Category Archives: Vintage Cabinets

Gone are the days of the old dusty, sometimes musty basement wine cellar. Gone is the need to rely solely on the ambient conditions downstairs. Today, wine cabinets have replaced the venerable cellar.

Like hi tech wine cellars, wine cabinets feature clean lines, energy efficiency and modern temperature controls. With exterior cabinet designs that range from the modern to the classical, wines cabinets and home bars are available that will blend in to almost any decorating scheme.

The wine industry in America is booming like never before. Industry figures indicate that there has been a seventy percent increase in the number of domestic wineries since the year two thousand and two. Sales of wine produced in the United States exceeded eleven billion dollars in the year two thousand and seven. With the growth of the domestic wine industry has come an increased demand for wine related products like wine cabinets.

Americans are adopting a more casual attitude towards wine. We have broken down the stereotypical image of the effete wine snob and embraced many of the benefits associated with moderate wine consumption. Many doctors are advising patients to consume red white on a daily basis. It is important to point out that doctors are not advocating downing a bottle of merlot every evening. The advice stresses moderation, perhaps a glass of red wine over dinner. Moderate consumption of red wine is shown to aid digestion and has cardiovascular benefits.

Even as the debate rages over which wine to serve with the chicken, many wine drinkers are busy rewriting the rules. Many folks are opting for a wine that tastes good with whatever food they happen to be eating. The traditional interpretation has been that red wines are served with red meats and game fowl. The white wines were reserved for lighter dishes containing fish or chicken. Today, even rose wines have gained respectability as the perfect accompaniment for almost any dinner faire.

Recreating the environment of a premium wine cellar is easy with a wine cabinet. If you need to store just a few bottles, a small countertop wine cabinet might be the perfect choice. For many wine aficionados, collecting vintage wines is more than just a hobby. An alternative to the wine cellar, a larger wine cabinet can hold several hundred bottles. Not only can a wine cabinet hold lots of your favorite vintage, the temperature can be precisely controlled.

An important feature of many wine cabinets is a multi zone design. The multi zone feature allows you to store different wines at different temperatures. For example, most white wines should be stored at a lower temperature than red wines. A good white wine, chilled to proper temperature will yield the flavors and qualities intended by the vintner. Red wines are not normally chilled, but rather are best held at just below room temperature. Rose wines can be chilled, or not, depending on your individual tastes.

For many wine connoisseurs, the humble rose wine has not been held in very high regard. In fact, most wine snobs I know consider any rose wine to be no more than a pop wine. Over the last few years, rose varieties have gained a great deal of respectability, in spite of this bit of wine snobbery. Thought of by many wine consumers to be light and flavorful, roses have broken down many of the so called rules regarding wine drinking.

Whatever your favorite vintage, color or taste preference, a quality wine cabinet will help preserve the best of what wine has to offer. In combination with a home bar, a wine cabinet will protect your investment and enhance your wine experience. Continue reading →