Posts Tagged ‘wine products’
So for the most part when I do reviews on this site it’s of wine, and they’re bottles that I’ve either purchased myself or that somebody has sent to me because they were interested in my opinion. On occasion I’ve had the opportunity to check out not the wine itself, but some wine-related products. This is one of those occasions.
Several weeks ago, shortly after the 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference, I was approached about checking out the Wine Shield. The premise is that after pouring out a glass of wine, you place one of these down into the bottle and it floats on top of the remaining wine, acting like a barrier to keep out dirt, dust, and, most importantly, to preserve the wine without the need to have fancy or expensive wine preservation apparati.
I’ve tried these out on a few bottles of wine now and felt it was finally fair to share my thoughts on the product.
The first time I tried them out was a few weeks ago when my wife was out of town. I opened a bottle, and wanting to be able to tell her I was responsible and didn’t drink the entire thing by myself in one sitting, I pulled out one of the Wine Shields and proceeded to insert it into the bottle after pouring myself a glass.
There are a lot of different tools and accessories available to increase your wine enjoying experience, and while it’s impossible to have all of them, here are ten wine accessories that I think everybody should have.
A Good Solid Corkscrew
Corkscrews can come in a variety of styles, designs, and sizes. Whether you’re a fan of the small hand corkscrew like those used by waiters and bartenders at restaurants or want something larger that sits on your counter, a reliable corkscrew is the first tool that every wine lover should have. I quality corkscrew can make opening bottles of wine easier, and help prevent you from shredding the cork into the wine.
If you want a counter-top corkscrew, make sure it has some weight to it – that means pass on those little plastic ones with the suction cup bases. Something with a solid wood or metal base and a good metal arm is a must. If you prefer a smaller corkscrew, I like one where the actual corkscrew part is long and narrow, and with two leverage points for removing the cork, requiring less energy. If you’re really unsure, find a waiter or bartender you trust and ask them what kind of corkscrew they have.
