How to choose a wine cellar

How do you choose the right wine cellar for your needs? Let's look at the points to consider before you start shopping and the features you're sure to like. 

Before you even begin to analyze wine cellar models, you should ask yourself a few questions about how you intend to use this small appliance. How many bottles do you have or plan to store? How do you want to use the wine cellar: to age bottles for a long time (storage cellar)? To consume your collection quickly? A combination of the two? Your answers will help you identify models that meet your requirements. 

From a few dozen bottles to several hundred, the capacity and size of wine cellars can vary greatly. Allow at least 25% more space than you currently have, as it is easy to underestimate the amount of space required to grow your collection. 

Do you want to showcase your wine cellar as a stand-alone piece of furniture, or would you prefer to hide it under a counter? This will determine the ideal type of wine cellar, free-standing or built-in. 
 
Since wines love the dark, wine cellar doors are treated against UV rays. Check the opacity of the product you're interested in and the colour of the door. Is it tinted or opaque? Can you see your bottles through the glass? 

A wine cellar avoids temperature variations that can harm wine, accelerating or slowing down the aging process unnecessarily. 12 or 13°C is the ideal temperature for storing your bottles, and most wine cellars have an adjustable thermostat for this purpose. 
 
Have you considered a dual-zone wine cellar? If you like both white and red wine, you will like this model because it keeps the red wine at its ideal temperature of 14°C while the white wine rests in the other section at 7°C. 

Your bottles must develop in an environment with 50 to 70% relative humidity. In a house, and especially in winter, the humidity level varies greatly. A dry environment will dry out corks, allowing your precious nectar to evaporate and oxidize. Excessive humidity will harm the labels, which are important for identifying and discussing the value of the wines. 
 
A wine cellar ensures a constant humidity level. It is important to consider the level of insulation inside the unit, since proper insulation makes the compressor run less often, thus consuming less energy. 
 
Also ask about the charcoal filter that should be changed annually to maintain the internal humidity of the wine cellar. This essential part of the ventilation system allows the wine to breathe through the cork, as it would in a natural environment. 

Since wine cellars are generally quiet, you won't have to worry about the noise level as much as you would with other appliances. However, built-in wine cellars are still a little noisier than free-standing models. While noise is not a key factor in a wine cellar, vibration is. Vibration alters the wine over the years, as it prevents deposits from settling. 

The wine cellars we sell are generally offered in black or stainless steel, but there are also different types of wood, depending on your aesthetic preference. Some high-end appliances allow you to customize these elements to better match your décor. 

Unlike other appliances, a wine cellar benefits from running full because the bottles inside stabilize the internal temperature, requiring fewer compressor starts and therefore less energy. Remember not to overfill it or leave it empty if you want to conserve energy. Choose an Energy Star® certified wine cellar with proven energy performance. 

You may have noticed that some small appliances look like wine cellars but are called wine coolers. In fact, these appliances do not have a compressor and do not control humidity, so they are intended for everyday consumption and not for wines for aging. This is why it's important to ask yourself how you'll use your wine cellar, because a less expensive wine cooler may be what you're looking for. 
 
Now that you know more about wine cellars, view the different models available at Corbeil by visiting our site.