Abstract
With the global growth of wine tourism and consumption, many universities now offer beverage education programs with facilities replicating real-world conditions to train students. Since wine is sensitive to temperature, proper storage is crucial. According to Wine Guardian (2023), white wine should be stored at a consistent temperature of 55-57°F. Recently, a university’s beverage education center experienced air conditioning failure in its see-through cooler display, necessitating HVAC replacement and temporary removal of expensive wine bottles. Researchers from a neighboring environmental design program sought to document the cooler’s interior temperature conditions before and after the HVAC system replacement to compare pre- and post-replacement data. This study focuses on pre-replacement data. The wine cooler, a transparent, fully furnished space (154 sq.ft) designed to resemble a luxury restaurant with tasting tables, seating, and large wine display walls, holds 1296 maximum bottles of white and red wines. Data was collected using two instruments: 1) 1500°F Dual Laser Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer and 2) FLIR 85 Thermal Imaging Camera. A team of three faculty members and two doctoral students conducted an in-situ study, documenting the interior temperature, which ranged from 57.90°F to 65.30°F, while outdoor temperature was 81°F. The interior temperatures fell outside the recommended range for optimal wine storage, which could result in subpar wine taste. Educational programs focused on best practices in wine storage, display, and service should strive to maintain ideal temperature conditions. The study results, including pictorial documentation of the wine cooler, architectural plans, temperature graphs, and thermal imaging, are presented.
Presenters
Paulette R. HebertProfessor, Design and Merchandising, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Tourism and Leisure Industries
KEYWORDS
WINE, TOURISM, UNIVERSITY, EDUCATION, TRAINING, EVALUATION, MEASUREMENT, RESEARCH
