GB
9
Storing Wine in Your Wine Cooler
One benefit of your new wine cooler is that you can simulate the conditions of a wine cellar.
By using a wine cooler thermometer you can ensure a constant temperature of around 5-20°C, which
is ideal for storing wine. Make sure the bottles are lying on their sides. This ensures the wine inside is in
contact with the cork, which stops the cork drying out, shrinking, letting air in and spoiling the wine. After
a bottle has been opened, the wine comes into contact with air which will start to oxidise the wine. This
generally occurs on the wine’s contact surface, leaving the remaining wine in good condition. By leaving
your bottle standing, you minimise the surface area of the wine in contact with air.
If you’re serving white, rose or sparkling wine, chill it lightly for at least two hours in the wine cooler before
serving. Most reds should be served at room temperature, or in the case of lighter reds like Beaujolais, very
slightly chilled.
Opened wine will remain in good condition for up to two days (for delicate whites) or three days (for rich
reds) as long as the bottle is resealed and stored in your wine cooler. Special stoppers that keep sparkling
wine and Champagne bubbling for one or two days after opening can be bought at most good wine
shops. When storing leftover wine, attempt to minimise the oxidation process of the wine. You can use a
‘vacuum’ which pumps out the air in the bottle leaving a semi-vacuum. The wine should last for about two
weeks.
However, if it is a good quality wine and you intend to finish it within one week, all you’ll need to do is to
replace the cork and leave it standing in your wine cooler.
Different wines are best kept at different temperatures. To choose the temperature at which to store your
wines please consult the table below.
Serving Temperatures
Wine Type
°F
°C
Rose Wine
48-54
9-12
White Wine
48-58
9-14
Sherry (Light)
48-58
9-14
Red Wine
57-68
13-20
Fortified Wine
57-68
13-20
Sherry (Dark)
57-68
13-20
Filling Your Wine Cooler
When filling your wine cooler the greater the amount of wine placed inside the wine cooler from room
temperature, the longer it will take to cool them to the desired temperature. You may wish to temporarily
turn the Thermostat Control Dial to a higher setting to speed up the cooling process. If you do this
remember to return it to the previous setting once the wines have reached the required temperature in
order to conserve energy.
Keep the Door Closed
To prevent cold air escaping, limit the number of times your open the door.