Enjoying a delicious bottle of wine at home is one of life’s true pleasures. When you order a bottle in a restaurant, sometimes the mark-up on the cost price is scandalous. It’s fair to say that much of a restaurant’s profits comes from the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages rather than the food; this may come as a surprise to many people. This isn’t the case when buying privately for home consumption though.

Here are a few quick suggestions about enjoying wine in the comfort of your own home.

Personal wine fridge

Having your own dedicated wine fridge (or wine cooler to use the American vernacular) brings a level of decadence and sophistication to your love of wine. No longer is it a problem to find a place to store more than just a few bottles without taking up half the fridge in the process or needing a separate cold storage area under the stairs, for instance. Using a private cellar to store wine is essential if you have vintage bottles of Château Lafite Rothschild that collectors fawn over. Alternatively, you can invest in your own wine cooler.

The wine fridges from wineandbarrels.co.uk come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are popular amongst many wine lovers. The tall and slender design is the most popular though, so it’s best to find a good position at home that has access to mains power and will fit a new fridge. The fridges from WineandBarrels offer one or two zones that have two separate temperatures for wines with different ambient tolerances. Dehumidifiers in some fridges protect the wine from any damaging humidity too. The back-lighting looks attractive on many models and reading the wine labels is easier with lighting.

Unrushed and nothing important left to do

It’s best to have an unhurried environment when cracking open a savoured bottle that you’ve been waiting to enjoy. A good wine is not something you should be sipping on when you know you have to get something completed right after because your mind will be consumed with other things. Enjoyment of each sip of matured wine is best done while unburdened. It can also help to unwind after a long day.

It’s also sensible to avoid getting behind a wheel after drinking. Wine contains a substantial percentage of alcohol – far more than the average beer – which sometimes catches unsuspecting wine lovers unaware.

Matching wine perfectly with every meal

When entertaining guests or just alone with your thoughts, consider matching your bottle of wine perfectly for each meal. If you’re not sure how to choose the right wine for each meal, then this article from the Wine Spectator is going to be extremely helpful to you.

What’s key is finding a balance between how acidic or sweet the chosen wine is and how it enhances the prepared meal. Complementary flavours will add interest to the taste of the meal.

Enjoying wine at home is much better value than ordering expensive bottles at a pricey restaurant. When you choose well and take the time to sample good vintages, it’ll provide much more pleasure with every glass.