Wine Accessories and Glasses

The invention of the corkscrew remains a mystery. The most accurate that historians can determine, is that corkscrews were first made in the 1700’s by blacksmiths. Numerous patents were issued during that era, confirming the origin. In addition, corkscrews became a necessity when glass wine bottles were first used for storage, allowing the wine to age properly in airtight bottles.

Todays corkscrews can be simple or elegant, inexpensive to expensive. Mechanical corkscrews such as the Rabbit have become the trend, as it is able to pull a cork in 3 seconds. Some manufacturers are replacing cork topped bottles with screw tops. However, many wineries and home wine makers are still corking bottles, indicating corkscrews will be around for many years.

Throughout the history of wine, decanters have played a significant role in the serving of wine. The wine decanters would be filled with wine from amphoras and brought to the table where they could be more easily handled by a single serving.

The ancient Romans pioneered the use of glass as a material. After the fall of the Roman Empire, glass production was scarce, causing the majority of decanters to be made of bronze, silver, gold or earthenware. The Venetians reintroduced glass decanters during the Renaissance period and pioneered the style of a long slender neck that opens to a wide body increasing the exposed surface area of the wine allowing it to react with air. In the 1730’s, British glassmakers introduced the stopper to limit the exposure to air. Since then, there has been little change to the basic aspects of the decanter.

At many Italian restaurants it is no longer popular to serve bread with butter. Many people prefer dipping their bread in oil and vinegar instead of slathering it with butter. People appreciate the fact that they can control their fat intake by using a little less oil and adding a bit more vinegar. The most popular combination is usually olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

What most people don’t know is that oil and vinegar are used more often than butter in Italy. Unlike here in America, where just about anything is fried in butter, topped or dipped in melted butter, Italians have traditionally used the more heart-healthy alternative of olive oil. So next time you visit your favorite Italian café don’t feel embarrassed to ask the waiter to bring oil and vinegar cruets to your table.

If you love your fine wines, then you probably know that each type of wine should be consumed from a different kind of glass. Many wine fanatics would tell you that the experience of sipping their favorite Pinot Noir from cut crystal wine glasses is far superior to sipping from a cheaper version.

The process of drinking wine is about more than tasting it. A fine wine should be appreciated for its looks, aroma and flavor layering. Professor Claus. J. Riedel was the first person to design glasses for different kinds of wine. He worked with experienced wine tasters to determine how glass size affects the intensity of the aroma for different wines, which shapes direct wine to certain parts of the tongue and how fruitiness and tannins are emphasized by certain shapes.