What are Wine Racks?

Wine racks can be decorative or utilitarian, but they all have one thing in common -- they are designed to hold wine bottles to free up space.

Some wine racks are designed to safely store bottles, while others display wine. Storage racks, called cellar style wine racks, can be modular or stackable, so that one can buy as many or as few as needed. Wine racks that are used for storage are usually made of wood, often pine. They are rectangular frames without a front or back, that stand on a wide foot. The frames have vertical runners, evenly spaced, with horizontal ledges placed at even intervals inside the length of the runners, forming small square compartments. A wine bottle is laid on its side inside a compartment. These modular style wine racks can be stacked in a cellar or large kitchen to form a wall, or they can be used individually, placed on a counter. A small modular wine rack normally holds 10 bottles of wine.

More ornate wine racks are available in materials like wrought iron, crafted into various designs, such as a ribbon gracefully wrapping around itself. The "ribbon" might hold a single bottle of wine. A wine rack like this is purely decorative and kept on a counter. It can also grace a table for two, adding a classy touch to any romantic dinner.

Wine racks come in countless designs, limited only by the imagination. There are wine racks to fit every purpose, décor and personality. A wine rack can add ambiance to a room, protect wine in a cellar, or keep wine handy on the counter. Low-profile wine racks are even made for storing wine inside the refrigerator.

Wine racks are widely available at department stores and many specialty shops. There are also wine rack vendors online so feel free to pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine and take a gander at some of the many designs. The next time you reach for that perfect vintage, you might just be slipping it out of the perfect wine rack!