Check out my round up of the top 5 single zone wine coolers for 2014. Forget about just throwing your precious bottles into the fridge. Get a dedicated wine chiller and go pro. Worried about space? They come in all sizes including built-in. Too expensive? They also range in price from under $100 to over $1000.

If you do not have a dedicated room in your house that is temperature controlled and light tight, you can forget about just using plain old wooden racking. Keep you wine at a perfect 55 degrees fahrenheit and protect your investment. Chill your liquid assets in a styling new single zone wine cooler.

Single Zone Wine Coolers take your bottle storage to the next level.

Picture	Cooler	Type	Price	Rating
Picture	Cooler	Type	Price	Rating
	Kingsbottle 100 Bottle Compressor Single Zone Wine Cellar	Single Zone Wine Coolers	$$$$	5.0
	NewAir AW-181E Space Saver 18 Bottle Thermoelectric Wine Cooler, Stainless Steel	Single Zone Wine Coolers	$$$	4.0
	AVANTI 12 BOTTLE WINE COOLER	Single Zone Wine Coolers	$$	3.5
	Danby DWC620PL-SC 6 Bottle Wine Cooler - Platinum	Single Zone Wine Coolers	$$	3.0
	Edgestar 121 Bottle Single Zone Built-in Wine Cooler - Stainless Steel and Black	Single Zone Wine Coolers	$$$$	4.5

Also check out: Best single bottle wine chiller

That rounds out our top 5 Single Zone Wine Coolers. Say tuned for another update soon.

What are the top features that you look for in Single Zone Wine Coolers?

Leave a comment and do share.

(Image source: Amazon)

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Looking for the best single bottle wine chiller to buy? You have come to the right place for a few of the best single bottle wine chiller items available in 2013. We have scoured the planet for a simple option for a single bottle wine cooler and even the reuseable Corksicle.

If your refrigerator is a no mans land or your wine fridge is too full (gasp!) or too slow for your liking, this is a great option for you. When a house guest comes over with a nice bottle that you want to try right away, but needs to cool down a bit, a single bottle chiller is just the right gadget.

Single bottle wine chillers are cool looking and functional. Impress your friends and keep your wine cool.

Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler

The attractive brushed Stainless Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler from Vacu Vin is simplicity at its finest. As basic to use as an ice bucket without the mess. The fast chilling ice element cools wine down in 5 minutes and keeps it there for up to four hours. It is completely silent and requires no electricity

Buy the Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler (affiliate)

If you live in a warm climate like Florida and Texas or most of the US during summer months, this cooler is a godsend. All you need to do is freeze a chill sleeve in advance then drop inside the unit before you add your wine bottle. Pick up a second chill sleeve to keep at the ready in case you need to serve more than one bottle during a meal.

More top single bottle wine chillers

Vacu Vin Guy Buffet Rapid Ice Wine Chiller 

The Vacu Vin Guy Buffet Rapid Ice Wine Chiller is an inexpensive, easy and fast way to chill down your bottled beverages quickly. Just take it out of the freezer, insert your favorite champagne, chardonnay, or even sparkling cider and it will cool down in minutes.

Vacu Vin Guy Buffet Rapid Ice Wine Chiller, Sommeliers (affiliate)

Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller

The Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller is another great, simple and reusable solution for you. Just put the Corksicle in the freezer for 90 minutes then insert it inside of your wine bottle to chill it down in minutes. Just remember to pour a glass first to make room. It also doubles as a cork.

Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller, Cork (affiliate)

Buy the Vacu Vin Prestige Stainless-Steel Tabletop Wine Cooler now! (affiliate)

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When I heard that Rex Pickett, author of “Sideways”, was releasing his first wine this week, I knew that it had to be pinot noir.  Not just any wine, but great pinot.  Quigley Fine Wines, who helped fund the project, is also where to buy your bottles of “Ne Plus Ultra 2011 Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley.”

“Ne Plus Ultra” which means, “The highest point, as of excellence or achievement, the ultimate” in Latin, is very appropriate.

“The idea began when Rex was writing the sequel to Sideways called Vertical, based on the same two main characters’ wine-fueled journey through Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  Rex was overwhelmed by the amazing Pinots coming out of the Valley and wanted to become involved in the production of a small, high end Pinot.”

Why is it so special?

From the team of Drew Voit and Darcy Pendergrass, two stellar winemakers in their own right, this is truly a wine to be celebrated.  Drew was winemaker at Shea cellars for 10 years and now at Harper Voit Wines, his own private label.  Pickett fell in love with Willamette Valley pinot and the work of Drew Voit specifically while researching “Vertical”, the sequel to “Sideways.”  Pendergrass is head winemaker at Amity Vineyards, which is where this wine was bottled as well.

The fruit is sourced from the sustainably farmed Twelve Oaks Estate vineyard, located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.

Tasting notes from Quigley Fine Wines

“The color is a bright ruby red with flashes of violet.  With such light color I was hardly ready for the big aromas of red cherries, cranberry and brambly spice.  The fruit is juicy and intriguing on the nose with background notes of baking spice and rose petals.  The flavors are still quite young with tart cherry and red berries with a beautiful focused tangy acidity.  The tannins are soft and crisp with the acids playing well with the tart cherry fruit.

 

This wine defines the elegant, feminine side of Pinot Noir with Burgundian body style yet lacking the damp earth notes usually found in young Burgundy.  While still very young, less than 2 years old, the wine is already giving pleasure with its subtle yet complex flavors and aromas.

 

Pair this with cedar plank grilled Northwest salmon with a raspberry vinaigrette reduction sauce over a bed of watercress.”

How to buy

With total production at fewer than 200 cases, I hear that it is going fast!  To get your bottles contact Mike Blatt, lead wine consultant for Quigley Fine Wines at (619) 795-7043 (http://www.quigleyfinewines.com).

Contact info

Mike Blatt

Lead Wine Consultant

Quigley Fine Wines

619-795-7043

http://www.quigleyfinewines.com

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Name of wine: Kings Ridge Oregon Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011

(100% Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon) Alcohol 13%

Price paid:  $15 Buy Now

Where purchased:  Vino!, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  I like this one.  A nice amount of complexity for such a low price point.  Thank you Vino! for making this available for purchase in your shop.

Color:  Medium garnet color.  Medium clear.

Nose:  Berry fruit high notes.

Palate:  Sharp tannins with noticeable acidity.  Fruit forward with strawberry notes confirmed and an earthy bottom.  Medium body.  Medium-long finish.

Food:  Pair with a creamy cheese like brie or camembert.  This would be great with a grilled New York strip steak dinner, baked potato, and sautéed kale.

Winemaker notes:

Kings Ridge is produced by Union Wine Co.  along with two other bottlings and two more labels, Alchemist and Underwood.

The Willamette Valley AVA is located in Oregon.  Some of the best, most accessible pinot noir is being grown and produced here today.

The West Coast of the US is loaded with great pinot noir wines also known as “new world burgundies”.  What new world burgundies have you tried?

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Name of wine: Hendry HRW 2009 Napa Valley Zinfandel

(100% Zinfandel, Napa Valley AVA, California) Alcohol 14.9%

Grapes come from the Hendry estate 750 cases

Price paid:  $25 Buy Now

Where purchased:  Vino!, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  I would buy this again.  Hendry is a small producer in Napa and they know their zin.  Ageworthy too.  Not as sweet fruit as the 2007 I tasted previously.  Tasted October 3, 2012.

Color:  Deep ruby and day-bright.

Nose:  Fragrant and powerful.  Jammy fruit.  Floral notes.  And green olives (picholine).

Palate:  Light bodied.  Medium tannins.  Medium acidity.  The fruit is silky jam.  Off-dry and a medium finish.  Medium+ alcohol.  Some earthiness too.

Food:  I enjoyed this one with pizza margherita from Pizzeria Delfina!

Winemaker notes:

From the Hendry Wines website.:

The production is generally small. This wine is a blend of the barrels that were not included in the Block 7&22 Zinfandel or Block 28 Zinfandel.
The alcoholic fermentation was completed in approximately ten days in closed stainless steel fermentation tanks. When the wine was fermented completely dry, it was pressed to barrel for malolactic fermentation. Aging was twelve months in French oak barrels of which approximately 10% were new, with the remaining barrels 1, 2 and 3 year old barrels from our zinfandel program.

The Napa Valley AVA is located in Napa County, California.  Even though it is best known for its cabernet sauvignon, there are some interesting zinfandel grown and produced here.

Would you try a Napa zin?

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Name of wine: Unti 2009 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

(84% Zinfandel/10% Petit Syrah/6%Barbera, Dry Creek Valley AVA, California) Alcohol 14.8%

Grown, produced and bottled by Unti Vineyards, Healdsburg, California 1275 cases

Price paid:  $26 Buy Now

Where purchased:  Vino!, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  Wines only need to be 75% of any 1 varietal in the US to be labelled as such.  This one is labelled “Zinfandel”, but it tastes more like an interesting red blend.  The Petit Syrah and Barbera add to the complexity here.  I recommend aeration or decanting to soften the edges a bit right now.  Tasted October 2, 2012.

Color:  Day-bright garnet, looks to be filtered

Nose:  Big berry fruit nose.  Floral perfume.  Has a high note with dried blueberries on the back end.

Palate:  Firm tannins.  It is the consistency of skim milk.  Off-dry fruit.  Medium alcohol.  Medium finish.  Medium complexity.

Food:  Pair this one with a hard cheese.  Something French or Italian?  Pair this with food that can stand up to the acidity in this wine as well.

Winemaker notes:

From the Unti Vineyards website.:

VARIETAL & VINEYARD:  This Zinfandel comes primarily from our Primitivo-clone vineyard, planted next to the winery.

Vintage/Harvest:  2009 is one of, if not the best Zinfandel vintages we have ever experienced in Dry Creek. In 2009, we had warm and dry weather in late winter and spring, followed by a cooler than normal summer. All of which resulted in moderate canopy growth and a balanced fruit set, with smaller berries and clusters.  If we could order Zin weather, this would be it.

The Dry Creek Valley AVA is located in Sonoma County, California.  This is serious zinfandel country and has about 9000 acres planted.

Have you visited Dry Creek Valley?  Great zins here.

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Name of wine: Copain 2011 Rose Wine “Tous Ensemble” Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

(100% Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley AVA, California) Alcohol 13.2%

Produced and botled by Copain Wines, Healdsburg, California

Price paid:  $23 Buy Now

Where purchased:  Copain Winery, Healdsburg, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  This bottle was a wonderful gift from friends that took us wine tasting in Sonoma recently!  Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  This was tasted on Day 1 of a classic San Francisco 3-day 80 degree heatwave during Indian Summer.  Classic!  I’ll take it.  A refreshing rose. Tasted September 30th, 2012.

Color:  Cantaloupe orange color.  Light and clear.

Nose:  An earthy minerality with black olive essence.

Palate:  Firm tannins, tight, and slightly oily mouthfeel.  Light acidity.  Citrus notes.  A medium finish.  Strawberry hard candy – tart without the sweetness.

Food:  You could absolutely enjoy this one with friends on its own.

Winemaker notes:

From the Copain Wines website.:

About the winemaker

Wells Guthrie discovered early on that his taste in wine gravitated toward Europe in general and France’s Rhône Valley in particular. So much so, he picked up and moved with his new bride to the region to learn from the best. For two years, Wells apprenticed for esteemed winemaker and living legend Michel Chapoutier in France’s Rhone Valley. During that time, Wells was deeply inspired by the traditions and practices of French winemaking, not to mention the European attitude that wine is an essential part of life. At Copain, he creates wines that are firmly rooted in California, yet with the sensibilities of the European wines that so moved him. He is as committed to crafting these elegant, nuanced wines as he is to building a legacy that will be passed down to his daughters in the great tradition of European winemakers whose estates have been in the same family for generations.

The Anderson Valley AVA is located in Mendocino County, California.  The vineyards ae located about 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean and known for their Pinots and sparkling wines..

Anderson Valley pinots are not to be missed!  Which Anderson Valley wines have you tried so far?

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Name of wine: Sean Thackrey Orion 2010 California Native Wine Rossi Vineyard St Helena

(Rhone-style field blend, St. Helena AVA, California) Alcohol 15.2%

Sean Thackrey, Bolinas, California

Price paid:  $90 Buy Now

Where purchased:  Vino!, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  This bottle is truly sublime.  Like no other wine that I have ever tasted before.  The fruit gets bigger with each sip.  One jammy mouthful after another.  Think Châteauneuf-du-Pape California-style.  A Rhone-style field blend  11 Varietals planted in the Rossi Vineyard. Tasted September 29th, 2012.

Color:  Medium clear.  The color of aubergine.

Nose:  Moderate nose.  Needs time to open up.  Please give this one some time!  Earthy chalk.  Woody. With a high note.

Palate:  Dry with some fruit.  Tannic with 15.2% alcohol.  Wonderfully chalky and unfiltered.  A noseful of quince.

Food:  This was my choice for this year’s birthday bottle, so I went BIG!  We paired it with our famous prime rib pot roast with organic vegetables.  Deee-vine!  Yes, you read that right.  Prime.Rib.Pot.Roast.

Winemaker notes:

From Sean Thackrey’s Wikipedia entry.:

Thackrey’s flagship wine is Orion (Sean Thackrey Orion Rossi Vineyard St. Helena California Native Red Wine), produced from 1986-1990 using Syrah grapes from Arthur Schmidt’s old vine vineyard near Yountville until this was bought by Clarke Swanson,^[7] and since 1992 from the 5-acre (2.0 ha) Rossi vineyard in St. Helena, planted in 1905. Thackrey is uncertain what grape varieties are in the field blend, as UC Davis researchers have attempted a vineyard test without certain conclusions.^[5]

The St. Helena AVA is located in the northern end of Napa Valley.  It is thought that 11 different varietals have been planted in the Rossi Vineyard since 1905.  The vineyard is thought to be dominated by Syrah that was once planted in Côte–Rôtie.

Have you tried any Châteauneuf-du-Pape?  You must check this one out soon as it is extremely limited each year.

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Name of wine: Owen Roe 2010 Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon

(100% Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley AVA, Washington) Alcohol 13%

Cellared and bottled by Sharecropper’s Wine Co., Saint Paul, OR

Price paid:  $15 Buy Now

Where purchased:  K & L Wines, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  Medium viscosity and a skim milk mouth feel.  Release Date: June 2012. Tasted September 28th, 2012.

Color:  Clear, bright, and deep ruby-red hue.

Nose:  Spice, dried cherries, and red currant.  Faint essence of rose hips.

Palate:  Off-dry and medium bodied.  Medium-high tannins and lower alcohol (13%).  Medium finish length.  Medium complexity.

Food:  Had this one with wild mushroom, cornmeal crust pizza and an organic garden salad with thick and creamy blue cheese dressing.  A well-balanced pairing!

Winemaker notes:

From the Owen Roe website.:

The History
During the economic recession of 2001, and Owen Roe’s first couple
vintages as a winery, Washington growers were facing hardship in selling
their fruit, come harvest time. At Owen Roe, we wanted to help our farming
friends and prevent missing out on such well-tended, beautiful fruit. We
were presented with the difficult and costly purchasing of grapes to
process, cellar and bottle, waiting several months to recover our costs on
the finished wine. To overcome this obstacle, we decided to bring back the
historical business practice of sharecropping, resulting in the aptly named
wine, “Sharecropper’s.” This partnership meant that Owen Roe would take
the fruit, make the wine and once it was sold, share the profits with our
growers. This remains an important part of our history and due to the
success of this wine; we are now able to pay our growers upfront.

The Columbia Valley AVA is located in Eastern Washington State.  A “sharecropper” is a farmer who works someone else’s land in exchange for room and board plus a share of the crop proceeds.

Have you experienced any Washington State cabernet from the Columbia Valley?  These wines are big and beautiful and not to be missed!

The post Owen Roe 2010 Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley appeared first on Vino Pete.

Name of wine: Frogs Leap 2010 Zinfandel Napa Valley

(77.5% Zinfandel 22% Petit Sirah 0.5% Carignane, Napa Valley AVA, Napa County, California) Alcohol 13.8%

Price paid:  $13 (375 ml) Buy Now

Where purchased:  Vino!, San Francisco, California

Tasting Notes and my Comments:  Medium viscosity and a skim milk mouth feel.  Release Date: June 2012. Tasted September 17th, 2012.

Color:  Bright garnet and clear.

Nose:  Fruit and spice.

Palate:  Medium tannins. Medium alcohol and acidity. Short finish and medium complexity. Fruity with spicy high notes. I can taste the oak in this one.

Food:  I would most likely pair this with food that can benefit from this wines acidity. Roast turkey with gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce would work well.

Winemaker notes:

Frog’s Leap grows all of their grapes organically and uses organic fertilizers.  After harvest they plant cover crops in compost to help care for their soil.  They are also studying biodynamic farming too.

From the Frog’s Leap website:

A BRIEF HISTORY

Yes, we have noticed that the monster Zins of the ’70s are still in fashion. And yes, just like fashion they command monster prices based on their “big” alcohol, “big” flavors, and “big” bottles. But Frog’s Leap Zin is different: you can’t use this stuff to light your charcoal grill (find a good grill).

Maybe it’s that we found our early inspiration for Zinfandel from a different source — instead of reinventing Zinfandel, we looked to the past and the incredible Zins of the ’40s and ’50s. Those wines taught us the lessons that the old-timers knew: that field blends of Petite Sirah, Carignane, and Napa Gamay all picked at ripeness (not as raisins) added color, aromatics, and earthy complexity. In other words, the help of other varietals was needed to reveal the Zinfandel grape’s true flavors. These principles form the foundation for our wine today.

ABOUT THE WINE

Our classic “field blend” of old-vine Zinfandel, Petite sirah and Carignane continues to presents us with a rich, yet quaffable wine. Our 2010 Zinfandel welcomes you with enticing aromas of cinnamon and clove which underscore layers of brambly fruit and dried cranberries. Luscious flavors of cherry and boysenberry–laced with hints of earth and spice–delight your palate. The
resolved tannins and plush texture are balanced by a bright acidity. However, the beauty of this wine is its drinkability and with an alcohol of less than 14% you are assured a perfect partner for your backyard get-togethers..

WINEMAKERS

John Williams and Paula Moschetti

VINEYARDIST

Frank Leeds

The Napa Valley AVA is located in Napa County, California.  Zinfandel is an underrated varietal. Many still think Zinfandel = “White Zin” sweet wine, which is no longer true. Think big. bold flavours that marry well with backyard BBQ!

Did you know about red Zin? Would you try it?

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