Every wine collector needs a place to keep their bottles. While having a wine fridge is convenient because it allows you to store your wines at the proper temperature and have them ready to serve, we understand that it is an expense that isn't in everyone's budget. Thankfully, installing a wine rack in an area of your home that is away from sunshine and humidity will do just fine. If you want to keep your wines in top shape for as long as possible, you must store them carefully.

Proper Wine Storage

While storing a bottle of wine horizontally in your fridge or cupboard for a few weeks will not spoil it, if you want to store it properly, it should be kept horizontally in a dry and cool place, away from sunlight, to avoid artificial aging or oxidation. Let's have a look at how wine racks differ in the aim of helping you find the ideal one for you!

Wine Rack Attributes

Wine Racks - Size

You can choose a smaller or larger wine rack depending on the number of bottles in your collection and the amount of storage space you have. You may always have a custom designed wine rack that covers as much surface as you want, but wine racks of various sizes can also be found in numerous stores. Three, six, nine, or twelve bottles are the most common storage options. If you look around, you'll most certainly find wine racks that can hold 24 or even 40 bottles.

Wine Rack - Material

Plastic, metal, and wood are the most common materials for wine racks. Plastic is the cheapest alternative, but it does not protect wine from light and is not very environmentally friendly. Metal wine racks are an excellent alternative because they are inexpensive and come in a number of colors to complement the rest of the area. The most traditional and popular option is wood. Aside from its aesthetic look, wood can provide some protection from the sunlight.

Wine Racks - Design

Floor standing, wall mounted, hanging, and tabletop wine racks are common. Personally, I don't prefer wall-mounted wine racks since they do not effectively protect the wines from vibrations. Vibrations can cause the bottles to shake, disrupting the sediment in the wine and resulting in a wine that is less fragrant. As a result, it's a good idea to put your wine rack in a quiet area of the house. If you live in an earthquake-prone area, you might have your wine rack built in a cupboard or kitchen island to safeguard it better.

Organizing Your Wine Racks

When you have found the perfect wine rack for you, it is important to keep it organized so you can easily find what you’re looking for. I prefer to keep my wine rack organized based on wine varieties, but if you’re still building your palate and don’t want to dedicate a single row to a single variety then you can organize your wine rack by wine style, for example one row for reds, one for wines, etc., by wine region, wine age or you can customize your plan and store the bottles in a way that works best for you.

Wine Racks - Top Picks

Smartxchoices 96 Bottle Stackable Wine Rack

This wine rack has a classic design. The wave shaped shelves will properly store your vintages. The unfinished wood allows you to stain or paint to your tastes. No nails, screws or glue needed to assemble. There are some comments on Amazon that bottle can slip, but seems like this is related to the shape of bottle. 

PAG 23 Metal Wine Rack

Made from sturdy metal pipes with a durable powder coat finish. This wine rack can hold up to 23 bottles. The assembly of this rack takes a little more effort, but still relatively easy seeing as it only has 10 screws to connect the rods. some bottles with wider bottoms may not fit in the premeasured rack holes. Seems to store bottles with corks laying as needed. 

Wall Mounted Wine Racks

Ronixe Barrel Stave Wine Rack

While we caution using a wall mounted wine rack due to vibrations, if you have a pretty calm area of the house these can be a beautiful, functional option for wine storage. Made from high-quality solid antique wood and iron, these wall mounted wine racks don't require any floor space.  Ideal for smaller spaces. Installation requires a good bit of effort, but something someone with even limited skills should be able to install. 

Wine Racks - Conclusion

It's not easy to choose the perfect wine rack for you, but it's well worth the effort. It will not only help you keep track of your favorite wines, but it will also help you keep your vintage wines in good condition for as long as possible. I believe that there is no greatest disappointment for a wine lover than opening a bottle of wine you’ve been saving for years only to find that it is oxidized.