If you have ever considered purchasing a wine refrigerator or cellar for your collection, there is probably a good chance you have asked yourself that exact question. The most basic of instincts leads us to assume that if one is good then two is better, seemingly making the decision easy to go for the Dual Zone option. However wine storage is not quite that basic, and there are some things to consider before making your final decision.
Dual Zone Wine Cellar
First things first…ALL wine is stored at the same temperature for aging which is ideally 55 degrees including red and white wines, champagne and even port. So the main purpose of any dual zone unit is to have a section designated for service temperature. Most times they are made for white wine service (41-50 degrees), but certain units can have a section for red wine service (57-65 degrees). So if your main goal is purely for storage, you can rule out the two temp option from the get go.
If you’re still considering the dual temp option, let’s take it one step further. How much of you’re unit do you need dedicated for service? Some dual temps are split in half, so you can use half for storage of all wines and the other half for service of (usually) whites. If you and your wine drinking contingency are big white wine drinkers, this probably makes sense. But if white wine consumption plays a smaller role in your house, then you may want to look for one that has just a small compartment for service, and not half of an entire unit.
