A wine rack is a device that stores and organizes wine. Wine racks can be built out of a number of different materials. The size of the rack and the number of bottles it can hold can vary widely. Wine racks can be located in a winemaker’s professional wine cellar as well as private homes for personal collections.

Materials

Wood

An example of a metal wine rack.

Wood is the most popular medium when it comes to wine rack construction. It is easily obtainable and very workable.

Many types of wood are used. Cedar is popular choice because of the aroma is gives off. This aroma is also its downfall. It can penetrate the wine via the cork. Fir is another popular choice. It also is very strong and comes in a natural cream color.

Wood is also easily painted and sealed if individuals are looking for a more distinct look.

Metal

Metal is another popular choice for wine racks. Although it is not as easy to work with as wood, metal pieces tend to be more unique. With metal, more fluid and flowing shapes can be made, which is impossible with wood. Metal can also be painted to match any decor.

Metal racks are a good idea for short-term wine storage. Since they tend to be smaller and hold fewer bottles, they are better for display than wine aging.

Specialty Racks

An example of a wine cube.

Most wine racks are constructed to hold the standard 750 ml bottles. To hold oversized or different shaped bottles special wine racks needs to be constructed.

Big Bottle

To accommodate wine bottles that are larger than the norm, big bottle wine racks must be used. The construction of these racks must be stronger because of the added weight. Usually regular bottles can be put on these wine racks as well.

Cubes

Wine cubes are a versatile type of wine storage. Since you just stack bottles on top of each other, any type of bottle can be stored. This is convenient if many different types of bottles are being used. These cubes are small but can fit a large amount of bottles. These cubes are stackable so storing many bottles is easy.