haier, avanti, danby ... even the more expensive marvel, u-line, sub-zero,
etc. are generally dependable products. they are not designed for
indefinite "storage", but are more appropriate to "consume and replace"
applications (i.e., short term). on the other hand, there are a few
alternative "brands" that have neither the service histories, warranties,
nor vendor support provided by mainstream lines. stick with the
aforementioned and you'll be o.k.

a true wine cellar will cool slowly and gently to avoid severe fluctuations
in temperature. it must access the ambient fresh air supply in order to
achieve/maintain appropriate humidity levels.

refrigerators with modified thermostats have no means by which to access the
ambient absolute humidity and they cool relatively quickly. when an area is
cooled quickly, the warm air (and the associated humidity) is evacuated
quickly.

1/3 of the battle is temperature (mid 50's), but fluctuations can have
adverse effects, long term, and the dehydrative effect of quick cooling can
lead to oxidation/evaporation of the wine.



"skenzer" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm fairly new to the wine scene but have already collected around 30
> bottles. I went out and purchased a small wine cooler/cellar but due
> to budget constraints I had to stay cheap.
> I noticed that I get about an 8-10 degree difference in temps between
> the top rack and bottom rack of the cooler. I read that wine should be
> stored between 50-55 degrees F.
> My question is this. Are there certain wines that I can store in the
> top rack (around 55) and wines that will store better in the lower
> rack (around 45)
> Thanks for you input
> Skenz