Wine coolers can have slightly different temperature ranges. Knowing your preferred drinking temperature for both reds and whites is important as you will want to be certain the cooler can accommodate your needs.
For example, if you like your whites colder than the recommended temperature you will want to make sure the cooler you select can get down to that temperature.
Dual zone refrigerators have different temperature ranges and they sometimes have an unequal bottle capacity.
For example, one side of the cooler may be have a range that is more suitable for red wine storage and a capacity to hold 12 bottles, while the other zone is more suitable for white wine storage, but has a capacity for only 8 bottles. If you drink more white wine and less red, this is something you will want to consider.
The other question to ask is, what kind of storage are you looking for? Long term storage (years) for aging wine is best in a different temperature environment than shorter term and ready to consume wine. If you are looking to age your wine for years, you might want to consider a wine cellar.
Here are some general guidelines that you can follow.
If you are looking for long term storage (years) you will want your wine bottles to be around 55ºF with 50-70% humidity.
Usually safe temperatures for your general storage needs are considered between 50-57ºF.
Just be aware that if you wine gets above 65ºF it will age prematurely and lose any chance of a balanced flavor. Similarly if you store your wine in a standard refrigerator (usually between 30-40ºF) the taste will also be compromised. A standard refrigerator is simply too cold to store you wine, just as your living room shelf is too warm.
Here is a nice wine serving temperature summary from Wine Spectator.
Here are some ideas of ideal serving temperatures for various wines. You can use this as a guide.
White wine is best served between 47-55ºF.
Red wine is best served between 60-68ºF.
Rose should be between 45-55ºF.
Sparkling wine will be best between 45-52ºF.
If you are looking for more specifics…..
WHITE
Champagne, Prosecco, Sparkling – 45°F
Muscat, Rosé, Riesling – 47°F
Chardonnay, Viognier, Chablis – 53°F
Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon – 50°F
REDS
Shiraz, Syrah, Bordeaux – 65°F
Zinfandel, Chianti – 58°F
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec – 62°F
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Barbera, Grenache – 55°F
Always keeping in mind that you are the one to judge best what temperature you like your wine! Just know that you will experience different flavors when the wine is at ideal temps.
Enjoy!
