GEAR

Chill Out Think small, drink big

By Michael Hiller

Whether you already have a wine cabinet or a wine cellar, a minifridge is still handy to have (it also makes a great gift).

Whether you already have a wine cabinet or a wine cellar, a minifridge is still handy to have (it also makes a great gift). Stash one in your guest suite, the game room or maybe even in the home office. Our choice is Zephyr’s Presrv French Door Dual Zone Wine & Beverage Cooler.

The Presrv can hold up to 21 bottles and 64 12-ounce cans between its two insulated zones. One side comes kitted out with sliding wood racks to hold the bottles, while the other is equipped with slide-out glass shelves. If you prefer a dedicated 42-bottle wine cellar, Zephyr makes a similar model with wine racks on both sides. Each side’s temperature can be programmed independently, from 34 degrees to 65 degrees (wines prefer something more akin to a French chateau, a spot that’s more cool than cold).

Those dual temperature zones mean your white Burgundies and California chardonnays can snuggle inside a crisp 50- or 55-degree chill, while your Brunellos, Bordeaux and other big reds can rest in a space that’s a few degrees warmer.

A few months ago, a friend in the wine business recommended I replace a small, single-zone wine refrigerator whose noisy compressor was failing with a Presrv model, the same one he had installed in his home a year ago. I followed his advice and couldn’t be happier. I love the Presrv’s full extension wood racks and vibration-free compressor. The dual temperature zones are unfailingly dependable and precise — a feat even my 450-bottle cellar can’t equal.

Right now, I’m chilling a couple of cases of reds in the left half and using the right half to dry-age a couple of prime beef strips for Thanksgiving. That’s a MacGyver I’d never trust to a dorm fridge.

THE DETAILS

Zephyr Presrv French Door Dual Zone Wine & Beverage Cooler Zephyr products are sold locally at a number of appliance dealers, including Morrison Supply Company, Texas Appliance and Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery. It retails for $1,499; learn more at zephyronline.com.

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