| You have decided to join the ranks of millions and | | | | smaller glasses for white wines to help |
| become a wine enthusiast. You might be | | | | concentrate the more subtle aromas. However, if |
| wondering to yourself what this entails exactly, | | | | space or budget are limiting you to one type of |
| and what sorts of gadgets and gizmos are you | | | | glass, many companies nowadays manufacture |
| going to need to properly enjoy your wine. To be | | | | universal style glasses which are suitable to both |
| honest, there are few accessories that a person | | | | red and white wine, and are inexpensive and |
| absolutely needs to enjoy their wine. | | | | attractively designed. |
| The first of the more important wine accessories | | | | Another must have accessory for your collection |
| is a bottle opener or corkscrew. There are many | | | | is a wine stopper. Bottle stoppers come in a |
| kinds of wine bottle openers on the market | | | | variety of colors, styles, and finishes to fit every |
| today. The most common corkscrews that | | | | taste and personality. Usually solid metal, metal |
| people know about are either the winged style or | | | | and plastic, or metal and cork, wine stoppers are |
| waiter's friends (sometimes called a wine key). A | | | | an excellent way to close an open bottle of wine |
| winged style looks exactly like the name states; it | | | | to preserve it and protect it from air |
| has a lever on each side that will rise when the | | | | contamination for short periods of time. |
| center screw is inserted into the cork of a bottle. | | | | A simple bottle stopper however, is not going to |
| To remove the cork, the wings are lowered | | | | protect an open bottle of wine from the air that |
| causing the screw and attached cork to rise with | | | | has already entered the bottle. Air trapped inside |
| it and be removed from the bottle. A wine key is | | | | the bottle will cause a bottle of wine to expire |
| smaller and uses a single lever positioned onto the | | | | much quicker than an unopened bottle, which is |
| side of the bottle to provide leverage to remove | | | | why I suggest using a vacuum bottle stopper |
| the cork from the bottle. Both types of | | | | system. A product such as the Vacuvin Concerto |
| corkscrews are rather easy to find and usually | | | | Wine Saver can greatly extend the life of an |
| start out selling for around $5.00. These openers | | | | opened bottle of wine compared to a simple |
| in most cases can cause a cork to break in half if | | | | bottle stopper. Easy to use and inexpensive, all |
| not pulled out correctly, or if the screw is not | | | | that a person does is place one of the specially |
| centered though the cork. | | | | designed bottle stoppers in the open bottle of |
| Lever pull corkscrews tend to be more expensive | | | | wine and use the pump to draw the air out of |
| than winged or waiter's friends, however, they | | | | the bottle. When the air is drawn out, the seal of |
| are usually more user friendly. Ranging from | | | | the stopper is so strong the bottle can be held |
| $20.00 to $80.00, most lever models are designed | | | | upside down or stored on its side without spilling. |
| with a clamp to hold the neck of the bottle in the | | | | Starting at roughly $20.00, this type of bottle |
| corkscrew for ease of handling. Typically, the | | | | stopper is most effective for those looking to |
| lever arm swings over the top and extracts the | | | | store open wine for longer periods of time. |
| cork in a few very easy movements; ensuring | | | | Now you have your opener, glasses and bottle |
| removal is quick and effortless. | | | | stoppers, what else do you need? A wine rack of |
| There is, however, another type of corkscrew | | | | course! Wine racks are available in a variety of |
| that appeals to those looking for an effective and | | | | styles and finishes to compliment any |
| easy to use corkscrew but also one that is not | | | | décor. Styles include wall mounted, counter |
| overly expensive. Selling for roughly $15.00, the | | | | top, hanging and free standing wine racks. Finishes |
| Vacuvin style corkscrew is my pick. Made from a | | | | are varied as well and include wood and wrought |
| heavy grade plastic, the Vacuvin opener is easy | | | | iron. If interested in learning more about wine |
| to use and only involves two steps: placing the | | | | racks and what to look for in picking out the |
| opener on the bottle of wine and twisting the | | | | perfect rack, my article, "How To Select The |
| handle until the cork is released. This opener does | | | | Finest Wine Rack For You Home" is quite |
| not require a user to have super human strength, | | | | informative. |
| and I have yet to have a cork break during | | | | The list of wine accessories that are available on |
| opening. The main reason the cork does not | | | | the market today can be quite exhausting, |
| break is because the screw completely removes | | | | however it is important to keep in mind that not |
| the cork from the bottle for you, there is no | | | | all accessories are essential to becoming a wine |
| need to pull on the opener to remove the cork | | | | enthusiast, or simply to enjoy the pleasure of |
| like some corkscrews require. | | | | your wine. The most important to remember are |
| Once you have your bottle of wine open, the | | | | the ones essential to drinking and storing a bottle |
| second must have accessory are wine glasses. | | | | of wine: a bottle opener, glasses, a bottle stopper |
| Most people believe that there are certain glasses | | | | and a wine rack. Once you have these, the other |
| for certain wines; this is not necessarily the case. | | | | accessories become fun extras to collect to |
| Usually a larger, broader bowl style wine glass is | | | | make your wine experience all the more |
| used for red wines with bigger bouquets, and | | | | enjoyable. |