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Wine refrigerators, are they really necessary?

Posted by jimbill on July 31, 2009 at 09:30:21:
These things are a relatively new device in the wine world. I don't remember seeing them back in the 80's, even in private cellars. Back then most home cellars/rooms were kept at the same temperature as the home. Yet wines aged properly and drank well.

Wine stores and wholesaler warehouses are always at around 73 degrees. Their older wines stored at the same temps as the jug stuff and other alcohols. The shops may have the expensive wines in a locked cage, still at the store temperature. Seems to have worked for decades.

As for the wine. Are the chemical reactions taking place truly affected by the 18 degree difference (55 vs. 73)? I've had wines from climate controlled cellars that have gone over the hill due to age. I'd argue they would have gone over the hill in the same amount of time as at normal home temperatures.

These refrigeration units are expensive and power consuming. I kind of feel like they are the (get ready!) expensive cables of the wine world.