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Storing wine bottles properly is important, which is why a good wine rack is a must-have if you are a collector of fine wine. Whether you plan to drink bottles in the next few weeks or the next few years, it's critical for the health of your wines to store them properly. Along with this list of wine racks, we also include some expert tips on how and where to store your wine bottles to preserve their quality over time.

There are a couple of important factors to keep in mind when shopping for a wine rack, namely the capacity and dimension. Consider your space and know the number of bottles you typically have at one time. Having ample room for your wine collection is key, as well as making sure the dimensions of the rack suit your space. Most importantly, when thinking about where to place your wine rack, remember to keep in mind that the location needs to be temperature-controlled.

Wine bottles stored for a longer period of time need to be kept in a cool and dark space. David Lynch, sommelier and Editorial Director at SommSelect, says: "A display rack by definition is going to be exposed to light and, likely, heat — room temp or worse. Ideally, you should opt for a nice simple wooden rack(s), set up in a dark corner of the basement, or garage, or a temperature-controlled closet or room." For bottles that are going to be opened young, long-term storing conditions aren't as critical since less time spent in the bottle before enjoying means less potential exposure to elements like light and heat. In this case, you can opt for smaller racks or countertop displays, and drink the bottles young without fear of the wines being ruined — just don't place them next to your stovetop or beneath brightly lit windows.

Our top overall pick from Wine Racks America strikes a healthy balance between form and function with its 24-bottle capacity, practical tabletop, and custom wood finish options. Here are the best wine racks to keep your collection in good shape.

Also available at Wine Racks America.

Pros: This custom-made wine rack comes in three different kinds of wood and seven different stains.

Cons: This wine rack arrives in pieces and needs to be fully assembled before use.

This is a very straightforward and utilitarian wine rack — it's solid, functional, and comes with a custom finish if you choose. Its 24-bottle capacity makes for a good mid-sized rack with plenty of space to hold wine club shipments and incoming bottles from your favorite wine subscription services while still not taking up too much space with its low profile. We like the tabletop feature; keep things on theme and adorn with wine accessories or simply use as a decorative space. This is practical, well-made with solid wood, and sure to keep your bottles in great shape.

Price at time of publish: $164

Pros: Each wine bottle is displayed in a way that visibly shows the label.

Cons: For its 45-bottle capacity, this wine rack is pricier than similarly sized racks that are not wall-mounted. You are paying for the sturdiness of the wall-mounted style.

As far as large wall-mounted wine racks go, this one is designed for a wine collector that's eager to display their bottles with pride. Because these bottles lay in a horizontal fashion across the wall instead of being slotted into a space, each wine bottle label can be clearly displayed. This large rack holds an impressive 45 bottles and is great for showing off in cellars. We do not recommend mounting this in open rooms like dining rooms, given the exposure to light and heat. This large wall-mounted wine rack is ideal for cellars, basements, garages, or walk-in pantries.

Price at time of publish: $820

Also available at Home Depot.

Pros: This is a simple and practical mounted rack with soft-tipped grips to hold bottles in place and prevent scratching.

Cons: If your collection grows and you end up needing more than a 12-bottle capacity, it will get pricey quickly to add more racks.

This is a simple wall-mounted wine rack holding just 12 bottles. If you never have more than a case of wine at a time, this option makes sense. The form and function here is sturdy, and the soft-tipped grips on the ends of each bottle holder help keep them firmly in place and also prevent any label scratching. This rack also functions as a nice display piece showing off your bottles and can be purchased in multiples to increase the capacity (though will get pricey quickly). We recommend a rack like this for ready-to-drink white wines and youthful reds that you plan to drink soon; as such, a rack like this can be placed in a pantry, closet, or dining room, so long as you keep the temperature cool and don't mount it next to a bright window.

Price at time of publish: $119

Related: The 10 Best Wine Glasses for Every Occasion, According to Experts

Pros: This wine rack holds 16 bottles of wine and eight wine glasses.

Cons: While this has a small bar top, it's not meant to serve the purpose of a full bar cart.

Hello, little beauty! This compact wine rack doubles as a glass rack and features a small bar top for easy pouring — it could even fit a decanter. Given its compact size, it holds an impressive 16 bottles of wine and eight wine glasses. There's also a small shelf beneath the bar top for storing corkscrews, foil cutters, and wine glass charms (if that's your style). This is made of solid Acacia hardwood and steel, so it looks nice and is built to last. We like that the bottle and glass holders are all made of wood, so there's no worry of scratching bottles, labels, or your nice glassware. It's stylish and compact, perfect for smaller spaces and youthful bottles of wine.

Price at time of publish: $210

Pros: This pick doubles as a small wine rack and bar cart.

Cons: As a wine rack, this only holds eight bottles of wine.

For under-$200, you can't beat the form and function of this bar cart-style wine rack. The size is suited for kitchen or dining room use. It accommodates both wine bottles and stemware and even hangs them upside down, which is a practical feature to keep water spots at bay after washing. The bottom shelf offers room for stemless glassware, bar tools, and other beverages. We like that the top of this bar cart provides an additional sturdy platform for setting up party glassware and decanting a bottle of wine or two.

Price at time of publish: $190

Pros: This has a very simple aesthetic, making it a good choice for styling around the house.

Cons: This pine wood wine rack comes unfinished.

Much like our best overall pick from Wine Racks America, this solid pine wine rack is all form and function. This one comes unfinished, which may bother some, but it makes for a fun DIY project or to style up with other décor around the house. A bit larger than others, it holds 44 bottles of wine, so it is better suited to store larger collections. As such, we recommend storing this wine rack in an enclosed space that can be kept cool and dark — a pantry or closet, basement, or garage. We like the practicality of this wine rack, and it comes recommended by Lynch.

Price at time of publish: $100

Also available at Home Depot.

Pros: This is a stylish and compact wine rack great for countertop use.

Cons: Bamboo wood may not be everyone's aesthetic.

An eight-bottle capacity is just the right amount for a countertop wine rack. It won't take up precious counter space, but it's still big enough to hold bottles for a party, weeknight wine pairings, or for when your favorite wine club shipment arrives. The honeycomb style adds a bit of flair, and it looks lovely on display, even though you can't see wine bottle labels in this format. This is made from bamboo wood, so it's sturdy but lightweight.

Price at time of publish: $50

Pros: This cooler can store 43 bottles of wine.

Cons: Because this is a refrigerator, it must remain plugged in near a wall outlet to stay temperature-controlled.

Wine refrigerators can get very expensive very quickly, which is why we zoned in on this larger version of one of our finds from Best Wine Fridges for Your Home. This is affordably priced for its quality and capacity, holding more than three cases of wine (43 bottles). This fridge ideally stores your wine bottles at perfect cellar temp in their own individual spots. It also has a feature to set dual temperature zones for red and white wines. It's sleek in design and not too cumbersome if you are looking to store it inside, though it will obviously have to be situated near a wall outlet. The hum of the motor is also noted to be very quiet at around 36 decibels, so noise pollution won't be an issue.

Price at time of publish: $600

Pros: This rack holds 65 bottles of wine with individual spaces for each bottle.

Cons: This wine rack is very tall, so we recommend anchoring it to the wall for safety.

This solid mahogany wine rack is beautiful and suited for display in any wine lover's temperature-controlled space. This standing wine rack holds 65 bottles of wine and can accommodate different bottle shapes, from Champagne to Bordeaux to Burgundy. At nearly four feet tall, we recommend anchoring this wine rack to a wall to ensure it doesn't tip. We like the simplicity of the design, and Lynch thinks this is a great choice "if you want to find something really utilitarian and affordable." It keeps bottles safe and sturdy, though we don't recommend keeping 65 bottles for too long unless the room in which this rack is situated is dark and temperature-controlled.

Price at time of publish: $209

Pros: This unique wine rack can be configured in any shape and holds 12+ bottles.

Cons: Depending on how many sets you put together, you may have to check the pegs and slots on occasion and push them together to tighten them up under the weight of the bottles.

This wine rack is ideal for small spaces because it can come apart completely and be set up in any shape that suits your space. For $54, this modular construction wine rack accommodates 12 bottles, but you can purchase multiple sets to double or even triple your capacity. Because the pegs and slots can be arranged in any configuration, this is a good option for tight corners, small closets, or cupboards. It's strong and sturdy, and with its 12-bottle capacity, it's still quite small if you want to set it up on top of a hutch or cabinet in your dining room.

Price at time of publish: $54

While the material and style are based more on personal aesthetics, we do think it is important to find a rack that doesn't rest bottles on top of bottles (glass on glass), so we have only included wine racks that have individual spaces for each bottle. And avoiding wire racks will eliminate breakage and ensure your bottle labels stay intact. For that reason, this list includes mostly wooden wine racks (the only exception is the wall-mounted wire rack which features soft-tipped grips to avoid scratching).

The size of your collection and space in which your rack will reside are the two most important factors to consider when making a wine rack purchase. If you are a collector of fine wine, opt for a larger rack and be sure to store it in a cellar or basement, preferably. If you are an occasional sipper, a small rack in a temperature-controlled dining room or tucked away in a cool closet will suffice — or even a small display rack for the countertop, table, or bar during dinner parties.

Yes. In fact, it is the safest way to store a bottle of wine. A bottle of wine will slowly oxidize over time, which works to degrade the bottle. When a bottle of wine is standing upright, the cork can dry out faster and allow tiny amounts of air to creep in through the small gaps between the cork and glass. When a bottle of wine is laid on its side, the wine pushes up against the cork and helps keep it from drying out, allowing less room for air to creep in. Storing wine on its side ensures that your wine will not oxidize faster than it should.

Cork rot or cork taint, technically called TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole), is formed in cork tree bark when fungi, mold, or bacteria encounter a group of fungicides and insecticides called halophenols. In short, the fungus, mold, or bacteria have a defense mechanism that chemically alters these compounds and creates TCA in the process. When a winery uses authentic cork from a cork tree, there is always a risk of cork taint, although the percentage is quite low at 2-3% of all bottled wines. The presence of TCA in a cork ruins the wine and can be detected by its unpleasant odor of cardboard, wet newspaper, and moldy basement — odors commonly associated with mustiness and dampness.

Bottles that will be consumed young and shortly after purchasing will do just fine on a wine rack at room temperature or just below. Bottles meant for longer aging and that you plan to store for more than a year should be kept at cellar temperature (roughly 55 degrees Fahrenheit). For longer aging, we recommend investing in a refrigerator wine rack to keep your age-worthy bottles in perfect condition for many years.

Let us be the first to tell you that the most obvious place to store a wine rack, in your kitchen, is the last place you actually want to keep your wine. Kitchens are inherently the warmest part of the house because of oven and stovetop use. Because wines store best at cellar temperature, kitchens are typically far too warm for long-term wine storage. The best place to put a wine rack is going to be in a temperature-controlled environment, whether that be a dining room, garage, basement, or cellar. A pantry or closet can be a good location as well if you want your wine rack tucked away and don't have access to a garage or cellar-like space. Wherever you place your wine rack, make sure the room temperature is kept cool and well-regulated, with little to no exposure to bright lights or sunlight.

Years of tasting and writing about food, wine, and spirits guide Melissa Vogt's research. As a tourist, Vogt seeks out the very best in local food and drink, and she's well acquainted with where to find good libations and eats in her hometown of Santa Rosa, Calif. Read more of her writing on her website and in Napa Valley Life, Very Napa Valley, and Wine Country This Month.

As part of her research for this piece, Melissa connected with several of her winemaker and sommelier friends in Sonoma and Napa wine country. The expertise of David Lynch, sommelier and Editorial Director at Somm Select, helped inform her research and list curation.

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