Wine racks are used to hold wine in an attractive manner consistent with the overall décor of a place, usually the kitchen but sometimes the dining room or even a personal study. Such wines are meant to be drunk within a year or so, and as long as they are located away from light and heat they can remain easily accessible even as they add to the refined look of a room.
Wine racks are not used to age wine, for which a proper cellar is required. When it comes to aging a wine the right way, you must take into account all kinds of environmental variables such as the temperature, the humidity, luminence levels, and even the presence of odors and vibrations!
Interestingly, some oenophiles, or wine connoisseurs, insist that slow temperature swings have not really affected a wine’s appearance, fragrance, taste, or texture as long as extremes are avoided. However, most wine lovers agree that consistent storage at warm temperatures will age wine faster (maybe they can be aged on wine racks, then?).
Historically, the long-term storage of wine was something left to the professionals – that is, the wine merchants. Yet even relatively casual consumers have now enthusiastically taken on that task themselves as wines become less of a luxury item and more of an everyday treat. Inevitably, a whole cottage industry has grown up to cater to the desires of such a market, where people insist on quality wine storage at home. There are even “wine jails” which allow owners to store their wines outside the home with perfect climate control!
Most people are content with a dedicated room or closet at home. Especially popular are appliances that resemble refrigerators that offer adjustable environmental controls, with even separate chambers for red and white wines and constructed of materials that offer protection from ambient sound!