Consumer Reviews Oenotheque by Wine Enthusiast Wine Cellar

The inquiry

• Why you should trust u.s.a.
• Who should get this
• How we picked
• Our pick: Vino Enthusiast Classic 80 Wine Cellar
• Flaws but not dealbreakers
• Also great: Wine Enthusiast Classic 70 Dual Zone Wine Cellar
• Upgrade option: EuroCave Premiere S
• How to shop wine
• Intendance and maintenance
• Notable contenders
• The competition
• Sources

Why you should trust us

We spent months researching vino fridges to find out what makes a slap-up refrigerator, who should become ane, and why. To learn near proper vino storage, we spoke with ten experts beyond the field: Pascaline Lepeltier, a principal sommelier and a managing partner of Racines in New York City; Alexander Pandell, a physical pharmacist; Levi Dalton, host and producer of the wine-talk podcast I'll Drinkable to That!; Michele Thomas, sommelier and vino educator; Eric Asimov, wine critic at The New York Times; Alice Feiring, writer of the natural wine newsletter The Feiring Line and several books most wine; Lydia Richards, sommelier and founder of Vino Concierge; vino chemist Gavin Sacks, professor and associate chair in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University; Talia Baiocchi, editor in main of Punch mag; and Ashley Santoro, the co-owner of Leisir Wine Club.

Unfortunately, nosotros couldn't physically test vino fridges for this guide considering our offices take been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Considering of that, we took extra intendance in poring over editorial reviews and customer feedback to make our recommendations.

Winnie Yang is the apparatus editor at Wirecutter, and she spoke with nine experts to update this guide. She's covered food and wine for years. In a previous life, she served as the managing editor of Culinary Backstreets and The Fine art of Eating, and she has written for Condé Nast Traveler, Feast, Jamie, Saveur, and Tasting Table, among other publications.

Anna Perling has been a kitchen author for Wirecutter for 3 years, roofing everything from cooking and baking gear to instant noodles. Before that, she wrote for food and lifestyle publications including Saveur and Kinfolk. A lover of wine, she has long wondered whether she should go a wine fridge, and so she was specially invested in writing this guide.

Who should become this

Well-nigh people don't need a wine fridge. But if you're buying more good-quality wine than yous can imbibe in about a month, you tend to go on a stock of several cases, y'all regularly purchase bottles that price $xxx or more than from a reputable source, you want to age wine, or you're considering selling or trading bottles, y'all should think about getting 1. Plus, storing and serving wine at the right temperatures volition improve the taste. Levi Dalton, host of the podcast I'll Drink to That, told u.s., "Skilful storage is going to brand the wine-drinking experience better."

Nosotros've drastically changed our approach and recommendations for this guide, moving away from miniature fridges that shop virtually a instance or two to medium-size ones that will hold five or half dozen. If you tend to pick up a bottle from the supermarket or liquor store to drink that night or within the next few days, or you don't invest that much money or time in selecting wines to brainstorm with, then y'all probably don't need a wine refrigerator.

On the other hand, if yous're getting a curated instance each calendar month from a respected local wine shop, you're keeping yourself in a steady supply of natural wines, or you're laying down some age-worthy bottles for years, our picks should work for you. We recall this size hits the sweet spot for keeping minor collections safe, without taking up too much floor infinite. Every expert we spoke with as well advised getting a refrigerator that'due south twice the size you lot think you'll need. Size correlates with price for these fridges, though—that'due south why our picks are $one,000. We know that space, budget, and collection size volition influence your purchase, then our Competition section includes both larger and smaller options.

A vino refrigerator is more than only extra storage. Information technology'south virtually like a rubber for your collection. A great ane will guard confronting the variables that dethrone vino over time: lite, heat, vibration, and changes in temperature and humidity. These unseen forces can affect a vino'south flavor and fifty-fifty ruin it.

Experts agree that proper storage is the number one way to maximize your drinking experience, whether you're an oenophile or a coincidental drinker. "If yous have limited resources merely you care, the best affair you can practice is store your wine well," Dalton told the states. "If you take a $50 bottle of vino, and you store information technology well, provided it hasn't been damaged on its style to you, it's going to beverage amend than a $500 bottle of wine that wasn't stored well."

Proper wine storage especially matters if you like drinking natural wines. There'due south no legal definition for what counts as natural wine, merely near use grapes that aren't treated with pesticides and don't include additives or preservatives like sulfites. The category has recently boomed, and it shows no signs of failing (some people, like wine writer Alice Feiring, have for years championed natural wine as a way to cover terroir). These wines are more vulnerable, however, to oxidation (when wine is exposed to air, which tin can alter its odour or structure) or going bad. It'south a myth that natural wines tin can't age—with enough tannins, careful fermentation, and proper shipping and storage, they tin can mature for decades. Fifty-fifty if yous're not storing them long-term, they'll nonetheless fare amend if kept at the correct temperature and away from lite, because they're more fragile than traditional wines.

If you don't have the space or the need for dedicated wine storage, a regular fridge will probably exercise for short-term storage of nigh a calendar month. Fifty-fifty experts like master sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier and New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov sometimes stash wine in a regular fridge due to infinite constraints. Still, information technology'southward non ideal. Regular fridges are drier (which tin can desiccate corks), colder (which prevents aging), and vibrate more (which can disturb wine). For everyday bottles that you don't want to age, these factors aren't much of a concern since you won't be keeping a bottle in the refrigerator long enough for it to matter. The other issue is that a regular fridge's temperature (about twoscore °F) is colder than platonic for serving any type of vino, whereas a programmable or multi-zone vino refrigerator can go along bottles at their respective set-to-pour temperatures. But to cool or warm wine for serving, you tin can simply put it in or take it out of the fridge based on when you lot want to potable it.

Yous can also store your wine in a absurd, temperature-stable space similar a basement. If it tends to be clammy, notwithstanding, y'all may want to get a dehumidifier because moisture can destroy labels (which is important if you are aging your vino, and if you intend to resell it).

If you're interested in getting into wine, you lot tin too wait for a used wine fridge or cabinet. These volition cost far less than new ones, especially loftier-end fridges. People's collections ofttimes outgrow their storage solutions, so deals on secondhand models are usually not hard to come by. Look for name brands, ask how old the unit is and about the warranty on the fridge, and cheque that the unit of measurement can hold the desired temperature. You can as well ask what kinds of wines the collector stored there, sommelier Michele Thomas told us, to get a experience for whether a used fridge volition fit your needs.

Some collectors also opt for off-site storage, paying to store bottles in controlled environments. If you don't take a cellar or basement or room for a wine fridge, or if you have a large collection, this may work for you. Retrieving your bottles volition take more planning than simply walking to a fridge, however, and yous may lose track of the bottles you lot have since they're non in manifestly sight. Dalton cautioned that when you're dealing with off-site storage, accidents, poor handling, or natural disasters could lead to ruined wine. And fifty-fifty if y'all do choose this pick, yous may still want a refrigerator to keep bottles in in one case you pick them up, since y'all may not potable them immediately.

How we picked

Considering the coronavirus pandemic has shuttered our role, nosotros didn't physically examination fridges for this update. To find the all-time vino fridges, we pored over thousands of reviews of the best-selling models from major appliance retailers, including Dwelling Depot, All-time Buy, Appliances Connect, AJ Madison, Costco, and Wine Enthusiast.

We also went deep on how to store vino and what makes a swell wine fridge. The nigh useful manufactures we read on vino storage were from Vino Spectator, MasterClass, Eater, and The New York Times; we also consulted academic articles from the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Enquiry and pieces from the Iowa State Academy extension program. To discover the best fridges to consider, we read reviews from Liquor, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, The Strategist, and Wine Woo. And then nosotros dove into the discussions on Reddit and Wine Berserkers to see what enthusiasts had to say about different makes and models. And, of course, we considered the advice from the 10 vino professionals nosotros spoke with for the piece, cross-referencing their recommendations with everything we read.

We contemplated a broad range of sizes, including fridges that can agree a maximum of 12 bottles to ones that can concur 150. Considering the good advice to always get a fridge that's double the size you retrieve you'll demand, we settled on fridges that would hold upward to a one-half-dozen cases of vino. We recollect this will be an adequate size for storing small-scale collections, without taking upwards besides much space in your house. Your needs volition of form vary based on your space and collection. Most fridges estimate capacity based on a collection of standard-sized Bordeaux bottles. Vino Enthusiast (the seller of our picks) advises that if non-Bordeaux bottles make up half of your collection, your storage chapters may go downward 20% to 25%; if more half of the bottles are not-Bordeaux, capacity may go downwardly twoscore%. You can become a refrigerator with similar features and different capacities from the brands that make our picks, and nosotros discuss the details of different-size options in our Competition section.

A notation on thermoelectric fridges: We originally recommended these because they're repose. But we've noticed a decrease in their availability. And these fridges also role best when the ambient temperature stays near room temperature. Information technology's too very hard to find larger thermoelectric fridges, and most collectors volition want the maximum amount of space they can beget.

Once we gathered all of this data, we established that a great wine fridge should satisfy the following criteria:

Value: The golden dominion of wine fridges is you should get one that'southward double the size you call up you'll demand. Nosotros looked for models that had the nearly space, the best features, and the longest warranties, for the best price.

Quality structure: Many wine fridges fail—their compressors terminate working, they stop holding temperature, they leak, their doors interruption. We screened reviews for whatever mentions of poor quality.

Corking client support: Considering wine fridges are large and heavy, nosotros wanted to make sure that buying one would be an easy experience. Nosotros considered a visitor's customer support, every bit well as its warranty and return policy, in example anything goes awry (and because wine fridges tend to fail). For an actress fee, some companies besides offering white-glove commitment (to bring a fridge inside to a desired location when it's delivered).

Features: Most of the fridges we looked at had digital touchscreen controls, for managing temperature settings, and LED lights, for seeing what'southward inside the fridge. It's ideal for a fridge to take a front end-facing vent because you lot need to leave space effectually the compressor to ensure the refrigerator is working properly. Just you can achieve the same effect for a refrigerator with a back vent by spacing information technology away from the wall.

We gave bonus points for high-quality features like wooden shelves (they're sturdier and will blot more vibrations compared with metallic ones), adjustable shelves that tin can fit more and different kinds of bottles, locking doors, and charcoal or carbon filters that filter out odors (which may affect vino). One model we considered had a built-in hygrometer, but this doesn't really solve any humidity issues; it can simply indicate i. And unless y'all're in a dry out climate or concerned about reselling wine, you probably don't need this. You lot can also buy a hygrometer separately.

Considering near fridges wait similar—big rectangular boxes of varying heights and widths—aesthetics didn't factor heavily into how we picked. Although you tin can get some basic fridges in unlike finishes (stainless steel) or with wooden shelves, most vary only slightly in design features. Some higher-end fridges are made to look like furniture and have wooden panels or decorative lighting, just these are also far more expensive than our picks.

Tranquillity operation: We screened reviews for mentions of noise, one of the most common complaints we found regarding fridges. A loud fridge will not just be annoying, merely the vibrations may likewise harm wine (though some experts disagree on this).

After our all-encompassing research, nosotros came up with a list of 42 notable fridges. We narrowed the list to 13 top contenders based on our criteria, comparing these adjacent and diving back into reviews earlier choosing our picks. We hope to examination these fridges in real life for a future update. If you lot have any feedback on our picks or other models, please let us know in the comments section below.

Our pick: Wine Enthusiast Classic eighty Wine Cellar

Photograph: Vino Enthusiast

Our choice

Among the hundreds of wine fridges we considered, the Wine Enthusiast Archetype fourscore Wine Cellar has the best chapters and features for the price. Yes, the Classic fourscore is $1,000, just with wine fridges, toll mostly correlates to size and quality. The Classic 80 should hold about five to half-dozen cases of vino, and information technology is about the size of a large finish tabular array. Subsequently reading thousands of reviews almost hundreds of models, we don't think a perfect upkeep-friendly vino refrigerator exists. The Classic 80 is basic, just it's made by a trusted make within the wine industry. We recall this model is the best pick if you lot're just getting into vino collecting but you desire a fridge that lasts, or you want to maximize storage infinite. Unlike big-box appliance stores, Wine Enthusiast sells just wine fridges, furniture, and accessories. We recommend buying from Wine Enthusiast because it offers dedicated client service and costless delivery, both of which brand it easier to purchase a niche, beefy, and expensive appliance.

Multiple experts, including Ashley Santoro, Lydia Richards, Michele Thomas, and Eric Asimov, recommended the Wine Enthusiast fridges, as do publications similar The Strategist, Epicurious, and Wine Woo. The retail arm exists under the same umbrella visitor as Wine Enthusiast magazine, but the 2 are dissever entities. A representative from the company told u.s.a. the mag does not write reviews of wine refrigerators considering that would be a disharmonize of interest; Wine Enthusiast does sometimes cover the brand's own piece of furniture and accessories. Vino Enthusiast has been making fridges (and selling wine accessories) since 1982.

The Classic 80 is a single-zone refrigerator, which means all the wine you store in information technology will be kept at one temperature. You can cull to set the temperature betwixt 41 °F to 68 °F (the recommended ambient operating temperature is 61 °F to ninety °F, though your fridge will have to work harder to stay cold in hotter climates). Almost of the experts nosotros spoke with didn't consider dual temperature zones to be a must-take feature. If you aren't concerned about defended aging, sommelier Michele Thomas told u.s. that nearly wines should exist fine stored at well-nigh fifty °F.

Single-zone fridges like the Classic lxxx volition provide more space and flexibility for the types of bottles you lot store, since there isn't a divider shelf between 2 compartments. Ashley Santoro, possessor of Leisir vino store in New York Metropolis, recommends a single-zone fridge for people living with space constraints.

Single-zone fridges are likewise more likely to maintain consistent temperatures—which is fundamental for protecting wine from seepage or oxidation—and they concluding longer. Some expensive dual-zone fridges have separate compressors for each compartment, only most circulate air from one compressor between the sections with a fan. In our enquiry, we learned that wine fridges commonly neglect considering their compressors (the office that keeps them absurd) dice relatively apace. And in a dual-zone refrigerator, compressors have to piece of work harder to maintain two dissimilar temperatures, so they may wear out faster. Steve Johnson, an owner of Mr. Apparatus repair franchises, told u.s. that with dual zones, "As one cycles off, the other cycles back on, so it makes the compressor run longer." Lydia Richards, sommelier and founder of Vino Concierge, said, "In my stance, dual zones are non necessarily important. The primary consideration is consistency in temperature." To bring your vino to drinking temperature before serving, y'all can but pull out a bottle to warm information technology up (conversely, you can requite wines that demand it an extra arctic past popping them into the fridge for 10 to xv minutes). But if you want to exist able to pull out a bottle that'south ready to cascade, you might want to consider our other option, the Classic 70.

Since you'll likely need more storage than y'all conceptualize, nosotros think this medium-size refrigerator volition piece of work for most beginner to mid-level collectors. Most wine fridges concord fewer bottles than they advertise, especially if you purchase larger California reds, taller rieslings, or bulbous magnums. You can store larger or differently shaped bottles in the Classic fourscore's lesser angled brandish shelf (its slight bending should keep the wine in contact with the cork). Reviewers also report that you tin stack multiple bottles at the bottom of the refrigerator if you need extra space, and you can besides remove a shelf for majority storage.

Nigh of the fridges nosotros looked at had digital touchscreen controls to set the temperature, and the Classic lxxx is no different. This fridge as well has blue LED lights (which don't emit enough UV light to harm wine) throughout, so you tin can see your option (and you lot can turn them on and off). The door to this fridge has three layers of drinking glass, for extra insulation and efficiency, and it has a tinted blanket to help guard confronting UV rays. Though glass will let you lot to meet your bottles better, a solid door is all-time for protecting wine from low-cal. The door on the Classic fourscore has a handle on the right side.

Similar most fridges we considered, the aesthetics of the Archetype eighty are straightforward. Some step-above fridges have stainless steel frames and all-woods shelves. Merely we think the Classic 80's shelves—with their streamlined black finish and forest trim—look nice enough that you'll want to continue this fridge in your dwelling, instead of banishing it to the garage.

The Classic 80's pulverisation-coated stainless steel shelves slide, and then yous tin easily view and retrieve your bottles. We appreciate the classy-looking wooden end. Photo: Vino Enthusiast

Unlike some other basic fridges we looked at, the Classic 80 has sliding shelves, so y'all can easily add together or call up wines. These are pulverization-coated stainless steel with rounded wires instead of slats, and with elegant-looking woods trim facing the door. Higher-end fridges have all-wood shelves with cradles for private bottles; these assist absorb vibrations, prevent bottles from rolling effectually, and generally expect nicer. But nosotros should notation that the bottom display rack on the Archetype eighty is all woods. Reviewers on Wine Enthusiast's site gave mixed feedback on how smoothly the shelves glided. Some said they felt wobbly, like they were most to tip when fully loaded with bottles; others said the shelves felt stiff and slid easily. (We spoke with Marshall Tilden III, vice president of sales and wine pedagogy at Wine Enthusiast and contributing editor to the magazine, who told us a design update was underway for the shelves, based on reviewers' feedback.)

The Archetype eighty also comes with a lock, just in case you desire one. We didn't notice significant noise complaints about this fridge—many reviewers praised it for its silence; online reviews for many other models we considered noted they were obnoxiously loud.

The Vino Enthusiast Classic line, which is entry-level compared with the brand's other offerings, too includes larger, 150- and 200-canteen unmarried-zone options. Wine Enthusiast makes smaller, no-frills fridges, besides as upgraded or larger fridges with dual zones, larger capacities, and more features, including the North'FINITY, VinoView, and Vinothèque models. Some of these can also be built into cabinets, whereas the Classic fridges are freestanding.

It's crucial to buy a fridge that comes with a good warranty and customer service. Sometimes fridges can get in damaged or need replacement parts. They may also be too heavy for you lot to motion into your home on your own. The Archetype line has a one-year warranty, with a iii-year warranty on the sealed organisation parts (warranties vary based on the line).

Other appliance companies offer varying levels of customer support to help you shop for a fridge, simply Wine Enthusiast has a knowledgeable team that specializes in one thing—wine fridges. We spoke with Tilden about the company's customer service. Squad members volition help you choose the best option for your needs and space, to try to preempt whatever need for a return. They can also coordinate delivery and installation if needed. Delivery is costless on all fridges, which isn't true of near appliance stores nosotros looked at. Tilden told us Vino Enthusiast offers free unlimited phone consultations while you're shopping for a fridge, and it will even look over structure plans, if you're building in a refrigerator. (AJ Madison and All-time Buy offered comparable consultations, just they do non always provide free delivery.)

Y'all can also opt to pay actress for white-glove delivery service, which means the fridge will be delivered not just to your door only also to where you lot want it in your house. (Our upgrade pick, the EuroCave Premiere Southward, comes with complimentary white-glove delivery. Y'all may have to pay extra if the commitment people need to become across a ready number of stairs, or for assembly, simply bated from installation of the handle, our picks are ready to become.) This tin can exist helpful because a wine fridge is an unwieldy appliance (the Classic 80 weighs 141 pounds). Members of the forum Wine Berserkers also recommend Costco'due south service and delivery, and the retailer offers several Wine Enthusiast fridges (just not our picks, at the time of writing). Wine Enthusiast likewise has a showroom in Valhalla, New York, but it has been closed to customers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Reviewers note that the Classic 80 is "impressively quiet" and "the temperature holds quite well." Near acknowledge that it holds fewer than 80 bottles, which is to be expected. Though editorial reviews we read by and large recommend the Wine Enthusiast brand, they don't describe any testing. The experts nosotros spoke with likewise had generally good things to say. "Wine Enthusiast has a nice line that'south easy going, small, and pretty quiet (for compressor models)," said Michele Thomas. Richards told us that she received a small-scale Vino Enthusiast fridge equally a souvenir long ago, and that it "stays consistent in terms of temperature control."

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This is a standalone vino refrigerator, so you tin't build it into cabinets. That said, Wine Enthusiast sells other models that can be built in. The Classic eighty also has a rear vent, so yous'll need to install it somewhere there'due south aplenty ventilation space around the fridge (not right upwards against a wall).

All wine fridges hold less than what they say they will, and the Classic 80 is no unlike. Tilden told us that certain upgrade Wine Enthusiast fridges offer shelves with more space to fit larger bottles, and nosotros cover these in the Competition section.

Technically, you lot can reverse the handle on the Classic eighty, but you volition lose the lock office because you essentially will take to turn the door upside downwards.

There aren't a ton of reviews for this fridge, and people on forums like Vino Berserkers and Reddit don't have much to say about the line (those on Vino Berserkers seem to be more-serious collectors, and then talk over larger, college-end fridges and alternative storage options similar luxury cabinets, cellars, or offsite storage). If you have any feedback on this fridge, delight let united states of america know in our comments section below.

Besides great: Wine Enthusiast Archetype 70 Dual Zone Wine Cellar

Photo: Wine Enthusiast

Also corking

Wine Enthusiast Classic 70 Dual Zone Vino Cellar

A dual-zone vino fridge

Not anybody wants a dual-zone fridge, merely the Wine Enthusiast Archetype 70 Dual Zone Wine Cellar will go on your reds and whites prepare to drinkable at the right temperature. This fridge is comparable to the Classic 80, but the Classic 70 sacrifices some storage infinite to separate the two compartments.

The Wine Enthusiast Classic 70 Dual Zone has a design, dimensions, features, and price that are comparable to those of the Classic 80. But the Classic lxx besides has a dividing shelf to create two distinct temperature zones. Although this ways sacrificing space for vino storage, information technology besides allows you to gear up each zone to your preferred serving temperatures (which should besides work for storage).

There isn't a consensus on the all-time temperature at which to serve different styles of wine. But it's generally accepted that white wines are all-time served at around 45 °F to 55 °F,  and red wines at around 54 °F  to 65 °F. Optimal serving temperatures may vary according to the type of wine you lot're drinking, notwithstanding, and so ask your wine store or the winemaker if you accept whatsoever questions.

Both the Archetype 80 and lxx take a digital control console to adjust temperatures and turn the interior LED lights on and off. Photo: Wine Enthusiast

As with the Classic lxxx, each of the Classic seventy's dual zones tin be set up to temperatures in the 41 °F to 68 °F temperature range, and the Archetype seventy has the same ambient temperature operating range of 61 °F to ninety °F. The Archetype 70 looks almost identical to the Classic 80, and it has the aforementioned sliding, coated-wire-and-woods-finished shelves, touch-screen temperature-command panel, on/off blue LED lighting (which doesn't emit enough UV low-cal to impairment wine), lesser wooden display shelf, and lock. It comes with the same warranty and customer service as the Classic fourscore, too—a 1-yr warranty, with a three-yr warranty on the sealed system parts; phone consultations while you're shopping for a fridge; and gratis white-glove delivery service (to unpack and ready up the heavy fridge inside your home).

The Classic 70 Dual Zone is a free-continuing fridge, and it won't work as a built-in. Information technology's the same size and weight every bit the Classic 80—similar a large end table or a brusk file cabinet. The door is also made of three layers of glass, for added insulation and efficiency, and it has a UV blanket (though a solid door will be best for guarding confronting UV rays).

Upgrade option: EuroCave Premiere Due south

Upgrade pick

EuroCave Premiere S

A vino fridge for serious investors

Six of the experts we spoke with recommended EuroCave as the elevation wine-fridge maker. The EuroCave Premiere S is the most basic choice from the restaurant-quality line, and it'southward freestanding, so yous can put it anywhere.

Buying Options

If yous're looking for the best-value refrigerator from a eating house-quality brand, get the EuroCave Premiere Southward. For serious wine collectors who want to protect their bottles, EuroCave fridges are regarded as stalwarts in the vino community, and they were recommended past vi of the experts nosotros spoke with. Of the fridges nosotros looked at, the Premiere S has the most customizable options, to maximize storage space and truly fit all types and bottle sizes. And information technology has extra features to safeguard your wines. The brand is known for maintaining consequent temperatures, also. Compared with all the fridges we considered, the Premiere South also has i of the longest warranties for the compressor (the role responsible for cooling, and the chemical element most likely to fail), and information technology comes with free white-glove delivery. If the Premiere S is out of your cost range, you can also look for a used model, a common practise among the experts we spoke with, as well as among oenophiles on wine message boards.

The Premiere Due south has a 74-canteen capacity and an internal temperature range of 48 °F to 59 °F. The ambient operating temperature range is 32 °F to 95 °F for the solid-door pick (a much wider range than on the Classic 80 or the seventy), if, say, you want to shop it exterior in a garage. Information technology's a single-zone refrigerator, but it's far from basic: The Premiere S offers truly customizable storage. You can conform the fridge'southward shelves, to adapt unlike bottle shapes and sizes; you can't do this with our Wine Enthusiast picks (or with well-nigh low-end to mid-range freestanding wine fridges). The shelves have removable elastomer-coated cradles for each canteen, to minimize jostling and vibrations, and a beechwood finish. Because bottles sit down shallowly in the cradles, and the cradles themselves can be placed closer or farther autonomously on the shelves, yous can hands accommodate magnums or other larger or non-Bordeaux-shaped bottles. You can also remove the sliding shelves to fit more bottles.

The Premiere South as well has an option for a solid door. That's a feature we didn't see in most other fridges, simply information technology'due south the best for protecting wine from light. Y'all can cull which side you want the door swivel to be on (technically, you tin alter the swivel side on the Wine Enthusiast Classic fridges too, but yous will lose the function of the lock). You tin can also go the fridge with a glass door with UV tinting instead, if you lot want to meet your collection at a glance or show off your bottles, just it costs extra. Way-wise, the Premiere South looks similar to our other picks: It's a large box, neither an eyesore nor a decorative centerpiece. Higher-end models from the EuroCave line include decorative panels, wooden-chiffonier-like siding, or dazzling light displays to brand the refrigerator look more like a article of furniture. Merely, of class, these also price far more than.

The Premiere S was one of the simply fridges nosotros found that offers a solid door, which is best for protecting wines from light. Y'all tin can select a glass door if you'd like to display your wines. Photograph: Wine Enthusiast

The Premiere S also comes with a charcoal filter, which our other picks do non have. A filter volition help absorb odors that tin affect your wine. You'll need to replace the filter about once a year.

Though many fridges we looked at had bright blue LED interior lights, the Premiere South's lighting arrangement is more subtle, while still having added flair. Yous tin apply the wands the white LEDs are mounted on to shine on a bottle or a shelf (to better come across labels or contents); this was a unique characteristic among fridges we considered. This fridge likewise has a digital control panel, a lock, and a temperature alarm to indicate fluctuations.

The Premiere Due south is expensive, we know, merely so are many other wine fridges from brands that aren't as universally revered. Tilden told the states that these fridges are the best for belongings stable temperatures, fifty-fifty in different ambience environments. And the experts nosotros spoke with lauded these fridges for their quality construction: They last. Lepeltier said she'southward used her fridge (which she bought secondhand, and which was already ten years onetime) for 10 years, and she's had nine in previous restaurants. Asimov has ii EuroCave fridges (one of them since 2004). Santoro upgraded the Standard Hotel's drinkable fridge to a EuroCave. And Feiring and Baiocchi both covet these fridges. Luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants effectually the globe employ EuroCave fridges. Enthusiasts on the forums Wine Berserkers and Reddit as well recommend them.

The brand makes many fridges, and the higher-end models tin can cost as much as a Kia Soul—and take upwards well-nigh as much infinite. If you're a collector interested in one of these, nosotros recommend reaching out to Wine Enthusiast, the simply US-based EuroCave dealer. Vino Enthusiast also has a showroom in Valhalla, New York, merely at the time of writing, it was closed to customers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the Premiere S, you'll get the same dedicated Wine Enthusiast team helping you select the right fridge for your needs. The Premier S comes with free white-glove delivery. It has a one-year warranty on parts and labor, and a five-year warranty on the compressor—one of the best warranties we saw in our research.

EuroCave'south unique, removable bottle cradles fit different canteen shapes and sizes, and protect bottles from jostling or vibrations. Photo: Vino Enthusiast

Reviewers of the Premiere S on the Wine Enthusiast site annotation that the fridge is serenity and holds temperature, fifty-fifty in hot climates. Like all fridges, the Premiere S fits slightly fewer bottles than advertised. In that location are several reviews noting that condensation builds upward in the refrigerator. If humidity is a concern, y'all can buy a standalone hygrometer. If condensation does build upwards, you can wipe down the fridge and bottles, or use an absorptive, like silica or baking soda (for larger cellars, you may want to invest in a dehumidifier). Some people also written report having issues with reaching tech support, while others applaud the customer service.

How to shop wine

Despite its deceptively unproblematic appearance, vino is a complex, dynamic drink. Many of the experts we spoke with compared it to a living being. How we taste, olfactory property, and feel wine depends not only on the biological and chemic reactions between its compounds and our sensory organs, only also on the chemic reactions that are continually taking place within the wine itself.

Just similar us, wine ages. When people talk about the procedure, they're referring to the inevitable chemical reactions that affect the flavors, aromas, and texture of a wine. Sometimes crumbling volition slow a wine'south fruity or floral characteristics, making it taste off or just bad. But on the rare occasion, wine tin can transcend into something magical, if you provide it with plenty time and the right conditions.

Storage will affect the aging procedure. Many of these chemic reactions—peculiarly the oxidation and reduction reactions prevalent in wine—are significantly sped up by oestrus, light, humidity, and movement. No matter whether you're planning to historic period wine for decades or keep it on mitt for a few years, it's best to treat your wine like a fragile sculpture: with intendance.

A specialized wine fridge volition give you lot control over temperature. The ideal storage temperature for vino is between 50 °F and sixty °F (PDF); this is warmer than the temperature range of a normal fridge (which is cold enough to prevent much, if any, crumbling) and cooler than the ambience temperature of almost homes, which hovers at or to a higher place 75 °F. The latter is besides hot for storing vino for long periods of time. Temperatures over 70 °F can "cook" vino, creating flat, muddy, or off flavors. A basement or a cool room that stays consistently between 50 °F and lx °F (PDF) can work as storage, but overly damp atmospheric condition tin can encourage mold growth and damage wine labels. Fluctuations in temperature aren't good for wine either. As vino heats up or cools down, the liquid—and cork—can aggrandize and contract. The tin can could be pushed out, causing seepage. Information technology can likewise compress and allow air into the canteen, causing oxidation. So if you live in a hot place and turn the air off when you get out, for example, a vino fridge tin guard against temperature flux. Some wine fridges offer dual-zone structure—two different compartments to keep reds or whites or other types of wine at the right serving temperature.

Light is problematic because UV rays can destroy flavor and aroma compounds, leading to tedious and off flavors—like making wine sense of taste nutty or raisiny, Talia Baiocchi, editor in chief of Punch magazine, told us. "Almost people should understand what the wine should taste like, and if you store it near a window, it might not have that bright, effervescent season," she said. Keeping wine in a absurd, nighttime place—whether it'due south a basement, a cellar, or a wine fridge—tin halt these unwanted effects. A vino refrigerator with a solid door, or one with tinted or UV-protected drinking glass, tin can defend against harmful rays.

Humidity can be a problem, too, merely most experts we spoke with said that'due south mainly a concern if you alive in an arid climate or keep your wine in a very damp surround. When humidity is very low, a wine's cork can dry and shrivel, allowing more air into the bottle. You can combat this effect past storing wine on its side, so the liquid will come in contact with the cork. And again, this will probable happen merely if you live in a desert or get out bottles upright for long periods of fourth dimension. On the other manus, when humidity is also loftier, moisture can collect on the labels or corks and mold can grow. A dehumidifier can aid. If you're concerned with monitoring humidity, y'all can go a standalone hygrometer and add together or remove moisture to your storage environment.

The effects of vibration on vino are another contested topic. Movement can stir up sediment in old bottles of vino and make it taste off, and kinetic free energy can also warm vino (which, again, is harmful). But professor Gavin Sacks of the Cornell University Department of Food Science told us, "Vibration is overemphasized." He said that when information technology comes to aging, "We don't have much evidence that vibrations are going to speed things up in whatsoever meaningful fashion." This study from the Journal of Food Composition and Assay constitute, however, that vibrations can accept an result. And intense vibrations from transit are more worrisome than movement from a fridge. "You're concerned virtually vibration when wine is sitting in a truck somewhere, with a refrigeration unit that's bouncing back and forth for hours," New York Times wine critic Asimov told us. He emphasized how important it is to buy wine from a practiced shop you can trust. Regardless, information technology'due south best to treat vino gently and to get a fridge that's quiet (a loud refrigerator will be abrasive anyway).

Care and maintenance

Cheque your fridge's manual for all-time maintenance practices. To clean the exterior, Wine Enthusiast recommends (PDF) that you lot make a gentle blistering soda cleaning solution to wipe downward your cellar, and then wipe it down with water. Wine Enthusiast likewise recommends cleaning gaskets and oiling hinges every 3 months. EuroCave recommends (PDF) regular cleaning with a gentle product, and then wiping with water and drying; it besides recommends cleaning gaskets. To clean the inside of the refrigerator, you can use a cloth to wipe downwards the shelves. Keep an centre out for excess moisture, which can lead to mold or mildew and damage your bottles.

Fridges will piece of work more efficiently at or beneath room temperature. If you're keeping your fridge in a hot garage, it may have to piece of work harder to stay cold and could wear out sooner.

Nosotros learned from our inquiry that many compressors fail early. Placing a fridge somewhere with enough of space (usually specified by the manual) to allow for sufficient air apportionment can assist. You can also regularly clear out the dust and droppings around a compressor to make certain information technology's functioning properly (we advise using a vacuum). And if you want to install the fridge in your kitchen, make certain information technology tin be built in.

Mr. Appliance's Steve Johnson also emphasized the importance of closing your refrigerator's door after grabbing a bottle, in social club to proceed the compressor from constantly running. He as well said yous should bank check that gaskets were sealed properly. Nearly fridge doors are magnetic, so you tin bank check the seal by sliding a dollar pecker between the door and the inside of the fridge—if there'southward a tight seal, the dollar bill should be difficult to pull out.

If your fridge has a filter or drip tray, exist sure to change these out when the manufacturer recommends it.

Notable contenders

We recognize that wine collections can range widely, so nosotros've gathered some other worthy models here, in club of increasing capacity, with a selection of fridges from other notable brands.

24- to 50-canteen fridges

Sold past Costco, the Vino Enthusiast SommSeries 29 Canteen Dual Zone Vino Cellar has adept reviews and a longer (two-year) warranty than our picks. Information technology also has a few nicer aesthetic features, like a stainless steel door and amber (instead of blue) LED lighting (this is just an aesthetic choice and doesn't affect wine). This fridge also has sliding shelves, and information technology can exist congenital into cabinets if you lot'd like. But it costs more than twice every bit much every bit the 24-bottle Wine Enthusiast model mentioned above—with non that much more capacity.

The Colzer Upgrade 32 Canteen Wine Cooler is high on the Amazon best-seller list, just it'southward more expensive than similar-size fridges. Information technology does have a carbon filter and wooden shelves. Many reviewers complain about client service, so nosotros're wary of recommending this model.

The N'FINITY S Dual Zone Vino Cellar has the same toll as our dual-zone pick, simply it holds 46 bottles instead of 70. Wine Enthusiast'south Tilden told us that the shelves in the N'FINITY line are spaced an extra quarter-inch apart to assistance fit bigger bottles. This fridge has a few upgraded features that some people may prefer but not everyone will need: a carbon filter, white LED lighting, and a reversible door. It can also exist built into cabinets. This model is virtually 6 inches shorter than the Archetype line, 3¼ inches slimmer, and ii¼ inches shallower.

Another 46-bottle fridge from Wine Enthusiast, the Vinothèque Cafe Undercounter Wine Cellar has more than features and is more expensive than the N'FINITY S. Tilden explained that its shelves are based on larger pinot bottles, and they have even more than clearance (there are 4 shelves in this refrigerator, compared with six in the Northward'FINITY, but the units are similarly sized). This refrigerator has beechwood shelves (which blot vibration and look nicer) and a hygrometer to monitor humidity. Like the N'FINITY Due south, this model has a charcoal filter and can also exist built in.

50-plus-bottle fridges

The Frigidaire Gallery Serial FGWC5233TS 52 Canteen is a basic, single-zone vino fridge with sliding shelves. It's the top seller on appliance retailer AJ Madison'southward site, and it comes from a trusted appliance make. Many of the reviews were collected as office of a promotion, nevertheless, and nosotros think the larger size of our picks will exist better for collectors.

Of the fridges we looked at, the GE Profile 57-Canteen Stainless Steel Wine Libation had the most positive feedback regarding how long the fridge lasted. That said, for its capacity, information technology'south very expensive, and it doesn't accept some of the features—similar a carbon filter or full wooden shelves—that we like to encounter in a fridge at this cost. Instead of a touchscreen, it has a punch to adjust temperature.

Compared with our upgrade option, the EuroCave Performance 59 Built-In Wine Cellar has a few more features, just it is significantly pricier. The Functioning is more customizable than the EuroCave Premiere South, withal, and this model can be built into your kitchen. You can choose between single or dual zones and a drinking glass, solid, or custom door, and the door is reversible. Unlike the Premiere S, the Performance has a humidity cassette of lava rocks, where you can add together moisture to maintain humidity levels, if needed. The Performance has an illuminated control panel similar the Premiere Due south, but you tin't remove the LED lighting.

Fridges from other notable brands

Several experts and people in the Wine Berserkers forum like Danby and Avanti wine fridges. Merely reviews of the Danby model that's similar in size to our picks report that the fridge doesn't agree temperature, and it can freeze vino. The Danby has an 18-month warranty, compared with the 3-year warranty on parts for the Classic fridges. Avanti makes fridges that we retrieve are too pocket-size or too big for entry-level collectors. Merely it does offer a 5-yr warranty for the compressor on nearly models (there are a few exceptions that come with a one-yr warranty; double-check the manuals for more information).

Some appliance brands, such every bit Sub-Null, Hestan, and JennAir, accept great reputations, just their wine fridges are very expensive (nosotros're talking twice the price of our upgrade pick) and are ofttimes meant to be congenital in.

Although people on the Vino Berserkers forum like Le Cache luxury cabinets, none of the experts we spoke with recommended these. For the toll, nosotros think you'll be amend off with our highly rated upgrade option, the EuroCave Premiere S.

The competition

The Strategist recommends the Kalamera 50 Bottle Single Zone with Bear upon Control, and Vino World recommends the 46-bottle version, which has sliding wooden shelves. The Kalamera doesn't have many reviews, and nosotros call up a larger fridge would work better for almost casual collectors. It has a one-yr warranty, which is shorter than the warranty for our picks.

Though Liquor likes the Ivation 31-Canteen fridge (a front-vented model that can be used either freestanding or equally a built-in), nosotros think it's as well minor. Information technology also has a one-year warranty.

The freestanding NewAir 33 Bottle and 70 Can Dual Zone is pocket-sized, doesn't have sliding shelves, and is more than expensive than the similar Wine Enthusiast 32-bottle fridge. It likewise has a one-year warranty.

The dual-zone Frigidaire 38-Bottle Wine Cooler has sliding wooden shelves, which we appreciate. But we dismissed this fridge based on its size and college price compared with other, similar-size fridges. It has a one-year warranty.

Sources

1. Michele Thomas, sommelier and wine educator, phone interview , January six, 2021

2. Talia Baiocchi, editor in chief, Dial magazine, phone interview , July 31, 2020

3. Ashley Santoro, owner, Leisir Wine Club, phone interview , August iii, 2020

4. Lydia Richards, sommelier and founder of Wine Concierge, telephone interview , August 4, 2020

5. Pascaline Lepeltier, master sommelier and managing partner at Racines NY, phone interview , Baronial 11, 2020

6. Alexander J. Pandell, professor emeritus of chemistry at California State University Stanislaus and author of The Alchemist'due south Vino Perspective, telephone interview , August 12, 2020

7. Levi Dalton, host and producer of the I'll Drink to That podcast, telephone interview , Baronial 17, 2020

8. Gavin Sacks, professor and acquaintance chair at the Cornell Academy Department of Food Science , phone interview , August 21, 2020

9. Eric Asimov, vino critic at The New York Times, telephone interview , Baronial 25, 2020

10. Alice Feiring, author of The Feiring Line newsletter, phone interview , August 26, 2020

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-wine-fridges/

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