When cellaring wine for an extended period of time, the ideal wine storage temperature is the same for all wine varietals.  That is, the red wine storage temperature is the same as white wine and Champagne. Experts agree that around 14°C is the best temperature to cellar wine in order for it to age gracefully as the winemaker intended. Single-temperature wine cabinets are recommended for this purpose as they provide the ideal environmental conditions to cellar your wine collection including a consistent temperature of 14°C. EuroCave has a large range of sizes of single-temperature wine cabinets suitable depending on the size of your wine collection and space available.

On the other hand, the ideal drinking temperature of each wine varietal varies greatly (between 6°C to 18°C) and can have a significant impact on your enjoyment of the wine. People often make the mistake of drinking white wines too cold (straight from the kitchen fridge at 5°C), and red wines too warm (at room temperature between 20-30°C).  When white wine is too cold it does not allow the flavours and aromatics to show to their full potential, and acidity can take over so you cannot taste the nuances of the wine. When red wine is too warm, the alcohol becomes overly prominent and the wine become imbalanced. Refer to the table below for recommended serving temperatures for some of the most common wine varietals.

If your goal is to have the wine ready to serve, then a multiple-temperature wine cabinet may be the best option for you. These cabinets offer a gradient of temperature in the one zone with the bottom of the cabinet set at a temperature suitable for white wines and the top of the cabinet perfect for red, so all wine varietals are kept at ideal drinking temperature.

Of course in our opinion, the ideal solution is to complement a large single-temperature wine cabinet with a smaller underbench multiple-temperature wine cabinet integrated your home’s living space.  This will ensure that you protect your wine collection over time whilst having a small selection of your wine ready to enjoy at a moment’s notice!

“Wine cabinet” and “wine fridge” are often used interchangeably (as well as “wine cooler”), so we are frequently asked about what is the difference.

The key feature that distinguishes a wine cabinet when compared to a wine fridge is its ability to both heat and cool. This is critical in achieving an ideal cellaring environment for your wine which includes maintaining a consistent temperature of around 14⁰C. In contrast, a wine fridge which much like a standard kitchen refrigerator (or fridge) can only cool. It is also worth noting that a typical kitchen refrigerator is too cold to store wine longer-term and does not meet the other conditions required to cellar wine properly.

Essentially, if you are a wine lover serious about protecting your wine collection, then a wine cabinet like a EuroCave is your best option.

With so many wine cabinets and wine fridges on the market, what makes EuroCave wine cabinets so special?  

EuroCave invented the wine cabinet in 1976.  The cabinets are designed and manufactured in France and have been recognised with the EPV label for French-made excellence, as well as two Red Dot Design awards for high-performance products and technical supremacy. These are some of the things that make EuroCave wine cabinets unique:

Wine Expertise – EuroCave’s core commitment is to preserve the very nature of wine. EuroCave does not make other appliances such as ovens, dishwashers or household fridges. We specialise in wine storage and preservation systems that protect and care for your wine so that you can enjoy drinking it at its very best.

Products that Last – EuroCave makes superior quality wine cabinets that last for decades. They are crafted to exacting standards using the highest quality components that provide strength and enhance performance. They have a steel frame preventing any risk of distortion (important as 200 bottles weigh around 270kg), stippled aluminium walls and polyurethane foam that ensures more consistent conditions within the cabinet compared to other brands using plastic components. The weight also provides stability for the wine when the door opens and closes. Longevity of products is assured with history showing that some of our cabinets have lasted for 30+ years.

Luxurious Features – EuroCave wine cabinets are an elegant addition to your home. Customise your with a choice of sophisticated, high-quality finishes and luxurious features to suit your aesthetic.  Soft amber lighting, various shelving options with a choice of shelving facias including French Oak and Black Gloss Steel.

Sustainable Products – EuroCave wine cabinets are energy efficient using up to 67% less power than traditional cabinets and ensuring lower running costs. Our manufacturing process is environmentally responsible using low energy components, timber sourced from approved plantations and fluids selected respecting the ozone layer. Best of all, the quality of our wine cabinets means that they will last for decades thereby reducing the load on the environment in the long run.

Clever Design – EuroCave wine cabinets don’t just look good but are a pleasure to use. So quiet you won’t even notice them, unique shelving with “Main du Sommeliers” bottle cradles and control settings at the touch of a button.  Customise shelving with a combination of sliding shelves for easy access to bottles, storage shelves to maximise bottle capacity or presentation shelves to display your collection. All spaced to accommodate wider bottles and avoid label scratching.

Most Precise – EuroCave makes the best, most precise wine cabinet in the world… Royale. Royale was designed after significant research and development investment and provides unprecedented precision for wine enthusiasts who are serious about protecting their precious wine collection.

Best Protection – EuroCave wine cabinets deliver all the essential conditions for longer term cellaring:

1. Consistent temperature of 12-14⁰C – homogenous temperature conditions delivered by stippled aluminium walls, unique cooling technology, magnetic door seals and polyurethane foam insulation which provides insulation properties equivalent to 2.5m of earth or 4m of concrete.
2. Hygrometry (moisture content) of 70-80% – stippled aluminium walls ensure the environment is not too dry which can cause cork shrinkage and wine oxidation, or too humid causing damage to labels and the potential for mouldy corks.
3. Protection against light & UV – solid doors are insulated and glass doors are double glazed, argon filled then treated with anti-UV providing protection against external light and UV which is harmful to wine. Interior amber lighting is UV free.
4. Protection against vibrations– in EuroCave wine cabinets, the compressor is mounted within the cabinet on ‘silent blocks’ and the evaporator is insulated to avoid vibrations that can be created by internal mechanics and are harmful to wine. The weight and stability of the cabinets limits movement and shelves absorb vibrations.
5. Appropriate ventilation and air flow – filter traps air impurities and bad odours ensuring that air remains fresh.

Integrated wine cabinets are increasingly popular as they deliver a sleek and contemporary look when added to a home bar or kitchen area.

It is critical when integrating a wine cabinet or wine fridge that you select a purpose designed option.  Integrating a wine cabinet that is not designed for this usually requires custom joinery to accommodate non-standard dimensions and needs extra ventilation space around the cabinet to avoid placing undue stress on the equipment.

EuroCave Compact and Inspiration wine cabinets have a unique forward facing ventilation system and slimmer dimensions, making them an easy addition to a kitchen or bar area with standard sized joinery. The ranges include underbench wine cabinets designed to fit perfectly under standard bench height.

Compact and Inspiration also have the option of a solid integrated door so you can fully integrate your wine cabinet, concealing it behind a cabinetry panel and coordinating with surrounding joinery.  Alternatively if you’d like to have your wine collection on show, select a full glass door or an integrated glass door, with matching joinery on the outer panel framing glass in the middle.

Keeping wine close at hand in the kitchen or creating a home bar with a hidden wine cabinet can elevate the enjoyment you get from your wine and your home!