Wine Chillers

So Many Choices: Whether you are hosting a casual get together or a black tie cocktail party, a good wine chiller is an elegant and essential addition to your home. With sizes varying from single to multiple-bottle capacity, coolers also make the transition from small parties to extravagant soirees. Depending on your needs, there are a few different types to choose from: Single capacity electric chillers, single capacity ice coolers, multiple-bottle electric coolers, or multiple-bottle ice coolers. Within these categories the coolers vary greatly in size, style, and price, so many options exist whatever your preference may be. Use them as a gift or for your personal enjoyment, either way, wine coolers are an essential and exciting upgrade from standard too-refrigerated white or the too-warm room temperature red.

The classic single bottle wine chiller will never go out of style. From stone to silver or glass, there is nothing quite like the sound of a bottle being pulled from the ice and poured at the perfect temperature, 40s for whites and 60s for reds (F). These can be very inexpensive, which makes them affordable for most people, but they can also be very expensive, depending on the materials or brand used. On a Target.com search, the price for traditional chillers varied from $14.99 to $59.99. They come in all styles and colors so they are affordable and can be matched to your home. Use them while you cook dinner for a refreshing accompaniment to any meal that is ready when you sit down. This type of chiller also makes a great gift.

Electronic wine coolers, however, have become very popular because they work quickly and effectively without the mess of melting ice. Brookstone's Iceless Wine Chiller ($100) shows the benefit of these electronic models because it cools the wine to the perfect temperature for the type - red, white, or rose - and if the wine is too cold it will actually warm it to the correct temperature. The downside to this example is its speed. It takes about 45 minutes to chill, or 30 minutes on Quick Chill mode with a louder motor noise. Also on Target.com, the blinQ Wine Chiller is an economical alternative to more expensive options as it is priced at $59.99. Even less expensive is the Waring Pro PC50 on Amazon.com for $29.98. Wherever your budget fits in this spectrum, an electric wine cooler is an accessible and rewarding addition to your bar or kitchen. Not only will it impress your guests, it will allow you to serve your wine at exactly the right temperature for ultimate enjoyment.

For those who have a larger wine collection or host larger parties, multi-bottle wine chillers may be a better option. There are some multiple bottle coolers that use ice and are much less expensive, like the Party Tub Chiller at 39.95 on wineenthusiast.com. They can also be quite stylish and expensive, like the Giant White Wine Stem Cooler and the Giant Red Wine Stem Cooler, also on wineenthusiast.com for $299.95 each. They are giant wine glasses that stand 36" and 44" high respectively. If you are looking for an electronic version, they start at around $80 and go up from there. The Wine Enthusiast Silent Six Bottle Wine Refrigerator is $79.99. For the more avid collector, the EuroCave Comfort 101 Wine Cellar (1 temp) sells for $1894 and has a capacity for around 50 standard size bottles. There are many variations in these wine refrigerators: 1 temp or multiple, one section or multiple, digital controls or no controls, and bottle capacity ranging from a few bottles to more than 50. Choosing the right wine chiller results in years of rewarding and perfectly chilled glasses of wine.