From Toronto.com:
Photos (from left to right): Alessi Sun Dreams corkscrew, Riedel O Series wine glass, Alessi Anna G. corkscrew, Rosehill Wine Cellars lacquer wine arc and Alessi Banana Boys stoppers.
Find everything you need to wine on your dime in Toronto
From once-in-awhile dabblers to daily drinkers, there are a plethora of accessories out there to help make your wine experiences exactly what you want them to be. Chilling a bottle, popping it open, serving it, drinking it and saving any that remains can be done dozens of ways and there’s a smorgasbord of design-savvy accompaniments. Peruse the lists below to find the perfect wine accoutrements for your particular tastes.
“KEEP IT COOL, BOY”
White wine is best enjoyed chilled. From thermometers to magic stickers, here are a few options for nurturing and monitoring the temperature of your wine.
Wine Bottle Thermometer, Crate and Barrel, $11.95
This stainless steel cuff slides onto a 750 ml bottle as easily as wine slides down your throat. It indicates the optimal chill for a variety of blends, from pinot grigio to pinot noir to rosé, so you know when to grab that bottle from the fridge and get the party — or weeknight unwinding — started.
Eisch Wein-Thermometer, William Ashley, $60
Best known for the innovative, breathable glass, German manufacturer Eisch is renowned for cool wine accessories. This decanter thermometer looks like a giant version of the oral ones, with a design-rich and practical semi-circle at the top. It holds the device in place so the wine can continue to breath.
Rapid Wine Chiller, Crate and Barrel, $12.95
This quilted black sleeve is like a cold compress for wine. Keep it in the freezer overnight so it cools and slide it on the bottle. Within five minutes, wine is chilled and good to go.
Time for Wine Instant Wine Serving Indicator, The Wine Boutique, $4.95
This little kit contains a number of wine temperature sticker indicators. Slap one on a bottle of wine and watch it change as the temperature gets closer to where it’s supposed to be. At under $5, this is a small investment in drinking wine the way it was intended.
Frosted Ice Bucket/Wine Cooler, William Ashley, $139.50
This striking ice bucket looks regal sitting in the middle of a dining room table or atop an elegant stand. The base is a reflective metal and the bowl is made from frosted glass, giving it a beautiful, translucent quality.
“OPEN SESAME”
Whether you want a motor to do all the work or you’re a steady-handed purist, there are an abundance of bottle openers at your disposal. Here are a few options:
Basic Metal Corkscrew, LCBO, $6.95
No frills here. This is as basic as a corkscrew gets, unless you’re willing to try your luck on the old-school plastic tube version. The price is right and this simpleton is fairly fool-proof.
Alessi Corkscrews, William Ashley, $59.50 to $120
For the design enthusiast, it doesn’t get much better than Alessi’s playful winged corkscrews. Modeled after humans, these contraptions stand on their own two “feet.” Some wear dresses, others wear suits, but all are brightly coloured (one even boasts a cloud-patterned suit) yet contemporary, and add a dose of cheer to any get together.
Le Creuset Lever Screwpulls, William Ashley, $100 to $225
These are the golden standard of bottle openers for two reasons. First, they are quite handsome and come in elegant display boxes. Second, pulling the toughest cork is now a breeze. Just push down, pull up and voila — your lips will be purple in no time.
OXO Good Grips Steel CorkPull, William Ashley, $29.95
The corkpull is a different kind of beast. Rather than twisting a coil down into the cork and pulling it up and out, the cork electronically slides up the coil of this solid device. It’s a bit bulky but has a great grip, cuts the foil automatically and removes what stands between you and your wine in no time.
Orly Cool Kitchen Electric Wine Opener, William Ashley, $53
This is the lazy person’s dream: it does all the work. If even the screwpull is too much effort, this bad boy seals the deal. Just hold the opener over the top of the wine bottle, press the button and the cork slides out. It’s sleek, streamlined and fits all bottles.
FULL SERVICE
A crimson merlot or a deep, dark pinot noir are beautifully showcased in crystal decanters, but at the very least, all a wino really needs is a receptacle to drink from. Well, I guess a true wino doesn’t, but you know what I mean. Here are some options for decanters and stem — or stemless — wear:
Riedel Amadeo Decanter, Rosehill Wine Cellars, $380
This u-shaped, lead crystal decanter is a stunner. With such an arresting design the carafe is practically a piece of art. Made from hand-blown glass, no two are exactly the same, which makes Amadeo a very special gift. But, don’t worry — it’s no snob. Fill the decanter with any kind of wine, from cheaper blends to uber-expensive brews, and its no-drip technology saves every drop.
Swoon Carafe, Crate and Barrel, $29.95
Sleek, sensuous and made from hand-blown glass (but conspicuously lacking a terrifying price tag), this attractive decanter looks beautiful perched on any table. Bonus: the angled spout provides for an effortlessly clean pour.
Eisch Breathable Stemware Set of 6, Rosehill Wine Cellars, $135-$159
German manufacturers Eisch have revolutionized the way we drink wine with the creation of breathable stemware. These glasses are made from a lead-free, crystal quality raw material mixture that allows them to open up the flavour and aroma of a wine without decanting. In two to four minutes, the reaction of the wine to oxygen is accelerated and the bouquet develops. Tip: you can also use these glasses to improve spirits, fruit juices and mineral water.
Riedel O Stemless Glasses, Williams-Sonoma, $20 each
These chic glasses, sans stem, are situated at the crossroads of wine and design. Though they have become pretty standard, there’s a reason for their widespread use: they look really cool. Plus, they lack the delicate stems that can so easily break after a few glasses.
Riedel Vitis, Rosehill Wine Cellars, $68 (for a set of two)
If stemless ain’t your thing, these quality Riedel glasses are decadent. They’re each made from one piece of glass with a pulled stem. Not the easiest feat. From cabernet and champagne to sauvignon and shiraz, there’s a size to suit the flavours and complexity of every varietal.
GoVino Shatterproof Tumblers, Rosehill Wine Cellars, $15.50 (for a set of four)
These thermoplastic polymer resin tumblers mimic the look of stemless crystal glasses. They’re made to reflect the wine’s aromatics and colours in much the same way, but are completely unbreakable. A thumb indent makes for an extra firm grip. For outdoor entertaining, picnics and more, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Tortoise Shell Lacquer Wine Arc, Rosehill Wine Cellars, $16.95
The Riedel decanters are gorgeous, but they can cost a pretty penny. Though this wine arc doesn’t decant, it can make wine bottles themselves look like art, as they rest suspended semi-horizontally on the shiny, tortoise shell base.
ODDS AND ENDS
These little accessories make the whole process more enjoyable, less wasteful and, in one case, less destructive.
Wine Out Red Wine Stain Remover, The Wine Butler, $7.99-$13.99
This stain remover works on carpets, clothing, upholstery, vinyl and so on, whether as a pre-wash or an instant spot remover. Best of all, it’s odourless, non-toxic and environmentally safe.
Vinturi Wine Aerator, The Wine Butler, $59
Just like humans, wine must breath in order to reach its full potential. Consider this handy little device the yoga instructor of the wine world, allowing wine to take deep breaths and really open up the flavours and aromas that were intended. When decanting is too time consuming — who really wants to wait for their fix — this little contraption speeds up the process.
Winelines, ROLO, $8.95
Ever leave your drink to fend for itself at a party and return to find red lipstick smeared around the rim? What? You weren’t wearing red lipstick? Exactly. These cheeky little tags that wrap around the stem of a wine glass are both humorous conversation pieces and nonchalant body guards for your bevy. Each one is a different colour and contain phrases like “subtle but noseworthy,” “mild yet not bland,” and “nutty with a kick.”
Alessi Banana Boys Stoppers, ROLO, $55
These bottle stoppers, designed by Alessi, fit in the top of an open, unfinished wine bottle to preserve the wine for days. But what makes them so wonderful is that they are part of a design collaboration with the National Place Museum Taiwan so they’re limited edition. The cheeky monkeys are adorable and poignant in their “see no evil,” “hear no evil” and “speak no evil” poses.
Various Wine Stoppers, William Ashley, $2.50 to $24.50 each
Upscale home and kitchen mecca William Ashley carries a smorgasbord of stoppers at a variety of prices. Classic Chef Gourmet stoppers come in translucent colours and, once placed in the bottle, a tab bends to expand the base for an airtight fit ($2.50). Koziol’s Emily stoppers ($11.95) have vibrant, girly flowers at the top and another version ($19.50) has a translucent, coloured animal atop each plug. Ritzenhoff stoppers ($24.50), which match the Ritzenhoff coasters (see below), cap the top of the bottle to add a dash of elegance to an already open bottle.
Ritzenhoff Stainless Steel Coasters, William Ashley, $37.50
If you don’t have a drip stopper (a sleeve that slips on the top of the bottle to prevent drips), a coaster is another option to catch drips at the bottom. Ritzenhoff’s stainless steel coasters boast colourful enamel plates in chic designs, so wine bottles can perch in style.
Decanter Cleaners, William Ashley, $11.95 to $20
These little metal balls are able to reach the bulbous section of a decanter (unlike human hands), so a little shake around the bottle removes hard-to-reach residue. Riedel’s ($11.95) and Eisch’s ($14.50) come in little jars, while Peugot’s Bilbo ($20) encases the balls within a cleaning mechanism.
LCBO Courses are a great way to dip your toe in the waters of wine appreciation. Four-week sessions boast classes like “Discover Wines of the Old World” ($110), “Discover Wines of the New World” ($110) and “Intro to Wine Appreciation” ($80). Refer to the LCBO’s website for a list of classes and locations.
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