Investing in a wine cooler is a good idea for the avid wine drinker. Coolers can keep your wine fresh for a longer period of time compared with leaving them on a rack. Depending on the type of wine you have — red, white or both —you should set your wine cooler to very specific temperatures.
Find the temperature gauges on your wine cooler. These gauges are usually buttons that on the front of the cooler. The temperature indicator (either a digital indicator or a thermometer indicator) will display the current temperature inside the cooler. If you set a new temperature, you must wait for the cooler to reach the new temperature you have just selected.
Store white wines between 47 degrees and 55 degrees F.
Store red wines between 55 degrees and 60 degrees F.
Store rosé wines between 49 degrees and 51 degrees F.
Store a mix of wines (white, red, rose) at 55 degrees F for maximum freshness of all your wines. This temperature is also good for champagnes.
Tip
The general rule for wine storage is to keep your wine at 55 degrees F. Of course, some enthusiasts either deviate from this rule or disagree with it entirely. Ask your local wine store about how to properly store your particular bottles of wine if you have any questions or concerns.
Warning
Using a wine cooler does not guarantee that you will be able to keep your wine fresh. Each bottle of wine has different storage needs. Upon purchasing any bottle of wine, ask an employee with the appropriate knowledge about how to store your particular bottle of wine for maximum enjoyment.
Writer Bio
Nellie Day is a freelance writer based out of Hermosa Beach, Calif. Her work can regularly be seen on newsstands, where her specialties include weddings, real estate, food and wine, pets, electronics, architecture and design, business and travel. Day earned a master's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California.