If you’re almost a wine aficionado or a wine sommelier then you’re probably like me and needed a wine fridge. Yes, it’s a need not a want. But do you need one? Are they worth the money? And if the answers to the previous two are “yes’s” then how do you pick, because what is really the best wine fridge.
The Benefits of a Wine Fridge
I’ve heard it’s true that storing your wine at not only a consistent but also regulated is important. And after research because you are right I had no idea, I learned that you are supposed to store wine somewhere between 45°F and 50°F for whites and between 55°F and 65°F for reds. I tried some reds out of a wine fridge on a hot summer day, and that’s how it all started. Yes, I will drink a rose or white wine in the summer. But to me, there’s nothing like red. (Can you hear the love in my words?) Why is this necessary? Because over time as temperature varies, the wine cork will expand and contract which will change the taste of the wine, and for lack of a better term – yours will be dead! Tragic.
Cue a wine fridge. A wine fridge will prevent your wines from oxidation and change in flavor and most importantly, they’ll keep your wine in a perfect drinking/serving state. What’s also great is that the majority of wines give you the option for multiple temperature zones so you can store different varieties of wine.
Is a Wine Fridge Worth It?
Is a wine fridge worth it? The question of the hour. If the information above didn’t convince you as it did me, let’s dive a little deeper. I don’t think that getting a wine fridge for your home should depend on how “serious” you are about your wine but more so how many bottles you want to keep on hand. Yes, sometimes this is dangerous for me as I get a little too into my #winewednesday sometimes.
If you’re the kind of person who only wants to have a few bottles on hand at a time, then a wine fridge may seem a little aggressive. But if you want to have any more than 6 or typically around 12+, I’d say 100%. Your wine shouldn’t be wasted because of varying degrees in your home/apartment.
How to Pick out a Wine Fridge
If you’re now convinced then let’s go through how to pick out a wine fridge. ***Disclaimer: I am no expert, I just did my research*** So this is what I decided that you (and I) should look for in a wine fridge. The biggest factor for me, and I am assuming it will be for most of you, was the price. Wine fridges can start for around $100 (for small and shi**y ones) but I saw some into the thousands. Those were huge, held a lot of wine, and also had multiple dual temperature zones.
If you are going to invest in a wine fridge, then I highly recommend getting a dual temperature fridge so that you can store both reds and whites, no matter what kind of wine you’re into. Better be safe than sorry. Plus also, the boys can store the beer. It’s a win-win for everyone.
I’d also say that if you are going to invest in a wine fridge, the best way to go is somewhere around 40-50 bottles so that even if right now, you’re not the biggest wine-o, you’ll be able to grow into it as you become more of a sommelier. The biggest thing I learned is that you want to make sure it’s a quiet wine fridge, I read a lot of reviews where people were complaining that it was loud.
Are you in?
The Best Wine Fridge for Every Budget
Like I said before, I’m no expert, just a girl who absolutely loves wine and does her research. I chose to get the NewAir freestanding 43 bottle dual zone wine fridge (SKU: NWC043SS00.)It came down to the best band for my buck, and this wine fridge is the best value. It’s so quiet and the temperatures can be set from 41 and 64 degrees. It’s double-paned glass lets you always know where you’re at with your wine collection and exterior thermostat control lets you control the temperature without even opening the wine fridge. The best part? 43 bottles leaves you room to grow.
Want your own wine fridge? I’m currently hosting a giveaway with NewAir on my Instagram so you can win your own! Go enter here. If you don’t win and still decide you want one, and trust my research you can buy your own NewAir wine fridge at this link and this code “WATER15OFF” will give you 15% off.
~ XOXO, the sommelier in progress, Amanda // Blonde out of Water
