Wine Storage Options:

Depending on your location and your budget, you may like to explore different options.

Option 1 : Just fix a rack!
For those who live in favorable tropics where temperature are constant year round. Lucky you! Dig a cave or build/buy racks to put in a small room or cabinet. Just need to ensure that it is dark and vibration free. Suitable for short to very long term storage.

Option 2 : Cooling Unit
For those who want to dedicate a small room or large cupboard for your wine collection. Just buy a dedicated cooling unit like Breezaire, Coolspace or WhisperKOOL. They all have different capacity to handle different wine space and is able to maintain the space at a constant temperature with little vibration. You need to ensure that your room is well insulated so that there is minimum temperature fluctuation. It helps to have two sets of cooler as well to alternate the use to minimize breakdowns and act as a stand-by. Suitable for long term storage.

Option 3 : Wine Cooler or Cabinet
This option is for those who do not have a budget constraint and do not want to go through the messy process of building a wine cellar. There are many commercial models around like Transtherm or others. While there are usually many features, the space for wine is often limited and once your wine collection expand beyond the space capacity, you'll need a new one.

Option 4 : Convert an old fridge
Yes, it is possible to convert an old working fridge into a wine cabinet but it does require some DIY handiwork. The basic concept is to use a thermostat to regulate the temperature in the fridge. Once the fridge reaches the pre-set temperature, the thermostat would switch off the power to the fridge. It would on itself once the temperature rises again. There is a commercial model available called the WINE-STAT in the US. However, do note that the older commercial fridges have lots of vibrations and tends to be too dry. Hence, it is not very suitable for long term storage.

Option 5 : Your Commercial Fridge
This is probably the last resort if the above options are not viable for you. The commercial fridge is typically too cold and vibrates too much. But again, this is the last resort. You can keep your wine in the chillier (if there is one) but the temperature will basically retard any potential growth in the wine. In other word, don't expect it to mature. Hence, you may want to keep the wine in a dark cupboard for a while, not more than 6 months, before putting it in the fridge. It may help to wrap the wine in a towel before putting it in the fridge to prevent over-chilling. Suitable for very short term storage (less than a year).