Home and Lifestyle - Beer, Wine and Spirits

Temperature controlled wine cabinets can provide an ideal solution for home wine storage where there is no space to build a wine cellar. Wine cabinets are built to match as closely as possible the conditions found in a wine cave. The temperature for these units is set between 55 and 60 degrees and the humidity is maintained between 60% and 70%. Temperature and humidity fluctuations are therefore avoided, and wine can age as the winemaker intended.

Exposure to ultra violet light is extremely harmful to wine and both sun and artificial light should be avoided. Ultraviolet light will damage a wine by causing degradation of otherwise stable compounds, causing unfavorable and irreversible changes in the wine. Clear glass bottles are most susceptible to this problem, but wine in dark glass can be damaged as well. The usually stable organic compounds, including the tannins, contribute to the aroma, flavor and structure of the wine.

Most wine cabinets have dark glass doors to reduce the UV light. This is a feature worth including if you are thinking of purchasing this type of home wine storage.