Wine Rack

Figuring out how to store your most precious wines can be a fun challenge. Over the past ten years, oenophiles have developed literally dozens of gadgets to test, worry, and nurse stored wines. However, with just a basic wine rack and some common sense, you can go a long way toward preserving your collection like an expert wine collector.

Here are a few standard rules for keeping wine in a home wine rack. Keep your wines away from refrigerators, vibrations of any kind, or any strong odoriferous substances. These disruptions can microscopically alter the texture, chromatic quality, and delicacy of the wine inside the bottles. Avoid over-stacking, and ensure that your wine rack gets placed flush along the floor to avoid tilting and tipping. Store your wines in a cool, quiet, dark place, such as a basement or a garage--well out of reach of children or animals. Keep bottles horizontal for best storage.

Metal wine racks look elegant in practically any display. They also tend to be more lightweight than their wooden counterparts. On the cheap end of the spectrum, you can pay between $25 and $40 for a good wooden or metal wine rack. If you want to go upscale, you can pay up to $2,000 for a large, professional iron wine rack.

If you decide to upgrade from a wine rack you can consider purchasing a wine fridge. You can find a temperature controlled wine refrigerator where you can store both red and white wines in racks and at differing temperatures--a great indulgence for the true oenophile. Temperature controlled units constantly monitor the temperature and conditions inside to ensure optimum preservation.