subject: Temperature Zone: Dual Wine Coolers [print this page] Dual temperature zone wine coolers are a widely available nowadays. The benefit is being able to set two temperatures to accommodate several types of wine, such as red, white, and sparkling.
While all wine can technically be stored at 55F, this is not optimal. Reds typically are best stored anywhere from 55 - 65F. The temperatures for whites are a bit cooler, as most fit into a range of 42 - 55F.
If we stored a mix of red and white wine in a cooler at the same temperature, then we aren't going to enjoy our wine quite as much.
The idea behind dual temperature zones is being able create more ideal storage conditions for the various types of wine that we possess. One compartment can be used strictly for reds, and the other for servicing whites.
But, if you mostly own only whites or reds per se, then a single compartment wine cooler would do just fine. One could argue that a single compartment cooler does have dual zones, since the temperature near the bottom tends to be colder.
The cost for dual zone fridges is naturally a bit higher, plus they lose a little capacity compared to single zones.
The two compartments in a dual zone cooler have their own controls and temperature display. To set the temperature for either zone, press the up or down arrow.
Arguably the best way to use a dual zone fridge is by devoting one area for storage, and the other for service.
One zone could hold white and red wine together for aging. The other zone would be filled with white wine for servicing.
Some dual zone coolers have compartments of equal capacity, while others have one that is greater than the other. Think about your needs and which one would be best for you.
So, if you would only like to have a small section for servicing and a larger section for storage, then look for an unbalanced model.
An example is the Wine Enthusiast 24 Bottle Dual Zone Wine Refrigerator. The upper zone has an 8 bottle capacity, and the lower holds 16 bottles.
You could store your reds and whites in the lower zone, and use the upper zone just for service. Again, this is ideal if you need more storage capacity than service capacity. But most dual zone coolers tend to have equal capacity.
The pricing and capacity of dual zone coolers varies. Regardless of your requirements, you'll likely have no problems finding what you want.
