Wine Accessories and Glasses

Whether you purchase your wine glasses online or from your local store, keep in mind the shape of the wine glass you drink from, rules your perception of the wine. The contours of a glass directs the liquid to different tongue zones. The champagne flute directs the champagne to the tip of the tongue, where sweet and sour tastes tingle and allows you to taste the lightness of the champagne.

Champagne flutes have long stems and the bowls are typically tall and narrow to allow the bubbles to rise to the top. The glass keeps the wine cool because air only heats the small surface area on top of the bowl, and the long stem keeps your fingers away from the bowl and prolongs the chill. There is no need to swirl champagne, as the bubbles release the true taste of the champagne, therefore, flutes may be filled almost to the top.

Wine decanting is a method used by wine lovers to:

~promote the oxygenation of a young or tannic wine in order to release its aromas

~split the liquid from the sediment of an old wine or vintage bottle of port

Placing wine in a decanter “wakes up” the wine to reveal its full potential. Wine decanters also present wine in a clear glass or crystal receptacle that highlights the liquid’s natural colors. Clean your decanter as soon as it is empty. Buy a decanter cleaning brush that is specifically designed to reach nooks and crannies. Use mild soapy water (tap. or warm, but never boiling) and rinse thoroughly to prevent tainting the next wine.

Wine lovers are passionate about good food and good wine. For wine connoisseurs, only the best in unique wine gifts will do. Find great wines and accessories at Thirst for Wine so you can enhance your enjoyment of various wonderful drinks. You are sure to get high quality, yet affordable gifts, that wine lovers everywhere will appreciate.

For a newly married couple that loves wine, give them the Alpine Picnic Backpack for two. It is the ideal wine-and-cheese pack that features a zip pocket on the side to hold wine while the other side has straps to hold a polyester blanket with waterproof backing. It contains everything a couple will need for a romantic picnic by the beach, or in the park.

Wine accessories such as wine racks are storage devices that hold wine bottles on their sides to facilitate long-term storage. Some of them even store the bottle with the neck at a slight downward slant. This ensures that the wine is always in contact with the cork and prevents the cork from drying out.

If you only have a bottle or two of wine on hand, you probably don’t require a wine rack. However, if you have at least 3 to 6 bottles at all times, you owe it to your wine to store it in a rack. Properly stored wine lasts longer and tastes better.

To the novice,  the most overwhelming and confusing of all  wine accessories tends to be the corkscrew. This seems to be the one tool or device that causes the most anxiety and concern. If one is uncertain about opening a  bottle and digging out that cork, the wine corkscrews that are known as the Rabbit, are the ones that you want to search for. Opening that favorite bottle will become amazingly easy and stress free. The ease of use of the Rabbit is superb for women that don’t have a strong gent around to pull that cork, or someone who may have arthritis and loss of hand dexterity and strength.

I’ve recently had to come up with holiday gift ideas for my wine-loving friends. I definitely wanted something totally different this year, and I finally found the perfect unique wine gifts. All of my friends that are into wines, vintages, varietals,  decanting, etc., are also into fun and good humor.

These “Appeteasers” t-shirts are adorable and I was able to easily find one appropriate for each person, sure to bring each one lots of laughs and comments when they wear them around town.  Many of my  wine-lover friends  are also “foodies” and into the fancy cuisine,  and there are shirts to please them all.

A decanter is more than an attractive vessel utilized to serve your wine. Pouring your wine into a decanter helps to remove sediment and can soften harsh tasting tannins found in some red wines. It seems to be the general consensus that white wines generally do not have to be decanted.

Removing the cork and allowing the bottle to sit before serving does not allow enough room for the air to enter the bottle.  However,  decanting the wine in a glass wine decanter will allow enough air to let the wine breathe. Decanting benefits wine of all ages. It separates the clear wine from the sediment and aerates the wine creating a slight oxidation.

It is a good idea, prior to decanting, to leave the bottle upright for a day for young wines - wines 15 years or older, should be left upright for a week. For wines older than 40 years, the deposits and extremely fine and it takes much longer to settle. Lay the bottle down for one month before standing it up for the week. Please handle these aged bottles gently.

A funnel with a cheesecloth filter works well to pour into a decanter, but beware, it is wise not to use coffee filters as it would add the taste of paper to your wine. Decant, decant, decant!!!!!!!!

Yes, it’s time to put on the thinking cap and decide what to buy for favorite Uncle Ben, cousin Barbara, or best friends Bob and Sue. Now is a good time to come up with something unusual, as well as useful. Have you thought about how Uncle Ben adores wine, and how busy he seems to be that he never takes time to “smell the roses”.

There are many wine picnic gifts available that would entice him to take an afternoon off, invite the love of his life, and get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It can be oh so satisfying to give a gift to someone you care about - one that they would never buy for themselves.

                                                  It has been discovered recently that lead in glass decanters and wine glasses have caused an unacceptable exposure to dangerous toxins. Long term storage has been known to leach lead into the stored contents, therefore, causing health hazards.

It has been considered that the historic association of gout within the upper classes of America and Europe, was, in part, caused by constant use of lead crystal decanters to store whiskey and fortified wines.

Ravenscroft crystal, which is hand blown in Europe, produces a line of stemware that is individually crafted and is absolutely lead free - it also boosts the bouquet of all wines. Ravenscrofts’ Amplified tasting collection is very similar to Reidel’s crystal Vinum Extreme collection, yet Ravenscroft  glasses and decanters are lead free.

There’s nothing better than planning an afternoon picnic in the park with your loved one. These days it’s easy to plan a picnic. Picnic baskets, gourmet food and supplies can all be easily found in the grocery store. Your sweetheart will surely enjoy the picnic you’ve prepared for her, just don’t forget these important supplies:

~A picnic basket
~Food chests to keep food hot or cold
~A tablecloth or a quilt
~Napkins
~Plates and silverware
~Coffee cups, water glasses and wine glasses
~Corkscrew
~Trash bag
~Cutting board and knife
~Condiments
~Beverages