Sunpentown Wine Coolers

Wines that are not served at their optimum temperatures don't taste as they should. White wines that are served too cold can taste tart. Red wines that are not chilled enough may lose their fruit flavor. A wine cooler takes the guessing game out of chilling wine, allowing you to serve it at your desired temperature. In addition to chilling wine, coolers also protect wine by storing it in a way that protects it from sunlight and heat, both of which spoil wine.

Red wines should generally be served somewhere between 58 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the specific varietal. White wines should generally be served between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Sparkling wines should be served very cold — usually in the low forties Fahrenheit — to maintain their crisp carbonation.

The ability of a wine cooler to keep wine at a uniform temperature is a key factor to look for. Wine deteriorates when it is subject to big temperature swings. As you're shopping around for a wine cooler, also pay attention to how each unit will store the wine and its ease of use. Do shelves extend, making it easy to retrieve and rearrange bottles? Is the unit designed to hold the bottles snugly without allowing them to bump into each other? Does the bottle storage area look like it will accommodate the bottle sizes you tend to stock?

A dual-zone wine cooler can chill two different parts of the cooler to different temperatures. This can be a handy feature if you serve both red and white wines, which have different optimum temperatures. However, if you tend to drink and serve only red or white wine, you may not need two different temperature zones.

Wine coolers come with a host of amenities, including locking doors, LED temperature displays, touch screen control panels, and interior lights. Some coolers even have water bins that help manage humidity levels. Generally speaking, coolers with more amenities carry a higher price tag. 

Wine coolers are usually chilled by either thermoelectric units or compressors. There are both advantages and disadvantages to thermoelectric units. The benefits of thermoelectric units are that they're generally quieter and more energy efficient. They also operate with less vibration, which means your wine is not jostled. The downside of thermoelectric cooling is that it usually works best on coolers that have a smaller capacity. So if you have a large wine collection, you may have trouble finding a large enough thermoelectric cooler. Thermoelectric units also don't perform as well in high-heat environments, such as in an attic.

Technically, your wine cooler can be used to chill food and other items. However, temperatures in wine coolers often don't get as low as in a traditional refrigerator. Wine coolers also tend to be more humid than traditional refrigerators. As a result, your food may spoil more quickly if you keep it in a wine cooler.