Ask any wine collector about scraping labels while accessing bottles from their wine coolers and you’ll likely get an answer as if you’ve hit a nerve, “Oh, I hate that!” Whether you’re protecting a long-term investment or keeping treasured bottles for personal enjoyment, a damaged label is something most collectors would like to avoid. And for good reason. Scrapes and marks can instantly decrease the value of your investment and diminish the aesthetic appeal of your prized bottles.
Wine Enthusiast’s Latitude 26” L wine cellars feature universal shelves with luxury spacing so you can freely slip your bottles in and out of the unit without interference. What is luxury spacing? Each shelf measures 21-inches wide and is generously spaced four inches apart (3/4- to 1-inch more than the average in its class), offering plenty of room to comfortably store and access a variety of bottle types and sizes, including hard-to-fit ones, like Burgundy, Champagne and 1.5 mL magnums.
“By far, Latitude L wine cellars have the best spacing between shelves as compared to other units in its class, and in a sleeker, more efficient design too,” says Wine Storage Expert and Chief Revenue and Education Officer of Wine Enthusiast Marshall Tilden III.
Here is a look at the benefits the Latitude L 26” with luxury spacing offers.
Protects the Value of Your Wine
If you’re buying and selling wine on the market, the condition of your labels can make or break your return. According to Zachary Karle, Partner at fine wine dealers Baron Wines USA , label damage can decrease the value of your bottles by 10- to 15-percent, depending on the age and worth of the wine itself. “Damage to the label can be an obvious indicator of poor storage conditions. Especially when dealing with older bottles, storage quality is paramount. Any potential issues can cause a sharp drop in pricing,” says Karle.
Preserves the Beauty of Your Bottles
There’s nothing more disappointing than uncorking a special aged vintage or spoiling a beautifully set dinner table with a scraped label. Whether you’re in the market or not, luxury spacing easily keeps your labels intact so you can enjoy and appreciate the beauty of your collection. “A big part of the pleasure and pride that comes along with storing a bottle of wine is the ritual of pulling it out of your wine cellar and serving it to guests, displaying that beautiful wine label as it’s being poured,” adds Tilden.
Generous Capacity Per Shelf
The combination of luxury spacing with the extra wide universal format gives you the potential to fit a case of wine per shelf with most types of bottles. (Some extremely fat and long Napa Valley reds would most likely not allow for a case.)
Hassle-Free Versatility
Universal shelves on the Latitude L Wine Cellar accomodate variety of bottle types and sizes.
Unlike higher-priced units with customizable shelving systems, Latitude L universal shelving comes standard with scalloped silicone insets and the luxury spacing you need to accommodate all types of 750 mL bottles and magnums without the trouble of removing and adjusting shelves.
A wine label is not only essential for understanding the wine’s origins and its vintage, but also a reflection of your tastes and appreciation for wine. “The Latitude L is a great option for any wine collector who values not only the wine itself but the entire wine package and experience,” shares Tilden.
In addition to its luxury spacing, the Latitude 26” L wine cellar delivers premium protection against wine’s natural enemies with ultra-consistent Steady-Temp™ compressor cooling. It’s also Wi-Fi enabled so you can conveniently monitor and control your unit from your smartphone using the free Wine Enthusiast Smart Cellar Remote app. It’s available in single zone as well as in Dual Zone MAX with two temperature-controlled compartments for storing and serving reds and whites.
Published: November 15, 2023
