Sub Zero Wine Coolers–a Review
More than a few baby boomers can probably look back on their teen years and early twenties and recall at least one story to share, regarding an early wine experience. Those first encounters with the fermented grape do not, in any way, even come close to describing a cultivated, mature relationship with vino, nor do they re- semble any form of appreciation for wine that should properly include the accepted rituals, stories, history and the grape. There were, in those tender years, a handful of popular convenience store wine brands that often boasted boldly pronounced flavors, like tart apple and strawberry, and could be purchased without an appro- priate ID, and without consuming very much of a week’s allowance or pay.
The Grown Up Life
Sooner or later, the awkwardness of youth becomes displaced by the demands placed from a pressing struggle to survive independently in the real world. Tastes change, and so jawbreakers, blue slushies, tart lollipops and strawberry-banana wine all become youthful memories, in order to make way for a more knowledge-based form of living that seeks to become availed of all the latest technology in the areas that matter most. You, by now, have discovered the chasm of a difference between “Goofy Grape” wine and a 2010 bottle of Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. You know what a sommelier is, and how to order wine at a fancy restaurant, and you never order the “house wine,” knowing that you’ll get the cheapest wine they were able to buy. You also know the ritual that follows, when the wine is delivered to you. You know that, when the cork is placed in front of you, not to sniff it, but instead to appropriately make sure the printing on it matches the bot- tle. You know to examine the condition of the cork, for it it’s been stored properly, on its side at the right tem- perature and humidity level, it will be pliable and wet–never brittle and dry.
Paramount Port-Preservation Purchase
You have become quite the oenophile, and because any worth- while endeavor to begin collecting fine wines must first begin with providing the proper storage environment, you’re going to need a good wine cooler. This is because fine wine is too valu- able of an investment to be relegated to a dusty basement or thoughtlessly stuck between canned artichokes and dried pasta in a pantry. And think of the occasion when you might open that wine. Surely you’ll want to do everything possible to avoid disap- pointment. The only proven wine storage method is to provide a high quality wine cooler that gives you control of the tempera- ture and humidity settings. At the heart of every Sub-Zero wine cooler, you’ll find superior design elements that defeat the ene- mies of wine. These are heat, humidity, light and vibration.
Protective Versatility
The manner (environment) in which wine is stored plays a signifi- cant role in the way it tastes, smells and even looks, once you open it. Wine stored in a Sub-Zero wine cooler actually delivers more enjoyment to each glass poured. All determinants known to be harm producers to wine are blocked, which means that
each bottle you retrieve from a Sub-Zero cooler will retain every ounce of its intended complexity and charac- ter. Sub-Zero wine coolers offer a convenient choice in sizes that enable you to operate them right where you’ll need them most, with widths ranging from 15” to 30”, and bottle capacities from 26 on up to 147.
Experienced Design and Craftsmanship
Regardless of the type, from Pinot Noir and Cabernet to Chablis or Pinot Grigio–all wines need the same careful attention when being stored, and no brand or type is more impervious to damaging effects of improperly maintained temperature, humidity levels, light and vibration. Every Sub-Zero wine cooler is precisely engi- neered to integrate the highest grade materials, most advanced technologies and superior craftsmanship de- veloped from practical experience for every component. Sub-Zero remains committed to your getting the very best out of every glass–exactly as the vineyard intended.
Innovation to Quell Vibration
While it’s not a widely known fact, mechanical vibration (no matter how subtle it is,) can be irritating, but when from a wine refrigerator compressor can practically ruin the wines stored therein. Sub Zero Wine Coolers are designed thoughtfully, to guarantee silent, undisturbed storage for your most delicate wines. Rustproof, coated shelves glide smoothly in and out, making access seamless, with no chance of cabinet vibration. Sub-Zero’s new integrated units feature an improved door hinge system for softer opening and closing that further prevents harmful agitation.
Dual Evaporators Provide Distinctive Control Options
Sub Zero knows how important it is to provide the ideal balance of humidity for storing wines. If there is too much humidity, you’ll find the labels on the bottles will begin peeling, and can ultimately rot. Too little humidity in the air will cause the corks to dry out and shrink. This is a guaranteed way to produce damaging oxidation. With the Sub Zero innovation of dual evaporators, there is one dedicated to each storage zone, enabling supe- rior moderation for cooler humidity levels that remain consistent at the setting you select.
Dark Glass Alone is Not Enough
Darker colors are the bottling preference of many winemakers, as exposure to light has been determined to be harmful to wine, especially when exposure is for extended periods. Wines stored without protection from the light have been known to develop unpleasant aromas, and exposure to light has negatively affected the aging process of more than one bottle of wine. Unfortunately, studies have revealed that darker glass–whether in the form of bottle colors, or even when provided for the doors of wine coolers–cannot prevent harm to wines from invisible Ultraviolet light that passes right through, unhampered. UV-resistant, bronze tinted glass is what Sub Zero uses for their doors, to effectively shield stored wines from those harmful rays, adequately preserving aroma, taste and color. A darker, cocoa-black rear wall has become a standard component now featured in Sub
Zero integrated wine coolers to further enhance the protection these units provide against damage from light exposure.
Precise Temperature Control
Wine that is stored in an unsuitable environment of excess heat, or even unstable, fluctuating temperatures will ultimately be caused to prematurely age. By offering designs with up to three individually controlled stor- age zones, Sub Zero wine coolers provide the ideal storage environments for wines that vary in storage temp. requirements, no matter how slight, between 39 deg.F. to 65 deg.F. The digital controls sustain the temp. within one degree of the set point. Not only do these functional details facilitate premium wine storage conditions, but they ensure that you will be serving each wine at the best temperature to reveal its full character.