The Auswine Forum

With Summer moving in fairly quickly up here in Queensland the issue of drinking temperatures comes up again. Every year I find myself running around the house trying to prevent my wine from heating up. It has been a while but I swear Dante wrote about the circle of hell where sinners are forced to drink warm wine in 30+ degree weather. I think it was just after Ugolino, lucky bastard managed to avoid that one.

This year I wanted to get ahead of the problem. Has anybody managed to source a marvel that can keep a single bottle at a set temperature (between 8° and 18°). Ideally this would be something that could be kept on the table or nearby, basically a wine bucket I can fit a bottle or a decanter in and not have to worry. I'm not concerned if it is battery operated or plugged into the wall as long as it works.

So any options? If not, anybody have alternatives for the Summer season?

Small wine fridge?

As per the above, I would source a small wine fridge.
I picked up a 40 bottle Vintec off Gumtree for $250. It was brand new in the box (it was an unwanted prize). Post the TWE Vintec offer / promotion a few of these pop up on Gumtree as unwanted prizes. Last year there at least 15-20 Australia wide, pays to keep an eye out.

Waring make a few gadgets that do exactly what you want: http://www.waringpro.com/catalog.php?pcID=144_162

Cooper Cooler beverage cooler, a single bottle chiller available on Amazon.

sch5252 wrote:I picked up a 40 bottle Vintec off Gumtree for $250.

I'd been feeling the same as my first TWE deal was full (technically overfull...) and I was waiting for one case to arrive and expect to buy another half case in the coming weeks, both with wine that will be stored for a while. I did this too. A guy a few streets over was ditching a 'hardly used' Homemaker (I don't expect it to be fantastic, I've already noticed a temperature difference between the top and bottom) on Gumtree. Probably overpaid but paid for convenience (I don't usually make snap decisions). I only hope to get a couple of years out of it before we can afford a decent tall fridge. I just hope I don't continue this trend because the first fridge was bought to 'get over the hill' so that we could buy a tall fridge

Nice find BTW.

I ended up with 4 smallish wine fridges at one point! Wife wasn't thrilled. One day I'll get a big one I would say.... Never did, went for an off-site locker in the end, Assuming a big fridge would last at least 10 years, off-site is a more expensive option, but suits me.

Anyway, back on topic, I've cleared out and removed the bottom few shelves in my 50 bottle wine fridge for summer which gives me space to either stand a few bottles upright, or store a decanter in during the day/night. Keeps the wine around 14C which is ideal for reds (they can warm up a touch in the glass if necessary), and if needed I can take it down to 8C and since most of the other bottles in there are short term and/or white/champers anyway, no harm done. So yes, try to find a small wine fridge, I got one on Ebay for $100 a while back, no name brand but it lasted 8 years or so. I've seen the occasional gadget aimed at a few bottles, but usually garbage quality gimmicks or just way too expensive.

Cheers
TiggerK

P.S RedAv, I put a 7V DC adaptor attached to the red and black wires of a 80mm computer case fan at the top front left in my wine fridge blowing downwards. Small power cable fed in through the seal. Evened out the temperature variation nicely!

I hope I don't end up with four but you can see why - it's probably cheaper than a new, full height unit. A full height had gone for about $400 that night, should acted quicker!

Nice fridge hack . I might look into that as the top seal isn't the best and I might try and clean it up to make it better and then see how it goes. All the genuine long termers are sitting in the Vintec whereas the drink now and short termers are in the Homemaker.

Sadly I don't think my partner will allow me another wine fridge until we move into the new house. I have been using mine, but I lack the space to stand a bottle in there at this point in time and i'd rather not. Maybe I can sneak a small vintec in while she isn't looking?
Tonym does the Cooper actually hold them at temp or just rapid chill?
Thanks Ozzie, I will see if I can source one. Anybody know a merchant for one?

Diq wrote:With Summer moving in fairly quickly up here in Queensland the issue of drinking temperatures comes up again. Every year I find myself running around the house trying to prevent my wine from heating up. It has been a while but I swear Dante wrote about the circle of hell where sinners are forced to drink warm wine in 30+ degree weather. I think it was just after Ugolino, lucky bastard managed to avoid that one.

This year I wanted to get ahead of the problem. Has anybody managed to source a marvel that can keep a single bottle at a set temperature (between 8° and 18°). Ideally this would be something that could be kept on the table or nearby, basically a wine bucket I can fit a bottle or a decanter in and not have to worry. I'm not concerned if it is battery operated or plugged into the wall as long as it works.

So any options? If not, anybody have alternatives for the Summer season?

Turn the air con on and get the room down to 18 degrees.

Failing that, stop drinking reds and move to something else where temperature not so critical. If you drink red in 20+ degrees you'll either end up necking your wine or it just ends up flabby from being too warm.

not sure if it holds a set temp but it does chill very quick

Just keep the bottle in the fridge and decant a little prior to drinking. Keep topping up the decanter as you empty it.

The wine will keep for a few days if it's kept in the fridge.

If it is not gonna take you more than a few hours to drink it, a well insulated bottle holder does wonders.
I have been using the one in the pictures with great success. Where do you get it? have no idea, it came with the shopping wheelie my Missus bought some years ago.