WINE BLOG

So you want to buy a wine cooler
So you want to buy a wine cooler
The decision has been made and you are now deciding on a new wine cooler to store your favourite bottles. The selection/set up process can go smoothly or not. It’s entirely up to you how this will go. I’m going to throw out some thoughts on how this can be a pain free process.
#1 Plan, plan , plan. Will your unit be stand alone or under counter? If it’s under counter what is the maximum height the unit can be? What are the power requirements? Does it need to vent from the front? If you put a rear venting unit under a counter and the heat has nowhere to go it will burn out the motor. Include your finished floor height in your calculations if you are measuring very early on. If possible contact Wine Cellar Depot at the start and they can work with your builder or kitchen designer right from the beginning.
#2 Plan, you are still planning right? Assuming you pick a larger unit can your doorways accommodate the assembled unit? Do you have sufficient clearance at the rear to allow for proper ventilation? Can you reach the rear of the unit to occasionally dust it?
#3 Plan for delivery. Make sure you have enough room for the delivery vehicle to get to your home and that the installer has room to get it into position and get it working properly.
#4 Clean. The cabinets will most likely need a wipe down inside and out before use. There are manufacturing processes that can cause odours to be present in the cabinet. A little prep ahead of time can make your life easier later.
#5 It’s a numbers game. The stated numbers of bottles that the unit can hold are generally very optimistic. Manufacturers make their statements based on the smallest 750ml bottle available in the marketplace. Think of a bottle of Mouton Cadet White. If you have a collection of Champagne or Pinot Noir from Oregon or Chateauneuf du pape you will need to revise your estimates.
#6 Time is not your friend. When you first plug in your unit it will run for quite awhile. Especially once you start adding wine. Think of all that liquid as a big heat sink. When you add 100 bottles or more to your cabinet it might take 2-3 days to cool things off. It depends upon the temp of the bottles and the ambient temperature of the room it is in. Be patient. Once it cools off it’s then going to cycle on and off at a fairly slow rate. I would aim for 13C as a good starting point for storage. If you want to serve wine colder, pull it from the unit and put it in your kitchen fridge.
Wine Cellar Depot has a great range of coolers available for purchase.
Good Oenopro
Better Le Vielle Garde
Best Majestika and Eurocave ( see picture)
Remember Spit Happens, tell your friends, drink great wine and eat great food.
Cheers
David Lancelot