Thursday, June 23, 2016

Selecting the Right Wood for a Wine Rack

When shopping for a wine rack (or thinking about making a wine rack yourself) the wood you choose is crucial for the long-term storage success. Choosing the wrong wood can result in negative effects such as strong odors permeating the wine, warping and shrinkage and/or the cost of replacing the racks in the future.
 

Wood in the Wine Making Process
 

Wine Rack
Wine making requires strict choice of wood to ensure a perfect origin, seasoning, toasting and the production technique. The most preferred choice of wood is an oak which has specific characteristics such as being straight grained, parallel fibers running the length of the trunk. Some of these are not just to make quality wine but they are a necessity.

The same principles that guide wine making also apply to the storage of wine. From the temperatures, to the lighting, the positioning of the wine and the wine cellar itself. When making or buying a wine rack, one can use metal, plastic or wood. Wood has always been the most common material, however, given its ability to withstand the rigors of humid, cool storage over decades and decades. There are requirements on which wood to use when making a wine rack there are also do's and the don't when you choose a wooden rack.

What Should You Look For?

The first qualities of the type of wood to choose when making or buying the wine cellar are the wood's strength and resilience. Wine is packaged in glass bottles that range from 500ml to a couple of liters. With this in mind, the weight of the bottle and its contents need to be held in position for long periods of time. It's extremely important that the wood you choose can handle this task! You need a strong wood like red oak, cedar, mahogany, or pine (among others). Choose one of these types of wood to for the storage of your wine and the wood will serve you for long periods of time.

The options of the wood available in the market include rosewood, mahogany, walnut, maple, oak, redwood, pine and bamboo which each can be stained to different colors and textures depending on your taste. Each of the materials mentioned have a different price range to suit your budget one just needs to choose the most suitable. For example redwood is resistant to humid environment and it is suitable for storing wine for a long period of time. (Don't choose a wood that won't stand up to humidity and constant, sometimes strenuous weight.) Prime mahogany on the other hand is quite expensive but it is resistant to warping and shrinking (and also looks fantastic). For an easier finish job, pine is quite suitable as it can absorb and retain most types of stains.

The Importance of Appearance

This is something that you often think about when shopping for a wine rack, but it's still important to be said. Pick wood that looks great! A wine cellar can often be a centerpiece room of your home. Wood racks are often chosen due to their versatility and ability to be stained. Wood also has the ability to blend into many different environments. Unlike metal or plastic racks, which tend to stand out and fit in best in a modern-leaning home, wood can situate itself easily in any home or setting.

When doing your wine rack yourself, the malleability of the wood is something you should consider. If you want to do any sort of wood-working, such as carving, you may want to choose wood such as pine which lends itself nicely to this type of task.

There are a few don't when it comes to choosing the type of wood to use when making or buying a wine rack. Ensure that the wood chosen is a non aromatic and this should include the woods finish. A strong odor of the wine racks will influence the flavor of the wine stored. Avoid satin finish or any other finish that may spoil the wine. When making your own wine rack avoid woods that have large knots and cracks. Choose wood that is straight as will be easy to make into the final product.

To conclude, the wood you choose for your wine rack is something you should consider above all else. Don't make the mistake of choosing a wood that ends up being replaced in the future due to wear-and-tear or for having an aroma that ruins your wine!

If you're looking to shop for a wine rack, VinoGrotto is a perfect place to start. VinoGrotto has a large selection of exclusive wood wine racks made from pine and redwood. If you're looking for metal wine racks and other decorative racks, VinoGrotto also has a large selection of those to choose from too.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8766230