Any advise on wine chillers is appreciated. Do the dual temp units work
and are they necessary? Any brands to stay away from? It does not have
to be a built in. I know basically nothing about wine, this is a gift
for another who drinks mostly red wines. Thank you.

Ph@Boy wrote:
> Any advise on wine chillers is appreciated. Do the dual temp units work
> and are they necessary? Any brands to stay away from? It does not have
> to be a built in. I know basically nothing about wine, this is a gift
> for another who drinks mostly red wines. Thank you.

Unless you can find out exactly what the person wants, I would strongly
suggest a gift certificate at a large wine supply dealer who has many
choices. There are so many unanswered variables. How much storage does
the person need? What is the limit you will spend? Does the person
intend to store the wine to age a long time, or is the unit just for
keeping wine at the proper serving temperature? Where would they put
the unit? Style may be an issue, especially if the wine-lover has a
spouse who has strong ideas about decoration. Wine storage units can
range from about 12 bottles to thousands. Finishes can range from
unpainted to fine hardwood furniture. In northern regions with a deep
cellar, the person may not need a wine cooler at all. Adding a wall or
two, possible insulation, and some wine racks may be all that is
needed. The larger the collection, the more attractive the cold, deep
cellar option becomes, and one does not have to worry about equipment
failures. The dual temperature feature is mainly for people who want to
keep some wine at the correct serving temperature all of the time. For
long term storage, a single temperature in the 50s degree F range is
fine. Red wines may need to be warmed a bit before service, and some
whites may need to be chilled a bit.