Those who have a penchant for luxury wine and delicious food tend to have an eye for design.
With their heads craned toward the finer things in life, vino enthusiasts understand that curating the perfect atmosphere is as essential to the enjoyment of a glass of wine as the origins of the grape.
While opening the perfect pairing with a home-cooked meal is certainly a delight, there’s nothing quite like enjoying a glass in a dimly lit bar with racks of artisanal wine adorning the walls alongside vintage French posters to the point where there’s not a single inch of negative space.
Aside from the aesthetically pleasing nature of design racks, they also offer practical and functional excellence. After all, storing precious bottles of wine is no simple feat – which makes embarking on creating dedicated wine storage at home an intimidating prospect.
Firstly, wine should be stored in darker areas of the home where the temperature is unlikely to fluctuate. That means no wine racks next to single-glazed windows or patio doors.
Secondly, if one is to control the ageing process of a vintage wine, it should always be stored horizontally. This makes dedicated wine cellars and wine racks a non-negotiable home accessory for oenophiles. If you’re an amateur sommelier on a budget, fear not – for you don’t need a wine cellar designed by NASA to enjoy optimised storage for your favourite bottles.
Head sommelier of Le Pont de la Tour, D&D London, Michele Orbolato has advice on the best temperature to serve red, white, rose and sparkling wine:
- Sparkling wine: in general, the best temperature for sparkling wines such as Champagne, Prosecco, and sparkling go from 6°C to 8°C. I do not recommend lower than that because otherwise, you will have difficulties tasting the aromas.
- White wine: these are made to be drunk fairly young without going through any ageing process. They should be enjoyed between 8-10°C. White wines that are more structured and bolder should be served with a little higher temperature between 10-12°C to allow the aromas to compound.
- Rose wine: rose wines should be served between 12-14°C to appreciate all the aromas; colder than this range, you will risk not being able to appreciate the wine.
- Red wine: I consider there to be two categories; light-medium bodied reds and full-bodied reds. Red wines such as Pinot Noir or Gamay should be served between 16-18°C in order to appreciate their fruitiness and freshness. While, full-bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo need a little higher temperature (between 18-20°C) so you will be able to appreciate all the notes including spices and tertiary aromas.
He adds: “The best way to store wines at home if you don’t have a cellar or wine fridge is to try to keep them far from sunlight and high temperatures. Protect them from the direct light as this can damage the wine and warm temperatures that may ‘stress’ the nectar. Moreover, if you can, store reds and whites horizontally to limit the exchange of oxygen through the cork. The wine will thank you.”
We’ve curated a selection of chic and compact wine racks to imbue your home with a vintage-inspired city-centre wine bar ambience.
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Georg Jensen Alfredo Wine Rack
Realised in Georg Jensen’s signature contemporary wave design, we love how this mid-century modern-style wine rack is featured in a warm, sunshine yellow hue. Crafted from stainless steel, it’s sure to give an esoteric edge to your space when it comes to displaying your most precious vintages.
Buy now £99.95, Harrods
W Series Wall Mounted 6 Bottle Wine Rack
A popular design among Pinterest fiends, wall-mounted wine racks are reminiscent of Bauhaus designs such as the iconic Sapiens bookcase. Offering a minimalist, space-saving aesthetic, this option is available in matte black or brushed nickel depending on your design preference.
Buy now £82.99, Wayfair
Kartell Infinity Bottle Rack
Designed by Ron Arad, this immaculate, contemporary wine rack operates on a modular basis which allows for an infinite number of combinations and shelf additions. In theory, you could stack these racks all the way up to your ceiling with whichever colours and in whatever shape you please.
Buy now £58.81, Amazon
Fair Trade Java Teak Wine Rack Single Drawer
Handmade in Java, Indonesia, this beautifully stained wooden cabinet serves as a heritage piece which will last a lifetime. The timber for each cabinet is sustainably sourced and kiln-dried, and the cabinet itself is capable of housing 16 bottles. We’d style this with an extra-large candle, or perhaps a wireless lamp – and store our wine-opening accoutrements in the drawer below.
Buy now £245.00, Etsy
John Lewis Tall Mango Wood Wine Rack, 6 Bottle, Natural
Chic, sleek and most definitely an option which can be re-purposed as a doorstop when there’s no wine to fill it, this natural mango wood, contemporary wine rack from John Lewis is a high-quality and value-for-money delight.
Buy now £75.00, John Lewis
So’Home 5 Tier Frankfurt Wine Rack
If you’re in the market to transform your living space into a local East London wine haunt, look no further than the So’Home 5 Tier Frankfurt Wine Rack via La Redoute. Offering an industrial-chic aesthetic for oenophilic households with oodles of wine, we love how the wavy metal rack is complete with a practical wooden shelf for additional household storage.
Buy now £199.00, La Redoute
Wall Mount Wine Rack
This wall-mounted rack is crafted from British steel and powder-coated in either an ice-white, light grey or midnight-black finish. Designed and manufactured out of the brand’s premises in Norfolk, you can choose between a four, five, six or seven-bottle capacity.
Buy now £20.96, Indoor Outdoors
Felica 30 Bottle Floor Wine Bottle Rack
Forged from galvanised steel and wood, it doesn’t get any more classic than a dual-material geometric floor wine bottle rack. This one is available in an array of wood finishes and arrives fully assembled. Thanks to its modular design and innovative clip system, you can create your own custom-size rack as your vintage collection grows.
Buy now £45.99, Wayfair
Alessi Noe Bottle Rack
Known for wonderfully playful yet entirely practical designs, Alessi’s Noe Bottle Rack certainly fits the brand’s design bill. Designed by Giulio Lacchetti and crafted using thermoplastic resin, we love how the scalloped design of this six-bottle rack resembles fish scales.
Buy now £80.00, Amazon
Midcentury Modular Wine Rack Or Stand, Italy, 1970s
Brilliantly practical, this modular wine rack from the 70s will prevent you from displaying a stand which is only ever a quarter of the way full. Simply add or remove shelves based on your at-home stock count. The cherry red wine rack measures 72cm x 59cm x 30cm with all shelves stacked and can fit up to 36 bottles.
Buy now £251.00, Vinterior
1970's Iconic Globe Drinks Cabinet
This globe-shaped drinks cabinet is as covetable now as it was in the 70s. Whether kept open to signal cocktail hour or closed to serve as a piece of functional décor during the day, this immaculate vintage treasure will accentuate any old-school English countryside interior.
Buy now £720.00, Vinterior
The Range Orleans Wine Cabinet - mango wood
We’re not saying a piece of furniture will help you nail the whole ‘grown-up’ thing, but it can’t hurt - especially when said furniture item is this mango wood wine cabinet. The elegant design sits on retro-style brass hairpin legs and is finished with metallic engraving and vintage-look handles - we think of it as the Don Draper of wine cupboards. It holds eight bottles and provides space to store glasses and accessories.
Buy now £139.98, The Range
Homary Industrial Wood & Metal Wall Mounted Gold Wine Rack with Glass & Bottle Rack
How serious are you about wine? If you’re one step away from opening your own bar, take stock of this contemporary wall-mounted rack first. Not only will it display eight of your prized vintages, but there’s a shelf for drinkable plonk too as well as hooks to keep glassware ready for your next serve. A statement feature for your dining room or kitchen.
Buy now £239.99, Homary
Dunelm Industrial Kitchen 6 Bottle Wine Rack
Looking for a housewarming gift? If your friend is known for their love of wine, a special rack to hold their best bottles will go down a treat. This small mango wood and wrought iron design has space for six bottles and can happily sit on kitchen countertops or in larders, ready for when the occasion calls.
Buy now £30.00, Dunelm
Robin Marble Wine Holder
Wave goodbye to your alcohol-storing troubles. This elegant wave-shaped rack is perfect for impressing your mates at your next wine and cheese night, displaying three bottles for your imbibing pleasure.
Buy now £118.00, Anthropologie
Cotswolds Company Meera Wine Rack
One for the connoisseurs, this simple design may, at first glance, appear unassuming, but when it’s loaded with bottles, it will serve as your very own wine cellar. Stack up to 40 bottles on the wave-shaped racks, ensuring you never run dry at your next dinner party. If you’re looking for a less bulky option than a drinks cabinet, this one has legs.
Buy now £64.00, Cotswolds Company
