Wine Cellars Coolers

Wine Quote

2010-10-13T19:09:00.001-07:00

Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Othello, II. iii. (315)

Wine Quote

2010-05-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

"Food and wine. Decide which is the soloist, which the accompanist."

Michael Broadbent, noted wine critic and writer

China's Growing Wine Business

2010-04-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

Fortune magazine recently reported the following statistics on China's wine production:
- Over 1 billion bottles of wine were produced in 2009, double the amount made in 2004
- In 2010, China is expected to become the sixth largest wine producer
- 75% of China's grape wine is red
- China is 8th in terms of wine consumed per household

Humidity in a Wine Cooler

2010-04-05T17:33:00.000-07:00

Humidity is the percentage amount of moisture or wetness in the air. For the best wine storage conditions, a wine cooler or wine refrigerator should be at around 70% humidity. This humidity level will lessen the chance that wine corks will dry and shrink. Excess cork shrinkage could allow air into the wine bottle, oxidate the wine and turn it into expensive vinegar.

Wine Quote

2010-03-24T20:14:00.001-07:00

"This wine should be eaten, for it is much too good to be drunk."

Jonathan Swift

Wine Quote

2010-02-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

"Here's looking at you, kid."

— Humphrey Bogart, toasting Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca.

Antique Wine Coolers Sell For $65,000

2010-02-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

Four matching silver wine coolers that were made in England, and dated to 1815, were recently sold for $65,000 at an auction in Canada.

The silver wine coolers were rare because of their age, condition and the fact that they were a set of four.

Do you like wine and have a collection? You don't need to spend $65,000 to properly store and age wine. Great wine coolers can be bought for $100 to $300 depending on the number of bottles that you have or want to store.

Under Cabinet Wine Fridge

2010-01-29T05:06:00.000-08:00

Do you want or need a wine cooler but do not have the space for a larger free standing, countertop or built in wine cooler? If you want to store wine but have space limitations, then the under cabinet wine fridge is for you. Kitchen refrigerators are too cold and dry for longer term wine storage, thus, wine lovers with limited or no space will find the under cabinet wine cooler a great, functional wine fridge.

An under cabinet wine cooler can be mounted horizontally under a cabinet, like a microwave oven, or vertically along a cabinet. An under cabinet wine fridge typically holds four bottles of wine and provides all the temperature, light and humidity control that a larger wine refrigertor does.

Buying Wine Online

2010-01-23T19:39:00.000-08:00

There are 17 states in the U.S.A that do not allow shipment of wines directly to consumers. Why not? Typically in state wineries and participants in the traditional three tier distribution system of winery-wholesaler-retailer are against direct wine shipments. Why? It is always about money. The players in the traditional distribution chains fear losing volume and sales to online and out of state wineries.

However, per the Washington Post, states that have recently allowed direct consumer shipments have seen sales through their traditional distribution system increase rather than fall after direct shipping was allowed. Why? Many states allow direct shipping only with other states that have a reciprocal agreement. Thus, direct shipping benefits all states that participate by expanding demand between them. Wine choice stimulates demand which further grows supplies.

U.S. Wineries Grow In Number

2010-01-18T14:04:00.000-08:00

Wine Business recently reported that, in 2009, the number of wineries in the United States increased 6% to 6,223. About 85% of the total wineries are bonded wineries while the remaining are virtual wineries. The 6% winery growth rate is similar to 2008's growth but down from the torrid expansion of 15% and 10% in 2006 and 2007.

A bonded winery is regulated and is responsible for all the winemaking activities on its premises. A virtual winery has its own management and brands but subcontracts and relies on a bonded winery to perform most of the critical winemaking functions.

Clearly, U.S. winemaking is on the upswing as evidenced by the winery growth, the fact that all 50 United States have wineries and the increasing quality of U.S. wines.

Wine Bottle Names And Sizes

2010-01-13T04:52:00.000-08:00

Wine and or champagne bottles come in a variety of sizes. The standard wine bottle size holds .75 liters or about 25.36 ounces. In the late 1800’s, early 1900’s, several oversized wine bottles were introduced in France. Most of these large wine bottles were named for Biblical kings and other Biblical figures. It is not known with certainty why the large bottles were given Biblical names but it is assumed that that these Biblical names were used to add to the grandness and uniqueness of the wine bottles.

Bottle Name	Bottle Name Origin	Bottle Volume in Liters	Number of Standard Bottles
Demi	The French word for half	.375	.5
Bottle	From the French word bouteille	.75	1.0
Magnum	From the Latin word magnus (great)	1.5	2.0
Jeroboam (or Double Magnum)	Biblical king	3.0	4.0
Rehoboam	Biblical king	4.5	6.0
Methuselah	Biblical man lived 969 years	6.0	8.0
Salmanazar	Biblical king	9.0	12.0
Balthazar	Biblical wise man	12.0	16.0
Nebuchadnezzar	Biblical king	15.0	20.0

Wine Quotes

2010-01-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.

~ Anonymous

“Wine is bottled poetry.”

Robert Louis Stevenson

Recommended Wine Storage Temperatures

2009-12-17T19:13:00.000-08:00

Below are recommended wine storage temperatures for various wines. Use a wine cooler to store your wines.

Wine	Temperature (Fahrenheit)
Port	66
Bordeaux and Shiraz	64
Burgundy and Cabarnet	63
Pinot Noir and Rioja	61
Zinfandel and Chianti	59
Madeira	57
All Wines (Ideal Long Term Storage)	55
Beaujolais and Rose	54
Viognier and Sauternes	52
Chardonnay	48
Riesling	47
Champagne	45
Asti Spumante	41

Wine Quote

2009-12-17T18:56:00.000-08:00

A man will be eloquent if you give him good wine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Single Bottle Wine Chillers

2009-12-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

If you do not have the space or need for a larger wine cooler or wine refrigerator, then a single bottle wine chiller could be the answer for you. Wine cooler capacities can range from 6 to 8 bottles up to hundreds of bottles. If you do not store large amounts of wine, but still enjoy a cool glass of white or red wine, then use a wine chiller. A typical wine chiller can chill wine in minutes and keep it cold for hours. Use a wine chiller and avoid
the ice, water and potential mess.

Wine Quote

2009-12-12T12:58:00.000-08:00

The best use of bad wine is to drive away poor relations.
From a French proverb.

Use wine coolers to help keep your wine at its optimal wine storage temperature. No sense in having wine go bad.

Buying Wine Online

2009-11-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

Buying wine online is a great way to find specific brands, bottles, varietals or vintages. There are several good sites that sell wine online and many wineries also sell direct. Further, there are wine buying clubs like Wall Street Journal Wine that offer cases from around the world. However, the laws governing consumer wine shipments vary from state to state. Some states restrict wine shipments due to a 2005 Supreme Court ruling that said states must treat sales from in state and out of state wineries the same. This led some states to ban direct sales. Wine Institute has a listing of the state wine shipping laws.

The 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau Is Coming - November 20th

2009-11-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Starting after midnight on the third Thursday of November (November 20) the latest annual harvest of Beaujolais Nouveau can officially be sold. What makes Beaujolais Nouveau so popular and this annual wine release so anticipated? Beaujolais Nouveau is an easy to drink, light, fruity red wine. It is a red wine for those that do not typically enjoy red wines. The light taste and nature of the wine is due to the way it is made. The Gamay grape is lightly pressed and crushed very early after harvest, typically after only a few days, thus, the astringent tannins and skins, normally found in red wines, are not present in Beaujolais Nouveau, leaving the wine easily drinkable for all.

Given the lack of tannins, Beaujolais Nouveau is meant to be drunk young. Typically, average vintages should be consumed within 6 months or by by the following May. Use a countertop wine cooler to keep your Beaujolais Nouveau at the ready, chilled at its appropriate serving temperature of 55 degrees.

A Guide To Wine Tasting

2009-11-15T07:54:00.000-08:00

Ordering and tasting wine can be intimidating, especially if a sommelier is pouring wine for you and watching you as you taste the wine. Below are some simple, yet effective steps to take when wine tasting, whether taking the first sip from a sommelier’s first pour, attending a formal wine tasting event or enjoying a bottle at home or with friends.
The key to wine tasting is to fully use your senses – sight, smell and taste, to fully appreciate the wine. Wine tasting can be made easy by using and remembering the 6 S steps of wine tasting – see, swirl, smell, sip, swallow and savor. Remember and practice these 6 S steps and you will be a wine tasting expert.

1. See – First, observe and study the wine’s color and clarity.
2. Swirl – Swirl, swish and rotate the wine in the bottom of the glass. This will help unleash the wine’s aroma.
3. Smell – Lift the glass’ rim to your nose and inhale deeply. Mentally catalog or describe the fruit, flower or woodsy flavors you smell.
4. Sip – Take a small sip of wine. Swish and roll the wine around in your mouth allowing it to touch your tongue and all sides of your mouth.
5. Swallow – Mentally catalog or describe the taste.
6. Savor – Wine is not meant to be rushed or gulped.

See, swirl, smell, sip, swallow and savor the delicate balance of a wine’s aromas and flavors. Remember and follow the 6 S steps and you will obtain more enjoyment out of your wine.

Basic Wine Storage Requirements

2009-11-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

The two very basic requirements for proper wine storage are a steady, cool temperature and an absence of direct sunlight. Wide swings in temperature over a short period of time can make a wine mature and oxidize rather quickly. Using a wine storage and wine aging temperature calculator the impact of high storage temperatures can be estimated. For example, a pinot noir stored at 55 degrees Fahrenheit has an average aging potential of 2 to 8 years. However, the same pinot stored at 75 degrees only has an average aging potential of .2 to .8 years, or less than 10 months.

Use a wine cooler to store your wine at a consistent 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Best Way To Store Opened, But Unfinished, Wine

2009-10-26T18:30:00.000-07:00

Don't waste an unfinished, yet perfectly fine bottle of wine. Here is one of the best methods for storing unfinished wine:

Purchase a rubber stopper and pump. These devices are very inexpensive, typically less than $10 to $30, and are used to pump the air out of a wine bottle.
Simply place the rubber stopper in the wine bottle and use the pump to remove the air and create a vacuum seal.
Place the wine bottle in a wine cooler or wine refrigerator to maintain the wine at its appropriate storage temperature.
Pump the rubber stopper in the bottle every day or every other day to keep air out of the bottle.
Air and heat are wine's enemies. A wine cooler and a rubber stopper and pump will keep your unfinished wine fresh for another day's enjoyment.

Amazon Stops Selling Wine Online

2009-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com, one of the world's largest online retailers, recently confirmed that they have ended a trial program to sell wine online. Amazon started their online wine sales program just last year, however, per winebusiness.com and industry sources, the regulatory hurdles involved in selling wine online turned out to be too difficult. Many states restrict online wine purchases by limiting the number of bottles that can be bought or requiring that distribution be done through retail outlets. These state online wine sales laws widely vary making the rules and sales more complex to comply with.

Wine Quote - Robert Mondavi

2009-10-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

"Making good wine is a skill. Fine wine is an art."

Robert Mondavi, "Harvests Of Joy," Autobiography

Wine Quote - Benjamin Franklin

2009-10-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance."

Benjamin Franklin

Wine Quote - Thomas Jefferson

2009-10-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

"By making this wine vine known to the public, I have rendered my country as great a service as if I had enabled it to pay back the national debt."

Thomas Jefferson