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

That difference seems rather big for a small unit, are you sure the temp
stays reasonably constant? The variation should be as small as possible on a
day-to-day basis, say about 1-2 degrees...?
45 makes for a slow development, 55 is a wee bit above optimal, but not bad
at all. It will be up to you what bottles to put where. With a 30-bottle
cellar I don't think you're going to store things very long anyway. Face
it, drink one bottle every month and you have gone through it all in 2.5
years which will be your average storing time.. 45 of 55F in that time span
won't mean much, imho.
Anders
"skenzer" > skrev i melding
...
> 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

That difference seems rather big for a small unit, are you sure the temp
stays reasonably constant? The variation should be as small as possible on a
day-to-day basis, say about 1-2 degrees...?
45 makes for a slow development, 55 is a wee bit above optimal, but not bad
at all. It will be up to you what bottles to put where. With a 30-bottle
cellar I don't think you're going to store things very long anyway. Face
it, drink one bottle every month and you have gone through it all in 2.5
years which will be your average storing time.. 45 of 55F in that time span
won't mean much, imho.
Anders
"skenzer" > skrev i melding
...
> 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

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

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

"Anders Tørneskog" > wrote in message >...
> 45 makes for a slow development, 55 is a wee bit above optimal, but not bad
> at all.

I wonder what people did before we had refrigeration? I have been in
natural cellars, and it seems that the temperatures range between 55
and 65F. Is long term storage at 45F a modern phenomena?

Andy

"Anders Tørneskog" > wrote in message >...
> 45 makes for a slow development, 55 is a wee bit above optimal, but not bad
> at all.

I wonder what people did before we had refrigeration? I have been in
natural cellars, and it seems that the temperatures range between 55
and 65F. Is long term storage at 45F a modern phenomena?

Andy

"radishpicker" > skrev i melding
om...
> "Anders Tørneskog" > wrote in message
>...
> > 45 makes for a slow development, 55 is a wee bit above optimal, but not
bad
> > at all.
>
> I wonder what people did before we had refrigeration? I have been in
> natural cellars, and it seems that the temperatures range between 55
> and 65F. Is long term storage at 45F a modern phenomena?
>
Hi
Do you speak of natural cellars in the southern U.S.? :-)
If we guess that the shibboleths of supposed favorable wine storage
conditions developed in Europe sometime during mid-late 19th/early 20th
century in Europe, the deep cellars of fine homes without central heating
probably were pretty cool all year round at that time.
The famous cache of wines discovered and sold from Glamis castle in Scotland
some 30 years ago had been stored at about 45F for about one hundred years
and the wines were in pristine condition, I've heard (did any bottle show
TCA, by the way?)
Anders