Too many wine glasses have been lost to improper storage. Think of all that stemware cramped in your kitchen cabinet, from stately Bordeaux glasses to dainty flutes, ready to fall over upon opening. Thankfully, there are practical yet stylish solutions that fit your entire glassware collection. Here are some guidelines and best picks for storing your wine glasses, from proper cabinet storage to hanging wine glass racks and bar cabinets.
Wine Glass Storage Ideas and Best Practices
Just as there are enemies of wine in wine storage, there are foes to face when caring for your glassware. Before even thinking about stowing your wine glasses away, there are a few things you should consider:
Before You Store
First, make sure your glasses are properly cleaned, polished, and, above all, dry. Proper glass preparation will extend the life of both the furniture and the glass itself and will ultimately look better than water spots and wine stains.
Bowl Up or Down on Shelves, in Cabinets?
It’s up to the glass. There are many different varieties of glasses of different qualities. If the piece you have has a thicker rim or foot, storing it upside down shouldn’t be an issue. To avoid toppling glasses and breakage, place more refined, delicate wine glasses with thinner rims right-side-up.
Required Space
Whether your glass is thicker, thinner, break-resistant, crystal, etc., it is still best to maintain some space between each glass—around a half inch to an inch. Giving each piece a little breathing room will decrease the likelihood of accidental collisions and damage.
Hanging Wine Glass Racks
All storage best practices considered; a hanging rack may just be your fit. Hanging wine glass racks are flexible in both storage ability and placement and can supply a much easier and aesthetically pleasing way to store your stemware. Storing the glass by its base allows you to fit many more in one place, and the rack itself can be hung above areas with untapped potential, such as your kitchen island. Additionally, the light-reflecting stems of wine glasses suspended in the air make quite a striking display.
Metal Hanging Wine Glass Rack
This rustic wine glass rack is crafted from heavy-gauge metal and securely suspended from steel chains. Not only are you able to hang your stemware, but you can also store up to eight wine bottles on top. Regarding its capacity for storage, customers give it great reviews as a perfect fit for small spaces. The wave design across the body adds a special touch of elegance, as well.
Wall Mounted Wine Glass Rack
Empty wall space can be a positive aesthetic element, but it must be balanced. A wall-mounted wine glass rack will add warmth and dimension to your home’s sparser areas. The designs are more unique than their free-hanging counterparts, making it an ideal choice if you want to achieve a specific look.
Wall Mounted Wine and Stemware Rack with Cork Catcher
This sandblasted mango wood wall-mounted rack stores and displays six wine glasses and 12 wine bottles while recalling wine country style. The most special feature of the design is the windowed cork catcher, which allows you to collect mementos from every bottle you enjoy. It has been a well-loved addition to spaces of all sorts.
Bar Cabinet with Storage
You might not be buying a bar cabinet specifically for the stemware rack, but it’s a plus to have alongside your wine, spirits, and barware—especially when entertaining guests. With this form of storage, you’re able to select your bottles and glasses and serve them all in one place. It’s as charming as it is convenient.
Cheverny Metal Inlay Mezzo Bar Cabinet with Cooling Storage Option
The front doors of this bar cabinet are much more than a pretty face! Open them up and you’ll find built-in stemware racks that can accommodate up to 18 wine glasses. It’s smart use of space, with style customers love.
Morgon Live Edge Metal and Wood Wine Bar Center With Glassware Storage Hutch
Enter the storage hutch—perfect for bar storage-seekers who like the look of hanging or under-cabinet wine glass racks. It’s essentially a storage bar cabinet with a stemware rack and a bar top. It evokes a well-built industrial style and is of “amazing quality and craftmanship,” according to one customer.
Navarra Acacia Wood and Resin Inlay Bar Cabinet with Cooling Storage Option
If you want more of a statement piece for your living space, the Navarra is a stunning choice. The stemware rack is fixed inside the upper cabinet, holding up to 14 glasses. It’s sealed behind organic-looking live-edge acacia doors. “A beautiful piece of furniture closed, and when opened, a spacious and impressive wine bar!” said one customer.
Wine Bottle and Glass Rack
A wine bottle and glass rack combination may be the solution for you if you want easier access and visibility. These racks could be used in cellars or wine rooms, to create cellars or simply to add a cellar aesthetic to your living and entertainment areas. In any case, the design is centered on the wine.
115-Bottle Iron Wine and Stemware Rack with Tasting Shelf
This iron wine and stemware rack is simple, sleek, and has a tasting shelf for serving and showcasing accessories. Combine it with one or more of our 150-Bottle Iron Wine Racks with Display Shelf to create a visually appealing storage solution for hundreds of bottles.
So, Is Your Current Wine Glass Storage up to Snuff?
Wine glass racks and storage play an integral part in the safekeeping of your favorite stemware. Days of crowding your cabinets can come to an end as you transition to something better suited for your collection, whether beautifully hanging in the air, on the wall or in a bar. Whatever the choice, you’ll find a new appreciation for the form, function, and composition of every glass as it’s displayed.
