Wine Cooler / Fridge

DJ,

I like your idea on the UV tint. In my book the less light that gets in the better!

The anti-vibration is supposedly VERY important for long term aging.

--Dan

DJ, dual zone isnt necessary as all wines (regardless of color) age really well at 55-60deg.
As far as the glass, indirect sunlight can cause damage too. I've noticed how much some of the photos in my office have faded and they never are directly hit. For the small coolers that I have, I just bought some black poster board and velcro, cut pieces to fit, and lined the inner surface of the glass door. Granted, you can't see the bottles, but it only cost me $3.50 to do it.

DJ
The key issues in wine storage are (to my knowledge) commonly believed to be
- Temperatue Variation
- Temperature
- (UV) Light
- Vibration
- Humidity
- Exposure to unwanted smells

in roughly decreasing order of impact (but I know opinions differ on both this order and the various levels that are acceptable/ideal in each one).

Thus in getting the top two right (and possibly the third) you're well on the way. Personally I'd go for the UV film option and I'd then be pretty happy for cellaring 10 years plus. There's so little in the way of true scientific evidence, that most opinions are at best supported by anecdotal evidence (and my opinion is no different).

For Temperature variation, vibration and humidity, I've always assumed (rightly or wrongly) these relate mostly to their effect on the cork seal and retaining a consistent elasticity in it. Assuming we continue to move to alternative seals (e.g. screwcap etc.) then some of these issues might reduce or go away.

p.s. I've gone for 13C for my wine fridge temperature, but there's loads of arguments ranging from 9C to about 16C for "ideal" temperature. For me the advantage of 13C, is whites are generally cool enough (maybe + half hour in the fridge on a warm day, or use one of those cool wine bottle jackets) and reds generally reach a decent temperature within half hour of opening.

regards

Ian[/list]