The Odd Couple of Bottles - Unique Wine Storage

October 17, 2018

Don't Let Shoddy Racks Lead to Wracking

It is not difficult to recognize the standard 750-mL antique green bottle with high shoulders and punted base; it's "the" go-to vessel for vintners storing wine. This is known as the typical Bordeaux-style bottle. The world of the oenophile, however, would be far more humdrum if not for the thousands of intriguing varietals and terroirs that exist, not to mention the large-format bottlings and classically-shaped bottle styles that can indicate a highly distinctive wine or its region of origin. Unfortunately, not all wine storage units on the market seem to account for a collector's palette or regional interests varying from one day to the next. After all, it's possible to have a hankering for a corset bottle of Côtes de Provence rosé one evening and a canteen-shaped cantil of Portuguese rosado on another.

Non-Conformist Storage

Having among one's cellar bottles that differ in size from the standard Bordeaux bottle can pose a storage nightmare. Most conventional wine shelving systems and refrigerators are designed to hold the Bordeaux bottle size exclusively, prompting owners to stack precariously on one refrigerator shelf and wedge non-traditional bottles elsewhere. Besides this method of storage looking downright disorderly, a non-uniform bottle arrangement can lead to obstructed air circulation in the unit, meaning uneven temperature maintenance, bottle condensation, possible label damage, and even bottle breakage.

Large diameter bottles like Pinot and Chardonnay don't fit in standard wine racks

A Connoisseur's Cabinet

Luckily, there are many innovative solutions that can meet unique storage needs. For those with space for a cellar, you may consider adding custom wine racks built to house bottles of all types and store those bottles one or two deep. If custom wine racks are outside your budgetary constraints, racks with diamond cube configurations may do the trick for storing wines in oddly-shaped bottles. Vintage View wine racks, with their label-forward design, can also store bottles with differing dimensions because of the way they cradle each bottle.

FlexCount shelves can fit a variety of bottle sizes comfortably

If you are limited in space and a refrigerator is the route you need to go, there is a solution to housing different bottle sizes in one cabinet. The Allavino FlexCount Series Wine Refrigerators have been intuitively designed with diverse wine collections in mind. With their specialized wood and metal racks, they have eliminated wasted space in the cabinet, creating more room between shelves for bottles with varying diameters. The extra space means you don't need to remove shelves to accommodate bottles that are not the standard format, so the stated bottle capacity will not be affected if you have a variety of bottle shapes. This means the Allavino FlexCount Series of wine refrigerators can accommodate all your favorites expertly, from Albariño to Zweigelt!

Collect to Protect

Don't forego building the wine collection of your dreams because you feel inhibited by rudimentary storage solutions. If you have any questions about making the right choice for your specific storage needs, give us a call and one of our experts can assist you in finding a solution that is suitable for the bottles in your collection. For more information on wine located on this blog, click here.