Wine Racks HELP!

Hi everyone,

I'm currently re-doing my house, and I really want to include a wine rack in the kitchen. I've seen some great work on http://www.wineracks.co.uk/ but wanted to know if anyone else has used this company? And if so what would you recommend? I'm leaning towards the Solid Oak Wine Racks.

I think a kitchen is usually not a good location for a free-standing wine rack as it gets too warm there year-around. If the racks are only for short-term storage, holding just a few bottles, that may be all right, but storing wine year after year at 70+ deg. would not be advisable. I store my wine in my basement where temps. fluctuate only between 56 - 65 and temp. change is very slow. This is still less than ideal but much better that in a heated upstairs room. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

I wouldn't recommend putting a wine rack in your kitchen. Too many temperature fluctuations and after you have prepared a cooked meal the wine you choose to accompany it is likely to be much warmer than ideal at that moment.

+1 re what Tim and Jim said..Kitchen not the place for wine storage..unless you have a wine fridge...We store our bottles in in a passive cellar in the basement, temp range 46-65...Have not had any bottles go OTH as yet and we built the house and cellar 28 years ago...Friends of ours have a wine fridge with dual temp settings, ie, one for reds and one for whites..seems to work for them

Find a place in your basement and have a rack made to fit it. If you don't have a basement, consider a refrigerated unit.

I'm assuming the questionner is from the UK as the reference is to a UK company. I've not encountered that company, but it looks legit.

Few houses in UK have basements, most are very small and space is at an utter premium. And if a temperature of 70F was a regular in my kitchen I'd be very well pleased.

Mia, as others have said, if you are intending long term aging of fine wines then a kitchen is not recommended (unless in a temperature controlled wine cupboard).

However, for holding everyday wines for consumption over the next year it should be fine. I have a 24 bottle rack in my kitchen from which I can grab a wine in a hurry: I also keep wines there for the use of the family when I am away as I've found to my cost that otherwise my expensive and rare 'pride and joys' that I'm keeping for special occasions or tastings have been taken from my other storage to accompany a Indian takeaway!!

Peter..bottom rack all Pinotage???

Peter, if your kitchen's temperature is 70°F (21°C) and sometimes more after cooking and on a warm day, I guess that, when you "grab a wine in a hurry", the hurry is not so great that you fail to cool the wine to a decent temperature for consumption.

I agree that keeping young robust wines for about a year in 70°F is unlikely to damage them and may usefully accelerate ageing. However, frequent peaks above about 25°C (c. 77°F), especially for longer periods in the summer, would be another matter. Maybe that doesn't happen very often near St.Albans.

I was horrified when I saw a wine rack in my sister's kitchen next to the radiator, which virtually guarantees temperatures peaking above 25°C.

I have a similar problem as you when my family visits.

However, frequent peaks above about 25°C (c. 77°F), especially for longer periods in the summer

25C? Frequent? Longer? If only!!

Peter..bottom rack all Pinotage???

No Bob, as I said, everyday wines... Mostly Italian and Southern French.

Pinotage is in proper storage, as you'd expect

Installing a 30 bottle cooler under a counter in my kitchen - that does the whites.

If I want a bottle of red, I walk to the cellar - that shouldn't be too much of a hardship, surely?