The Art of Choosing Wine Racks for Your Home

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True wine aficionados have mastered the art of storing wine. They know that, ever since Ancient Egypt, there have been four factors affecting proper wine storage: the temperature ranging from 11 to 14 degrees Celsius, the humidity level of 60%–80%, the proper ventilation and no vibration.

In order to satisfy all these elements of wine storage, people commonly turn to wine racks. Whether their only function is to beautifully display wines in your home, or you plan to place them in a wine cellar for long-term wine storage, here is the information you should be familiar with.

Location

If you are a novice, the best location for your creative wine racks is any part of the house where there are no temperature fluctuations, where it is cool, dim and slightly humid. These locations include a basement, a space under the concrete stairs, a pantry, a wine cellar, or a corner of the garage converted into a mini wine cellar. Those wines which you plan to drink in a couple of months do not have to be stored in a place satisfying all the factors listed.

Size

A wine rack can store from five to more than hundred bottles. The size depends on your preferences, are you a serious collector, or a novice who has a dozen bottles? If you are not sure how many bottles you will collect during the years, you can always purchase a modular wine rack allowing you to easily expand and reconfigure it.

The biggest issue when it comes to wine racks is the size of their openings. Most wine racks are made for standard wine bottles of 750ml, such as Burgundy and Bordeaux. However, there are non-standard wine bottles, including split bottles (187ml), half bottles (375ml), magnum bottles (1.5l) and jeroboam bottles (3l), so making sure you are familiar with the size of the openings before buying a wine rack is of utmost importance.

Material

The material varies from wood to glass. Each material brings its advantages and disadvantages. The most common material is wood. The type of wood ranges from less-expensive options, such as pine, oak and cider to high-quality wood like mahogany and redwood, you can use for your splendid wine specials only, for example. Make sure your wood wine rack has the bottle holders and horizontal stabilizer bars screwed into the vertical bars. Additionally, bear in mind that the thicker the wood better.

Metal wine racks, usually made of brass and stainless steel are the most durable, but you need to maintain them to protect them from rust. If you choose an industrial and modern feel for your cellar, metal wine racks should be your choice. Wrought-iron wracks are usually considered for decorative purposes. Even though they are the least durable, glass wine racks are extremely beautiful and stylish. Finally, plastic is a modern material not so commonly opted for.

Style

The style of your wine storage depends on your personal preferences and the style of the room/ wine cellar. This is usually determined by the material used for their construction, so wood wine racks have a homey feel, while glass wine racks are often limited to the contemporary design of the room.

On the other hand, you can choose between a wall-mounted and a freestanding wine rack. You can also consider a wine storage space fitted into a cupboard in a dining room. Finally, wine jails are metal, usually wrought-iron structures with a door and are usually locked.

A high-quality wine deserves to be pampered. It deserves to have a proper storage space. Make use of the endless possibilities for your wine rack. Your wine will thank you the moment you open it.