Tear Sheet Tuesday: Wine Storage

Welcome to another edition of the occasional series I call Tear Sheet Tuesday.   If you want to catch up you can do that right here  and here.  In a nutshell, I tear what strikes my fancy and I share that with you here.  It could really be anything. It’s all about what inspires me.

CookingLight-wine-rosé-winestorage-ArtfulKitchens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I'm all inspired to share with you some tips and ideas for storing your liquid treasure, wine! Here are some things to keep in mind along with some wine storage eye candy curated just for you. 

Climate Control

If you want to be technical about it wine should be stored at the perfect temperature with a touch of humidity.  The sweet spot for white wines is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit.  I'll admit it, I love an ice cold glass of white wine but my preference may be costing me when it comes to flavor.  Your refrigerator, by the way, is probably chilling in the thirties.  It is often said that red wine is served and stored at room temperature.  That could be true if you live in northern France but they definitely don't mean Florida!  The room temperature they refer to is 55 degrees Fahrenheit.  Sunlight and heat are deadly enemies of the vino. Many people store wine in the kitchen but that's not necessarily the best place for it.  If you do store it there, make sure to keep it out of the sun, away from heat and anything that is going to cause vibration, no matter how subtle.  There is an abundance of wine cooler appliances on the market in price ranges from the hundreds to several thousand dollars.  Call me for a wine cooler consult to make sure you get one that fits and will work in accordance with specifications. 

Sideways

 

Sideways is Not Just a Movie 

Wine is traditionally stored sideways to keep corks from drying out BUT if you're going to drink it soon it doesn't really matter. I'm sure you've noticed a lot of wine these days doesn't even come with a cork.  That used to be anathema to a wine aficionado but no more. Increasingly, winemakers "prefer screw caps for white wines and reds meant to be drunk young," says Dave McIntyre, a wine writer whose columns appear in The Washington Post. For more on the cork vs screw top check out this interesting article. One big benefit of storing sideways is storage, it makes the most efficient use of space.

06.-West-Village-Waterfront-by-Chango-Co.-Living-Room-Millwork-Wine-Drawer-Detail-View, wine storage

Clever or Kitchy?  You Decide

KRJHomeSweetHome, wine storage

 

 

Looks like a great idea to me, anything that suggests books and includes wine is a win!

Breaking with Tradition

wine storage

 

I'm not a traditional gal and am one to prefer interesting asymmetric balance but there's just something about the perfect symmetry and classicism of this that rocks my world.  I am not alone.  This image has 5400 saves on Pinterest!

 

A Spot for Wine

theyellowcapecod, wine storage

 

If you're planning a new kitchen and you find yourself with an extra six inches you've got a spot for wine.  Notice it's insulated from the ovens by a decently sized pantry cabinet away from heat.  It's also not too close the window.

 

Retrofit Your Wine

This wine storage system by Wine Logic can be inserted into your existing cabinetry.  Sounds logical to me! 

wine storage, wine logic
                                                                     By A Direct Cabinet Distributor Corp East Patchogue - See more Home Design Photos
 
Amazing what can come out of one image torn from a magazine, huh?  Please share your tears with me and don't forget to subscribe to Artful Kitchens.  There's a lot of excitement around the corner!
 
NEXT UP:  Part I of The Big Move, follow my journey as a new empty-nester with a behind-the- scenes look at what it takes to sell a house in the suburbs, remodel and downsize for the good life.

Men In The Kitchen: The Family Guy

Meet Joe.  He’s our next subject in the Men in the Kitchen Series.  Joe is a typical suburban dad busy with the challenges of making a living and keeping two teenagers fed on a daily basis.  When he’s not doing that he works on song writing, recording and perfecting his impressive skill set on the guitar.  Joe’s other half has varied interests including a full time job in which she’s more often designing kitchens than cooking in them.  In addition, since Joe gets home from work first,  the task frequently falls to him.  Here’s what he had to say about being in the kitchen:The Superman apron was a gift from Joe's son, Jake.  Joe's a superhero fan and strives to achieve that Superman physiqueKFL: How often do you cook and what is your specialty? Joe: I usually end up cooking 3-4 times a week.  I don’t mind the cooking, it’s the meal planning that’s the real challenge.  With two picky teenagers who, naturally, don’t enjoy the same cuisine, it’s rough.  Thankfully my wife will usually sit down at some point during the weekend and put together our menu for the coming week.  She uses the internet, old tried and true recipes and our favorite go to source, Cooking Light Magazine.  From this we make our shopping list ..  She usually cooks on the weekend but it falls to me on weekdays.  As far as specialties, I’m pretty good at whipping up a stir-fry with whatever happens to be around and I've been told my eggplant Parmesan is pretty awesome! Chicken and bean burritos courtesy of Cooking LightKFL:  What are the top 3 tools you can't live without in the kitchen?Joe: I would say a large cutting board, a large skillet and that really good quality sharp knife that everyone seems to be mentioning.  I can prepare most things I cook with those three things.skilletKFL: If you could change one thing about your kitchen, what would it be? Joe:  That’s and easy one, counter space!  When the wife and I cook together we do the dance, shifting back and forth to allow one another access to drawers, spices etc.  It’s difficult but I think we've gotten it down to a fine art.KFL:  How did you learn to cook?Joe:  I hate to say it, but I didn’t learn to cook until I got divorced.  My whole world changed in many ways including this one.  This is a good case of necessity being the mother of invention.KFL: Is cooking a pleasure or just a necessity?Joe:  Cooking can be a chore but I love to cook with my wife. As long as my better half handles the meal planning it’s not bad at all. Next up: An Astonishing Kitchen Transformation, I’ll Show You How We Did It.