You may not know it but your wine rack serves two important purposes at home, regardless of its size of complexity. First off, it protects your wine from spoiling. Secondly, it creates an alluring focal point for your guests. That is, it acts as an aesthetic factor. In other words, it is a simple piece of furniture that can inherently improve the ambience of any room. But such factors aside, what really does it mean to choose a value priced wine rack? What does the whole process take? What kind of factors must one take into consideration as far as wine racking is concerned? Read on to find out!
Casual vs. formal
A wine rack is either casual or formal. It depends on where one wants to place it. A formal living space like the dining room or the den will always call for a formal wine rack. But then again, it depends on a home style. Is the home contemporary or classic? What kind of colors, themes and styles are featured in the home? With all these considerations to contemplate on, it is safe to conclude that choosing that wine rack is not easy. Go for a formal wrought iron rack if you consider your home contemporary. Iron achieves that elegant look associated with contemporary homes with ease. Wooden racks on the other hand are ideal for classic, country style and rural homes. It brings about the retro effect and adds some ‘warmth’ in a room.
Size matters
Consider how much space you have. Go for a hanging wine rack or a wall mounted one if space is an issue. A standalone wine rack on the other hand is ideal where space abounds. Corner racks may also be considered. Be sure to go for elegant racks should you wish to showcase your collection to your friends and guests.
Bottle collector
This happens to be one of the most ignored factors amongst wine loves when it comes to wine racking. They simply ignore or underestimate the role played by the bottle collector. The number as well as the type of wine bottles that one plans to store in a rack must always be taken into account. Go for a simple rack with sizeable bottle collectors and holders if you intend to store three or four wine bottles. But if for one reason or another you are a wine connoisseur with the intention of setting up a massive wine cellar, go for special wine racks. Choose one that can hold oversized and irregular shaped wine bottles, most of which are from expensive brands. Stackable and modular wine racks are highly recommended. Wooden and metal wine racks are also ideal. You can always have their frames added any time you add a bottle or two to your collection.
Location
Any wine connoisseur will tell you for a fact that wine storage is a delicate art. A simple mistake may mean you will have to entertain yourself and guests with spoilt wine. Storage is simply an integral factor of a memorable wine drinking experience. So before even going for that wine rack you have in mind, consider where you intend to place it. Ideally, wine bottles should be placed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Everyone seems to know that. But only a few wine lovers know that areas which experience regular temperature changes are not ideal. Basements are certainly ideal. They are however not perfect, especially in humid areas. You may have to consider wine racks that come complete with temperature regulators and humidifiers.
Wine rack materials
Most wine racks are made or wrought iron or wood. Wood happens to be a more popular material compared to wood. But metal is just as good especially for storing large quantities of wine. Wine racks made of heavy duty metal are ideal for pretty much obvious reasons. They keep bottles on their sides at all times. The rack cannot allow the bottles to slide mainly because of bent wire cracking that hold bottle necks in place. One must however make sure the wine racking is on a level ground. If tall, the racking should be bolted to the wall at some point to hold the bottles firmly in place. Keep off wine racks that use staples to hold bottles horizontally. The staples can buckle or lean and eventually force the wine to spill of the bottles.
As far as wooden wine racks are concerned, stick to racks made from hardwoods such as mahogany or redwood. Keep off racks made from cedar. They are popular and affordable but wine experts do not recommend them. Cedar odor can taint wine and take a toll on their quality.
Rack shape
Each rack designs features a special shape. But not all shapes are ideal for wine. Round shouldered wine bottles for instance are delicate and often stringent storage considerations. Avoid diamond shaped wine racks for such bottles. You will spend a lot of time retrieving wine from a diamond shaped rack. In the process, you may be forced to touch wine bottles which should be left to mature without disturbance.
