Under-counter wine coolers

As Christmas draws ever closer, chances are you’ll be preparing a dedicated wine list for the occasion. After all, tis’ the season to be jolly. In fact, a glass of vino or two could really help this year’s celebrations go with a swing. However, you’ll need to store your bottles correctly if you want them to retain their delicate flavour. This is why temperature-controlled, low-vibration wine coolers should be top of your wish-list this Christmas.

At Caple, we’re renowned as a market leader for wine coolers of all sorts of shapes and sizes. We offer a multitude of high-performance models – under-counter, in-column and freestanding. We can also accommodate a huge variety of bottles from eight to 132. And we can even provide up to three temperature zones should you require this. This week, we asked our product manager, Luke, to provide us with some key facts for under-counter wine coolers:

I’m a big fan of this type because you can place it neatly within a run of base units in the kitchen. Whether you choose to locate it in your island unit or not, the choice is yours, so they’re versatile too. You can also choose from a great variety of wine cooler sizes. If space is at a premium, a slim-line version may suit you better.

And if you’re looking to store and serve your wine, perhaps two temperature zones will work for you. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to the finish, too. We offer stainless steel, black glass and even gunmetal versions. However, for a really slick finish to your kitchen, you can opt for a stylish, furniture-clad wine cooler.

Our Sense Premium integrated, dual zone Wi6160 model is super stylish. You can ask your kitchen designer to design a bespoke door frame to match your cabinets, which will simply slot into place.

When it comes to choosing the right wine cabinet for you, consider how much wine you enjoy. However, also think about how often you entertain. Of course, you may not have many guests visiting your home right now. But in the future, once this pandemic is over, you’ll surely want to accommodate your friends and family.

So, a wine cooler should definitely be part of your kitchen plan. Think about the number of bottles you’ll want to store, from Burgundy and Bordeaux to Champagne. Our under-counter wine coolers can accommodate a huge range from eight to 52, so you are spoilt for choice.

Compressor cooling

Steer clear from thermo technology as this is only capable of cooling to around 15C below a room’s ambient temperature. In the summer, your home could easily be warmer than 25C. So, this could limit the temperatures you are able to chill to and if the ambient temperature really climbs you could reach internal temperatures that start to effect the quality of the wine stored. At Caple, we only use compressor cooling technology in all our wine coolers. This way, you can have complete peace of mind that your bottles will be stored at a precise non-fluctuating temperature regardless of how warm it is in the room.

Anti-vibration and humidity technology

If you enjoy fine wine, you’ll want it to taste as good as it should, when serving. Look for wine coolers with anti-vibration gaskets and low-vibration compressors. These credentials will prevent disturbance to the sediment balance in each bottle. And, ideally, you’ll need to find an appliance, which will provide optimum humidity levels. At Caple, these must-have features come as standard in all our wine coolers.

Lighting considerations

Did you know ultraviolet bulbs in your wine cooler will cause light-strike? As a result, this will make your wine age prematurely. In fact, any sun or fluorescent light must be avoided at all costs. Look for wine coolers with LEDs, because you’ll find there’s no heat output and they’re UV-free, too. At Caple, we use white versions, because they look so stylish. Don’t forget to consider a UV-toughened glass door for further protection.

Storage options

Make sure the shelving in your wine cooler will ensure every bottle can be stacked on its side so the wine touches the cork. This way, the latter will remain moist. In addition, this contact prevents oxidisation and immediate ageing as it creates an air seal in the bottle.

I think this is important because you’ll want your wine to be at its best when serving. So, look for models which feature charcoal filters, that will remove odours and impurities from the air, This will prevent them

from penetrating the cork and therefore impairing the flavour. So, you can feel confident your wine cooler will provide perfect storage conditions. After all, this is what you would expect from an actual cellar.

If you want to lower your carbon footprint, the eco mode on our Sense Premium wine coolers could be perfect. You’ll find the lighting and control panel will turn off and the compressor is delayed. This won’t harm your wine in any way but it will be better for the environment. Our intelligent mode is another innovative function. You’ll find the fan speed will adjust according to the ambient temperature. As a result, this will save energy and reduce sound levels – the latter will be particularly handy in an open-plan kitchen.

Other highlights in our Sense Premium collection include a special timer, which will keep the lights on for ten minutes after the door is closed. These then simply switch off. Once you select a lighting function, you can also adjust the brightness in your wine cooler. You can keep your internal light on continuously; this will dim for a more ambient setting just three minutes later. Or you can adjust this using the door-opening light, which comes on then switches off when the door is closed.