This, combined with the fact that refrigerators don’t distribute temperature evenly ultimately affects the taste and quality of the wine. Some experts argue that even the constant gyrations caused by a refrigerator’s compressor and the jolting caused by the opening and shutting of its door can negatively affect the taste of the wine.
Wine coolers and wine chillers are especially designed to minimize these disturbances to yield the best taste, smell, and color for your wines. They can auto-detect the internal temperature and make adjustments in order to get your wine to the ideal storage temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of them even come with a number of pre-programmed settings so that you can bring specific types of wines to their ideal serving temperatures. Furthermore, many wine coolers have thermoelectric refrigeration technology, which is much quieter than air compression technology. Thermoelectric refrigeration also produces virtually zero vibration. Lastly, by having a separate storage area for your wine, they are isolated from the consistent opening and closing of a door, which happens on a daily basis with refrigerators.
Wines are supposed to be stored at room temperature. So why would I need a wine cooler?
This is a common misconception. While many wines taste “fine” at room temperature (72 degrees Fahrenheit), the majority of wines, in actuality, taste best when served just below room temperature (40-65 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the type). Furthermore, the ideal storage temperature for all wines is even lower at 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Another reason why you don’t want to age your wine at room temperature, say on top your kitchen counter or table, is exposure to UV light, even the trace amounts shining through your windows and reflecting off your walls or floors, can negatively affect the quality of your wine. Wine coolers are designed to shield wine from external light, either in complete darkness or with tinted, thermopane glass doors. This is very similar to how a wine cave works. By minimizing exposure to light, you will effectively preserve the quality of your wine as it ages.
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