Storage & Organization

Wine racks are art. They’re furniture and they’re lovely, even if you don’t like wine. They can start conversations, they can even end them with a fancy change of subject: “Have you seen my wine rack?” What they are not is an alternative to temperature-controlled spaces. In the best of wine keeping worlds, your wine should be kept at between 55 and 60 degrees with high relative humidity.

But let’s be honest, while there are a lot of people who like wine, not everyone can put in a wine cellar or wants to shell out for a wine refrigerator even. A wine rack, however, is not a serious change to your home, though it will enhance it surely. All that is really required is that your wines stay in a relatively cool place and preferably in a place where the temperature doesn’t swing that much. Many people use closets. I store extra wine (that doesn’t fit in my wine cooler) under the stairs in a dark closet where there are no furnace or air-conditioning vents. If the wine is going to be consumed within about three to six months, that kind of storage will do just fine.

Wine racks are also subjective based on what kind of décor you like. But these days, there are so many good choices that it’s hard to go wrong. There are a few things to consider, though, and like any good shopping experience, knowledge is the key. First, how many bottles do you want to store? Do you go through more than three bottles a week? Then you need volume. Do you prefer wood or metal racks? There is a difference and it’s not to be scoffed at. Metal racks are heavier, sturdier, and therefore harder to move around. Wood racks can be flimsier, but can also be modular (as can some metal racks) allowing you to add more as you build your collection.

Also, consider where your wine rack will be. Tile floors? Wine bottles can break if they fall off. Can you secure the rack to a wall or other piece of furniture? If you have a temperature-controlled area with fairly high humidity, don’t use carpeting, as it will eventually mold from the moisture. Choose flooring that’s easy to clean and build from there.

So, yes, it’s true that optimally, a temperature-controlled area is best for your wine. Those of you with basements or cellars have a natural storage area as long as the ambient temperature stays fairly consistent. Setting up your wine rack in such a space creates an almost natural cellar and is a great added space to your home. But, there is absolutely no need to spend a fortune on cooling or temperature-controlled spaces if what you’re trying to do is house a dozen or even five dozen bottles of wine, which will be consumed within the year. With that in mind, here is a somewhat subjective list: