wine chiller

Anyone have one of those small counter top wine coolers? Looking at something about 8 to 12 bottles. Thermoelectric or compressor? I would be using it pretty exclusively for reds. What say yee?

Mike

 

we have a therm-elect 2 bottle wide tower (2 zone ) that holds 18 and its great

 

I've always wanted one. But just never got around to it. I don't drink enough to justify it. But at the same time, it's not like wine really expires.

I'd get a thermoelectric. I read somewhere that they were better than the compressor kind.

 

Some reviews I've read about thermoelectric said they had trouble getting down cold enough for whites, but since I rarely drink whites, that was not an issue.

I probably drink enough to justify the expense.

It is not that they expire, it is that getting them to and keeping them at the proper temp would be a convenience.

What brand do you have butch?

 

Frigidaire and the best part is i get to keep good beers in it too. tho its packed full and we were gifted more wine for the wedding (guess we need to open a bottle and have some with dinner

 

I can't find a link just now, but for about $30 at wal-mart, you can get a wine chiller that will take a cellar-temp bottle and cool it to drinking temp in 8-15 minutes. Basically works like a sous vide rig, but no heating element, you add ice to the water instead.

In fact, I have started using mine to rapid defrost meats, I just skip the ice. works a treat.

 

Where do you live? People tend to overdo the old adage and drink reds too warm and whites too cold.

 

I prefer a chilled red. Just tastes better. maybe not chilled as in cold but isn't room temp in the 70s? 72 or something?
I have a friend that drinks red wine chilled. I'd say in the mid 60's is a good temp 65-68.
but I really have no clue. I just know that a cooler red wine tastes better than a warm red wine.

 

I always understood it to be about 65F, but Wikipedia suggests it's more complex.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_temperature

 

we store at 54 and drink whites right from the fridge and let the reds warm a hair then drink

 

Reds for me around 55 to 60. when I do drink whites, right from the fridge.

 

That's what I'd call cellar temp. Spot on for reds.

 

Apparently I have no clue about wines. op

 

i'm a heathen an will a let F keep me from wine

 

I have traditionally not been a huge fan of wine coolers, but now I have two and I see some positives. I like having a selection rather than doing an isolated chilling of one or two bottles that I chose -- or think I might want to drink.

With that said, I use many times a week with whites and reds those Skybar wine chill drops. They are really handy, and within five minutes you get the wine to the temp you want, while the rest of the bottle is in the fridge coming to temp. Regardless of what you get, I would recommend those chill drips, especially if you have limited cooling space.

Also, as a last note, keep in mind that many of those Pinot and other red bottles will 'squeeze' your cooler. You will likely not get the full number advertised into the cooler. Just saying. Cabs fit pretty well, Pinots and CdPs not so much.

Cheers,
Karring

 

I've read some reviews that say the same thing about the fatter bottles. That to me seems to indicate a company that isn't serious about their product. They build a machine that is only suited for the bordeaux, cab, zin, etc shape and not the fatter burgundy,pinot though fatter is not way fatter. A little annoyance that must be considered I guess. I too am a heathan, I just like my reds cooler than room temp.