4 Best Wine Refrigerators for Small Spaces in 2022

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Want to store (and cool) wine in a compact space like an RV, a boat or yacht, or in a small apartment or condo? Wine refrigerators come in many different sizes, including large wine maturation cabinets, under counter coolers for entertaining, or stand-alone wine refrigerators. And, lucky for you, some of these refrigerators are quite compact.

As avid boating enthusiasts and road trippers dreaming of renovating an old RV for future travels, KnowWines explored compact wine refrigerators as well as solutions for keeping them closed when in transit. We share all our best recommendations and tips in today’s blog!

Before we continue with our recommendations for the best small wine refrigerators, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Introducing Compact Wine Coolers

Why select a compact wine cooler?

Compact wine refrigerators were designed to fit in small spaces, to keep just a few of your favorite wines on for a short journey - say a weekend or even a couple of weeks (time flies when you’re having fun!).

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In our past blog on the best wine refrigerators for wine lovers and podcast episode on wine cabinets, we really go into detail about what to look for in a wine refrigerator regardless of size, explaining the impacts of light, temperature, humidity, and vibration. When purchasing a larger wine refrigerator, however, you are typically purchasing one for your home, not travel.

Compact wine coolers for traveling in boats or RVs come in a broad range of capacities, widths, price points, and construction types. As in most competitive retail spaces, you pretty much get what you pay for.

At the lower end, you’re likely to get a noisier unit. Cheaper units also may not have the flexibility to install as a built-in or to rotate the door for a choice of left or right opening (this can be important in small spaces). Cheaper units also come with cheaper packing material. You might also sacrifice some temperature control. 

At the higher price point, you pay for a higher quality compressor and some aesthetic design elements like wood shelves. You’re also more likely to get an after-sales service number and someone you can contact if any issues arise or if you need a part.  

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What Are Typical Small Wine Cooler Bottle Capacities?

Small wine refrigerators come in eight, 16, 18, 24, 28, and 32 bottle capacities. However, these are just general guidelines. In communicating these capacities, manufacturers are typically referring to Bordeaux-style bottles.

What Are Typical Small Wine Cooler Dimensions?

Unless designed to be free-standing, most small wine coolers are designed to fit inside a standard base cabinet of 15”.  

How to Choose A Small Wine Refrigerator

Chances are you won’t need a compact wine refrigerator to age a collection of fine wines over a course of years.  You are likely looking for a unit that will store wines at about 55 degrees F for a period of weeks or months.  Unlike larger maturation coolers, some slightly different criteria come into play.

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Design for Holding Wine Bottles

While this might sound like a no-brainer, we do see a lot of ads for wine refrigerators which are simply dorm-sized refrigerators with wire racks.  These units are not designed for maintaining the correct humidity or for holding wines steady in a moving RV or yacht. Even in a small condo or apartment, this style of refrigerator is undesirable for wine storage as bottles will roll around within the unit.

Noise

For smaller refrigerators in more confined spaces, noise can become an issue, especially at the low-end price range. We love wine refrigerators with compressors as they typically last longer than thermoelectric units, reducing the need for replacing the unit frequently. Compressor units typically last 8-10 years and can last longer if you don’t mind replacing a part here or there as the unit ages.  In our reviews, we pay special attention to the quality of the compressor and the noise it generates (as experienced by customer ratings).

Dual Temperature or Single Temperature?

We love to keep our electronics simple and as low maintenance as possible. If you’ve ever owned a three-function printer, the joke is “which function will break first.” We recommend a single temperature unit, and keeping the single zone set for 55 degrees F.   

Built-In or Free-Standing Compact Wine Refrigerator?

If you plan to install a wine refrigeration unit in an RV or boat where the unit will be placed into some sort of cabinet that is designed to vent out front, be sure to read the fine print. Otherwise, the construction materials behind the refrigerator could get too hot and ignite, potentially starting a fire in your small space.

Do I Need a Warranty?

From our over ten years experience in owning various wine refrigerators, we’ve noticed that if you are going to have a problem with your unit it is going to likely be when the unit is fairly new. These coolers can get damaged during transit or installation.  We recommend purchasing a small wine refrigerator with a premium credit card that extends the manufacturer’s warranty. For these smaller units, we typically don’t purchase a separate small appliance warranty. 

Also, don’t install these or any wine refrigerators next to an oven. Small wine refrigerators tend to have fairly thin side-walls as compared to a conventional refrigerator, allowing oven heat to penetrate and damage the wine or refrigerator.

Our Favorite Compact Wine Refrigerators

Best 12” Wine Cooler

We like the Kalmera 12” wine cooler for its small size, low noise compressor, and aesthetics.  

If you have an existing space utilized by an old trash compactor that you want to remove, this 12” wine cooler might be good for that. This could also be a good compact wine refrigerator for installing in an RV.

Features we like are the easy-to-use buttons, double-layer glass for UV protection, and a carbon filter to reduce odors. If your power happens to go out, when the unit restarts it will go back to the temperature you set it at.

We also like the sliding wood racks that hold up to 18 Bordeaux bottles. The top shelf of the unit is 4” high, so it can accommodate larger bottles like super-premium Chardonnay from Napa or many of the odd rosé bottle sizes from Provence or the Rhone.  

The blue lights in the unit can be turned off if you find that they are too strong. 

The door handle can be removed as well!




Best 15” Wine Cooler

If you have 15” opening to work with, this 30-bottle wine chiller by Colzer might work for you.  

This unit has oak shelves and the shelf spacing is 3.5 inches, so it should accommodate champagne easily. 

Take note that some wider-based rose wines and super-premium wide-bottom wine bottles might not fit. Check the diameter of your wine bottles before purchasing this or any compact wine refrigerator.  




Best Thermoelectric Countertop Wine Cooler

If you don’t have a 12” or 15” space under your kitchen counter, then you may be interested in this countertop wine cooler. 

With a very small footprint (12. 3"(L) x 22. 6"(W) x 19. 2"(H)), it holds eight bottles of wine on chrome racks.

The thermoelectric cooling system makes for a fairly quiet unit, and the interior light is soft interior light is not distracting. If you have the countertop space, this could be an attractive addition to your kitchen.

Adjustable feet help this to fit more snugly beneath cabinets and shelves.

Best Cheap Small Wine Refrigerator

On a budget? Go for this Schmecke 12-Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler Refrigerator. This unit may be too noisy in a closed in space like a boat or RV, but if you are looking for a unit to place in a bonus room or other space you are not reading or sleeping in, this is a less expensive option. This may also be an affordable wine refrigerator for a hair or nail salon.  

 
 

How to Secure Your Wine Cabinet Door in an RV or Boat

If your small space wine cabinet install is going to be inside a larger moving home like and RV, boat, or (lucky you!) a yacht, then you will want to consider adding additional measures to ensure that the door does not come flying open on rough seas or when rounding a mountain bend.

One of the most attractive and robust systems we have found is this door locking system by Guardianite.  

We like how it attaches with the easy to remove the sticker, exposing the 3M adhesive. 

RV and boating enthusiasts will like how the latch falls away and does not get in the way.  

In Conclusion

When looking for a small wine refrigerator for an RV, boat, condo, or apartment, there are a few great 12”, 15” and countertop units out there on the market. For under-counter mounting, we recommend a wine cooler with a compressor. 

Ideally, the unit has a wooden shelf or bottle-shaped holders to keep wine steady, especially if you are taking wine on the road or on a yacht.

If you are taking wine on the road (or open seas) with you, remember that extreme vibration may accelerate the wine aging process. Hence we don’t recommend multi-year storage of wines in a small wine refrigerator. Instead, keep wines for aging back at home in a large stand-alone wine cabinet, an under-counter wine cabinet or at a storage unit specifically designed for storing wine.  

Happy travels!

The 6 Best Corkscrews and Wine Openers for 2022

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When it comes to opening a bottle of wine, there are a lot of products out there that can do the job.  Clever kitchen stores and gift shops market all types of wine openers to wine enthusiasts, either for our own use or as gifts.  Don’t fall prey to all those cheap wine openers marketed to the home wine consumer.  

When selecting a wine opener, consider the intended application to select the best wine opener:

  • Will you be traveling with the corkscrew?

  • Do you want to give the best wine key to a sommelier friend achieving her latest certification? 

  • Are you simply looking for a perfect wine opener, one that won’t fail three months from now

  • Are you wanting a double-hinged wine key that will fit in your sister’s small hand? 

  • Have you fallen for older wines (with their troublesome older corks!) and so need a traditional Ah-So style cork puller?

Before we share our list of 2022’s best wine openers, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We’re an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thank you for using our affiliate links and supporting this independent blog!

Opening a bottle of wine

Since the invention of the wine bottle and cork in the late 17th century, mankind has been designing and patenting tools for getting corks out of bottles.  

Fast forward to today, where in the United States, about 80% of wine is purchased for home consumption.  That means a lot of wine openers in American homes and a proliferation of different types of wine openers and names for these wine-freeing devices.

Corkscrew innovations are a lot like other kitchen innovations, over-engineered with cheap parts to appeal to the gadget junkie. They often end up collecting dust in the kitchen drawer.  Alternatively, many corkscrews in the grocery store or hotel room are cheap knock-offs meant to be disposable.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite wine corkscrews for all wine consumers, from the best waiter’s corkscrew to the best high-tech version of a wine opener. These wine openers will appeal to casual users as well as serious enthusiasts and sommeliers.  

And in case you need an opener for older bottles with fragile corks, we share with you our recommendation for a cork puller. 

Last, we review one electronic wine opener for those with limited hand mobility or weak hands and or wrists.  

Wine Opener Terminology

Hugger Waiter Corkscrew

Hugger Waiter Corkscrew

What is a Waiter’s friend?  Wine Key? Sommelier’s Knife?  Butler’s Friend? Waiter’s Corkscrew?

Don’t be intimidated. These are all the same thing!

Based upon a German innovation dating back to the late 1880s, this device of many names has been a true friend to sommeliers, waiters, butlers, serious enthusiasts, and casual wine consumers alike.  The design of a sommelier’s knife has not diversified too much since its inception.

We continue to return to this kitchen multi-tool as it is reliable, takes up limited space, and feels robust enough to stand up to the task of liberating that great liquid from the bottle. 

The components of the wine key are the worm (metal helix), the handle, the boot-lever, the foil cutter, and optional bottle cap remover to remove the caps off of sodas or beer.

How To Use a Wine Key

Many wine opening devices on the market aim at simplifying the wine opening process. In practice, however, it is quite simple to use a wine key to open a bottle of wine. Most of us simply have not been trained on how to open a bottle of wine.  

For an introduction (or refresher!) on wine service, including the use of the wine key to open the bottle, check out this video.  

How To Open a Bottle of Wine with a Fragile Cork

Perhaps you have an older bottle and the cork just doesn’t look like it will hold together if you apply the force of the wine key worm to it. Or, perhaps you’ve used the waiter’s friend and $#*@!, the cork broke in half and now you are wondering how you are going to get the rest of the remaining cork out.

This is where the cork extractor or cork puller (also colloquially referred to as the Ah-So cork puller) comes in handy.

Check out this video on removing fragile corks from older wine bottles or retrieving the lodged piece of a broken cork.

When To Use An Electric Wine Opener

While we recommend the waiter’s friend for most wine opening experiences, we understand that they might not be easy to use for all wine enthusiasts.  

We are all differently abled when it comes to manual dexterity.  If you find removing the foil on the bottle, opening or closing the corkscrew, manipulating the worm and/or levering the cork out of the bottle painful or impossible, you may want to consider using an electric wine opener.

For our recommendation on the best electric opener, keep reading!

Our Wine Opener Recommendations

Best Waiter’s Friends

Hugger Waiter ABS Handle Corkscrew with Serrated Blade

Our favorite classic corkscrew—and of the best waiter’s corkscrews—is this Franmara Hugger from Italy.  The worm is nickel-plated with an etched line running down the spiral. The stainless steel serrated knife cuts through foil easily. The ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) handle is solid.  ABS plastic is quite similar to the strong and smooth three-polymer plastic used in LEGO building blocks and computer keyboards.  

 The corkscrew also features a two-step boot lever. The wine opener is built like a tank, and fits in the hand like a comfortable knife.  

This type of wine key is common in restaurants, wineries, and at catered events so home wine enthusiasts can rest assured that it will last a long time and can be replaced easily if lost. The matte finish of the handle gives it a classic look.  

Pros: 

  • The wine key’s larger size fits well in large hands

  • The serrated knife is large and can double for opening boxes

Cons:

  • Plastic handle might feel industrial to home users

  • The wine key’s larger size might feel too big in smaller hands

Pulltap's Genuine Classic 500 Double-Hinged Lever Waiters Wine Corkscrew Bottle Opener

Next up in best waiter’s corkscrews is Pulltap’s wine corkscrew from Barcelona, Spain. This one’s strong reputation for durability makes it one of the most replicated corkscrews, so beware of imitations with names similar to Pulltap!

The Pulltap has a solid body and a strong nickel-plated double-hinged lever. This body/handle has a smooth, ergonomic feel to it. The worm is Teflon coated, which makes it great for both natural and synthetic corks.  

Pros:

  • Ergonomic handle great for opening a lot of wines at a time

  • Retractable Teflon coated worm good for natural and synthetic corks

  • This corkscrew is available in multiple colors including classic and trending colors

Cons:

  • Smaller sized handle not ideal for large or extra-large hands

  • The stainless steel foil cutter blade is a little on the small side

Laguiole en Aubrac Wine Opener with Juniper Handle

If you (or a lucky recipient) wants a handmade corkscrew from France, Laguiole wine openers come with a wide array of handles including bone, stone, and specialty woods. The metal components are forged in France in mills near Thiels.  The craftsmen making these knives typically apprentice between one and three years. This may quite literally be the best corkscrew in the world.

Each individual knife is handmade by artisans from southern France and each is truly a piece of art. Laguiole is not a brand name, rather it is a generic name for a knife originating from Laguiole village. There are several markings on these knives that are of interest: a fly (la mouche) engraved on the springhead; a cross (Shepherd's cross) used by shepherds for prayer; and signature engraving on the spine of the knife, unique to the knife-maker. 

Pros:

  • Handcrafted in France by skilled artisans

  • Corkscrew and foil cutter forged from Sandvik brushed stainless steel

  • Bragging rights to the “best corkscrew in the world!”

Con:

  • Can be a little “stiff” to use when new, making it difficult to use at first if you are opening a lot of bottles in an evening

  • Single pull corkscrew (some people prefer double-stage corkscrew)

Best Key Chain Bottle Opener

Munkees 3-in-1 Mini Keychain Corkscrew & Bottle Opener Tool with Knife

If you are looking for a well-made corkscrew to keep on your keychain (ideal for outdoor pursuits), the Munkees Mini Corkscrew might be the best small corkscrew for camping or thru-hiking. With this easy-to-carry 3-inch mini wine key, you will never again have to research “how to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.”

In addition to being a corkscrew on a chain, the device has a bottle cap opener and a sharp knife. The tip of the corkscrew is secured and covered by the bottle cap opener.   

Pros:

  • Small size 

  • Can carry on a keychain

  • 30-day free return

Cons:

  • Does not have double-action or single-action lever - will need to use brute force to pull the cork out with the T-handle.

Best Cork Puller

Monopol Westmark Germany Steel Two-Prong Cork Puller with Cover

This cork puller is great when you need to uncork old vintage wine.  These two-prong cork pullers go by many names, including Ah-So cork puller, Butler’s Thief, Butler’s Friend, or Ah-So style Waiter’s Friend.  

To use one of these cork extractors, simply use a knife or foil cutter to remove the foil from the top of the wine bottle.  Hold the neck of the bottle firmly and insert the longest prong onto one side of the cork between the cork and the inside neck of the bottle, followed by the shortest prong.  Wiggle the extractor prongs while pushing downwards on the hand. Once the cork puller prongs are firmly tweezing the cork, slowly turn the cork puller while holding the bottle to extract the cork.

This particular cork puller is made in Germany and comes in an esthetically pleasing little black box with plush interior, making it a great gift. The steel prongs and die cast metal ergonomic handle and cover means it will likely outlast all of us! It comes with a five-year warranty.  

Pros:

  • Cork is not damaged during extraction, reducing the chances that little bits of cork crumbs fall into the bottle

  • Easy to clean

  • Low profile, making it one of the best small corkscrews for travel.

Cons:

  • Requires a little wiggling and pulling, which might be difficult for some with carpal tunnel or other wrist dexterity challenges

Best electric wine opener

Electric Wine Opener Rechargeable Automatic Corkscrew Wine Bottle Opener with Foil Cutter & USB Charging Cable Stainless Steel by Flasnake

While at KnowWines we prefer the classic styles of the waiter’s friend and cork extractors, we know that some wine consumers want or need an electric wine opener.  If you suffer from carpal tunnel, wrist pain, a broken arm, or have use of only one hand, classic wine openers won’t suffice.

In an electric wine opener, we looked for ease of use, sleek design aesthetics, noise level, and warranty.

This wine opener is very easy to use.  One simply needs to cut the foil using the included (free!) foil cutter, then use the down and up arrows on the electric wine opener to first insert the screw then retract the cork from the bottle.  We also liked the energy efficiency of the device - one can open up to 80 bottles on one full charge!

Pros:

  • Attractive beige box - great for gift-giving

  • Quiet

  • Contemporary stainless steel housing

  • Pretty blue and red lights light up during operation

  • Takes 100 - 240 V

The Wine Bottle Opener Round-Up

For almost all bottle opening applications, the classic Waiter’s Friend corkscrew will suffice.  

When selecting the best bottle opener, consider the user and the situation(s) in which bottles will be opened.

In the wine bar and restaurant community, you’ll find our first two picks for good reasons. The Hugger has the feel of a good multi-purpose chef’s knife, while the Pulltap feels like a great paring knife.  They are a good balance of cost and quality - if you lose one, it isn’t the end of the world.

For those looking for a gift for a serious wine collector or a sommelier achieving his/her most recent wine award, the Laguiole wine opener is a lifetime investment and celebration of enduring craftsmanship.  

Outdoor enthusiasts and college students will find the Monkees corkscrew and bottle combination with keychain a practical tool.

And for those who love the ease of use of an electronic wine opener, who may be suffering from carpal tunnel or arthritis, the Flasnake Electronic Wine Opener is a great choice.

We hope this blog helps you choose just the right corkscrew for yourself or a friend. For more great wine gift ideas, check out our ultimate guide to gifts for wine lovers.

Cheers!

The Best Champagne Buckets

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With the rise in popularity of sparkling wine and champagne, wine lovers have an increasing interest in sparkling wine accessories like champagne chiller buckets, champagne stoppers, and wine refrigerators. There’s a wide range of champagne buckets—also called champagne coolers and champagne holders—on the market, and these buckets are available at many price points. Here, we take a deeper dive into these products to help you make the best decision!

Before we continue with our review, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Before Buying a Champagne Bucket

Do I need a champagne chiller bucket? Let’s try to answer that question for you by delving into the reason for their existence.

What is the Ideal Temperature for Serving Champagne?

Champagne and most sparkling wines taste best served at 8 to 10 C (47 to 50 F).  When champagne is too cold, it’s difficult to detect flavors and aromas. When champagne and many sparkling wines get above 12 C (or 55 F), then the wine can taste a little “flabby” (less crisp and refreshing). 

In summary, champagne and sparkling wines should be chilled before serving, and they should be kept cold while drinking for maximum enjoyment.

What is the Best Way to Chill Champagne?

On the internet, one can find dozens of methods for chilling champagne, but we prefer to go with what the pros do - using a champagne holder filed with ice and water. Why is using a champagne bucket the preferred method for sommeliers and wine professionals?

First, it takes twenty minutes to an hour to chill wine by simply placing it in the freezer (likely a full hour if the wine is at ambient temperature).  Also, if you forget about wine in the freezer compartment, you’ll have a messy disaster on your hand when the cork dislodges!

Cooling champagne in a refrigerator? It will take up to two hours for a wine to go from ambient temperature to 50 F.  

What about my wine cabinet?  Most wine refrigerators don’t get champagne or sparkling wines cool enough, so in addition to having a small wine refrigerator, you may also want a bucket for chilling.

Champagne or sparkling wine that’s been cooled to 50 F will quickly warm up in ambient temperatures - even faster in warm weather.  Once that chilled bottle of wine is opened, it will ideally be placed in an ice and water bath inside a champagne bucket. For this reason, champagne lovers may want to consider purchasing a champagne cooler bucket to keep the wine at serving temperature throughout a meal or evening.

How Do I Use a Champagne Bucket?

PRO TIP:

In a rush to chill down your champagne? Simply use soda water instead of tap water.

Simply fill the champagne bucket about 3/4 full with ice. Then, add water until the water line is about halfway up the side of the bucket. Finally, place the champagne or sparkling wine into the chiller bucket. If you are in a particularly warm location, consider covering the wine and bucket with a towel to reduce the speed of ice thaw.  

Never try to “pile drive” a glass bottles into a bucket of ice. For one thing, it will be a noisy process! Even more importantly, you could damage the bottle’s label or even cause a bottle to break if you hit it on a sharp piece of ice.  

What to Consider When Purchasing a Champagne Chiller Bucket?

There are a number of factors to consider when purchasing a champagne bucket.

Single Bottle Champagne Bucket - Or More?

The first major consideration when purchasing a champagne holder is the number of bottles you would like to chill. Champagne buckets that hold one or two bottles are sufficient for most wine lovers. However, if you entertain large crowds, consider getting a bucket that holds a minimum of four bottles of wine. Also, you may want to check out our article on champagne bottle sleeves, which are a portable alternative to a champagne bucket.

Construction of Champagne Bucket

Acrylic champagne buckets are typically your best bet for a cheap champagne bucket.  

For those wine enthusiasts who don’t want a see-through ice bucket, and who are seeking to replicate a restaurant experience in a home or special events venue, stainless steel is typically the way to go.

Folks wanting something a little different than stainless may seek out hammered copper, hammered aluminum, or another decorative champagne bucket.

If you are looking to splurge, then consider silver or crystal champagne buckets.  

Single-walled or Double-walled Champagne Bucket?

Regardless of the construction, consider if you want a single-walled or double-walled champagne bucket. Note that a single-walled champagne bucket may sweat, causing water to pool under it. This might be fine if you’re primarily using it outdoors (say, on a patio), but if you plan to entertain indoors, double-walled may be a better fit.

Champagne Bucket With or Without a Stand?

Finally, do you want the champagne holder to stand by itself or simply sit on the serving table? Using a stand will free up some serving space, as well as reduce the likelihood that the bucket sweats on a countertop. A champagne bucket sans stand saves you from having to store both a stand and champagne bucket. 

Best Champagne Buckets

Below find five of our favorite champagne buckets based upon the size, type, and construction.

Best Single Champagne Bucket (Includes Stand)

This single champagne bucket with a stand comes in stainless steel. What we like about this wine chiller is that it has handles for carrying the bucket to prevent smudging as well as to easily move the bucket and its contents.  

The bucket and stand are also solid and heavy - the combined weight of the stand and bucket is six pounds. If you are looking for a champagne bucket with a stand to put next to a hut tub or a raised table, this might be a good one for you. A floor standing champagne bucket can also be a great addition to decor for true wine lovers!

Pros:

  • Simple, elegant look

  • Robust 18/8 stainless steel construction

  • Can be used indoors or outdoors, with or without stand

Cons:

  • We wish that the bucket was about one inch taller so that the neck of champagne bottles don’t stick up so much






Best Multi-Bottle Champagne Bucket

If you entertain frequently or are looking for a relatively smudge-free stain stainless steel, this may be the multi-bottle champagne bucket for you.

The bucket comes in stainless steel and also in copper. In addition to keeping champagne cold, the bucket can accommodate sodas and beer. The bucket holds up to four wines comfortably.

When not in use, one could use the bucket as a decorative planter if storage space is tight.

 
 

Pros:

  • Constructed out of 18/8 stainless steel

  • Double-walled for sweat-free experience

  • Available in stainless steel and copper

Cons:

  • Large size (15.4 x 7.5), might be difficult to store if you have a small home

Best Clear Single Wine Champagne Bucket

Perhaps simply you need an affordable champagne bucket that doesn’t “look cheap”.  This could be a good option if you need more than one champagne bucket for weddings or a corporate celebration.

 
 

Pros:

  • Diamond-shaped texture hides the appearance of partially melted ice 

  • Acrylic is light, yet strong

  • Won’t tip over with a bottle in it 

Cons:

  • Susceptible to scratching

  • Single-wall, needs a tray or towels under the bucket for use on a wood table or in case of high outdoor temperatures as the bucket may sweat while the ice melts

Best Crystal Champagne Bucket

If you are looking for a crystal champagne cooler that doubles as a piece of art, consider the Riedel Crystal Champagne Cooler. And it comes in 2020 Pantone color of the year - classic blue! This is handmade, mouth-blown crystal champagne cooler made in Kufstein, Austria. The Riedel company has been making fine glassware in Austria for over 250 years and is lead by 10th generation businessman and glassmaker Georg Josef Riedel. This is much more than just a champagne bottle holder and provides a beautiful alternative to the traditional metal champagne bucket!

 
 

Pros:

  • Collector’s item

  • Handmade

Cons:

  • Not double-walled

Best Luxury Champagne Bucket

This sturdy, multi-bottle champagne chiller in crafted in a French style. We love the the Fleur di Lis crest. This champagne bottle holder is a spurge, but it will last forever and look beautiful when you entertain!

 
 

Pros:

  • Collector’s item, classic Old World style

  • Hand cast

  • Holds several bottles at once

Cons:

  • On the pricier side

Best Double-Walled Champagne Holder

This champagne chiller features a double-walled construction that insulates chilled bottles, keeping them cold for hours! And it works for white wine bottles as well as champagne bottles. Perfect for those really hot summer nights.

 
 

Pros:

  • Double-walled insulation keeps bottle cool for a long time

  • Sleek design

Cons:

  • Only holds one bottle

Champagne Ice Mold Ice Bucket

Prefer a champagne bucket that looks a little more “outside the box”? This single bottle champagne bucket allows you to design your own champagne bottle sleeve with ice and fruit. If you are looking for a fun gift for a champagne lover on your list, this might be just the thing!

Pros:

  • Fun!

  • Unique

Cons:

  • May be time-intensive to set up properly

Best Cheap Champagne Bucket

And by “cheap,” we mean budget friendly! This is good quality, made-in-the-USA champagne bucket with a price point that definitely won’t break the bank. This is an ideal champagne bucket if you’re hosting an event and want a champagne chiller bucket on every table.

 
 

Pros:

  • Very affordable

  • Can buy several at once for entertaining

Cons:

  • Not double-walled

  • Not as sturdy as other champagne chiller buckets

Champagne Buckets Wrap-Up

The main purpose of a champagne bucket is to chill a bottle of wine and keep wine cold throughout the drinking experience, preferably between 8 and 10 C (47 to 50 F). We recommend choosing a double wall champagne bucket so that you don’t get condensation on a permeable surface like wood.

As you can see, there are many types and styles of champagne buckets available at all price points. Whether you go with a metal champagne bucket, a crystal wine bucket, or a luxury work of art wine bucket, we hope you find one that meets your needs!

Do you have a favorite champagne bucket?  If so, let us know in the comments below.

Cheers!

All About Wine Glass Polishing Cloths

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Many wine accessories are “nice-to-have’s,” but aren’t really necessary to the enjoyment and exploration of fine wine. As an emerging wine enthusiast, you might be wondering which wine accessories are essential and which fall into this “nice-but-not-necessary” category. Here’s a quick answer: your minimalist wine accessories kit should contain the following:

  • Good corkscrew

  • Good glassware

  • Decanter

  • Glass polishing cloth

Wine polishing cloths are used to polish slightly damp wine glasses to prevent water spots, and if you’re tasting wine regularly or sharing with friends, you’ll wish you had one! In today’s blog, we’ll give you a run-down on how to polish crystal glassware, and the very best wine polishing cloths for the job.

Before we continue with our recommendations, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

How to Clean a Wine Glass

All the polishing in the world won’t properly clean a dirty wine glass, so first let’s start with a clean wine glass! (Also, a clean wine glass isn’t something to look forward to if it is heavily scented with a strongly scented dish detergent, but we’ll get to that in a second!).

The two areas of a wine glass that typically become dirty are inside the bowl (when one accidentally leaves a wine glass out overnight and the contents dry in the glass) and the rim, where lipstick stains collect. 

For the cleaning task we recommend a lightly or unscented dish soap like this one:

 
 

If you discover stains inside the glassware, we recommend placing part of a denture cleaner tablet inside the glass and filling it halfway with water. Then, rinse the glass carefully after an overnight soak.  

 
 

If you’re using a glass brush to clean, use it carefully (if you attempt too much elbow grease, you’ll end up with a broken glass) and keep it clean and dry (a smelly glass brush will make your glass smell like a dirty sponge - gross!).

Before polishing your washed wine glass with a wine glass polishing cloth, check around the rim for any lipstick residue. Lipstick often contains wax that is difficult to remove. Fort his reason, we recommend cleaning this area with dish detergent and warm water to dissolve the wax and lipstick pigment.  

How to Polish a Wine Glass

The easiest time for polishing glassware is right after you have washed it and before it has dried. If you happen into your favorite wine bar in an early afternoon, you will often see staff polishing the glassware to a shine. 

Here’s how to polish glassware:

First, pick up a wine polishing cloth with your left hand. Pick up a still-damp wine glass and place the base of the wine glass in your left hand as well. Polish the base and stem with a portion of the polishing cloth in your right hand.

Then with your right hand, carefully drape a portion of the wine polishing cloth into the inside of the bowl. Don’t ram a large portion of cloth inside the glass - just enough for you to remove any remaining liquid. Last, polish the outside of the wine glass bowl while still holding the base in your left hand.    

Make sure you don’t twist the stem of the glass when you are polishing the bowl. This is an easy mistake to make, as much glassware on the market today is constructed of two or three separate pieces that are fused together in the factory (and thus can break apart if not handled properly). Typically, higher end wine glassware like Gabriel Glas and Zalto are comprised of a single piece of glass.

To care for your wine glass polishing cloth after use, simply launder them with like-colored laundry. To be extra careful, you could use a delicate garment bag. We hang our cloth up to air dry.

Wine Glasses and Water Spots

If you forget to polish your wine glasses immediately after washing, you may return to your glassware only to find that they’ve dried with annoying and unsightly water spots. Never fear! There’s no need to wash all your glasses again. Instead, simply boil a small amount of water in a saucepan.  Carefully invert the wine glass above the steam until the bowl is slightly moistened.  Then commence with polishing! We love this little trick (although we prefer to avoid water spots in the first place!).

The Best Glass Polishing Cloths

If you’re a budding wine enthusiast, you may not have a large wine glass polishing cloth yet. No worries. We’ve got you covered with the details on a few of our favorites.

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Best Extra Large Wine Glass Polishing Cloth

Many people prefer to have different types of glassware for different types of wines. If this is the case with you, you may have extra large glasses (for which you’ll need an extra large polishing cloth). An oversized polishing cloth is also nice for an event such as a wine tasting or a happy-hour get together, when your guests will be using several glasses. The size of this cloth will allow you to polish several glasses in a row while still having dry, clean cloth to work with.

This extra large polishing cloth by Wine Folly is our favorite. Just check out how much fabric you get to work with on this large Spiegel wine glass! Also, the design is not only beautiful, it also includes polishing instructions! Extra bonus that the cloth is not white. The dark, multi-colored design makes it easier to keep clean.

If you find the size of this polishing cloth to be a bit overwhelming, though, you may want to consider the Riedel polishing cloth, linked below.

Take a look:

 
 

Best Large Wine Glass Polishing Cloth

Perhaps you enjoy white wines and your wine glasses are of a universal size, like the Gabriel Glas or dessert wine glasses. For universal and smaller glassware we recommend the Riedel wine glass polishing cloth. These cloths will shine up your glasses beautifully. They also hold up well after laundering due to the no-fray edge. After laundering our Riedel polishing cloth many times, we have seen no reduction in cloth quality.

 
 

Alternatives to Wine Glass Polishing Cloths

Not ready to invest in that Riedel wine polishing cloth? You may already have some cloths in your home that will work to polish crystal glassware. Any flour sack will do, as will any lint-free cloth such as cheesecloth or brushed cotton. The cloth is a good candidate if it does not leave any lint particles on the glassware. 

What About Microfiber Wine Glass Polishing Cloths?

Most microfiber wine polishing cloths are too small. They are often not large enough to accommodate holding the base of the glass and then draping a portion into the bowl. Also, many microfiber wine glass polishing cloths start to fray or pill after several spins through the washer and drier. We do use microfiber cloths, but we prefer to use them for washing, or for polishing smaller glassware like cocktail glasses. 

The Wine Glass Polishing Cloth Wrap-Up

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Wine glass polishing cloths like those by Wine Folly and Riedel are one of the essential wine accessories that are often overlooked by home wine enthusiasts. For successful wine glass polishing our advice is to buy a large or extra large cloth designed for the purpose. These are well made and last for years. 

Also, a few closing reminders:

For a clear and shining wine glass, you need to start with a clean wine glass free of residues and soap odors. 

Don’t twist the wine glass while polishing glassware, or you may end up accidentally separating the stem from the bowl, resulting in a broken glass, or worse a cut from broken glass that could result in a trip to Urgent Care for stitches. Ouch.

We hope you find just the right wine polishing cloth for your needs, and that it beautifully complements your “wine essentials” kit.

And in case your new polishing cloth has inspired you to invest in new glassware, check out our article on the 19 Best Wine Glasses for 2022!

Cheers!

Yeti Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler

Entertaining (and being entertained) al fresco is fabulous. What’s not so fabulous is pouring a refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio while setting up the patio for a dinner party, only to return to a lukewarm glass of wine.  Or perhaps you’ve attended attended a holiday market with mulled or gluhwein only to find it cold in just a few minutes. Also, wine glasses can shatter on patios or at poolside, which is why most outdoor venues don’t allow glass. All good reasons to invest in an insulated wine tumbler, either for yourself or as a gift for a fellow wine lover!

Before Buying a Wine Tumbler

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At KnowWines, we love pairing a beautiful outdoor setting with a great wine. If you also enjoy outdoor entertaining, outdoor concerts and sporting events, camping, and/or boating, an insulated wine tumbler is essential. This tumbler would also make a thoughtful gift for a wine enthusiast, especially if they also the outdoors.

Here’s what to consider:

The ability to maintain desired temperature should be your first concern when purchasing a wine tumbler. Other factors to consider are the conditions in which you’ll be using the tumbler, durability, look, feel, and ease of cleaning.  

You’ve probably experienced double-walled beverage mugs for keeping coffee warm. In the past few years, similarly constructed tumblers became available for wine. We supposed you could put your coffee mug on double duty and use it for wine, but this is less than ideal aesthetically. Also, you don’t want residual coffee flavors to interfere with the wine’s flavor and aroma. Disposable cups are also not ideal. A tumbler is a great upgrade.

Does your wine tumbler need a lid?  Lids are only needed if the tumbler will be used in areas where flying insects, splashing water, or sand could get in the wine tumbler (like the beach). Remember that using a lid when drinking wine can greatly diminish the pleasure of drinking wine, especially aromatic wines like Riesling and Pinot Noir.

From our own experience and from reviewing dozens of wine tumblers online, our number one recommendation is the YETI Rambler 10 oz. Insulated Wine Tumbler. We especially love the YETI Wine Tumbler 2 pack—one glass for you & one for your bestie! Check out this handsomely packaged Yet wine set:

 
 


The Yeti Rambler 10oz Insulated Wine Tumbler

Yeti is a trusted and premium brand for not only outdoor coolers, but also outdoor gear and drinkware. The brand has been around since 2008 and is considered the market leader. Their cooler and beverage products have a reputation for durability. The Yeti 10 oz. Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler was officially released in spring of 2018.

This Yeti wine glass is designed to have the look and feel of a premium product while also keeping wine cool (or warm in the case of mulled wine) and remaining durable in outdoor conditions. It is also made to clean easily and resist wine stains.  The Yeti wine set comes in a box with care instructions and a registration card for a five-year product warranty.

The product is for wine lovers looking for a premium tumbler to keep their wine at an enjoyable temperature for an extended period of time. The product is not for people who want a lid for their wine tumbler included with purchase.

Pros

  • Keeps wine at the desired temperature range when compared to traditional drinkware

  • Premium look and feel

  • Trusted drinkware brand

  • Durable

  • Dishwasher safe

Cons

  • Limited number of colors

  • Some users want a lid included with purchase (sold separately)

  • Some users report a “stainless steel” smell during first few uses

  • Reduced ability to swirl wine in the tumbler when compared to traditional wine glassware

Features and Benefits

Packaging

We tested the YETI Wine Tumbler 2 pack. Standard colors are sold as two-packs or singles, and tumblers in seasonal or trendy colors are sold as singles. The two-pack is secured by an adhesive glue to the sturdy cardboard box to keep the tumblers from rolling around during shipping and while sitting in store displays. We found the tumblers easy to remove from the package. Some online comments indicate that the adhesive can be difficult to remove, but we did not find that in our case.

Upon removing the wine tumblers from their box, we found product inserts in each tumbler. These inserts provide instruction on how one can register their product on the YETI website.  Washing is by hand or dishwasher.

Measurements

The tumbler is 4.5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide. The weight is about 8.12 ounces when empty.

Look and Feel

Before placing wine in the tumbler, we took some time looking at and feeling the tumblers.  We noticed a consistent and visually appealing paint job with no bumps or thin spots in the paint. The YETI logo is prominent in two places on the tumbler, on one side as a raised logo and the other side in stainless. The logo is tastefully done and does not detract from the minimalist aesthetic. Yeti wine tumbler colors range from white and black to “King Crab” orange and “Prickly Pear” pink. It’s great to have choices!

The Yeti wine glass is narrower at the top and rounder at the bottom, replicating the look of luxury stemless glassware. However, when peering into the tumbler, we noticed that the walls of the tumbler are not bell-shaped like the exterior of the tumbler. The lip of the tumbler was much thinner than that on other insulated beverage containers like coffee mugs, however it was thicker than most wine glassware. We knew we would need to test swirling and the impact on aromas of this design (more on that below!).

Our testers had medium to large hands. We found the tumblers easy to handle and did not notice any sharp edges. The texture of the paint was smooth and pleasant. One tester had recently put on hand lotion and commented that this might make the tumbler slippery in the hand. We also noted that friends with smaller hands might find the tumbler a little on the large side.  

Our testers appreciated that the tumbler is not clear, so no one can see what you are drinking.  One tester does not drink alcoholic drinks, and liked the idea of having the tumbler at parties and filling it with cool sparkling water or fruit juice.  

Temperature Assessment

The tumbler uses YETI’s double-wall and vacuum construction aimed at keeping cold beverages cold and warm beverages warm.  We wanted to see how long the YETI 10oz Rambler Wine Tumbler would keep the wine at ideal drinking temperature.

We tested the YETI Wine Tumbler in two situations: keeping a serving of Pinot Noir cool on a warm day and keeping a serving of gluhwein warm on a cool day.

Warm Weather, Cool Wine

We compared the performance of the YETI Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler to our favorite Riedel glasses. Many consider the ideal drinking temperature for Pinot Noir to be between 55 and 60 F, which is difficult to maintain long-term in warm conditions in traditional glassware.  

 
 

We refrigerated a bottle of Pinot Noir overnight. The next afternoon, we removed the Pinot Noir from the refrigerator. When the wine was 48 F, we weighed 5 oz of the wine and placed it in the room temperature YETI Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler.  We weighed 5 oz of the same wine and placed it in the Riedel glass.

We took the tumbler and glass outside on the deck, where it was 78 F and partly cloudy with humidity 35%. We used a dual probe thermometer to monitor temperature.  We placed one probe in the wine in the YETI tumbler and another probe in the Riedel glass of wine and waited for the warm up.

Within 20 minutes, the Riedel glass wine was up to 60 F, and by 45 minutes, the Riedel glass wine was up to 65 F.  It took the YETI tumbler 1 hour and 15 minutes for the wine to get to 55 F, and after 2 hours, the wine in the YETI tumbler was 60 F.  

Cool Weather, Warm Mulled Wine

Most North American users would use the YETI Rambler Insulated Tumbler during the warmer months, however drinking mulled or gluhwein in the winter months is popular with the increasing number of outdoor holiday markets throughout the world (Christkindlmarkt, as they are called in Germany). Many consider the ideal drinking temperature of gluhwein to be 130 F.  

To simulate cool weather conditions for Christmas markets, we heated gluhwein to 185 F. We measured 5 oz of the hot gluhwein and placed it in a room temperature YETI wine mug, and placed another 5 oz of hot gluhwein in a room temperature traditional Christkindlmarkt mug.  For those events, it would be nice for the wine to stay warm for an extended period of time.

We placed the YETI wine mug and the Christkindlmarkt mug into a 42 F refrigerator to simulate a cool December afternoon and used a dual probe thermometer to monitor the falling temperatures of the gluhwein.

Within ten minutes, the gluhwein in the traditional mug had cooled to 130 F and within 20 minutes, the temperature was a lukewarm 105 F.  It took 20 minutes for the gluhwein to cool to 130 F and it was 45 minutes until the gluhwein was lukewarm at 105 F.

In conclusion, the YETI Rambler 10 oz. Insulated Wine Tumbler kept wines within ideal drinking temperatures at least twice as long as traditional wine vessels.  

Drinking Assessment

The YETI tumbler tumbler holds 10 oz of liquid. For context, most bartenders and sommeliers serve a 5-oz pour.

Since the tumbler performed quite well in its ability to hold the temperature of wine at ideal drinking temperatures, we wanted to test the impact of the tumbler on aromas and taste compared to drinking from a premium wine glass.

First we swirled the wines in the tumbler and glass. Swirling in the tumbler is just not as fun and impactful as using the Riedel glass, as the side walls in the tumbler are too straight.  

Secondly, we sniffed the wines. There was a perceptible difference between the aromas in the YETI tumbler and the Riedel glass. The Pinot Noir’s fruity aromas and spice from oak aging were more distinct in the Riedel glass.  

Third, we tasted the wines in the tumbler and glass (we know, hard work!). Drinking out of the YETI Wine Tumbler was not the same as drinking wine out of a Riedel glass. However, drinking wine out of the YETI Wine Tumbler was more pleasurable than drinking it out of a coffee mug or plastic cup. We did not smell any off aromas or detect off flavors in the tumbler.    

Cleaning the Tumbler

Washing instructions indicate that you can clean the YETI Wine Tumbler by hand or in the dishwasher. We washed the YETI Wine Tumblers thoroughly before use, as some online reviewers indicated a stainless steel smell when first using the tumblers.

During our testing we put one YETI insulated wine tumbler into the dishwasher three times and the other one we washed by hand. We didn’t notice any change in color or feel of the paint.

The YETI website claims that the tumbler does not stain, and we found this to be true.    

Social Proof

In addition to our own testing, we did online research and discovered that the reviews were overwhelmingly positive. The most positive reviews are in line with our experience —  people love the look and feel of the YETI insulated wine tumbler, and it keeps their favorite wine and other beverages cold. The few negative reviews we found were from individuals looking to replicate the fine wine experience they are used to in a glass. Like them, we found that swirling can be a little difficult and some wine aromas are muted when compared to traditional glassware. Our tumblers did not have the “stainless steel” smell to them that very few other reviewers found.  

Alternatives

Overall, we found the YETI 10 oz Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler a great fit for drinking “everyday” wines in outdoor conditions. Here we indicate a few more premium options if the size of the YETI tumbler does not fit the place you intend to use it (say, in your beach chair’s cup holder).

For those with smaller hands and/or wanting more pastel color options, we recommend the Hydro Flask 10 oz:

 
 

For those who want a more “grippy” and textured surface, the Sunwill:

 
 

For those who are concerned about a stainless steel smell or taste and want to see wine in the tumbler, or who want to use the tumbler for wine slushies and have concerns about a metal tumbler sweating, we recommend Tervis:

 
 

For those wanting a fine wine drinking experience with an insulated wine tumbler similar to that with your favorite glassware, you might be out of luck. We’ve yet to find a super-thin rimmed insulated wine tumbler on the market.  

YETI Wine Tumbler vs Corkcicle

Because there’s quite a lot of comparison between these two brands, we didn’t want to close our this article without pointing you towards our review of the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler. There are many similarities in these products—they both hold 10 oz, offer an attractive design, and are comparable in price. Thus, your decision will really come down to the details of durability and length of time that the tumbler can keep a beverage hot or cold. We hope this review in combination with the Corkcicle review will help you make a decision!

Other Yeti Wine Products

Does Yeti have a wine glass with a stem?

Because Yeti is in the business of making durable products for outdoor use, they don’t carry a wine glass with a stem. They do, however, have a taller, tapered version of the Yeti wine Rambler that might appeal to you if you prefer a taller glass. This one is also great for coffee or a pint of beer!

 
 

Does Yeti have a highball glass?

No highball glass (though the taller mug above might work!), but they do have a stylish lowball class. This one is perfect for chilled summer drinks or warm ones in the winter. Spiked cider, anyone?

 
 

Does Yeti have a cocktail glass?

Well, they don’t call it a cocktail glass, but we think this Yeti tumbler with a straw is perfect for sipping summer mojitos.

 
 

Conclusion

The YETI wine cooler keeps your wine within the ideal drinking window at least twice as long as premium wine glassware. The tumbler is ideal for use in areas where premium wine glassware is not allowed or could easily break. With its sleek design, the YETI 10 oz. Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler has the look and feel of a premium tumbler and is available in classic and limited trending colors. Also, it’s easy to clean by hand and in the dishwasher.  

We recommend the YETI 10 oz Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler for drinking value, mid-priced, and premium wines. We would not recommend them for super-premium and luxury wines as the lip width and interior vessel shape are not optimal for enjoying fine wine.

Buy the YETI 10 oz Rambler Insulated Wine Tumbler (and its lid) here:

Enjoy those outdoor beverages.

Cheers from KnowWines!

VinGardeValise Review

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If you are traveling to wine country and need a suitcase to carry back your finds, the VinGardeValise may be for you.  We’ve owned a VinGardeValise for seven years and have taken it on the road internationally and across the country at least four times per year.

Before we continue with our review, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

History of the VinGardeValise

The VinGardeValise was invented by Barry Wax and has been on the market since 2014.  The first advertisement for this item is fun and descriptive, showing people throwing suitcases of wine down flights of stairs. Soon after seeing this video, I was at Clos du Val in Napa Valley where they were selling a few of these in the tasting room. I was enamored with its look and quality, so I picked one up.  

Wine Bottle Suitcases: Do You Need One?

No, you don’t really need the VinGardeValise. In fact, there are several other approaches to packing wine in a suitcase that you may want to try first. However, if you are frequently flying with wine and want a hard-sided suitcase designed for this specific use rather than leveraging or jury-rigging a solution, we highly recommend the VinGardeValise.

 
 

VinGardeValise: Special Features

When VinGardeValise was first released, the company encouraged feedback for future product releases. This customer feedback has led to various sizes and features over the years.

VinGardeValise, Various Sizes

12 Bottle Wine Suitcase

 
 

8 Bottle Wine Suitcase

 
 

5 Bottle Wine Suitcase

 
 

Colors of VinGardeValise

The attractive, hard-sheel exterior design of the VinGardeValise comes in Black, Burgundy, and Silver. You can select the color that goes best with your wardrobe or the rest of your luggage. Need two VinGardeValise wine suitcases? Get a silver one for your white and bubbly wines, and a burgandy one for the reds!

Construction of the VinGarde Valise

The VinGardeValise is constructed of a proprietary compound shell and foam inserts.  Older models had symmetrical wheels that worked quite well. The newer models have Hinomoto wheels which are even easier to maneuver, especially around the airport. 

Robustness of the VinGardeValise

Like we said, we’ve had our VinGardeValise for about seven years. Here are some photos of how the item as held up over the years. 

The inserts and interior have held up exceptionally well.  It still handles like a high-end suitcase.  

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Over the years, the exterior shell has understandably taken a little bit of a beating due to normal wear and tear in airports, trains, and cars.  Thanks to the dark coloring, however, the scuffs are hard to notice.

 
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The zippers have also held up well.  We’ve used other high-end suitcases for our regular luggage needs and have found that the zipper is usually the first items to malfunction. This has not been the case with the VinGardeValise. We’ve also never run into any issues with the straps around the suitcase.  We sometimes have wished that the straps were not there, as it is one more closure to deal with. However, it likely serves as an additional measure to keep the suitcase intact and keep its shape.

 
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Using the VinGardeValise for Liquor or Beer

If you purchase and travel with beer bombers, any of the VinGardeValise suitcases will work just fine for your 750 mL beer bottles. Here’s a photo of the VinGardeValise I have holding several types of alcohol.

 
 

If you will be traveling with smaller bottles of beer, you may want to consider the BiereGardeValise, which holds up to 19 beer bottles.  

 
 

How to Travel With Wine in a Suitcase

The main points to keep in mind when traveling with wine are to avoid too much heat or too much cold and try to minimize vibration as much as possible. Once you arrive home with your bottles, let them sit for at least two weeks before opening, to allow the contents to settle. Read our blog on how to check when when you fly for more tips on traveling with wine.

If you have a fairly short connection, chances are the foam insulation and hard shell will keep your wines nice and cool.  However, if you have a long haul flight during the peak of summer, you may want to consider one of these specially made Chiller Sheets that come in two sizes: one for the 12 bottle model and another for the 8 bottle model.  

 
 

While these chiller sheets are quite handy, I’ve found they don’t fit well into most itty-bitty hotel freezers so I’ve not taken the chiller sheet on any recent trips.  

Setting the Lock on Your VinGardeValise

If you’ve purchased a VinGardeValise but accidentally threw away or lost your lock set instructions (or you just drank too much wine to remember the code), check out this video for instructions on how to reset your VinGardeValise code.

VinGardeValise and Luggage Fees

The VinGardeValise was designed to avoid excess weight and, as such, excess luggage fees. When full of bottles, it weighs less than 50 lbs.

Where to buy VinGardeValise

We hope you enjoy traveling with your new VinGardeValise!

Cheers!

Best Wine Cork Holders

Are you or someone you know really into collecting wine corks?  Do you own a wine bar or bottle shop and are looking for a functional or artistic way to collect all those used corks?

wine cork holder

While a wine cork holder is not a necessity, it is a fun and attractive way to display your wine cork collection. Whether you are looking for a small, decorative wine cork collector to hold just a few used wine corks or a large wine cork holder for a friend who loves to collect ALL the wine corks, we’ve got something on this list that will serve your needs.

In this blog, we’ve included several unique and best ideas for wine cork storage and decor. Before we continue with our reviews and recommendations, though, a little about the KnowWines blog: We’re an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thank you for using our affiliate links and supporting this independent blog!

And now for our wine cork storage ideas (let us know which ones you use in the comments below!).

The KnowWines Favorite Cork Display Option

The Metal Wine Monogram Cork Holder

 
 

This wine cork monogram holds about ninety corks and mounts on the wall without adhesives. It is available in many different letters. This wine cork decor may be good for a housewarming gift, or to spell out your surname or the name of your wine bar.  We love wine cork display idea, especially because the corks don’t fall out!  

What can I do with old corks?

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Some wine lovers like to collect labels and/or corks.  An extensive search into the different types of wine cork holders on the market yielded quite a diverse array of decor items to either collect or recycle your wine corks. Wine cork holders come in a variety of sizes, with some designed to hold just a few special corks, and others designed to store hundreds of wine corks. You can also choose from mass-produced and trending wine cork holders or a one-of-a-kind variety.

If you are looking for the best wine cork holder as a gift, here are a few things to look for:

  • What is the decor of the recipient’s home?  Consider matching the wine cork holder with their personal style.

  • Does the recipient have a small space or a large space to display corks?

  • Does the recipient want to show off one wine cork, a few wine corks, or many?

  • Is the recipient a crafter or would they prefer a no-assembly-required gift?

  • Is there a special occasion or theme for the gift-giving?

The benefit of a wine bottle cork holder is its ability to contain one or more wine corks in an organized and thoughtful manner.  The best wine cork holder is one that you or the gift recipient will use for some time.  If you are looking to pair the cork holder with a personalized wine journal (perfect gift for the wine lover in your life!), check out our article on wine journals.

Clearly, one does not need a wine cork holder if they enjoy wine.  Wine cork keepers are simply a decorative tool to contain corks for collections, for reusing corks, or for remembering a special occasion. As such, wine cork holders are not for the following types of people:

  • People who do not drink wine.

  • People under the legal drinking age (although there’s nothing illegal about collecting wine corks).

  • People preferring minimalist decor and don’t display a great deal of wall or countertop decor.

Best Wine Cork Holder for a Wine Bar

If you own a wine bar or bottle shop, you may simply need an inexpensive way to collect corks for aesthetic reasons or for upcycling. Many tasting rooms use simple, clear wine bucket as a wine cork storage container. Take a look:

 
 

Pros:

  • Transparent acrylic, so corks are visible

  • Easy to clean, no metal or wood surfaces for liquids to pool in

  • Multi-tasker, can be utilized to cool wines by adding cool water and ice

Cons:

  • Dust, foils, and any wine that might end up in the container will be visible to guests 

  • Not very decorative

Best Wine Cork Collector for Large Collections

This wine cork storage container for people with large collections (up to 2000 corks) is also an impressive piece of furniture. This piece is great for collectors with appreciate wine country rustic or Tuscan Italian decor and who want to add a little wine country ambiance to their cellar, kitchen, or living room. The piece stands a little over 27 inches high and is a little over 22 inches in diameter. It is almost all metal, with a wooden top great for displaying a decanter, glassware, or wine books.

 
 

Pros:

  • Pairs well with several home decor styles, especially rustic elegant or wine country decor

  • Ability to personalize, just use these chalk markers (affiliate link) to personalize the nameplate

  • A smaller, 400-cork option from Home-X (affiliate link) is available (20 inches x 14 inches x 14 inches) if the Wine Enthusiast Barrel Cork Catcher side table is too large

Cons:

  • Needs a couple of hundred corks before you can really see the dual purpose (end table AND cork collector)

  • The end table has a small opening in the back to insert corks (the natural tendency is to fill from the top)

Best Wall-Mounted Personalized Wine Cork Holder

This is a pleasing, personalized wine bottle cork collector in basic black. We purchased this wine cork monogram a few months ago and have liked it. This metal wine cork holder holds about 90 wine corks.  

 
 

Pros:

  • Customizable, get just one letter for your surname, or multiple letters to spell your initials, your favorite wine region, or wine shop business name

  • Easy to install with a single nail

  • Can also stand freely on a countertop or ledge

  • Attractive cork display for your home

Cons:

  • Some buyers have received monogram cork holders that are damaged in shipping. Visually inspect the item after shipping to be sure that the letter is free of scratches and is not bent/misshapen

  • Some letters will stand up on their own more easily others (e.g. a “W” has two touch points versus a “T” which could be top-heavy)

Best “Go Big or Go Home” Wine Cork Holder

This oversized wine glass is great for people who want to make a statement with their wine cork collection. This is a fun option for a home game room or for displaying in a bar or restaurant.

 
 

Pros:

  • Holds up to 200 wine corks

  • Made of real glass

  • Fun home decor for wine lovers

Cons:

  • Fragile, could tip over easily if children or pets are present

Wine Cork Holder Kits that put Corks to Work

If you or a gift recipient are seeking a wine cork holder that is both decorative and useful, these two items may be for you!

Wine Cork Trivet

This trivet provides a way to use and occasionally display a few corks. You provide the corks! Simply screw your favorite corks, or get some recycled corks (affiliate link) onto the wireframe and you are ready to go!

 
 

Pros:

  • Easy to put together

  • Requires only seven corks (you provide the corks)

  • Practical, useful

Cons:

  • Uses only natural corks - synthetic corks might melt under a hot pot!

  • Champagne corks might be too “lumpy” for this wine craft

Wine Cork Lazy Susan

This Lazy Susan is a fun craft for your dining room or bar countertop. This solid wood cork display holds about 130 corks, measures 19 inches in diameter, and weighs about ten pounds, even before you add the corks. Play around with the cork orientation to customize the look.

 
 

Pros:

  • Solid wood construction

  • Fun “puzzle” project

Cons:

  • Requires over 120 corks before it looks complete - you provide the cork collection

  • You might need to (carefully) shave some corks to get them to fit

  • The glass might not be easy to remove from the wood frame before inserting the corks

Best Wine Cork Holder Shadow Boxes

For those wanting to display their wine cork collection in a more artistic fashion, these three options may be for you.

Personalized Wine Cork Shadow Box

This shadow box measures 6 inches x 9 inches and is solid wood (pine).  

 
 

Pros:

  • Solid wood and glass

  • Customizable

  • Does not require a large collection of corks to get started

Cons:

  • The clear cover is plastic - some buyers may be expecting glass

Plain Cork Shadow Box

For those seeking a plain shadow box, this 11 x 12 wood wine cork holder can stand up on its own on a shelf or counter or can be installed on the wall. Wine corks are easy to insert through the top of the shadow box

 
 

Pros:

  • Solid wood construction

  • No hand-lettering on the glass

  • Lighting inside shadow box!

Cons:

  • The plain brown wood trim might not appeal to everyone

Large Wine Cork Shadow Box

This is a uniquely designed wine cork shadow box that holds significantly more wine bottle corks than the above options.

 
 

Pros:

  • Great for lovers of rustic farmhouse decor

  • Holds 60+ wine bottle cords

  • Options to wall mount or set up as free-standing on table or kitchen counter

Cons:

  • Specific style may not appeal to all aesthetics

Best Wine Cork Cage for Cat + Wine Lovers

For those wine cork collectors looking for a cage, there are many options available. Wine cork cages come in many shapes and sizes. What is great about these cages is that one can combine two interests: say, their love of wine and their love for cats! Wine cork cages are good for cork collectors who want a free-standing container to store corks - with a little whimsy! 

This particular wine cork display is made of sturdy metal and holds about 40 corks. Standing a little over 12 inches tall, it would fit above many cabinets, above the refrigerator or on the countertop under cabinets.

 
 

Pros:

  • Don’t need to start with a bunch of corks, so you can start your collection one at a time

  • All metal construction (bronze)

Cons:

  • Can’t mount on the wall

Best Wine Cork Key Chain

Make your own key chain with your favorite wine cork (or corks) leftover from wine travels, a bachelorette party, milestone birthday, or retirement party. With your favorite corks in hand, you can have key chain mementos for your special occasion within minutes. These metal alloy key chains include everything you need except the cork: metal alloy key ring, small chain, and screw to attach the used wine cork. 

 
 

Pros:

  • Inexpensive

  • Easy to use

  • Can be used on natural or synthetic cork

Cons:

  • The chain may not be long enough - depends upon how much chain you like to have dangle between the keyring and the cork

Still Have Too Many Corks?

Turns out there are plenty of household uses for used wine corks, from pot holders to DIY candles to cord bundlers. Check out this ingenious how-to video to learn all the ways you can re-use your wine corks:

No Corks? No Problem! Buy Wine Corks for Crafts or Decor

Perhaps you would like to gift the wine cork holder recipient with some wine corks already inside so that it does not look naked and empty. Or maybe you often to drink wine with screwcaps and feel that it will take you years to fill up the wine cork holder. No problem! Authentic wine corks are available online.

 
 

Pros:

  • Use for any crafting project where wine corks are needed, including trivets, wreaths, or corkboards

  • Environmentally friendly - already used or repurposed

  • Different colors and brands from all around the United States

Cons: 

  • Might include sparkling wine corks that might not fit well with your gift or craft, depending upon application 

Upcycling Used Wine Corks: Our Conclusion

Wine cork holders are a great way to display used wine corks. There are several decor options out there for upcycling wine corks after enjoying wine. Some of these options are functional as well as fun. Some require a little work to put together or fill.

Our favorite monogram wine cork holder fits several needs: It’s attractive wall art in basic black, easy to fill, personalized, and has the look of a shadow box without the glass. Our monogram wine cork holder arrived in good condition with no scratches or dents. We like the possibility of adding more letters as our cork collection grows.

What is your favorite way to collect or reuse wine corks?  Let us know in the comments box below.




How to Put a Cork back in a Wine Bottle

Wine corks

In many cases, the contents of a wine bottle are consumed within hours of opening the bottle. In this case, the bottle can be recycled and the cork disposed of (or saved for your cork collection). However, there are many instances in which you may wish to re-cork your wine bottle. For example:

  • You opened the wrong bottle of wine (oops!).

  • You opened several bottles of wine for a gathering of friends, but a few bottles were left untouched.

  • You opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed a glass or two, but want to save the last two glasses for the next evening.

In these cases, you’ll need to learn how to put the cork back in the bottle in order to preserve the wine. In today’s blog, we review how to put the cork back in a wine bottle. We also share some alternative solutions for resealing your wine bottle (without the cork).

Before we uncork the details, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Reseal Your Wine with Its Original Cork

The cheapest way to reseal your wine is to put the original cork back in the bottle. Before you try to reinsert the original cork, however, be sure to inspect it. A cork that is crumbling or cracked won’t preserve the wine and you may end up with debris in your wine. If your cork is sturdy and intact, congratulations! You now have a free wine stopper! Here’s how to put the cork back in the wine bottle.

The Tilt & Twist Method

Here are the steps for putting the cork back into the bottle when you’ve had enough to drink & want to preserve the remaining wine:

  • Set the wine bottle on a solid surface, like a table or countertop.

  • Wipe the cork with a napkin or cloth to remove any debris.

  • Put the cork into the same position it was in when it came out of the bottle (in other words: the portion that was in the bottle is what is should be going back into the bottle).

  • Ease the cork into the bottle by tilting the cork so that a portion is inside the bottle and a portion is resting on the lip of the bottle

  • In one motion, twist and push down on the cork.

  • With your palm, push the cork about halfway into the bottle.

Voila! Cork re-inserted. Tomorrow’s wine, ready to drink!

The Wax Paper Method

The wax paper method is another creative solution for re-inserting the cork into a wine bottle. This is a good approach if you’ve tried the Tilt and Twist method, but just can’t get the cork back into the bottle. In this method, the wax paper acts as a lubricant. Here’s how it works:

  • Cut a square of wax paper that will wrap around the bottom of the cork and go partway up the sides.

  • Wrap the wax paper around the cork (the top of cork will be exposed) and then position the cork over the bottle at an angle (as in the Tilt and Twist method, above).

  • Holding the bottle firmly on a solid surface, gently press the cork back into the bottle. In this method, try to avoid twisting so as not to tear or wrinkle the wax paper.

If you prefer a visual, here’s a quick video illustrating the wax paper method for re-inserting a wine bottle cork:

 
 

Ditch the Cork & Use a Wine Stopper

There will be situations when putting the cork back into the bottle just isn’t an option. Maybe the cork is damaged, or maybe you lost it. In these cases, it’s a good idea to use a simple wine stopper.

This stainless steel wine bottle stopper, which fits neatly over the top of the bottle and expands to prevent oxidation, is a great option:

 
 

Use a Wine Preserver System

If you want to save the remaining wine in the bottle for more than a day or two, we recommend a wine-preserving tool like the Repour Wine Saver. With this tool, you can enjoy a bottle of wine over the course of a week or two!

 
 

Don’t Open the Bottle of Wine At All

Amazingly, it is actually possible to enjoy a glass of wine without opening the bottle at all. Yes, really!

The Coravin System allows one to aspirate a volume (typically 90 mL) from a wine bottle without removing the cork. As the wine is aspirated, the liquid is displaced by an inert gas. This allows a wine lover to drink a treasured bottle over days or even months. This is probably not a good choice for the casual wine drinker, as it comes at a higher price point. However, if you are in the wine trade and regularly need to sample wines for customers, or if you collect fine wines yourself and want to sample them as they age, this could be a great choice.

 
 

The Wine Resealing Wrap-Up

If you’re going to finish your bottle of wine in a day or two and the cork is still intact, use the Tilt and Twist method or the wax paper trick to get that cork back into the bottle.

If the cork is damaged or missing, use a simple stainless steel wine stopper.

If you want to enjoy the wine over the course of a week or two (or don’t want to open the bottle at all!), try a wine preservation system like Repour or Coravin.

And if all this re-sealing the wine bottle business is just too much work, go for the screw-top varieties!

Cheers!

Source: Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels

How to Open a Wine Bottle Without an Opener

You booked the AirBnb, packed your favorite weekend clothes, grabbed a nice bottle of wine, and hit the road. After a few hours of driving, you’re all settled in your cozy AirBnb, there’s a fire burning in the fireplace, and you’re ready to pop open that wine bottle and pour yourself a nice glass of Cabernet.

And that’s when you realize you have no wine bottle opener. Ouch!

We’ve all been there, and we’ve all probably tried some crazy things to get that bottle open. So, if you’re reading this blog with an unopened wine bottle by your side—we’ve got you covered. In today’s KnowWines blog, we share a few successful methods for opening a wine bottle without an opener.

Before we start problem solving, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What tools will I need to open a bottle of wine without an opener?

If you ask around, you’ll hear all kinds of cooky methods & tools for opening wine bottles, from bike pumps to boots. For this article, we’re assuming minimal access to things like bike pumps. Instead, we’re sharing ways to open a wine bottle with easy-to-find household items. Specifically:

  • a thick-bottomed shoe

  • a key

  • a long-handled wooden kitchen spoon

  • a lighter

With each of these methods, you’ll need to use a knife (or your fingernails) to remove the foil or wax from the top of the bottle, thus exposing the cork that you’re trying to remove!

How to Open a Wine Bottle with a Shoe

This is a pretty wild method for opening a bottle of wine, but there are dozens of online videos (and hundreds of firsthand accounts) to tell you that it actually works. If you choose to use this method, though, be sure to use a thick-bottomed shoe so that you don’t end up with a broken bottle of wine (and a big mess). Also, choose a wall that doesn’t have neighbors on the other side of it!

This video shows you how to open a wine bottle with a shoe:

How to Open a Wine Bottle with a Key

This method is a pretty smart one, and since you almost always have keys on you, it’s also a good one to know about. The key with this method is to be sure that the key is inserted at an angle. This will allow you to turn the cork in such a way that it shimmies up the sides of the bottle’s neck, eventually far enough that you can pull it out yourself.

Here’s a video to show you how to open a wine bottle with a key:

How to Open a Wine Bottle with a Wooden Spoon

This method is probably the simplest one of the bunch; all you need is a long-handled wooden kitchen spoon. To free the cork, simply place the end of the spoon on the top of the cork and push down (we recommend sitting in a chair with the bottle between your legs). With enough pressure, the cork will be pushed down into the bottle. With this method, you won’t be able to retrieve the cork, so if you like to collect corks to display later, this isn’t the method for you! Also, be aware that wine can splash out of the bottle if the cork is pressed into the bottle too forcefully—so stay away from carpet and think about what you’re wearing before you get started.

Watch this video to see the wooden spoon bottle opening method in action:

How to Open a Wine Bottle with a Lighter

As with all of the other methods, be sure to remove the foil or wax around the bottle so that the cork is exposed. Then, use a lighter to apply heat to the neck of the bottle, just beneath the cork. You’re not trying to heat up the cork itself, but rather the air underneath it. The heated air will expand and eventually, this expansion will start to push the cork up so that you can remove it by hand.

Watch this video to see the lighter method in action:

What kind of wine opener should I travel with?

We hope that you have your bottle of wine opened by now and are enjoying your first glass. If so, you’ll probably agree that each of these methods—though handy when you’re in a jam—aren’t ideal for opening a great bottle of wine. A traditional wine key or other wine bottle opener is definitely your best bet. This might be a good time, then, to think about purchasing a wine opener specifically for travel! If you’re traveling by plane, current TSA guidelines probably won’t allow a wine key on board, but if you’re traveling by car, here are a couple of compact and easy-to-use wine openers definitely fit the bill:

2-in-1 Keychain Wine & Bottle Opener

 
 

Wine Key Bottle Opener

 
 

Good luck opening that bottle! We hope these tips were helpful.

Cheers!

Is the Coravin Pivot Worth the Money?

Coravin Pivot Review.JPG

The folks at Coravin are famous for the Coravin wine preservation system, a tool that allows subsampling of wine from a bottle intended for long-term storage. Now, Coravin has developed another creative solution for wine lovers who want to enjoy a bottle of wine up to four weeks: The Coravin Pivot.

Before we share our thoughts on the Coravin Pivot, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What is the Coravin Pivot?

The Coravin Pivot is a device that enables injection of food-grade argon gas into an open wine bottle to preserve wine.  This enables wine lovers to drink a bottle of wine at their own pace—over a period of days, or even over an entire month. 

The Coravin Pivot package comes with the following:

  • An injection device (four colors available: black, teal, grey and coral)

  • One argon gas cylinder

  • Two proprietary Pivot stoppers

  • A card stock Quick Start Guide

Take a closer look at the product itself:

 
 

How Does the Coravin Pivot Work?

Coravin has became popular with wine collectors and restaurants by inventing and improving a needle and argon gas system for subsampling wine from a bottle without removing the cork. This allowed wine enthusiasts to try a collectable wine over a period of months or years.

The Coravin Pivot system differs from the original Coravin system in that the cork is removed from the bottle and the bottle is consumed within a few days or within a month. How does it work? The preserving argon gas is trapped in the bottle by pre-inserting a stopper (the proprietary Pivot stopper) into the top of the bottle.

Here’s a short video by Coravin on various applications of the Coravin Pivot for everyday wines:

 
 

How Do You Use the Coravin Pivot?

The Coravin Pivot comes with a one page Quick Start Guide that’s easy to follow. There are two easy steps that take under a minute before you enjoy your wine.

Installing the Capsule

Coravin Pivot Argon Capsule.JPG

To install the Capsule onto the Coravin device, simply unscrew the black capsule cup and insert the capsule onto the device. Then, quickly screw the cup onto the system until tight (so that the argon gas does not escape).

Pouring Wine

Open the wine bottle (cork or screw cap, doesn’t matter). Wipe the inside lip of the bottle with a cloth to dry it and ensure that the stopper is dry as well. Then, insert the stopper. Insert the wine tube into the stopper until you hear a click. Hold the bottle and tip the spout over your glass.  Simply press and hold the button to pour and release the button to stop pouring.  

When you are done serving, remove the Coravin system from the bottle and close the stopper. Easy peasy!

Does the Coravin Pivot Really Work?

We tested our teal unit over a one month period.

Since we had only the two stoppers, we used one stopper for a red wine (Oregon Pinot Noir) and one for a white wine (Spanish Albarino), which are our go-to varieties for everyday drinking.

At one week, both wines tasted quite good. We could tell that the wines were very slightly muted but tasted so much better and fresher than if we had just stored them in the refrigerator with their cork.

At one month, both wines were drinkable. However, the aromas and flavors were more muted. Neither bottle had aromas of oxidation at one month. While not as enjoyable, we had no problem finishing or cooking with the wines at the end of one month. 

In summary, we highly recommend the Coravin Pivot for folks who want to enjoy a wine 7-10 days after opening, and perhaps a couple weeks later for more intense wines.

Coravin Pivot vs Other Coravin Products

Here’s our rundown of how the Coravin Pivot compares to other Coravin products:

  • The Coravin Pivot is easier to use than other Coravin products like the Model 6.  The dispensing mechanism is easier to use; there is no needle involved and no pumping action on the button is necessary while dispensing.

  • The Coravin Pivot is less expensive than the other Coravin products.  It’s about half the price.

  • The Coravin Pivot pours faster than other Coravin products.

  • You can get more pours out of a Coravin Pivot than the other Coravin products I’ve tried over the years. I was able to get 37 pours out of one argon capsule.

  • However, the original Coravin products, like the Model 6 and Model 5, all preserve wine for much longer than the Pivot. The original Coravin products perform better for expensive or fragile wines.

Do I Need a Coravin Pivot?

Not all wine lovers need a Coravin Pivot. However, there are some wine lovers who might get a lot of use from it:

  • Those studying for the WSET Diploma or Sommelier courses would benefit immensely from this tool. 

  • Wine shops or those showing their wines to several wine shops during the course of a day or week would benefit from the Coravin Pivot.

  • Wine enthusiasts who want to pace the consumption of a wine over a few days or a week may enjoy this system as the flavor is less muted when stored under argon gas than ambient air.

Is the Coravin Pivot a Good Gift?

The Coravin Pivot is a great gift for someone who is a fan of Coravin but has not splurged on one of the previous systems or was looking for something at a lower price point to use with everyday wines.

The Coravin Pivot is also a nice gift for someone who would prefer to drink a bottle of wine over days and weeks. It’s good for wine lovers who like to buy wines in the $15 to $50 range and plan to enjoy those wines over a week. If you enjoy sub-$15 wines, then I’d recommend the Vacu Vin which is more economical.

 
 

The Coravin Pivot is a good gift for someone studying for a wine certification like the WSET Diploma (DipWSET). Or for wine lovers who like to blind taste wines for fun with friends.  

Finally, the Coravin Pivot could be a good gift for a couple or roommates when one person loves red wine and the other loves white wine. With the Coravin Pivot, they can consume a bottle over days or a month without losing their wine to oxidation.

Where Can I Get Coravin Pivot Capsule Refils?

First, note that you can get 20 or more pours per Capsule. We were able to get 37 out of our first capsule. However, when you do need them, Coravin Pivot Capsule refills are often available at your local wine shop, box stores, and online.

 
 

The Coravin Pivot Verdict: Is it Worth the Money?

When we purchased the Pivot for our review, we were honestly a little skeptical. The company already has several good products on the market and continues to make improvements to their needle based units.

This particular Coravin product is more practical for a wider base of consumers—namely, those of us who like to drink moderately priced wines over days or weeks and don’t want the hassle of storing and managing bottles that have been micro-sampled by units like the Coravin 6.  

The Coravin Pivot is also available at a better price point, below $100 in many markets. Also, since the product is fairly new and not a lot of people know about it yet, it might make for an impressive gift, as most people associate Coravin with a higher price point product.

However you decide to preserve your wine, we hope you also enjoy every sip!

Cheers!






How to Move a Wine Refrigerator

How_To_Move_A_Wine_Refrigerator_Yourself.jpg.jpg

Millions of Americans have moved and are moving in 2021. People are taking advantage of low interest rates for home loans, capitalizing on the flexibility of working remotely, or are changing jobs or retiring.

If you’re moving this year, and moving a wine cabinet is part of your relocation journey, this article is a must-read. At KnowWines, we moved two Eurocave wine cabinets in 2020 and again in 2021, so we have a lot of experience to share about how to move a wine cabinet on your own. Here, we share our tips and tricks.

Before we get moving, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Why Move Your Own Wine Cabinet?

You may already have the tools needed for moving appliances like a truck or trailer, a hand truck, and some strong and enthusiastic friends happy to help in exchange for some free wine.  

Or, you simply might not have had the time or money to line up a professional mover. Whatever the reason, if you have the right equipment and some help you can probably move your own wine fridge.    

How Do You Move Any Size Wine Fridge?

No matter the size of your fridge, you can follow these steps to move a wine cabinet:

  • Assemble your moving supplies, vehicle/trailer, and helpers (specifically, you’ll need a hand truck rated for carrying the weight of your fridge, bubble wrap, packing tape, and moving blankets).

  • Remove your wines from your wine cabinet.

  • Unplug the unit.

  • Secure the shelving and any other moving (or loose) parts inside the cabinet.

  • Secure the wine cabinet door.

  • Secure the electrical cord.

  • Wipe down any condensation underneath or behind the unit.

  • Take the opportunity to clean the coils on the back of the unit with a vacuum or dust cloth.

  • Wrap the unit with a moving blanket.

  • Secure the wine cabinet onto the hand truck (or dolly) using a ratchet strap.

  • Load the wine cabinet onto your truck/trailer/box truck.

  • Unload the wine cabinet from the truck.

  • Level the cabinet.

  • Re-install shelving if it was removed earlier.

  • Let the wine refrigerator sit for 24 to 48 hours (48 hours preferred).

  • Plug the wine cabinet into its new home and let it come to 55 F overnight.

  • Place your wines back into the wine refrigerator.

Here’s a quick shopping list of our favorite appliance moving supplies which can be procured online, at a local hardware shop, or second-hand through Facebook Marketplace.

Hand Truck / Dolly

 
 

Reusable Moving Blankets

 
 

Ratchet Straps

 
 

Bubble Wrap

 
 

How Do You Move a Large Wine Fridge?

The steps for moving the large wine refrigerator are listed above in moving any wine fridge.





Moving a large wine fridge (one like the Eurocave Performance series) or any unit holding over 100 bottles will require three people at minimum - two for heavy lifting and one for guiding.

How Do You Move a Small Wine Fridge?

The steps are similar to moving a large one, but some steps may not apply:

  • Your unit may not have removable shelving, so placing some bubble wrap or a towel between the shelves and door may be enough to prevent damage.

  • Your unit may not have adjustable feet for leveling the cabinet at the new location.

  • When moving a small wine fridge, you may be able to place a piece of cardboard (or some other simple household item) between the hand truck (dolly) and the small wine cabinet to avoid scratching, in which case you will not need a moving blanket.  

  • If the fridge small enough, you may be able to lift it yourself (or just with the help of a single friend) and not need a dolly or hand truck.  

Otherwise the process is the same for moving any wine fridge, as listed above.

Should I Clean my Wine Cabinet Before Moving?

Yes! Clean your wine refrigerator inside and out with a slightly dam washcloth and gentle cleaner. Dry any remaining liquid inside the unit with an absorbent towel. Removing dampness will prevent the growth of mold and foul odors inside the cabinet, especially if the unit is sitting for more than a few days during your move.

Also, don’t forget to use this as an opportunity to vacuum the coils on the back of the unit!

Should I Remove Shelving from my Wine Cabinet Before Moving?

If the shelving that holds the wine bottles is removable, we suggest that you remove the shelves and any other mobile components inside the unit. This will prevent the shelves or other components (like a hygrometer) from falling or banging around during the move. 
Moving components inside the cabinet cause damage to the glass, walls, or other shelves during transport if not secured.

Another option for securing shelving is to wedge bubble wrap between the shelves and the door and then secure the bubble wrap with gentle paint tape or moving tape that will not damage the finish of your fridge.

 
 

How Should I Move a Wine Fridge a Short Distance?

If you are moving a wine refrigerator down the hall or down the street for example, you may not need a truck or trailer. You may be able to simply secure the wine cabinet onto the dolly or hand truck, and with the help of another individual to serve as spotter, simply navigate down the hall or street to the new location.

If you go this route, make sure to adequately wrap the empty wine cabinet with a moving blanket so that the exterior does not get scratched during transit. Also take care to not tip the cabinet more than 45 degrees during loading or transport. And last, make sure to let the unit sit for 24 to 48 hours before plugging in again. 

Can I Move A Wine Cabinet On Its Side?

Unless this type of transport is specifically mentioned in the user manual of the wine refrigerator, do not move a wine cabinet on its side. 

The folks over at Hunker offer a good outline of bad things that can happen to a wine (or any refrigerator) if it is laid on its side. The most problematic issues with moving a refrigerator this way are compressor oil getting into refrigerant lines OR the door and hinges being damaged during transit.

How Do I Transport a EuroCave?

Most EuroCave wine cabinets weigh in excess of 200 pounds. You will need to follow the instructions listed at the top of the article for preparing, moving, and post-move set-up. Additionally, you will need a truck or trailer to move the cabinet. You’ll also need two to three strong individuals to help with the move.

How Long Do I Let a Wine Cabinet Sit Before Plugging It In?

Let your wine cabinet set for 24 to 48 hours so that any compressor lubricant (oil) that may have gone into the coolant lines settles out. This is an important step! You may be excited to get your refrigerator set up in your new space (we get it), but exercise a little patience to ensure the integrity of your wine refrigerator.

How Do I Keep a Wine Refrigerator in Storage?

If you are going to store your wine cabinet in a storage unit, make sure that the unit is clean and the inside of the cabinet is free from moisture when you place it in storage.  

To prevent moisture from being trapped in the fridge and causing moldy or foul odors, place a piece of cardboard between the door and box so that there is a crack of at least ½ inch to allow for circulation of air inside the unit.  

And of course you will want to store your wine fridge upright. Beyond these steps, there is little else you need to do.

Moving Your Wine Fridge: The KnowWines Conclusion

We recognize that not everyone is able to organize professional movers to move a wine cabinet for a myriad of reasons.

If you find yourself in need of moving a wine refrigerator, be sure you have the right supplies and some friends, a truck, or a trailer. Then follow the steps at the beginning of this blog to make sure your wine refrigerator makes to your new home in working order!

Now that you know how to move your wine fridge, it’s time to start packing all those wine glasses - here’s how. Good luck with your move!

Cheers!

How To Get Red Wine Out of Carpet Every Time

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If you have any amount of carpet in the space where you entertain, chances are you’ve either

a) already spilled red wine on your carpet or

b) you anticipate one of your guests spilling red wine on your (or your rental’s) carpet in the near future.

To be prepared for these situations—or for treating red wine stains after an accident—we’ve laid out several options for removing those pesky stains. 

Before we share our eight methods for how to get red wine out of carpet, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

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Red Wine Stains: Cleaning Solutions Compared

We purchased a sample of carpet from Home Depot as our testing surface. For the wine, we went with a Pinot Noir already open from the previous night’s festivities (4th of July).  

We used a teaspoon to pour 5 mL (one teaspoon) of wine on ten places on the carpet.

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After conducting some online research, we found a common theme in red wine stain removal advice: gently dab at the stain as soon as possible to absorb as much liquid as possible. So, for nine of the spots, I dabbed each one for about one minute with a soft inexpensive white cotton washcloth before continuing with the stain treatments. 

So, can you really get out a red wine stain with just dabbing?

After dabbing the nine spots on the carpet, we have to agree with previous posters—the simple act of dabbing the stain with a dry, white (or very light-colored) cotton washcloth greatly reduced the appearance of red wine on the carpet by over 50 percent!

Word to the wise, though: Don’t use a dark washcloth or a washcloth that is new and has never been washed, as it might bleed when coming in contact with the liquid, creating an even bigger stain!

Also, don’t rub the red wine stain. Just dab! Depending upon the construction of the carpet, rigorous rubbing may damage delicate fibers.

So if you are hosting a party where wine stains are a possibility, your first first line of defense is simply a few cheap hand towels like these:

 
 

Does Cold Water Get Red Wine out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of cold water to the spill area. We then dabbed that area with a clean portion of the towel and waited two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion: After 2 hours, over 95% of the stain was gone! We were honestly impressed. When using cold water, we’d recommend not being too generous with it as you could soak the padding underneath the carpet and cause a moldy mess.  

This was the easiest (and free!) solution with my carpet sample. Your mileage may vary with your specific carpet. If you desire more thorough results, then I’d recommend following up with a commercial product like OxyClean or Chateau Spill.  

Does Club Soda Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of cold club soda to the spill area. We then dabbed that area with a clean portion of the towel and waited two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion: After 2 hours, over 95% of the stain was gone! Again, an impressive result. Again, when using club soda or a clear sparkling water, we recommend not being too generous with it as you could soak the padding underneath the carpet and cause a moldy mess.  

While not free, club soda is a cheap and easy solution (and this is a product that many of us already have in our homes). Your mileage may vary with your specific carpet. If you desire more thorough results, then we’d recommend following up with a commercial product like OxyClean or Chateau Spill. 

Does OxiClean Get Red Wine out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of OxiClean paste (using instructions on the OxiClean tub). We then waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion:  After 2 hours, 100% of the stain was gone! While it did take a couple of minutes to find a bowl and make the paste, once the paste was applied we could go back to meal prep. And after the stain was treated, it was like the spill never happened!

Who could argue with a stain 100% gone on my carpet sample?

The only down side was waiting for the paste to dry and then finding my tiny car vacuum to vacuum up the paste residue. If I’d had guests in the house, they may have trampled the OxiClean around the room. If we had a pet, they might come over and try to eat the paste or track it through the house with their paws. However, a little vigilance during the stain treatment is a small price to pay for a fresh, unstained carpet.

So, if you entertain and you know that your carpet won’t react adversely to OxiClean, we highly recommend this product for getting out red wine stains from carpet, especially for pet-free individuals or those with older children.

 
 

Does Chateau Spill Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of Chateau Spill to the stain. We then waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion: After 2 hours, 100% of the stain was gone!  

We did like that I didn’t have to go make a paste. We simply had to point and spray to cover the area. The area was a little moist after applying the product, however we were able to control the spray versus dumping or pouring cold or sparkling water.

With this product, there are no worries about little ones, guests or pets dispersing a drying paste around the house. This one was our personal favorite. If you do purchase a bottle of this to have on hand, make sure that you test an area on your carpet. We also like that it is a nontoxic formula containing no chlorine, phosphates, sulphates, parabens, peroxide, perfumes, or dyes.

 
 

Will Dish Soap & Hydrogen Peroxide get Red Wine out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of a mixture that was 3 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part dishwashing liquid to the stain. We waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion:  After 2 hours, over 100% of the stain was gone! Impressive! When adding liquids to a carpet, again, we recommend not being too generous with it as you could soak the padding underneath the carpet and cause a moldy mess. 

It was a little bit of a pain to make the solution, however it was cheap and free, as we already had these items on hand.

Will White Vinegar & Dish Soap get Red Wine from the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of a solution containing one part white vinegar and one part dishwashing liquid to the stain. We waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion:  After 2 hours, 100% of the stain was gone! Again, impressive! When adding liquids to a carpet, we recommend not being too generous with it as you could soak the padding underneath the carpet and cause a moldy mess. 

Making the solution required a bit of work, but this was a totally free stain remover, as I already had these items on hand.

Will Baking Soda & Dish Detergent Remove Red Wine From Carpet?

Method: We found several articles online suggesting that a combination of baking soda, dish detergent, and water could remove red wine when applied to the stain. So, we gave this method a try. After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of one a mixture that was one part baking soda, one part dish detergent, and four parts cold tap water. We waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion:  After 2 hours, 100% of the stain was gone!  

However, after 2 hours, the baking soda and dish detergent slurry was still wet, so we couldn’t vacuum up any residue. This area was the wettest of all test areas.  

This was our least favorite solution - we had to locate the items, make the mixture, wait for the results, and then clean up the solution. 

Does Kosher Salt Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet?

Method: After dabbing the wet wine stain spot with the cotton cloth, we applied 2 teaspoons of kosher salt to the stain. We waited for the spot to dry for two hours to assess the stain.

Conclusion: After 2 hours, over 95% of the stain was gone. However, the area was still wet under the mountain of kosher salt, and we could still see some red wine stain. And we still had to vacuum up the salt.   

While we love the idea of all-natural & cheap stain removers, this solution and the baking soda solution were our least favorites.  

How do I Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet the Next Day?

Perhaps one of your guests did not disclose that they left a wine stain for you to clean up. Or perhaps you’re culprit, and you didn’t even realize you’d spilled your wine until the next day.

In this case, the first step would be to slightly rehydrate the stain using a small amount of cold water—but again, be careful to not soak the carpet and underneath padding with water. Dab a bit at the stain with a white (or light) dry washcloth to remove excess moisture.  Then apply Chateau Spill to the stain. The Chateau Spill should take care of the stain. If not, consider contacting a professional cleaner for follow-up steps.

Our Conclusion: Your Carpet is Salvageable After Red Wine Spills

Unless your carpet is made of unique or very specialized material, there are many solutions available in the home for getting out a red wine stain. And that’s great news!

If your event is crowded, has pets or children afoot, and your carpet is cheap, we recommend simply dabbing up as much of the wine spill as possible with an inexpensive white or light colored dish or hand towel so that you don’t have a sopping mess. After dabbing, pour some cold water or club soda on the spill area and continue to dab. And if you have some Chateau Spill on hand, give the area a few squirts for good measure!

Take a look in the morning to make sure that the area is dry and clean. If the stain is not clear, slightly rehydrate the stain and treat again. If there’s still no success with removing the red wine stain, contact a professional cleaner for recommendations. 

And if you find yourself cleaning up red wine stains over and over again, you may want to think about getting a few unbreakable, stainless wine glasses, which are easier to hold and thus, harder to drop.

Cheers! 




How to Pair Wine With Fresh Crab

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In the Coastal Carolinas, crab fishing season typically runs from May to October, as crabs are more active once Intracoastal waters hit 70 to 75 F. That means it’s peak crab season here in North Carolina, and we’re ready to pair our fresh crab with some wine. If you’re looking to do the same, keep reading!

A good wine pairing starts with the ingredients you are pairing the wine with, so the first step in pairing wine with crab is procuring your crabs! In this blog, we’ll show you how it’s done. If you don’t want the procure the crabs yourself and are sourcing them from a fishmonger, grocery store, or at a restaurant, skip on down to our delicious wine pairings! Our wine suggestions work equally well with crab you caught yourself or crab you’re buying from someone else.

Before we go catching those crabs, though, a quick note on the KnowWines blog: We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

How to Catch a Crab

We’ve purchased a crab license and some pots for the second year in a row, allowing us to try crab prepared in different ways so that we can enjoy them with different wines. 

First of all, you should know that fishing for crabs is not intimidating. In fact, it’s a great sport to try for beginner anglers. Many people don’t know that recreational fishermen and women can catch crabs. In North Carolina, for example, one can catch crabs such as blue crab using several means, as described here by Tia Clark:

 
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Here are some of the tools Tia mentions:

  • Collapsible crab pot with an entry hole less than 19”:

 
 

  • With a string crab throw line, like this one:

 
 

  • You can also use a solid pot to catch crabs.

    However, these pots are bulky, so it may be best to purchase them in person at coastal retailers. These also require a license.  

Do I Need a License to Catch Crabs?

With or without a license, all anglers need to abide by the recreational harvest limit for crabs.  

In North Carolina, you don’t need a license for crab fishing if you meet the following conditions:

  • You’re lucky enough to own a pier with private access only (limit one pot).

  • You catch crabs with chicken necks or legs.

Be sure to do your reading & research on the local guidelines for recreational crab fishing in your area!

Where to Buy Crabs

If you are not able to catch your own crabs, you can purchase them at various seafood stores and grocery stores. If you’re not sure how to select the best crabs, don’t be afraid to ask the fishmonger or person at the seafood counter for help.

How do I know if the crab I’m buying is fresh?

Ask to smell a crab! We promise, this is normal crab-buying behavior. A fresh crab should smell sweet and briny, not strong or fishy or sour. No matter how great your wine is, it won’t pair well with old crabs!

What Wines Pair With Crab?

When working with fresh crab, I remember the advice of Evan Goldstein, author of Perfect Pairings: “Think of the acid in wines as the gastronomic equivalent of the yellow highlighter pen. The quick swoosh of the highlighter makes the words on a page stand out.  A wine’s acidity can mimic this phenomenon with food by bringing out the essence of an ingredient’s flavor.” We love this metaphor as a means of explaining how wine and food can complement one another.

In a nutshell, you can pair any wine - including red wines - with crab. About the only wines we would avoid pairing with crab are red wines that are very full-bodied and have intense flavors, such as Shiraz and Zinfandel. Also, steer clear of oaky wines when you’re eating crab. As Karen MacNeil, author of Wine Bible, states “It’s hard to taste the ocean if all you can smell is the lumberyard”. (And if you haven’t checked out Wine Bible yet, you should! And don’t forget these great reads by other female wine writers!).

So, while there are a few types of wine to avoid when pairing wine with crab, there’s also lots of room for fun and great flavors. We share our favorite pairings below, and we encourage you to give them a try. But don’t be too worried about making a mistake - the best part about wine pairings is that if you do make some mistakes, it means you are trying different things and being innovative!

Wines to Pair With Steamed Crab Legs

As we mentioned earlier, fresh crab should have a sweet smell and flavor. The first wine that comes to mind for pairing with steamed crab legs is Riesling. The high acidity will highlight the fresh taste of the steamed crab legs. You also have the flexibility to choose a dry or semi-dry styled Riesling, as either selection has high acidity.

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Wines to Pair With Stone Crabs

My favorite aspect of a stone crab is that the crab lives after harvesting one arm.  It can take up to one year for a stone crab to grow back a harvested leg. These creatures sure are wild, and they taste delicious!

We recommend a sparkling wine or Champagne to celebrate this beautiful, renewable resource (and hide our restaurant bill from our frugal friends!).

Wines to Pair With Soft Shelled Crabs or Crab Cakes

With fried crab preparations, there are several great wine pairing options. One could go with Sauvignon Blanc or a not-too-oaky Chardonnay.  Viogner—with a hint of honeysuckle—can be a fun pairing with lightly fried and battered crab.

Wines to Pair with Crab Dip

Crab dips typically have some spice along with heavy mouthfeel. Since there are so many different crab dip recipes, it can be a little challenging to pair a wine with crab dip. As such, our suggestion would be to pair an easy-going Gruner Veltliner or my standby Riesling with a crab dip.  Red wine lover? You might enjoy a Pinot Noir or a cool-climate Merlot from Chile.

Wines to Pair with Crab Alfredo or Crab Ravioli

Crab Alfredo and/or crab ravioli both have a heavier mouthfeel than many other crab dishes. With these dishes, we suggest a white wine with more richness and perfume from the Northern Rhone. These wines can be a blend of one or more white grape variety which may include: Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Viognier, or Picpoul. 

Wines to Pair with Dungeness Crabs

Prefer these west coast crabs? Sparkling wine, Champagne, a dry Gewurztraminer, or Albarino would be our top picks.  If you like to drink a wine that is not white, try steamed Dungeness crab with Rosé or Gamay (Beaujolais or domestic Gamay). 

Wines to Pair With a Crab Boil

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Crab boils are typically spicy—seasoned with red pepper flakes and perhaps hot sausage. The spicy heat of the dish makes semi-dry or sweet Riesling a good choice. Other options include the sparkling wines Prosecco or Cava.  

Wines to Pair With Crab Rangoon

One typically isn’t sitting down to a meal of crab rangoon. Usually, this decadent dish is enjoyed with other spicy, fried, or flavorful appetizers. Again, with the warm spice—as in crab boil—semi-dry Riesling is a great choice.   

Pairing Wine with Crab: Our Conclusion

Almost any wine will pair well with crab, except for wines with intense flavor, since these wines—like Shiraz and Zinfandel—can cover up the delicate flavors of crab.

How the crab is seasoned—which can be sparingly in the case of boiled crab legs, or abundantly in crab Alfredo—may influence the wine style that you might like with your crab.

Whichever crab dish and wine you choose, we hope you enjoy your meal of fresh seafood and perfectly paired wine!

Cheers!

Corkcicle Wine Tumblers - Are They Worth The Price?

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Have a lot to celebrate this summer? Even if all you’re celebrating is summer itself, it’s nice to have a cold drink in hand during those hot summer evenings. But while you’re relaxing solo (not all of us are ready for being with lots of people yet!) or entertaining a crowd—especially outdoors—keeping your wine and cocktails cool during the warmer months can be a challenge. 

At KnowWines, we’ve reviewed several products for keeping wine cold, from the Corkcicle In-Bottle Wine Chiller to the Yeti Tumbler. Lately, we’ve seen the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler at area beach shops and wanted to test them out.  An investment in any wine tumbler is easily $20, so we wanted to see if they are really worth the price (and of course, share our findings with our readers!).

Before we share our notes on the Corkcicle Tumbler, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What is the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

Corkcicle Wine Tumblers, like most products in this category, are constructed of food grade 18/8 stainless steel and are vacuum sealed, ensuring triple insulation.

 
 

“Triple insulation” means that your double-walled wine tumbler has one layer on the inside, one layer on the outside, and one layer of airtight space in-between when insulated. This airtight layer is the “vacuum sealed” component of the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler. What does this mean to the consumer? Well, when your hand touches the exterior of the tumbler when your cool beverage is inside the tumbler, this insulating air layer minimizes the heat (or cold) exchange between you and the beverage. This means that your beverage will stay at its original temperature for potentially a very long time.

Important tip, though: Don’t be fooled by plastic imitation tumblers. In these lower end wine tumblers, there may be just plain air (not vacuum sealed) or cheap foam between the two layers.

Do I really need a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

There are many ways to keep your wine cool, so you don’t necessarily need a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler. However, if you do spend a lot of time outdoors in the warmer months and want to keep your wine cool and bug-free, you may want to consider picking up a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler (or two).

Who is Corkcicle & where are Corkcicles made?

Corkcicle is a U.S. brand based in Orlando, Florida. Corkcicle started in 2010, with their first product being the Corkcicle Air Wine Bottle Chiller.  Since 2010, the company has expanded its line to over 20 products for keeping beverages cool.

 Corkcicle wine tumblers are manufactured in China.

What’s great about the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

To start, the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler works as promised. These tumblers do keep wine cool for up to an hour, and even longer in milder temperatures.  Here are a few other things we appreciate about the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler:

  • The tumbler has a thumb imprint, unlike competing tumblers which may be round without someplace to rest your thumb for a better grip.

  • The tumbler comes in many colors and patterns, unlike competitor tumblers which often are available in solid colors only. The tumbler also has a non-slip bottom.

  • The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler comes with a lid. Some competing products may require you to purchase the lid separately.  

  • The Cockcicle Wine Tumbler tends to cost a little less than the YETI Wine Tumbler, however some limited edition tumblers may sell for more.

  • The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler comes in 12 ounce capacity, while the YETI wine tumbler holds 10 ounces.

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What are the Downsides to the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler will withstand a lot more wear and tear than a plastic wine tumbler. However, when holding the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler next to the Yeti Wine Tumbler, the Corkcicle felt a little less robust. 

Overall, reviews indicate that the Corkcicle tends to show more wear over time than the YETI after a few months use, especially when dropped onto a hard surface. Additionally, the plastic wine tumbler lid feels a little less robust than the YETI wine tumbler lid.  

Is Corkcicle Wine Tumbler Better than the YETI Wine Tumbler?

Ultimately, the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler and the YETI Wine Tumbler both excel at keeping wine cool.  

If you are a little on the clumsy side and are prone to dropping tumblers, The YETI Wine Tumbler is a little more robust than the Corkcicle Wine Rumbler. The paint on the Yeti product seems to hold up a little longer than on the Corkcicle.  

What size is the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

The Corkcicle Wine Tumblers holds 12 oz of wine. This is about the same amount that a standard wine glass will hold.

Where can I get a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

Corkcicle wine tumblers are sold online through their store on Amazon.Com and at Nordstrom.Com. You can also find Corkcicle Wine Tumbler in many wine shops and gourmet kitchen stores.

Where can I get a replacement seal or lid for my Corkcicle Wine Tumbler?

The Corkcicle wine tumbler comes with a lid.  If you need a replacement seal for your lid, they can be ordered here:

 
 

To replace your entire Corkcicle Wine Tumbler lid, replacements can be found on their website.

Should I get a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler or give a wine tumbler as a gift?

With so many choices of colors and multi-color designs, the Corkcicle Wine Tumbler makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys wine. You can even pair it with a great bottle of wine for an extra special gift. If you do decide to do a Corkcicle Wine Tumbler + bottle of wine gift, we have some creative ideas for how to gift it.

The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler Conclusion

The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler is a good choice for those who love the YETI Wine Tumbler, but want a tumbler that comes in more color & design options than the YETI. 

This tumbler is also a good choice if you are looking for a stainless steel, vacuum sealed wine tumbler with a lid to keep your wine cool and keep out bugs, dirt, or pool splashes.

The Corkcicle Wine Tumbler is reusable and should provide months and potentially years of use. Replacement seals or lids are available if you should happen to drop your tumbler and break the lid.

Finally, the tumbler does not shatter when dropped and keeps wine cool for an hour or longer.

 
 

Enjoy chilling out with your wine this summer!

Cheers!

Wine Bottle Cutters - A Glass Cutter Review

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A glass bottle cutter is an inexpensive item that enables you to turn your used wine, beer, or liquor bottle into a drinking glass, candle holder, flower vase, pendant light, wind chime, and more!  We’ve seen glass bottle cutters online and in craft shops and were curious how (and if!) they really work.

Before we share our findings, though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Best Glass Bottle Cutter 

Recently I took a trip to Kansas to work on my farm and hunt for wild mushrooms. After one look at the forecast though, I had to make other plans - there were three days of rain and snow in the forecast.  Considering the number of guests coming who’d create empty bottles and forthcoming inclement weather, I did a quick search online and purchased this glass bottle cutter with great reviews and a great how-to video.

The Home Pro Shop Glass Bottle Cutter

 
 

I chose this product as it not only included the glass cutter tool (a base with rollers), but it also included the following items:

  • 120 CW sandpaper

  • a handheld glass cutter that looks like a knife

  • a pair of safety gloves

  • an L shape back brace and screw to adjust the height of the cut on the glass bottle

The glass cutter kit showed up quickly. It was in a cardboard box and all described items were present and accounted for. 

How to Cut A Wine Bottle

My fellow house guests delivered on generating empty bottles. We washed and rinsed the accumulated bottles when we did our dishes. Then we started crafting. The instructions included with the wine bottle cutter were straightforward, however, we found this video to be especially helpful.

 
 

While we are experienced at home improvement, we found the process straightforward enough to manage even for someone who is a novice with tools or who hasn’t done many DIY projects.

In addition to the wine bottle cutter kit, you will need a pan of boiling water—or tea kettle of water over 200 F (88 C)—and a sink filled with cold water.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the steps:

  • Place the bottle over the rollers.

  • Adjust the L back brace to adjust where your cut will be on the wine bottle.

  • Apply pressure and rotate the wine bottle until a line is scored in the glass.

  • Pour boiling water on the scored line.

  • Pour cold water on the scored line.

  • Alternate the boiling and cold water treatment over the scored line until the wine bottle neck separates from the base.

  • Use sandpaper to smooth the rough edges.

As a number of reviewers online state, you may need to practice with a couple of bottles. We recommend practicing on a couple of empty beer bomber bottles. By the time we cut our third bottle, we felt very confident. 

Since every bottle will not yield a perfect cut, we did not expend energy in removing the wine or spirits label from the wine bottle until we had a collection of cut wine bottles that we liked.

How to Cut Many Wine Bottles With a Wine Bottle Cutter

If you want to take your wine bottle cutting to the next level—let’s say you are a candlemaker and want to make a dozen or more cut wine bottles and then fill them with candle wax—you may want to make a few adjustments to the process. First, consider taking the entire process outside, onto a deck or patio. That way if you do drop a wine bottle, the mess is not in your kitchen. Then, consider the following:

Increase the Volume of Boiling Water

If you want to to cut dozens of wine bottles, you may want to invest in an outdoor boiler/steamer for heating the score lines. Try this one by Bayou Classic:

 
 

Increase the Volume of Cooling Water

For cooling the score line for many bottles at once, use a large tub like this one—Made in the USA by Homz Plastic Storage Tubs:

 
 

Purchase Additional Sandpaper for Cutting Wine Bottles

If you are going to be sanding a lot of cut wine bottles for crafting, you’ll want to get some additional sandpaper. The amount of sandpaper provided in the Home Pro Glass Bottle Cutter Kit won’t be sufficient for dozens of wine bottles.

You’ll need some additional 120 grit Silicon Carbide sandpaper specifically designed for use on hard surfaces (like glass) and that can be used on wet items.

 
 

How to Remove a Label From Your Cut Wine Bottle

Now that your cut wine bottle is sanded, you may want to remove the bottle label from the bottle. 

Where to Buy Recycled Wine Bottle Glasses

And in case you decide you don’t want to purchase a wine bottle cutter after all and just want to buy a few recycled wine bottled glasses, those can be purchased online.

 
 

Our Conclusion on Wine Bottle Cutters

The Home Pro Shop Wine Bottle Cutter is a good DIY bottle cutter if you have several wine bottles to cut.  

We highly recommend collecting a few extra bottles to practice with before commencing with your wine bottle cutting. There is some trial and error involved in getting the hang of a wine bottle cutter.

Last, you may not want to invest in a wine bottle cutter, and instead just purchase a few recycled wine bottle glasses if you are needing just a couple wine bottle glasses.

Cheers!

How to Make a Wine Bottle Tiki Torch

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Did you know that you can recycle a wine bottle by utilizing it as a tiki torch?  Now that the KnowWines crew has moved to in a small patio home with a wood fence, the surroundings were perfect for a fence mounted wine bottle tiki torch. This is a fun craft for spring and summer months when warm summer breezes also bring buzzing and biting insects.

Before we dive into this fun craft though, a little bit about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Wine Bottle Torch? Whiskey Bottle Torch?

First you’ll need to decide —do you want a wine bottle torch or a whiskey bottle torch? Then you’ll need to decide if you want to keep the label on the bottle or if you want to remove the label. Thankfully the wick in any tiki torch kit is universal for wine or whiskey bottles, so you can also decide after you’ve gathered the rest of your tiki torch supplies.

What Supplies Do I Need to Make a Wine Bottle Tiki Torch?

In addition to a wine (or whiskey) bottle, you will need the following:

Tiki Torch Kit

We liked the LANMU wine or whiskey tiki torch kit from Amazon. It comes with the wick, a clamp, two washers, a wick cap, and a wick holder.  Also included are additional screws for attaching your wine bottle tiki torch to a fence post, as well as two screw anchors if you desire to attach the torch to a concrete surface. 

 
 

Citronella Scented Tiki Torch Fuel 

You can get citronella scented tiki torch fuel online (ASIN B00CAG45MQ ) or pick some up at your local hardware store.  We prefer the Tiki brand as it’s super easy to pour. 

 
 

For one wine bottle tiki torch, you’ll need at least 750 mL (25 ounces) of tiki torch fuel. If you only want to fill your wine bottle half full, then 50 ounces will fill four wine bottle torches. 

Warning: Be sure sure to keep this product out of the reach of pets or small children — place it on a high shelf in the garage or in a locked cabinet with other household or automotive chemicals.

Phillips Screwdriver for Installation

We happen to have an abundance of screwdrivers we’ve accumulated over the years, so we already had a Phillips screwdriver on hand. If that’s not the case for you, however, we recommend one like this:

 
 

Gloves for Protection

If you’re concerned about getting the citronella tiki oil on your hands, consider wearing disposable gloves when you are transferring oil into the wine bottle.

And if you’re concerned about breaking the wine bottle with your super-human hand strength, then we recommend wearing leather gloves when attaching the clamp to the wine bottle neck. 

How to Assemble Your Wine Bottle Tiki Torch

The wine or whiskey bottle tiki torch is very easy to assemble. Let’s get started!

  1. Place the two washers on the wick holder (on the bottom side of the wick holder that goes into the bottle).  

  2. Slide the wick into the wick holder, leaving about one inch of the wick sticking out to light later.

  3. Attach the clamp to the empty wine bottle neck using the provided screws.

  4. Attach the wick cover to the clamp.

  5. Attach the wine bottle tiki torch to a wooden (or concrete) surface using the provided screws.

  6. Fill the bottle with tiki torch fuel. Alternatively, you can fill the wine bottle with tiki torch fuel before attaching it to a fence if a second person is available to hold the wine bottle during installation.

  7. Insert the pre-moistened wick into the wine bottle. Alternatively, just wait a few minutes until the oil works its way up the wick via capillary action before lighting.

  8. Light and enjoy!

Prefer a video?  LANMU gives these easy YouTube instructions for assembling the tiki torch:

 
 

Tips for Making Your DIY Wine Bottle Tiki Torch

In summary, it took two of us less than five minutes to assemble and mount the wine bottle tiki torch. This was one of the easiest and fastest DIY projects we’ve ever done. While someone could easily do this project themselves, it would go much faster with two people.

There were only two aspects of this project we would like to see improved:

  • The cap seemed a little small for the wick, but perhaps it won’t look so small once the wick burns down a bit.

  • The screws provided were on the cheap side.

    • The screws included in the kit were sufficient to do the job of mounting the clamp to the neck of the wine bottle, though they were a little short.

    • The screws included in the kit were sufficient for mounting the tiki torch to a pine privacy fence. If you need to mount the tiki torch to a concrete wall or other hard substrate, we recommend that you purchase more substantial screws and anchors and use a drill with a concrete bit to install.

How to Mount a Wine Bottle Tiki Torch to Concrete, Brick, or Stone

Instead of using the provided screws and anchor, we recommend purchasing this item if you don’t already have it - a masonry bit for a power drill and an assortment of masonry anchors and masonry screws.

 
 

Keep in mind that this masonry bit set is intended for smaller projects (like installing a small tiki torch to concrete, brick, or stone!) and not for installing large objects such as a 40 pound mirror.

Wine Bottle Tiki Torch: The KnowWines Conclusion

If you are looking to add some fun decor to your deck or patio with the added bonus of recycling a wine bottle and repelling biting insects with citronella, you may enjoy this small DIY project.

Overall, the project was easy to complete and the tools provided in the kit were sufficient for the task of installing the wine bottle tiki torch onto a pine privacy fence. If you need to instal the wine bottle torch on a sturdier surface, we highly recommend purchasing the proposed alternative masonry bit, anchor, and screws for a more robust install.

Cheers!

Best Large Wine Refrigerators in 2022

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Looking for a large wine cooler in 2022? Here’s our review of what to look for in a large capacity wine refrigerators in the current year.

First, know that you can trust our reviews on wine refrigeration. Our founder Jolene Unland has worked with refrigeration of all types for over 20 years as an agriculture scientist. During her WSET Advanced Certification in Wine studies, she learned the proper storage and serving temperature of wines both in aging and in serving. She’s also owned several different wine refrigerators over the years and reviewed them here on the KnowWines blog.

If it turns out that a large wine cabinet is too big of an investment at this time, we have also reviewed the best wine refrigerators for wine lovers in the 50+ bottle size range as well as smaller wine cooling units for apartments, RVs, or boats.

If you do plan to read on about larger wine refrigerators, though, you should know a few things about the KnowWines Blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What to Consider When Purchasing a Large Wine Refrigerator

Large wine cabinets are a big investment. When shopping for a large wine refrigerator, we’ve used the following criteria, resulting the acquisition of large wine refrigerators that lasted more than 7 years. One unit is 11 years old and is still running great!

Compressor vs ThermoElectric Wine Refrigerators

We have a strong preference for large wine cabinets with compressors - for more on that debate check out our article on the best wine refrigerators for wine lovers. Thankfully, almost all large wine refrigerators utilize compressors for cooling.

Dual-Temperature or Single-Temperature Large Wine Cooler?

In general, the fewer bells and whistles an electronic item has, the less that can go wrong! Unless you are purchasing a large wine refrigerator for a restaurant where you need bottles ready to go at 45 F for whites and 55 F or so for reds, there’s no reason to go for a dual temperature large wine refrigerator. If you are storing wines for aging, then select a single temperature large wine cooler, and have an ice bucket or wine bottle chiller on hand for cooling sparkling or white wines.

What is a Large Wine Cooler?

A large wine refrigerator is a cabinet that contains more than 50 bottles of wine. A large wine cooler typically does not fit below the counter in a bar or kitchen. Large wine refrigerators are used for storing and aging wines for commercial or retail purposes, or for home use by wine collectors.  

What is the Capacity of a Large Wine Cooler?

A large wine refrigerator typically holds over 50 to about 300 bottles of wine.

The capacity of large wine coolers is impacted by the following factors:

  • Size of bottles collected. Larger format bottles like magnums reduce bottle capacity in a large wine cooler.

  • Diameter of bottles collected. Most large wine coolers give capacity in standard Bordeaux bottle sizes, but Champagne and Bourgogne wine bottles may have larger diameters. For example, if a large wine cabinet indicates that one can store 12 bottles on a shelf, one may be able to store only 10 Pinot Noir bottles or as many as 13 German Riesling bottles or 15, 350mL Sauturnes bottles.

  • Style of shelving system inside the unit. Does the unit have racks for stacking bottles or single bottle holders?

How Much Do Large Wine Refrigerators Weigh?

Large wine refrigerators can weigh from 180 lbs up to 350 lbs, with most weighing in around 260 lbs.

Keep this weight in mind when ordering a large wine refrigerator. If you are not home when the unit arrives, the unit might be sitting on your front porch, and it will be too large for one person to move.  

How Wide is a Large Wine Cabinet?

Almost all large wine refrigerators measure 24 inches, with the exception of Eurocave, which can measure 26 inches wide.

What is the Cost of a Large Wine Cooler?

The cost of a large wine refrigerator can vary widely. In general, large wine coolers can cost anywhere from $800 to $4,000 and beyond.  

What Brands Make Large Wine Refrigerators?

The brands that make large wine refrigerators include Eurocave, Zephyr, EdgeStar, Lanbo, Allavino, and more.

There are also budget brands of wine coolers. These include BODGA, COLZER, Whytner, and more.

What are the Best Large Wine Refrigerators?

Eurocave

The gold standard for large wine refrigerators is the Eurocave. Currently, Wine Enthusiast is the only seller of Eurocave in the USA.  We own a Eurocave and reviewed it here recently.

Zephyr Presrv Single Zone Wine Fridge

In our recent podcast with Roy Wilson, Wilson mentioned several new innovations coming up in wine storage. In the US market, Zephyr is one of the first to roll out products featuring the latest in compressor technology, glass doors, and LED lighting (especially light color choices). The Zephyr also includes some fun bells and whistles, including 3 different choices in the color of LED lights, a five-bottle display rack, a reversible door, and a charcoal filter.

If what you’re really wanting is a Eurocave, but the price is a little out of your reach, consider this: the Zephyr offers a two-year warranty on most parts and a five-year warranty on the compressor, which is a little more impressive than other large wine refrigerators sold online.

In addition to its superior warranty and compressor technology, it seems that Zephyr is also ahead of the curve in understanding the needs of collectors who collect wine bottles in various sizes. Check out this video with Liren Baker of Kitchen Confidante showing larger bottle sizes, like premium and luxury Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, fitting easily inside the unit!

 
 

The newest Zephyr single-temperature unit is the 148 bottle Zephyr Presrv:

  • Zephyr Presrv Single Zone Wine Refrigerator 148 Bottles

 
 

EdgeStar

EdgeStar is located in Austin, Texas. It has over 50 employees and 12 distribution centers throughout the US. This company does a good job of making its user manual available on the Amazon sales page so you can see all the details regarding operation and installation before purchase. Their units come with a one year warranty.

Both EdgeStar units featured here have stainless steel doors, reversible doors, LED lighting, metal wood-front shelves, and even cooling technology that ensures a uniform temperature inside the unit. 

  • EdgeStar 111-Bottle Large Wine Refrigerator

    This model by EdgeStar is a good solution for homeowners who’ve exceeded the capacity of an under-counter unit and are considering having a built-in wine refrigerator in their kitchen or bar.

 
 

  • EdgeStar 151 Bottle Large Wine Refrigerator

    If EdgeStar’s 111-Bottle large wine cooler does not meet your needs, this unit holds 151 Bordeaux style bottles.  Like the 111-Bottle unit, this unit can be stand-alone or built in. 

 
 

Lanbo

This unit has a unique shelving system that is a fan favorite - it efficiently stores bottles on rolling wood shelves.  The rolling racks are all wood and cradle each bottle, unlike many competitors with metal or a combination of wood and metal shelves.  The upside of rolling shelves is that all the bottles lie in one layer - no need to unstack 14 bottles to get to the one you need!

Lanbo has an office in Walnut, California, and makes its user manuals available on its website and Amazon sales page. Their units come with a one-year warranty for most parts and labor, as well as a 36-month warranty on the compressor.  

  • Lanbo Single Zone Large Wine Cabinet - 289 bottle capacity

 
 

Allavino

Allavino has been selling luxury large wine cabinets for over 20 years.  Their sales group is located in San Diego, CA.  Like EdgeStar, Allavino does an excellent job making its user manuals available on sales pages for easy reference.  Allavino does have a one-year warranty on most parts, as well as a five year warranty on its compressors.

Allavino is known for its flex-count bottle shelving, which cradles each bottle.  Their innovative shelving system allows for a few more bottles per unit than their competitors.

  • Allavino 128-bottle Large Wine Refrigerator

    This large wine cooler accommodates 128 Bordeaux-style bottles.  The door is not reversible, so make sure when you order a unit that you select the correct door opening configuration (left or right) for your application.  

 
 

  • Allavino 177-bottle Large Wine Refrigerator

    This large wine cabinet accommodates 177 Bordeaux-style bottles.  Like its little brother, the door is not reversible, so make sure that you order the right door opening configuration. 

 
 

Whytner

Whytner also has US-based customer support for their units.  Their two single-temperature units feature wood front shelves and wire support for individual bottles.  

This brand is a good option for those wanting a large wine cabinet in the price mid-point range with a stainless steel front.  This product comes with a one-year warranty.

  • Whytner 100-bottle Wine Refrigerator

 
 

  • Whytner 166-bottle Wine Refrigerator

 
 

COLZER

To our awareness, there’s not a sales support contact for COLZER in the United States. Unlike its competitors, it was challenging to find a user manual on any sales pages. However, they have put a lot of effort into photos to describe the unit on sales pages.  

COLZER is a good budget brand for large wine refrigerators if you are storing Bordeaux bottles and other narrow-diameter bottles. If your collection includes a lot of magnums, Champagne, or larger Burgundy bottles, you may want to go with one of the more premium options. In this COLZER model, larger diameter bottles can go only on the bottom shelf.

COLZER often has coupons on Amazon to help you save additional money. This unit also has more LED lights than other units, which might be a plus, depending on the style you’re looking for. COLZER also offerS a one-year warranty, which is a little less than other brands we’ve reviewed. If you want to extend the warranty, check with your credit card for coverage or purchase an appliance warranty from the retailer. 

  • COLZER 154

 
 

A Few More Notes on Large Wine Refrigerators:

If you’re sold on the idea of purchasing one of these large wine refrigerators for your home or business, you may also be interested in the technical side of wine storage, or you may find that you’re inspired to go even bigger with your collection.

Where can I Learn More About the Technical Side of Wine Storage?

Here are a few great resources (two from our very own blog & podcast):

 
Wine Cellars: An Exploration of Stylish Storage
By Skinner Bappsc (HMS -- Exsci) (Hons) Gchighered PhD Aep, Tina
Buy on Amazon
 

What If I Want to Store More Than 1,000 Wine Bottles?

Have more than 1000 wine bottles?  Even the large wine refrigerators reviewed here will not meet your needs.  

Solutions may include off-site wine storage ine a locker at Extra Space Storage, or investment in a wine cave if you plan on living in your home for several years.  A compromise could be installing a Zephyr unit in your home and keeping your aging wines in off-site storage.

In Conclusion

Going forward, the innovation in the large wine refrigerator space will be LED lighting, sleek stainless design, and flexible shelving. Large wine refrigerator brands targeted to US audiences will follow these trends set by European makers like Eurocave.

For 2022, the best option for a large wine refrigerator that you can purchase online is the Zephyr Presrv wine cabinet.  

We look forward to updating this list as new models from various manufacturers arrive.

Cheers!




Best Open Wine Chillers

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We’ve tried several methods for chilling wines, including ice buckets and the Corkcicle Air. Open wine chillers can be a great tool for caterers, wineries, open bars in warm climates, wine bottle shop owners, and the residential wine enthusiast.

For those looking for a great open-top wine chiller for two, four, six,or more wine bottles, we like the Vinotemp Open Wine Chiller for residential applications and the Summit Appliance units for commercial applications. 

Before we continue with our review, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What is an Open Wine Chiller?

Using an open wine chiller is essentially the same as using an ice bucket, just without the fuss of ice and water. This type of chilling device keeps open bottles of wine chilled right before serving. Open wine chillers are often used by caterers or folks who frequently entertain for large crowds like corporate events or weddings.

An open wine chiller can also be used by wine bottle shop owners to chill a wine purchased by a customer who desires to drink the bottle within the next hour or so at a neighboring restaurant, park, or other venue.

The open wine chiller mechanism is typically thermoelectric (meaning, it does not have a compressor).  However, compressor models are available in larger sizes (below).

Here’s an example of one of the best-selling residential open wine chillers by Vinotemp:

 
 

What are the Advantages of an Open Wine Chiller?

When considering an open wine chiller, some advantages over other wine chilling devices include the following:

  • Open wine chillers are free from the mess of water and ice. This makes them ideal for wooden tables and for the integrity of your wine label, especially if you want to keep a wine label for a keepsake.

  • The temperature of an open chiller can range from 41 F to 66 F. This offers a great lower temperature range for sparkling, sweet, and dry white wines, and the upper temperature range is great for red wines.

  • Open wine chillers keep the wine bottle upright - no chance to have the wine bottle tip over in a large ice bucket.

What are some Disadvantages of Open Wine Chillers

While open wine chillers are very convenient, there are some downsides. You may want to consider the following:

  • Open wine chillers are more expensive than ice and buckets, so they may not be worth the investment if you don’t entertain often.

  • These chillers may not accommodate wine bottles with larger diameters, like some Pinot Noir or Champagne bottles.

  • Open wine chillers require an electrical outlet, which is inconvenient if you don’t have an electrical outlet at your venue. If you do need to run a cable, make sure it is one rated for outdoor applications, like this one:   

 
 

Do I Need an Open Wine Chiller?

If you don’t frequently entertain, you likely don’t need an open wine chiller. Also, if the location where you will be serving wine does not have an electrical outlet, then the open wine chiller won’t work for you. Instead, consider single bottle wine cooler sleeves, which can be very effective in chilling bottles.

If you are really interested in an open wine chiller but don’t like that the Vinotemp open wine chiller does not have a stopper mechanism, consider this wine chiller - also from Vinotemp - that has a vacuum sealing mechanism:  

 
 

Open Wine Chillers by Vinotemp and Summit Appliance

Vinotemp has a variety of thermoelectric and smaller capacity open wine chillers. Take a look at the two Vinotemp models most popular with homeowners and wine bottle shops:

Two Bottle Open Wine Chiller by Vinotemp

 
 

Four Bottle Open Wine Chiller by Vinotemp 

The two-bottle unit weighs just over 9 pounds, while this four-bottle unit is a little over 18 pounds. Both have digital interfaces, little vibration, and run quietly.

Your units should certainly last more than a year. However, having purchased a number of wine refrigerators and electronics over the years, I recommend purchasing an extended warranty. Alternatively, use a premium credit card that offers extended warranties on electronics - just check with your credit card before making the purchase.  

 
 

Twelve and Six Bottle Open Wine Chiller by Summit Appliance

If two or four bottle systems by Vinotemp are not sufficient capacity for your needs, Summit has this sleek and attractive unit that accommodates twelve bottles!

 
 

The Summit Appliance 12-Bottle Open Wine Cooler also has a little six bottle sibling:

The Summit Appliance six and twelve bottles units use compressors for cooling technology. These units should provide years of service for any commercial environment like a wine bar, winery, or bottle shop. The sleek, brushed, stainless steel exterior is gorgeous and it also features beautiful LED lighting. You’ll need a substantial table for either unit, as they weigh over 70 pounds each.

Extended warranties are also available for the twelve bottle unit once the manufacturer’s warranty expires.

Open Wine Chillers: Conclusion

If your home or commercial environment require an open wine chiller, both the Vinotemp (for residential) and Summit Appliance (commercial) should meet your needs. These chillers offer a fast, easy way to chill wine for tasting, entertainment, and more. We hope you find just the one to help you chill out and enjoy your next glass of wine.

Cheers!


How to Host an Online Wine Tasting

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If you’re anything like the rest of us, you’re missing your friends during the Covid-19 pandemic. If you’re anything like us at KnowWines, you’re also missing the fun of visiting wine bars and drinking with friends. And if you’re training to be a sommelier, you’re likely feeling stressed about missing out on visiting wineries and tasting for exams.

But here’s the good news. Many neighborhood bottle shops are still open with curbside pickup, and modern technologies like Zoom and Facetime can connect us to friends in real time. So, during this time of social distancing, why not host a virtual wine tasting? Hosting an online wine tasting is a great way to connect with friends during these difficult times while also supporting your neighborhood independent wine shop!

In today’s blog, we’ll offer our best tips, tricks, and tools for hosting an online wine tasting. Before we continue with our recommendations, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What Supplies Do I Need To Host An Online Wine Tasting?

Wine

This is a great time to try some new wines, as many bottle shops are offering “six-pack” specials for curbside pickup. You can go with a random selection of wines recommended by your local bottle shop owner, or you can try for a wine tasting theme. For example, you might try sampling a few different rosé wines, a few different wines from a particular region, or a few different varietals from different vineyards. As your local bottle shop for recommendations! You’ll want your friends to order the same bottles, so you’re all tasting the same wines.

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Glassware

You, and the friends you’re gathering with virtually, will need glassware. In a pinch, juice glasses will do, but ideally, you’ll use actual wine glasses to help with noticing the aromas of the wine. Our favorite glassware is Gabriel Glas. However, if you or your friends are the clumsy types, or if you’re planning to be outside on the patio during this virtual tasting, you might want to try for some unbreakable wine glasses.

Notepad or Tasting Grid

While tasting, record your notes in a personalized wine journal, or order one of these delightful wine tasting placemats for each of your virtual partygoers and have them delivered to their homes! And if you’re the only one who has this wine tasting placemat, that’s fine, too. Use it as a guide for helping your virtual guests know what to think about as they’re tasting the wine! (You could also skip the note-taking altogether, and just drink!).

 
 

What Technology do I Need to Host an Online Wine Tasting?

Smartphone, Tablet, or Computer

Any smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera will do.  A smartphone is easier if you want to move around during the call, but if you want to stay put at your dining room table or kitchen island, a laptop will be perfect. Just be sure that your device is updated to the most recent operating system so that apps will run smoothly.

SwitchPod or other Smartphone Tripod

We’ve fallen in love with Pat Flynn and Caleb Wojcik’s SwitchPod. This tripod means no more bracing the iPhone up against a wine bottle or other item so that you can see (and be seen) while tasting wine and chatting. Also, you’ll look a lot better from the angle the tripod provides (happy bonus!). We love the SwitchPod because it does not have the bendy arms of earlier tripods. It is easy to travel with and the aluminum alloy construction makes it both very robust and lightweight for travel. 

 
 

Because most tripods don’t come with smartphone holders, we like this option that holds an iPhone securely on any tripod. So, if you already have a tripod, this might be a good addition to your online party kit!

 
 

Once you’re all set up with devices, it doesn’t matter what type of application you use. In these days of social distancing, two popular choices are Zoom and FaceTime. Below are a couple of easy-to-follow videos that walk you through how to set up a group call on Facetime and Zoom. If you haven’t done this before, don’t worry! These apps make it pretty easy to learn the ropes.

Facetime

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to set up a group Facetime call:

 
 

Zoom

Here’s a quick tutorial on how to set up a Zoom meeting (or in your case, Zoom party!):

 
 

DIY Online Wine Tasting: Step by Step

So, you have the wine and the laptop and everything else you need for a fun online happy hour with friends. Here are the simple steps for putting on your own online wine tasting with friends.  

SwitchPod.JPG

  • First, contact your friends to set up a time that work for everyone. 4-10 friends is an ideal number. With more than 10, the screen gets a little crowded and socializing becomes trickier.

  • Agree to a platform that works for all of your friends (such as Facetime or Zoom).

  • Select your wines and agree to order them on the same day so that everyone will have the chosen wines by the party date.

  • On the day of the party:

    • Get your tripod and smartphone device ready to go.

    • Prepare a clean glass for tasting.

    • Start the Facetime call or Zoom meeting.

    • Start tasting (and chatting!) with friends!

    • Take notes if you like.

Virtual Alternatives to a Wine Tasting Party with Friends

If you aren’t up for organizing an online wine tasting, but still like the idea of socializing with other wine lovers while sheltering in place, consider these options.

Social Online Wine Classes

Party of one or two and want to meet some new friends? Wine For Normal People podcaster, wine entrepreneur, and Certified Sommelier Elizabeth Schneider has increased the number of online wine classes she offers. The classes range from introductory to “wine geek.” We love that she offers classes exploring wines from a specific region or appellation. To participate in Elizabeth’s wine classes, make sure you give yourself enough time to seek out the selected wines. These wines are budget-friendly unless specified (keeping in Elizabeth’s Podcast theme “Wine for Normal People”).

Serious Online Wine Classes

Interested in getting a certification? Napa Valley Wine Academy has made many of their wine classes available online. Courses include Wine 101, American Wine Expert, and Wine and Spirit Educational Trust. Class sign-up includes wine kits for tasting!

In Summary

During this time of social distancing, an online wine tasting party is a great way to connect with friends and family who enjoy wine as much as you.  It really doesn’t take much to organize such an event! You simply need wine, glasses, something to write on if you want to share notes, a smartphone, a tripod like the SwitchPod, and the Zoom or FaceTime app (both of which are free!).

If you don’t want to host a party, join one of Wine for Normal People’s classes or study with the pros at Napa Valley Wine Academy.

Whatever you decide, we hope that you manage to include a bit of your old social life during social distancing.

Stay safe. And cheers!