| There are practical and decorative considerations to | | | | traffic.Extreme heat makes the wine mature too fast |
| keep in mind when choosing a wine rack or storage | | | | so it can deteriorate before it reaches its peak. Wine |
| system, not to mention a variety of options | | | | kept in the refrigerator too long can go flat and lose its |
| available.When touring wine country, many people find | | | | flavor because of the cold temperature and vibration |
| themselves buying a bottle or two of a delicious wine | | | | of the motor. The temperature of the room where |
| they have discovered at one or more of the wineries. | | | | wine is kept should ideally be kept below 70 degrees |
| Some like to buy a souvenir bottle at each winery they | | | | Fahrenheit and between 70-95% humidity, with very |
| visit. This can be a smart move, as many wineries | | | | little variation over short periods of time. Air conditioning |
| deduct their tasting fee from a purchase. Others may | | | | alone is not too good because excessively dry air can |
| wish to take advantage of a special deal offered only | | | | cause wine to evaporate or leech out around the cork, |
| at the winery and take home a full case. Also, many | | | | ruining the wine due to oxidation.TYPES OF WINE |
| wines are made available only at the winery, especially | | | | RACKSWine racks come in a variety of shapes, |
| those of limited release.Whether you are a fledgling | | | | styles and materials. Wood is the most popular |
| wine collector or merely someone who likes to keep a | | | | material. The wood types are easy to assemble, are |
| few bottles around the house for special occasions, | | | | very durable and can be modular or stackable. Wood |
| entertaining, or nightly consumption, at least one rack | | | | wine storage systems can come in pine (the most |
| will be needed to protect the bottles and free up | | | | common), spruce, oak, fir, cedar, redwood and |
| space. Even the serious connoisseur lucky enough to | | | | mahogany. These last two hold up very well against |
| have a wine cellar could use a wine rack in the dining | | | | decay and mildew due to extreme humidity.Metal wine |
| room or den for easy access to those wines that are | | | | racks allow for unique shapes and contemporary |
| ready to drink. Also, you may want to have one mainly | | | | designs. If buying a steel model, make sure it is painted |
| for displaying some of your splendid collection to your | | | | with a chip resistant paint. Powder coatings come in |
| guests.Most people don't have a custom wine cellar; | | | | different colors and are quiet strong. For a sturdy wine |
| yet find their collection of wine bottles is growing. They | | | | rack, wire should be of a heavy gauge and the weld |
| need to establish a simple storage solution by deciding | | | | joints very strong. Stainless steel is more expensive |
| which type of racks will fit their needs. Is it mainly for | | | | than steel wire, but it resists corrosion better and |
| storage, display or easy access? Keep in mind that | | | | doesn't need the paint coating.Other materials used |
| your wine collection may grow over the years.If you | | | | include chrome, Lucite, acrylic, wrought iron and |
| are interested in wine racks primarily for storage | | | | polished brass.Single racks that hold just one bottle |
| purposes, you can buy small ones to stack in a closet, | | | | make great gifts. Hanging racks are great for freeing |
| place in a cupboard or put on a bookshelf. There are | | | | up space. Standing wine racks with tabletops are |
| also decorative floor and wall units. On the other hand, | | | | handy for serving. Some have drawers for holding |
| if you are looking to buy a wine rack to accent your | | | | wine accessories, with the bottles stored below. Some |
| home decor or to display your favorite wines, there | | | | even have glass shelves above or a hanging rack for |
| are many styles available. These include hanging units, | | | | wine glasses.Wine cabinets that you plug in come in |
| stand-alone units and ones that are incorporated into | | | | various types and sizes. They are nice because they |
| pieces of furniture, which have other features such as | | | | are self-contained and temperature controlled. Some |
| a minibar or wine glass rack.A good wine rack should | | | | look like a fine piece of furniture, which you can |
| be sturdily built. Another factor to consider when | | | | coordinate, with the rest of your room. Cooling units |
| deciding on a system is if it comes unassembled, make | | | | may need to be professionally installed. Expensive and |
| sure the instructions are easy enough to understand | | | | elaborate options include the wall wine rack system, |
| and that the unit itself is simple to put together. If you | | | | which is built in and customized.A wine rack filled with |
| like burgundy and/or champagne, choose a model with | | | | bottles collected on wine tasting trips is sort of like a |
| openings large enough to accommodate these | | | | photo album, holding memories of your wine country |
| bottles.PROTECTING THE WINEWine needs to be | | | | experience and just waiting to be opened and enjoyed |
| kept on its side to keep the cork from drying out. While | | | | anew.Laura Eggers lived in Sonoma County and the |
| not so important for wines you plan to drink soon, it is | | | | San Francisco Bay area for many years, exploring the |
| a serious consideration when you wish to age certain | | | | pleasures of wine country whenever she could. Now |
| wines to their full maturity and peak drinking time. The | | | | based in Southern California, she is enjoying new |
| rack should be kept in a place away from direct | | | | discoveries in the Santa Barbara wine touring region. |
| sunlight as well as from any heating source, such as a | | | | Her website offers visitors a an overview of several |
| stove, radiator or heating vent. Also, it should be kept | | | | California and Oregon wine regions, with information on |
| away form vibration, as from a dishwasher, clothes | | | | wine tasting rooms open to the public. |
| washer, dryer or window with exceptionally loud street | | | | |