Chateau Wine Chiller
Mariam Obregon
Customers at my wine shop had asked me if we have a rapid chiller. My answer sent them to the freezer and twenty minutes of patience. But I had little clue what they meant. Curiosity made me pick it up.
The brand was Waring Pro. Everything seemed in order. The LCD screen and buttons were straightforward. The metal enclosure adequate for any 750 ml bottle. The detached cloth collar insulated and doubled as a silly hat. The plug looked fine. There was even a pointless foil cutter. But the chiller had no box.
Originally $99.99, orange stickers had slashed it to $25. Someone had probably returned what was once a gift. But why? Was it broken? Impractical? Misunderstood? I decided to do the charitable thing and give the poor, abandoned retch a second life.
Another review put an already cycled bottle back into the chiller. Before, the machine claimed to have taken the bottle from 77 to 46 degrees, but once back in, it said the bottle was still only 61F. Even the room temp reading was off by seven degrees. Clearly its air-temp thermometer is a bit numb.
Temperature alters how we experience wine. The colder a wine, the fewer volatile flavor compounds evaporate. That means you smell and taste less stuff: from sweetness and acidity to alcohol and faults. Cold retains fizz longer. Whites seem more refreshing. But chilling will emphasize tannins and bitterness, while masking the bouquet. So serve tannic reds warm (59-64F), complex whites slightly colder (54-61F), soft, light reds below that (50-55F), generic whites, ros, fizz and desserts coldest (43-50F). Either way, we often drink reds too warm and whites too cold.
The main house greets visitors with a spectacular foyer sporting black-and-white checkerboard-patterned marble flooring and grasscloth wallpaper. The parlor level includes a sleek, magnificent open kitchen design with an oversized Carrara marble island, Frigidaire Professional Series stainless steel appliances, custom cabinets, ice maker, private bar area with stainless steel wine chiller and spacious dining room with decorative fireplace. The living room offers a gracious space for relaxing or entertaining and has French doors providing easy access to the covered veranda, with a grand piano for entertaining guests.
On the second level, a primary suite offers the ultimate in luxury with an oversized bath including a soaking tub, double Carrara marble vanity and tile-and-glass shower. The primary bedroom also includes a decorative fireplace, walk-in closet with built-in storage and French doors that open to a covered terrace. A second en suite bedroom and laundry room with Samsung washer and dryer complete the second floor layout.
What is parking like for this home?
Parking for this property is on-street and metered, which is enforced by the City of Savannah from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday. Guests are encouraged to either park in a nearby parking garage, or purchase a prepaid parking pass from the Savannah Visitor's Center - applicable to any metered spot or city-owned parking garage.