It is often misunderstood but the storage conditions of wine are an important factor in helping to preserve its natural integrity.
To prevent factors such as temperature, humidity and light influencing the wine's quality, Liebherr and Award wine cabinets offer perfect, protective storage conditions. Interior humidity levels are ideal and innovative technologies ensure protection against UV light and vibrations. In addition, the temperature can be adjusted according to whether the wine is to be enjoyed soon or whether it is to be stored longer-term.
Properly stored, wine continues to develop its natural flavours in the bottle and, on reaching peak maturity, the wine will be a deeper and truer expression of the wine makers intention. For a good character wine, consistent storage conditions are a prerequisite. Wine storage cabinets create ideal conditions for in-bottle ageing, providing a climate similar to a wine cellar. A constant temperature is maintained throughout the cabinet interior, making them ideal for long-term storage and for the ageing of fine wines.
Whilst a fridge may be a temporary solution for chilling a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne for a dinner party, a fridge is not the right place to store your wine for serving, even more so when it comes to long term storage, especially of premium vintages.
Generally, the fridge temperature is 4 °C or below which is colder than recommended storage and serving temperatures of either white or red wine. Furthermore, refrigerators generate intense cold and remove ambient humidity denaturing wines and drying out corks.
So, what makes a wine cabinet different from a fridge? There are five principal points to consider: maintaining constant ideal temperature, humidity, air quality, minimising vibration, and UV protection.
When served at the right drinking temperature, a wine is significantly more enjoyable. The ideal serving temperature will vary according to the type of wine, personal preference, accompanying dishes, and the time of year. Generally, red wines are enjoyed at a warmer temperature than white wines; and the aroma and flavour of sparkling wines and champagne emerge fully when they are at the correct temperature.
A quality wine cabinet will maintain precise temperatures between 5 °C to 20 °C. Minimising the temperature variance is most important when it comes to long term storage to ensure wine matures correctly. Compared to cheap thermo- electric “chillers”, a quality wine cabinet not only maintains a more stable temperature and faster temperature recovery (when just loaded or with frequent door opening), but also allows set temperatures to be maintained in ambient temperatures as low as 10 degrees.
Broadly speaking the following are considered to be the ideal temperatures for serving and storage
- 5 °C to 7 °C: Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
- 8 °C to 10 °C: White Wine.
- 12 °C: Storage of all Wine Varieties.
- 11 °C to 13 °C: Rose and Dessert Wine.
- 14 °C to 18 °C: Red Wine.
Humidity control in wine cabinets guarantees ideal conditions for the integrity of the cork and the prevention of oxidization, with ideal humidity between 50 % – 80 % depending on ambient humidity.
Premium Liebherr wine cabinets incorporate an activated charcoal filter to assist in maintaining perfect air quality which is vital for preserving
and maturing wine.The use of natural untreated wood shelves means no extra chemicals are introduced into the environment which can impede the wines maturation process and provide unwanted odour. Perfect air quality also reduces the instance of mould on labels being stored long term.
Typically, the compressor in a quality wine cabinet will be mounted to rubber feet to reduce vibration disturbing the wine and to reduce noise, essential when the cabinet might be in a living area or public space.
Whilst selected models are available with solid doors, glass door wine cabinets are more popular as enthusiasts wish to show a collection or restaurant owners wish to improve the appeal of their wine offering. This demands consideration for UV protection to prevent discolouration to labels and unwanted reactions in your wine. As such wine cabinet doors are tinted and double glazed and, in many instances, filled with clear Argon gas to provide an extra degree of insulation preventing humidity forming on the glass door.
Choosing an ideal wine cabinet can be an arduous process with a wide range of product available to select from. Award Appliances, the NZ distributor for the Award Advance Series and Liebherr premium quality wine cabinets, provides a range of size and colour options and is happy to provide advice on what might be most suitable for any situation. Whilst domestic users can now choose from single and dual temperature cabinets in black, stainless steel or even integrated into kitchen cabinetry; the hospitality sector also can benefit from larger size storage and serving cabinets to accommodate a variety of bottle shapes and sizes.
A quality wine cabinet provides the right conditions to do justice to the wine growers and wine makers art, improving both the presentation and experience for the consumer.
