What to Wear to Wine Country

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If you’ve booked a trip to wine country, you’ve likely already researched the wineries and other attractions you want to visit. Your next step is figuring out what to pack. Whether you’re visiting Napa and Sonoma, or are crossing the pond for Bordeaux or Rhone Valley adventure, you’ll want to be sure you know what to wear to a winery. Packing the right winery outfits will help you to pack minimally and purchases less during your trip. 

First, 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!

How do I select my winery outfits? 

Whether you’re enjoying a romantic weekend, reuniting with a  group of girlfriends, or attending a winery wedding, dressing for the winery is usually a no fuss affair. Here are a few guidelines to get you started: 

  • Dark colors are a great go-to for winery attire (that way, spilled red wine won’t ruin your entire outfit!). We like to coordinate black separates with a colorful shawl or accessory. 


  • Practical shoes are essential. Essentially, you’re visiting a farm, so high heels and shoes that can’t tolerate a bit of mud just aren’t a good idea. Aim for practical but stylish boots.  


  • Plan for rain with an umbrella and a raincoat. It could be a chilly 55 degrees or lower, so you’ll also want layers for that damp cold. 


  • Plan for sun with sunglasses, a practical sun hat, and (of course) sunscreen.

     

  • Avoid excessive jewelry, floppy hats, or flowy clothes that can catch on vines or wine barrels. 


  • Dark-colored separates are ideal, as they will transition nicely from winery to an upscale restaurant, in the event that you’re dining out after your wine tasting. 

Now that you have a general guide to winery attire, here are a few of our favorite items to fill the gaps in your winery wardrobe. 

Best Shoes for Winery Tour

Tours can involve a great deal of walking, sometimes across uneven surfaces, up and down stairs, in and out of golf carts, and through the vineyards. To keep up with the terrain and the tour guide, go for dressy hiking boots. The vineyard pros often wear Blundstone. 

 
 
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Best Windproof Umbrella for Wine Country

Conditions at a winery can include bright sun, wind, and pop-up showers. This large golf umbrella comes in a variety of sizes for singles, couples and small groups. 

 
 

Best Wine Country Sunscreen

Sunscreen is essential when traveling to wine country, no matter what time of year you go (it’s especially important in the summer, though!). Travel can make your skin prone to breakouts, though, so you’ll want to pack a good sunscreen that’s formulated specifically for the face and won’t clog pores. 

 
 

Best Winery Handbag

A crossbody shoulder satchel is ideal for wearing on a winery tour, as  you will want to keep your hands free. A larger handbag will just get in your way and feel cumbersome as you walk throughout the winery. Take this slim satchel instead. Then, slip the satchel into a larger bag in the evenings.

 
 

Best Scarf for Wine Country Style 

We love this classic brushed cashmere scarf by Burberry. It is warm, cozy, and stylish without being overstated. It’s the perfect accessory for pairing with elegant but practical black separates. 

 
 

Best Wine-Friendly Denim 

In wine country, basics are the best when it comes to attire. Simple, dark denim can be dressed up or down. We prefer a classic, easy-to-wear pair of Levi’s. 

 
 

Best Sunglasses for the Vineyards

No matter the season, you’re going to need a pair of shades. And when you’ve pared down your wardrobe to the basics, classy sunglasses are a great way to upgrade your look. These Prada sunglasses provide 100% UV protection and are 100% chic.

 
 

Best Rainy Vineyard Rain Jacket

The likelihood of pop-up showers and damp weather is high in wine country. You’ll definitely want to pack a sturdy but lightweight rain jacket that keeps you dry and warm at the winery. This hooded rain jacket by Levi’s also has convenient pockets for storing a phone or other items you want to bring along. 

 
 

Winery Attire & Accessories Wrap-Up

We hope this list helped you to pack a suitcase that’s primed for a perfect wine country experience. With the right clothes, boots, and rain gear, you should be all set for looking like pro at any winery you visit.

And if you love the wine at those wineries enough to take some home with you, check out our article on how to fly with wine.

Cheers!

Funny Sexy Wine Stuff

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Valentine’s Day or anniversary approaching and don’t want to fight the crowds?  Are you looking for Valentine’s Day ideas or activities with your significant other?   We’ll help you set up your at-home wine-themed as well as share some of our favorite funny sexy wine stuff to add some spice to your evening in. 

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!

First the wine …

It probably isn’t as hard as you think to pick the perfect wine for your romantic evening. For starters, consider your significant other’s preferences and then read helpful guide to finding great wine at the grocery store. However, for such an intimate occasion, it’s not a bad idea to seek out a small, independent wine store. In the Triangle Area, we love the Hillsborough Wine Company for their wide variety of wines at different price points. If you’re not sure what your beloved likes to drink, take note of their food preferences and relay that information to your local wine bottle shop for advice.

Once you have just the right bottle, consider writing a sexy message on the bottle (and on the pair of wine glasses) with one of these fun wine pens.

 
 

Then the food …

Perfect Pairings

Celebrate your perfect pairing… with a perfect pairing. If you’re planning on making the meal yourself, we recommend Perfect Pairings by Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein. When wine students receive recommendations for wine pairing books, this one is almost always at the top of the list.

 
 

This book isn’t just for sommeliers! It is also great for wine lovers and foodies. Anyone can use it to select a special wine at any of three of Evan’s price points: Everyday, Premium, and Splurge. In the book, wine styles and varieties are listed, as well as why some foods are considered “classic” pairings. Evan goes into detail on grape variety, wine-growing areas, what vintners are looking for in making their wines, flavors you can expect, how to make great pairings, and how to avoid pairings that might not be so good. There are even a couple of recipes with recommended wine pairings.

A Year of Perfect Wine and Food Pairings

Want a valentine’s day activity that will keep you and your partner connected throughout the year? Consider creating a standing date with your significant other. Each month, on this special date night, try a new wine and food pairing. So you’re prepared, purchase six or twelve “Everyday” wines from Evan’s book and prepare a dish to pair with it. Keep track of your journey in a wine journal. You can record the details of the date as well as what you loved (and didn’t love) about each wine and food pairing.

Setting the Scene

Now that your wine and food are in order, let’s set the scene for your romantic at-home dinner!

Best Romantic Candle for Wine Lovers

If you are preparing a meal for a loved one, we recommend against strong perfume, household fragrance, or overly scented candles that might interfere with the aromas of food and wine. We love this candle because it really does smell like a European wine cave (and it’s not overpowering in its scent). It’s perfect for a romantic evening of wine pairings (especially if you and your partner have ever dreamed of traveling to Bordeaux or Burgundy!).

 
 

Best Romantic Wine Opener

If your wine opener needs an upgrade, or if you just need a wine opener that helps to inspire a romantic mood, check out this beautiful handmade wine opener from France. 

 
 

The Sexiest Wine Decanter

Once you’ve got the wine open, it’s a good idea to decant a younger wine with a narrow-topped decanter. Have some fun with this voluptuous handmade decanter from Austria.  

 
 

A Pair of Sexy Glassware

If you are looking for an elegant pair of glassware perfect for sipping wine by the fire with the one you love, we’ve got the set for you.

 
 

If you end up loving this glassware and want to learn more, check out our full Gabriel Glas review.

The Perkiest Wine Stopper

If you’re finished drinking but there’s still wine in the bottle, Sir Perky is at your service to add some naughty silliness to the evening. This novelty item is a fun way to enclose an unfinished bottle of everyday wine. If you really splurged on a premium bottle of wine and you want to preserve what’s left, try the Repour Wine Preserver. Sir Perky will do just fine, though, for an “everyday” bottle.

 
 

Vineyard-Themed Romance Novels

Finally, a vineyard-themed romance novel is a great end-of-the-meal Valentine’s Day gift for a romantic, wine-themed evening. You might consider placing a few of these wine-themed romance novels in a gift basket with a bottle of wine and sexy wine accessories. This is the kind of gift that really sets the mood!

 
 

It’s a Wrap

Well that’s a wrap on our sexy, wine-themed recommendations for your romantic evening at home. Oh, and if you have any wine left in the bottle at evening’s end, you might consider wrapping it up with a Wine Condom!

 
 

Cheers to a Happy Valentine’s Day, from Sir Perky!

 
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Best Wine Bottle Coasters

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If you entertain frequently, a wine coaster might be on your list of helpful host/hostess items. Or maybe you already have a wine coaster but aren’t exactly sure of its purpose. In this blog, we share the history and purpose of wine bottle coasters, as well our recommendations for the best wine coasters.

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!

What is the history of the wine coaster?

Between the 1820’s and 1840’s, Britain saw an increase in both clothing and wine consumption driven by the abolition of import and export duties. Wearing nice clothes and drinking great wine with dinner became a way for upper society to demonstrate their wealth.

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People organizing formal dinner parties needed a way to slide or “coast” a bottle of wine or a wine decanter around on a very large dining table. These first wine coasters were wooden. In early nineteenth-century dining, silver was all the rage, so wine coasters became more elaborate, with artisans mixing wood and silver. These wine coasters became a platform for silver artisans to show off their ornamentation skills.

Entertaining large groups of people was fashionable, and as this dining trend passed from Britain to the United States, it became popular with Industrial Revolution plutocrats who populated the east coast. As a result, one will find antique wine coasters made in Europe, the United States and China. Because dining tables of the time were quite large, wine bottle coaster collectors will find that these coasters came in sets of two to six. 

In the early nineteenth century, due to recent advances in bottling and the utilization of bottle corks, wine bought and served from bottles was becoming more common. Technological advances in filtration were still over 100 years away, so a lot of wine in these bottles needed to be decanted to separate wine from its sediment right before serving.

The decanters of this time were tall and narrow, so the footprint of the decanter was often about the same size as the wine bottle. The wine decanters were tall and narrow because they were simply secondary containers to pour wine into so that sediment could be left behind in the original wine bottle. These narrow, handmade decanters are still available today online and in antique shops.

 
 

How is a wine coaster used today?

Today most of us are not hosting large, elaborate dinners where we need to slide a bottle down a long table filled with guests. Neither are we “coasting” a bottle around a drawing-room after retiring from a formal meal and letting our corsets out a notch or two.  

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Wine coasters these days are primarily objects of decor, though there are some helpful aspects of having one in your home. Constructed from a number of materials, today’s silver and/or crystal wine coasters can add a touch of sparkle to a formal holiday meal or the bride and groom’s table. Also, a wine bottle coaster is used as a barrier between a sweating bottle and a piece of wood furniture or marble countertop. A wine coaster can also hold a narrow decanter upon the occasion of decanting older wines.  Wine bottle coasters can also be used to show off a single wine bottle before the meal. Finally, wine coasters are sometimes passed down generation to generation and are simply a unique heirloom.  

How do I use a wine bottle coaster?

A wine bottle coaster can be used in any of the following ways:

  • To simply display a single bottle of wine before opening it

  • To act as a moisture barrier between a cold wine bottle and a warm tabletop, to prevent a water ring

  • To “coast” a bottle of wine from one end of the table to another.  

To use, simply place the bottle of wine or narrow base decanter into the wine coaster.

What materials are used to make wine coasters?

Traditionally wine coasters have been constructed of silver and wood.  

As wine coasters have transitioned from a functional item used by the upper class in the early nineteenth century to more decorative and functional purposes in modern times, the construction of wine coasters has become quite diverse.

Wine coasters today can be made of wood, silver, crystal, glass, wood, stainless steel, cork, metal, stone, and more.

Where can I buy a wine coaster?

Today, one can find new or antique silver wine bottle coasters in antiques shops or online auctions, big box stores, thrift shops, or various online retailers.  

Do I need a wine coaster?

No, you can get by just fine in life without a wine coaster. However, if you are a wine lover, wine coaster collector, or are desiring a way to prevent water rings on your tabletop in a more elegant manner than using a wine koozie, you may want to buy a wine coaster. Wine coasters might may also make a nice, inexpensive gift for a wine lover or someone who enjoys the accouterments of formal service and wants to convey some of those aspects to their home dining. Others might use a wine bottle coaster to add a sparkle of crystal or silver on the tabletop.  

What’s the best type of wine coaster?

The best wine coaster for you really depends upon the application.

If you are simply looking for a decorative item, the best coaster for you will be based on the design aesthetic that appeals to you. Big box stores, mall stores, and many online retailers sell a wide variety of wine coasters.

If your intent in purchasing a wine coaster is to avoid unsightly water rings on the table, look for a double-walled wine coaster.  Alternatively, a wine coaster made from cork or another absorptive material may meet your needs.

Our Favorite Wine Coasters

Waterford Crystal Heritage Bottle Coaster

If you’re looking for a timeless crystal coaster, Waterford is a great place to start. This coaster accommodates all 750 mL bottle sizes, including Champagne bottles. What we like about the Waterford Crystal bottle coaster is its sparkle and heft. This wine coaster can also be used to hold jewelry, a candle, or other small items, when you’re not using it for a bottle of wine. If you’re looking for a gift for “someone who has it all,” it’s hard to go wrong with a wine coaster like this.

 
 

Double Walled Bottle Coaster

This practical wine coaster will keep excess moisture from dripping onto your table or tablecloth. The style complements other stainless steel frequently found in kitchens these days. The wine coaster is easy to clean up. It’s also worth noting that American Metalcraft has been in the restaurant supply industry for over 70 years and has a good reputation for quality in the industry.

 
 

Vagabond House Handcrafted Wine Coaster with Oak Design

If you collect silver and/or pewter items and you are looking for a handcrafted lead-free pewter wine coaster, consider this one by Vagabond. Oak leaves and acorns signify longevity, patience, and endurance, making this coaster a perfect wedding gift.

 
 

Cork Wine Bottle Coaster

If your favorite type of wine is sparkling wine, you may already know that these wines are best served around 40 F to 50 F, to maintain freshness and fruitiness. When enjoying your sparkling wine, however, you may run into the issue of moisture on the outside of the bottle that quickly accumulates as the bottle warms and sweats. Simply placing the bottle on a cork glassware coaster might not be enough, as there’s often not enough absorption in this type of coaster to accommodate the volume of water that is “sweated”.

This marble and cork wine bottle coaster contains a thick layer of cork to absorb liquid. Any excess liquid is contained within the marble walls. This is a beautiful way to solve the issue of sweating wine bottles.

Since these coasters are made from natural marble and natural cork, the actual color will vary. 

 
 

Stainless Steel Wine Bottle Coaster

If you are in the wine or restaurant business and need a volume of wine coasters to spread out among tables, or you simply need an inexpensive but good looking set of wine coasters for large parties at home, consider these brushed stainless wine bottle coasters that come in a set of four.

These are the bottle coasters we use for our in-person wine tasting parties. There’s a sufficient lip that contains any bottle sweat, and they are very easy to clean and stack. What’s great about these flat wine bottle coasters is that they don’t obstruct any portion of the label.  

One thing we’ve noticed is that they can be scratched if you are moving them around a bit. They are not as heavyweight as I expected, however for this application (displaying a wine bottle) a super thick layer of stainless steel is not really needed.

 
 

And that’s a wrap on wine bottle coasters!

Wine bottle coasters have been around since the early nineteenth century, where they were used by the upper class to “coast” wines around a room when servants weren’t around to pass the wine for them.

Today, wine bottle coasters serve both decorative and practical purposes, such as absorbing or containing bottle “sweat” or drips. Traditionally made of wood and silver, wine bottle coasters of today are made out of a wide variety of materials. The quality of materials, place of manufacture, and level of craftsmanship involved drives the price. 

Wine bottle coasters can be purchased online, as well as in antique shops, big box stores, and thrift shops. We hope you enjoyed learning about wine coasters and considering our recommendations!

Cheers!

Demystifying Wine Decanters

If you are looking to purchase a decanter or are simply curious about how decanters work, you’ve come to the right place. Decanting might look elegant and intimidating, but there’s no secret to the art of decanting. In fact, if you’ve spent any time in a kitchen or laboratory, you probably already know a lot more about decanters than you realize! In this blog, we’ll demystify the art of decanting as well as recommend a few of our favorite decanters.  

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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!

What is a wine decanter?

According to The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson, a decanter is typically a handleless clear glass bottle or container exceeding one-liter holding capacity. The decanter may or may not have a closure.

Wine decanters have been around at least since Roman times.  Historically, they have been comprised of various materials including earthenware, glass, crystal, bronze, silver, or gold.

Do you need a wine decanter?

No, you don’t need a wine decanter, though there are certainly benefits and pleasures to using one.

If you don’t purchase much wine to drink at home during the year, you can find another suitable one-liter or larger container to aerate wine before consuming. Suitable substitutes include a glass pitcher, a blender carafe, or even a salad bowl.  You simply need a container large enough to hold the volume of wine you wish to decant. The larger the surface area, the faster the poured wine will “breathe”.

If you are enjoying one glass of young wine for yourself, you don’t need to hassle with a decanter.  Simply place the wine in a glass with a broad bowl like this one and swirl the wine in the glass. Then, let it sit for a few minutes.  

If you simply love the shape and allure of decanters or drink wines often enough that you desire to own a decanter, then, by all means, purchasing and using a decanter will increase the pleasure of consuming wines.  As decanters can get rather large, decorative decanters have become popular (a large decanter typically can’t fit in a standard cupboard or shelf, and so must be displayed on a countertop or open shelf). 

What does a wine decanter do?

At the end of the day, a decanter is simply a receptacle for holding wine.

When decanting younger wines, a decanter simply serves as a vessel for carefully exposing young wine to oxygen before it is consumed. Exposing wine to oxygen allows the young wine to breathe and open up. Decanters intended for younger wines tend to have a wide base.  Using a decanter to aerate a young wine is more effective than simply opening a bottle of wine and sitting it on a countertop for an hour or so. Leaving the wine in the bottle with the cork removed only exposes the wine in the neck of the bottle (a very small portio) to oxygen.

When decanting older wines (typically wines with some sediment in the bottom), the decanter serves as a place to separate the wine from the sediment that will remain in the original wine bottle. Decanters (or carafes) for older wines tend to be narrower at the base.  

Why use a wine decanter?

Wine decanters are used for three main reasons, which we have detailed below.

Decanting Still Wines to Aerate Them

Many still (non-sparkling) wines benefit from controlled exposure to oxygen before consuming them. This process allows the wine to open up and breathe before serving.  

Decanting young wines is not always necessary, as many modern wines are made for immediate consumption. However, if you are consuming a fine wine, artisanal wine, or quality wine from an independent producer, the wine will likely require some decanting as it has likely not been filtered as much as simpler commercial wines. 

Decanting Wines with Sediment

Prior to the implementation of filtration systems in many wineries in the 20th century, many wines would build up sediment as the wine aged in the bottle. So that the sediment didn’t end up on your or your guest’s glass, wines were (and are) poured from their original bottle into a decanter over candlelight. Once the sludge of sediment is visible in the neck of the bottle, the pourer puts down the wine bottle and places the decanter on the table. Then, guests enjoy the wine as it is poured from the decanter into individual wine glasses. 

Decanting Cheap Wines to Disguise Frugality

If you are hosting a wine party on a budget for a crowd or want to switch over to some cheap wine later in the evening, pouring cheap wine from a box or inexpensive bottle into a nice decanter will “dress up” the wine presentation. Brilliant!

How do I use a wine decanter?

It’s really quite simple, no need to overthink it! We’ve found the best way to learn how to decant is by watching someone else with training and experience wines. To learn more, check out this video on the decanting of young wines in a large decanter and older wines (via candlelight) into a narrow-based decanter (carafe).

Decanting an Older Wine

If you are decanting an older wine, you really don’t want to decant it until just before consuming, as some of the aromas will become muted and disappear with exposure to oxygen. With an especially old wine, you will want to cover the top of the decanter (carafe) with some sort of enclosure so that aromas don’t escape.

Decanting Younger Wines

If you are decanting a younger wine, such as a premium or artisanal wine from a region like Bordeaux, the Rhone, or Napa, you will need to do a little experimentation and let the taste be your guide. First, pour yourself a small taste before decanting. If the aromas and flavor are quite muted (not very expressive), then you might need to decant the wine for an hour or more. Our best advice is to keep tasting a sip or two at a time, 15-20 minutes apart, until it starts to taste as you like (such hard work!). To anticipate how long this might be, you can consider looking up others’ tasting notes on an application like Cellar Tracker to see how long the same wine was decanted by other people who drank it. You may need to take this information with a grain of salt as everyone has different preferences for length of decanting, but at least you’ll get a general idea of the decanting period (which could be anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours!).

If you are decanting a very young wine, such as a cheap wine from the grocery store, decanting for 15 to 30 minutes is usually sufficient.  

What are the different types of decanters?

Decanters vary by construction, shape, design, and price. The material of which the decanter is made and the shape are significant factors.

Materials Used to Make Decanters

Basically, you want a decanter that is made of an inert substance that will not interact with the wine you wish to decant. This means plastic is typically out of the running. Commercially available decanters are typically made from glass, crystal, earthenware, and silver.  

Glass decanters are typically the least expensive and least durable. However, they generally take to automatic dishwashers better than crystal decanters, mostly due to their thick walls.

Crystal decanters are quite durable.  Crystal decanters can be mouth-blown or made from a mold.  Crystal decanters are also likely to be more elaborate in shape than glass decanters, as even very thin walls can be quite strong.  

Different Shapes of Decanters

As trends come and go, so do the shapes of decanters.

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We categorize decanters into two main groups: tall thin carafes for decanting older wines and broad-bottomed decanters for younger wines.

You will find various sources describing the differences between decanters and how they affect wine. However, we’ve found that there’s really a very minimal difference in the aroma and flavor of wine decanted in the various types of decanters outside of these two groupings of tall/thin and broad/round.

When you are shopping on the internet or at a bottle shop, antique shop, or large retail shop like Williams Sonoma or Crate & Barrel, you will find lots of cool names for decanter shapes, like shaft and globe, Indian club, taper, shoulder, mallet, pillar cut, cruciform, cornett, and duck (to name a few!).

How do I clean a wine decanter?

If you clean your decanter right after using it,, you can usually just triple rinse the decanter with hot water from the tap. If wine sat in the decanter for a few hours or overnight, however, a more aggressive approach to cleaning will be needed.  

After a night of drinking, cleaning a decanter can be quite a bother. If you don’t have time or are afraid that you will damage a decanter in a tired (or inebriated) situation, we recommend a quick rinse followed by filling the decanter with an inch or so of water so that you don’t have to fight with a stain in the morning.

Most glass decanters (and some crystal decanters) can be washed in the dishwasher. If in question, we recommend washing by hand. When washing by hand, try to minimize aromas and residues on both decanters and any fine glassware by washing the glassware in warm water using fragrance-free dish soap. We use this brand:

 
 

When washing by hand use a decanter brush to get into the nooks and crevices of a decanter. We like this one:

 
 

How do I remove wine stains from a wine decanter?

If a wine stain is not removed by the above methods, there are still a couple of approaches to cleaning dried-on wine stains deep inside the decanter.

Decanter Beads

There are beads designed specifically for the purpose of removing stubborn wine stains in the decanter. Carefully place beads in the decanter with soap and water, then swirl to free the debris. Invert the decanter and collect the beads in a kitchen sieve. When you’re done, rinse, dry, and store your decanter beads in the container the beads came in.

 
 

Denture or Retainer Cleanser

If you entertain frequently or are often battling dried on lipstick or wine stains in glassware, do what the pros do - use denture cleaner!  Place a tablet in the decanter, fill with a couple inches of water, and let the decanter sit overnight. This often removes the most stubborn wine stains. When cleaning individual pieces of stemware, we break up a denture tablet and insert just a piece of the tablet into each piece of glassware that requires some deep cleaning. Fill the glass to just above the stain.

 
 

Hard Water Stains

Perhaps your roommate or well-intentioned spouse used your favorite decanter for a flower vase or to temporarily house a goldfish when an aquarium started leaking. Or maybe you live in an area with especially hard water and are annoyed by that invisible film that keeps showing up on your glassware.

Here’s a product that’s used in the craft beer industry to clean glassware with hard water mineral stains from calcium and other naturally occurring elements and minerals.

 
 

How do I polish and dry a wine decanter?

To prevent water spots on the outside of the decanter, we recommend a quick once-over with a fun glassware polishing cloth like this one. You can also use this glass polishing cloth for cleaning glassware, eyeglasses, and photography lenses!

 
 

To air out the inside of the decanter, you have a couple options. First is to “wedge” the decanter into a dish drying rack. This is a good option if you have an inexpensive glass decanter.

If you have an artistic or treasured wine decanter, consider getting a decanter drying rack like this one. We like this drying stand as it has rubber coating to prevent scratches to the decanter.

 
 

Which decanter should I purchase?

Now that you know everything there is to know about decanters, we’ll share our three favorite wine decanters.

Best Wine Decanter for Older Wines

This mouth-blown lead-free decanter from Austria can be used to decant one 750 mL bottle of wine. It’s a good decanter for older wines as one can minimize exposure to oxygen. This very high quality of crystal has no distracting design, allowing one to easily see the color of the aged wine. 

In addition to decanting wine, this carafe can be used to serve water, juice, or other beverages. The hourglass shape is attractive and easy to clean. This decanter is also dishwasher safe. 2500 mL versio is also available if you need to decant a magnum (1.5 L) bottle of wine.

 
 

Best Inexpensive Glass Wine Decanter

If you are looking for a simple, dual purpose wine decanter (for new and old wines) that is inexpensive, this decanter may be for you. In addition to being economical, it does not have a wide base, making it easy to store. This decanter also has an insert that can be used for aerating younger wines (use without the insert for older wines). Due to its shape, this decanter does not scream “wine decanter,” so it can be used for beverages other than wine, like orange juice or flavored water.

 
 

Best Multi-Purpose Lead-Free Crystal Wine Decanter

Perhaps you already have a glass decanter and want your second decanter to be a lead-free crystal wine decanter. This one has a very wide base (8.5 inches) and plenty of surface area for decanting. The slanted top makes it attractive and easy to pour. 

 
 

Best “Splurge” Lead-Free Crystal Wine Decanter

This mouth-blown, high quality, lead-free decanter made in Austria has a sleek design that maximizes surface area of the wine to oxygen. The decanter easily holds a 750 mL bottle of wine and is easy to pour and clean.  

 
 

Wine Decanter Wrap-Up

We hope you learned something about wine decanting and that you feel less intimidated by the process. Have more questions or a favorite wine decanter you want to tell us about? Share in the comment section! Happy decanting!

Cheers from KnowWines!

Thirteen Funny Wine Glasses

Looking for some levity in 2020? How about gifting a set of funny wine glasses? We scoured the internet for the best selection of funny wine glasses out there. This blog shares our top thirteen selections.

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Before we continue with our review, 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!

Why Funny Wine Glasses?

While many prefer to drink out of traditional wine glasses (insert Gabriel Glas article), special events and gift giving can provide occasions for having fun your wine-loving friends who also have a sense of humor!

Things to Avoid When Purchasing Funny Wine Glasses

If you are purchasing a funny wine glass to gift to a wine connoisseur, here are a few things to keep in mind to increase the odds that your carefully purchased gift won’t end up in the dark corners of a cabinet.

Hand Lettered Wine Glasses

Hand lettering became a big trend in the 2010’s. Cute, funny, and naughty sayings found themselves plastered all over home decor, t-shirts, and coffee mugs. Wine glassware, unfortunately, did not escape this trend.  

Hand-lettered wine glasses available through online retailers are often “cheap” wine glasses constructed of lower quality glass or glassware with very thick rims. Sometimes the issue is not the glassware but a low-quality printing or etching on the glass. The saying isn’t funny anymore when a few letters go missing from a printed-on slogan after only a couple washes.

Also, hand-lettering is distracting to some wine lovers. While funny, the lettering can detract from the visual aesthetic of swirling and visually evaluating the wine in the glass.  Instead of choosing hand-lettered glasses, we focused on funny shapes and styles of glassware with more timeless appeal. 

Avoid Stemless Wine Glasses (Unless Requested)

Stemless wine glasses were developed in response to some wine lovers’ need for wine glasses that don’t tip over easily, or that are easier to wash without fear of breaking the stem.

While these stemless galsses are very popular, they can be polarizing. Some wine lovers are turned off by smudged wine glasses (as there is no stem to hold on to). Others don’t like that wine in stemless glasses can become warm too quickly due to the close proximity of the wine to the warm temperature of hands.  

Unless a gift recipient has expressed a love for stemless wine glasses, we recommend sticking with funny wine glasses with stems.  Another option is purchasing a wine tumbler like the Yeti Wine Tumbler and personalizing it.

Where to Buy Funny Wine Glasses

One -of-a-kind funny wine glasses are available at many online retailers.  These include large box stores, online platforms like etsy.com, and small businesses. For locally sourced humorous wine glasses, check on etsy.com, your local wine retailer, or a local glassblower.

Some online retailers specialize in personalized wine glasses. Does the gift recipient have a “trademark saying,” or is there a special retirement sentiment you’d like to share? Plan a few days or weeks in advance and obtain a personalized funny wine glass 

Funny Wine Glass Themes

Funny wine glasses are often inspired by the comedy of everyday life.  Here are some common themes in funny wine glasses:

  • Oversized or odd-shaped wine glasses

  • Professional, vocational

  • Stage of life or lifestyle

  • Naughty

  • Hobbies and Pets

  • Regional or City

  • Current events

  • Overindulgence

  • Humor at expense of “Wine Snobs”

Our 13 Favorite Funny Wine Glasses of 2020

Even with sidestepping the hand-lettering trend, we were able to find thirteen funny wine glasses that are great as gifts or for entertaining at home with friends.

Tipsy Wine Glasses 

No, it’s not an optical illusion, these glasses are tipsy! This set of two funny wine glasses comes with bent stems, giving the illusion that the bowl is going to fall over.

If you are looking for a gift for a raffle or office party, this set of funny wine glasses might be the perfect fit. These glasses can also serve as a great practical joke - replace your friends’ glasses with a couple of these and wait for the startled response.

Pros:

  • Good for practical jokes

  • Timeless

Cons:

  • Not necessarily uniform; stems in a set of glasses may bend at different angles

  • If you fill the glass over 150 mL, it may tip over!

Giant Wine Glass

These novelty giant wine glasses stand twenty inches tall. And yes, they can hold an entire bottle of wine. While the primary purpose of such a glass is as a gag gift, this giant wine glass can also serve as a cork holder, fishbowl, or wine chiller.

 
 

Pros:

  • Ships in a sturdy box

  • Handblown

Cons:

  • Variation in glass quality reported by some consumers

Vampire Wine Glass

These funny wine glasses are more quirky than laugh-out-loud funny. However, many wine enthusiasts will find their design fun and unique. Essentially, one can consume the wine in the glass “like a vampire,” aspirating the liquid through a glass straw on the side. Perfect for a Halloween get-together!

Pros:

  • Made out of food-safe Borosilicate Glass

  • Microwaveable

Cons:

  • Delicate

Beaker Wineglass

Here’s a fun wine glass for the STEM crowd - a wine glass designed to look like a beaker! This would make a good white elephant gift for a doctor, nurse, scientist, science teacher, or science grad. Or, maybe gift it to someone who is “experimenting” with new types of wine!

Pros:

  • Handblown

  • Made from authentic laboratory glass

  • Foodgrade

Cons:

  • Due to the handmade nature of the product, there might be slight variations in the glass and robustness of the graduation labeling


Hourglass Wine Glass and Martini Glass

One side is a wine glass, the other side is a martini glass. Visually, this represents an hourglass. Cool, right? This could be a good gift for a martini lover who also enjoys wine, or perhaps someone who is a fan of Days of Our Lives.  

 
 

Pros:

  • Design is complementary to many other styles of glassware

Cons:

  • Due to the handmade nature of the product, there might be slight variations in the glass 

Mason Glass / Ball Glass Wine Jar

This funny wine glass is a staple in steakhouse gift shops and Cracker Barrel stores: the Mason Jar Wine Glass. This item may make for a nice white elephant gift.

 
 

Pros:

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Can be difficult to drink from - the opening is small 

  • Better to handwash

Miniature Wine Glasses

Technically these are shot glasses, but we can think of lots of fun ways to pass them off as “mini wine glasses.” We envision them decorating wedding tables or being used as decorations for a bachelorette party or wine lover’s birthday party. Or, buy a set to have a little fun with that friend who always says “Sure, I’d like to try a little bit of that wine - just a little.”

 
 

Pros:

  • Lead-free, food-grade glass

Cons:

  • Small, even small for a shot glass

Aerating Wine Glass

Have a friend who is obsessed with wine aeration and aeration gadgetry? This will make the perfect gift - fun, but fragile! Also makes for a good conversation starter at parties.

 
 

Pros:

  • Unique design

  • Conversation starter

Cons:

  • Delicate, easy to break

  • Difficult to clean

Halloween Zombie Wine Glass

Perhaps you know a wine enthusiast with a dark sense of humor. Or maybe you have a friend who loves doing the Halloween Zombie Lurch. This polyresin hand could be a fun gift. Spooky!

 
 

Pros:

  • Realistic

  • Perfect for Halloween

Cons:

  • Delicate

Christmas Wine Glass Ornament

Friends or family who collect Christmas ornaments in addition to wine may enjoy this fun wine glass ornament for their tree. Consider gifting it with a bottle of wine! This ornament might also be a good selection for a white elephant gift exchange.  

 
 

Pros:

  • A simple wine glass ornament

  • The “wine’ moves around inside the ornament

Cons:

  • Not available in “white” wine color for white wine lovers

Wine Horn

This is a good gift for someone who enjoys Renaissance Festivals, fantasy novels, or the Highland games. Enjoy wine or your favorite beverage in “the original wine glass.”  

 
 

Pros:

  • Handmade

  • Available in two sizes

Cons:

  • Not a traditional wine glass

  • Not transparent 

Floating Wine Glass

These floating wine glasses look just like traditional wine glasses, but they float! These fun glasses might be good for enjoying wine in a pool, a hot tub, or at the beach. They are generous in size and are constructed of Tritan, which is more shatterproof than acrylic.  

 
 

Pros:

  • Plastic, which is great for pool use

  • Unlike acrylic floating wine glasses that lack a base, these “glasses” can transition from the water to the patio.

Cons:

  • White wine does not show up well, you could “lose” the glass in the pool due to the lack of color

Funny Wine Glasses Wrap-Up

We hope you’ve enjoyed our round-up of funny wine glasses! Though some wine lovers profess a desire to drink only from traditional wine glasses, there are often occasions to cut loose, not take oneself so seriously, and enjoy a funny wine glass or two!

Cheers!

The Best Wine Purses of 2020

Jolene heading out to host a wine dinner.

Jolene heading out to host a wine dinner.

Are you a wine sales rep in search of an attractive insulated wine purse for daily on-the-job use? Or maybe you’re a wine enthusiast looking for a wine purse for carrying some bottles to the beach or to a special event?  Or maybe you’re looking for a whimsical wine tote for an upcoming birthday gift. We’ve got you covered in this review of the best wine purses for every need.

Before we continue with our review, 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!

Do I Need a Wine Purse?

If you are in the wine trade - perhaps as a sommelier, an event planner, or host of wine classes - an insulated and professional wine purse is a must. These insulated wine purses have enough structure to keep wine bottles upright. As these wine totes are a necessary tool for the trade, they should have some style elements enjoyed by the owner in addition to practical features like insulation, structure, and wear-resistant fabrics.

If you are a wine enthusiast or buying for a friend who is a wine lover, then you are looking for one of two types of wine purses. The same companies that make professional wine purses also make smaller handbags that fit two or three bottles, keeping them upright and chilled. The second type of wine purse is what we call a recreational wine purse - one intended for carrying wine in a discreet manner with the wine itself inside a food grade bag with dispenser.

Wine Purses: What to Consider

Once you’ve determined the style of wine purse you’re looking for - a professional wine purse to hold one or more bottles, or a fun wine purse to discreetly transport wine to an event or party - there are a few more things to consider. 

Construction and Aesthetic of Wine Purses

Wine purses are typically constructed from vinyl, leather, or faux-leather (also called vegan leather). If there is potential for the wine purse to be exposed to water, you may want to consider avoiding leather. Alternatively, if you are taking wines to show to a wine bottle shop or wedding planner, then you might want to consider the finer aesthetics of a leather or faux-leather wine purse.

Number of Bottles the Wine Purse Contains

Will you (or the recipient in the case of a gift) need to carry one, three or six bottles of wine for appointments?  

In the case of recreational wine purses - where a hidden bag holds the wine instead of the original box or bag - consider how much volume you need for the event.  

Should my Wine Purse be Insulated or Uninsulated?

Most wine purses offer both insulated and uninsulated compartments. You’ll need to consider whether you want a bag that simply helps pre-chilled wine remain cold - much like those insulated grocery bags you see in the freezer section of the grocery store - or if you want a bag that uses ice packs which can be removed from the wine purse in cooler weather.

Wine purses without removable ice packs frequently cannot be kept cool by placing ice directly into the purse.  Placing ice directly in many wine purses often results in leaking or dampness of surrounding materials and could discolor or damage leather bags.  

Does My Wine Purse Need a Spout?

If you plan on serving wine from a spout connected to a discreet bladder inside the wine bag, then yes, you will need a wine purse with a built-in spout. Professional wine purses don’t have wine spouts.

Overall Top Wine Purse

The chill-n-go family of professional wine bags has been making wine purses, totes, and luggage for 30 years. Jolene has had this bag for almost two years and would purchase again if her original wine tote disappeared.

 
 

With good construction, removable ice packs, and pouches for storing maps, handouts, corkscrews, and more, one could easily get 2-3 years of everyday use out of these sturdy nylon bags available in many colors.

Best Wine Purse for Wine Professionals

Chill-n-go has been making the go-to wine purse (or tote) for sommeliers, instructors, and wine salespeople for years. Consider this wine bag (available in several colors) if you have frequent need of a wine purse and want a high-quality bag that will be a trusted partner for years.

 
 

Why do we like it? This bag was clearly designed with the professional in mind. The nylon construction is very sturdy and easy to clean regardless of your travel conditions - dusty roads, sticky floors, errant wine splashes from excited wine tasters - no problem.  Also, the design is unisex (not too feminine, not too masculine).  

We like that the ice packs are removable and easily stored in the freezer between uses (or one can go without the ice packs in cooler weather). There’s a zippered pouch for storing an extra corkscrew, a champagne stopper or two, or a credit card swipe device that attaches to your cell phone for any off-premise sales.  

Nylon fabric separates the ice pack from the bottles and any literature you might have, so no more wet labels or wet literature if you’ve been compensating with other bags. With this bag, we’ve easily carried wine maps measuring up to 14” in height. We’ve also used the tote for grocery shopping.

Pros:

  • Easy to clean

  • Sturdy bag and handle, including shoulder strap

  • Structured bag holds one to six bottles upright easily

Cons:

  • The classic design in nylon might be too “plain” for those seeking a luxury look

Chill-no-go does offer a similar tote in Italian leather for those wanting to splurge on a Made in USA wine purse bag including this red leather snake print.

 
 

Best Wine Clutch Purse

Perhaps you are looking to discreetly carry just one chilled bottle to an event (sans paper bag). When you’re not using it for wine, this wine clutch purse can also be used to carry medicines requiring insulation.

 
 

Pros:

  • Clutch is a discreet way for wine enthusiasts to carry one bottle of wine

  • Available in many trending colors and prints, including cork

  • Use to carry other beverages in addition to wine, including craft beer bomber or a couple of smaller beers.

Cons:

  • Don’t put ice in the bag, as thawed ice will leave water spots

  • Good looking, but not robust. 

  • Designed for infrequent use, not as an “everyday” bag

The PortoVino Wine Bag, the Best Wine Bag for the Beach

While originally designed for wine, any beverage can be placed in this discreet wine purse when glass wine bottles are not allowed.  

 
 

Inside the PortoVino purse is a pouch that you pour wine into.  In the front of the purse is a spout hidden behind a flap that allows one to pour wine out of the purse into a wine glass.  

Check out this video to learn more about what you can store in the wine bag and how to fill it with wine. It is also possible purchase replacement BPA-free bags in case you forget to clean out the bag or you rupture the bag accidentally with a sharp object.

 
 

PortoVino Wine Bag, the Best Fashionable Wine Purse With Hidden Spout, Insulation, and Leather Construction

Like the beach bag, this purse has a compartment for up to 1.5 L of wine. Unlike the other PortoVino wine bags, the leather bag interiors look more like a traditional purse, with pockets for a cell phone and other accessories. Made of Italian leather, this bag would make a great gift for someone who wants to bring wine with them to outdoor concerts or to pool parties in an elegant carrier.

 
 

Pros:

  • Italian leather construction

  • Fashionable and discreet

  • Reliable customer service if there are any issues

Cons:

  • Does not hold bottles, only wine poured into a bag inside the purse.

Our Favorite Overall Wine Purse

Each of these wine purses has unique, favorable qualities that we appreciate. Still, our favorite wine purse is still the chill-n-go wine tote, and that distinction is based on our two years of experience with the bag.

Here’s an overview of what we love about this wine purse:

  • This bag will last for years, is available in several colors, and an upgrade to leather is available. 

  • The design is not too feminine or too masculine.

  • The bag itself does not look or feel “cheap,” but rather has the timeless look and feel of something from a premium outdoor retailer like REI.   

  • The Chill-n-go wine purse holds up to six bottles of wine and has the flexibility to be insulated or not, depending upon your environment.

  • If it gets dirty, clean up is easy.  

  • There is a handy compartment (separate from the bottles within) into which you can easily place a wallet and wine accessories like a corkscrew.  

  • When you are not using it to carry wine, it can be used for a grocery tote.  

Whether you’re a sommelier, a host of wine classes, or a just a wine enthusiast seeking the perfect wine tote for special events, we hope you found what you were looking for in this review.

Have other recommendations? Share them in the comments below!

Cheers, from KnowWines!

What To Do When the Nose Goes

So, you’ve saved up for a trip to wine country and made it to your destination - only to be stricken by seasonal allergies or a cold, leaving you with a stuffy nose and a limited (or no!) ability to smell and taste food or wine.

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Here are a few of our favorite travel tips, having fallen prey to the impact of recirculated air, traveling during cold and flu season, and also having lifelong issues with hay fever.  

Packing medicine for smarter getaways

It’s a good idea to pack some basic over-the-counter medicines for trips to prevent time wasted driving to a store during your stay. Also, if your wine travels take you to Europe, you’ll find that most stores are closed on Sunday, or the dosage is in a language you can’t read. 

Start with this re-usable TSA Approved Transparent Waterproof Cosmetic Bag with Zipper for storing medicines

 
 

We like this three-pack as you can use one for liquids, one for dry goods, and the third for electrical adaptors and chargers.  We try to minimize the liquid medicines we take on a trip or place them in our checked luggage.

OTC Medicines and supplies to make travel easier

To prevent potential overdose and to treat only the symptoms we have, we prefer to shy away from all-in-one “cold and flu” or “allergy” medicine and purchase independent components separately.  

Pain Reliever

All over-the-counter pain relievers are not created equal.  While these products are available without a prescription, they are still medicine. By avoiding combination products, you reduce the chance that you take the same active ingredient twice when combining medications. If you aren’t sure which OTC pain killer is best to have with you for travel, check with a pharmacist or your doctor for a recommendation.  

Our personal favorite pain killer is Advil. Available in travel sized two-packs, these travel packages slip easily into your carry-on or checked bag, and you don’t need to carry a bottle around.  

 
 

Facial Tissues

Hotel facial tissues (unless you are staying at a 4-star resort) are just a step above sandpaper. Don’t forget to pack facial tissues like these.    

 
 

Eye Mask

If you are a seasonal allergy sufferer, remember to pack one of these warm eye masks that helps in reducing swelling due to hay fever.  This type of eye mask requires a microwave for activation, so if there is no microwave in your room, check with the front desk. Many heatable eye masks don’t have washable covers.  While these may look less fashionable than velour eye masks, these eye masks are re-usable and washable.  

 
 

Bkr Water Bottle

If you don’t travel a lot, you might not know that it is just fine to take an empty water bottle on the plane with you. Simply fill it up once you pass through security.  

We like this Bkr bottle since it has a screw-on top, making it perfectly safe to throw in your favorite handbag without worrying about leakage. We also like that it is dishwasher safe. And since Jolene’s day job is a scientist, she thinks the whole “beaker” thing is kind of cool!

 
 

Why can’t I taste or smell anything when I’m sick?

Temporarily losing your sense of smell or taste is normal when one has hay fever (seasonal allergies) or the common cold. Nasal passages become congested with mucus or are inflamed. These symptoms may be accompanied by pain behind or below the eyes.  Removing the mucus and reducing inflammation is key to getting your nose back in tip-top wine tasting shape. If you are experiencing more than a temporary loss of your sense of smell, then see a physician as this might be a sign of something more serious.

Mucus relief for wine tasters

If you have a wine tasting coming up that you can’t reschedule or you have a blind tasting exam as a student of wine, having a cold or allergies is going to be stressful! Your primary objective is to get that gunk out of your nose and chest and to get the Eustachian tube cleared up and draining properly so that you can get back to smelling and tasting wines as soon as possible. You may be tempted to run directly to the box of drugs with the most active ingredients. However, there are a number of home treatment options that you can try instead of (or along with) OTC drugs.  

Our recommendations below are for home (or on-the-road) treatment of sinus congestion due to cold or allergy. As always, if you suspect that you have something more serious, call a physician. The front desk of your hotel is a great place to check for medical options and hours. If you are not at a hotel, send a message to your AirBnB or HomeAway host for a recommendation.

Hot Shower For Cold or Allergy Relief

Your first line of relief is a long hot shower. Your stuffy nose from cold or allergies is due to inflammation and swollen blood vessels. The steam from the shower helps open up the nasal passages to make it easier to expel mucus. Ten to 15 minutes should be enough to yield some relief, and this treatment can be repeated up to 3 times per day. Though a hot shower won’t cure the underlying cause of illness (cold virus, allergen, irritant), it will provide relief.  Don’t make the shower too hot or you may scald yourself.  

Get a Steam Inhaler

If a hot shower is not available, or you are in an area where water use is restricted, there are a few tools available for intense steam therapy.  

First is a steam room, which may be available in resort-type areas.  If traveling, ask if there is a steam room available at your hotel or gym. As with the hot shower, a steam room can be used 2-3 times per day, 15 to 20 minutes maximum per visit.

Staying somewhere less plush? If your accommodations are AirBnB or HomeAway, there might be a pot available to heat water in the kitchen. Simply heat the water and then turn off the heating source. Lean over the pot, and cover your head with a towel. It will take a little figuring out to find the best combination of face distance to pot and percent of towel coverage. Keep in mind that when utilizing this method there is some risk of scalding yourself. Be careful!  

Whether you are at home or traveling, check to see if a humidifier is available to borrow. There are some travel humidifiers on the market, however, I’ve not found one yet that disperses a steady stream of fine mist. When traveling domestically (say, in California’s wine country), consider taking one of these personal steam inhalers along if you are prone to congestion while traveling. It is TSA compliant. These value electronics often work only on 110 V, so they are not worth the hassle to take overseas.

 
 

Drink More! (Water, That Is!)

The wine can come later (once you can smell it again). It is important to drink a lot of water and other liquids including soup and decaffeinated tea, to help reduce inflammation and replace liquids lost during coughing and sneezing.  

Best Saline Nasal Spray

Traveling with a Neti-pot can be cumbersome, so leave it at home. While congested in Europe, we came across this product called Sterimar. It is now our pick for best nasal spray! We love it’s angled applicator, the fact that it is all natural salt water from France, and that is has a super cute dolphin on the front.  This product is available online and is widely distributed in Europe.  

 
 

How to Use a Nasal Spray

If you’ve had poor experiences using saline nasal sprays (or OTC or prescription sprays), check out this short video explaining how to position your head to receive the spray. 

 
 

Best Expectorant if Stuffiness Comes With a Cough

While many “cold and cough” multi-purpose products contain guaifenesin, we prefer to take it by itself and add in other medications (only if needed!), reducing the likelihood that you overdose on OTC cold medicines. How does guaifenesin work? By thinning the mucus making it easier to get it out of your system by coughing.

 
 

Is it even possible to sleep with a stuffy nose?

You’ve made some progress against the gunk in your sinuses and lungs the night before your tasting or special meal. Now, it’s time for some sleep. In fact, rest is one of the best ways to get back into the tasting action. But nothing is as frustrating to wake up to an even stuffier head in the morning! During the day, we are typically walking or sitting upright, and any post nasal drip gets swallowed (I know, gross!).  Well at night, that swallowing is minimal, leaving one with typically a very stuffy head and bad cough in the morning. To reduce the chances of this happening, collect as many pillows as possible to prop your head upright. If you sleep well in a recliner, this could be another option.  If you experience ear pain in the evening or at night due to blockages in the ear’s Eustachian tube, sleep on your side with the painful ear “up” to promote drainage.  

How do I cancel my reservation if I just can’t make it to the tasting?

We’ve been in your shoes. You’ve done all you can to increase the likelihood of success so that you can show up with a cleared out nose and ready for a day of tasting. Still, sometimes the allergies or cold virus gets the best of us and we should not be out in public spreading our germs.

If you paid a deposit, call the winery, restaurant, or host where your tasting is taking place and inform them that you are not feeling well. Most often, they understand and can rebook you. You may not get a refund though they will often transfer your deposit to the new date of your rebooking, frequently within a year.  

If you are a student of wine sitting for a tasting exam, call the instructor or test auditor and let them know that you are unwell.  There may be options to re-sit the exam at a later date.  

In all these instances where a deposit has been made, check with your credit card company (if you used a credit card to hold a reservation). The card may have insurance for travel disruption as part of your annual fee. It is worth a call to check it out!

Finally, if you get sick on your trip and end up not being able to taste any wine at all (so sad!), consider getting recommendations from a winemaker or travel companion for a few great wines to take home with you. Here’s our guide for checking wine when you fly.

What are home remedies for when the nose goes?

If you travel to taste wines or are in the wine trade, what other tips or tricks do you have to share regarding unplugging the nose?  Let us know in the comments below!

Here’s to healthy travels! Cheers, from KnowWines!











































The Chappellet Winery

Are you seeking an off-the-beaten path wine tour with some of the most stunning scenery in Napa Valley? 

Do you enjoy classic California Cabernet Sauvignon?

Are you (and perhaps a small group of friends) looking for a Napa winery with great value Cabernet Sauvignon as well as collectible fine wines? 

Then a visit to Chappellet Winery may be a good fit for you!

In 2019, KnowWines visited Chappellet Winery and enjoyed a private tour with tasting.  Here’s our review of the visit. And before you head to Napa, check out our free e-course and blog about places to stay in the valley.

Things to consider before visiting Chappellet Winery

This winery tour is good for anyone interested in an off-the-beaten path tasting experience in one of Napa Valley’s legendary wineries.

The tour is great for the following types of travelers:

  • Wine lovers who want to avoid a bar-type atmosphere that can be found at some wineries on the main roads in Napa County

  • Wine enthusiasts who want a private or semi-private tasting experience

  • A mixed group of wine tasters with interests at various price points

  • Collectors of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon wines

The winery tour and tasting experience is not ideal for these types of travelers:

  • Fast paced service in a noisy, vibrant setting

  • Travelers who need to be on their smartphone nonstop (beautiful rural regions frequently have poor cell service)

  • Travelers with pets or companions under 21

  • Wine enthusiasts afraid of narrow, winding roads

  • Wine tasters expecting a free or discounted wine tasting fee with wine purchase 

Before purchasing a Chappellet Winery tour and tasting, you will need to consider the following:

  • Do you want a private or semi-private experience?

  • How much do you want to spend on the experience? 

  • Do you want to taste current releases or the more premium wines from Chappellet?

  • How much time are you willing to spend (most of Chappellet’s wine tastings take 90 minutes)?

Where is Chappellet Winery and Pritchard Hill?

Chappellet Winery is located at the top of Pritchard Hill.  Pritchard Hill is located in the Vaca mountains in Napa county.  

To get to Chappellet Winery on Pritchard Hill, head north from downtown Napa on the Silverado Trail for about 17 miles. Then head east on 128 for about a mile until you get to Stage Coach Canyon Road, which leads to the winery. This road is winding with switchbacks.  

What should I wear to a Chappellet Winery tour and tasting?

The winery and grounds are best described as rustic and elegant. There is a mix of pavement and permeable surfaces like gravel, so sturdy closed-toe shoes like hiking shoes, leather, or rubber boots would work best. We saw most guests wearing jeans and a nice pull-over or wrap as it is always cool in the cellar. 

If it is raining on the day of your visit, bring an umbrella to get to and from your vehicle. Umbrellas are provided on the tour. In summer months, you might consider sunscreen if you burn easily. When you check in, there are washrooms and some spaces to store a few bags and coats. 

About Chappellet Winery and Pritchard Hill

Pritchard Hill is named for an early Vaca mountains homesteader named Charles Pritchard.  In the 1890s he was growing Zinfandel and Riesling among other grape varieties. Early settlers knew that the iron rich and rocky red soils, as well as elevation and aspect, would be great for grape growing. Grape growing and winemaking went on up here until Prohibition, and then it took a backseat to other agriculture endeavors like cattle grazing.   

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In the 1960s, a new generation of winemakers entered the region, inspired by André Tchelistcheff, a diminutive (4’11) Russian-born winemaker who inspired this generation of new winemakers following Prohibition. Since 1938 Tchelistcheff was Napa’s Beaulieu Vineyards vice president and chief winemaker and helped bring high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and winemaking to the foreground through innovation in the vineyard and cellar.

In the 1960s, a 30-something Don Chappellet had already made his mark in the world, co-founding Interstate United Corporation, which developed and sold the first vending machines that dispensed coffee into cups by using fresh grounds. Before Starbucks and Nespresso were ever a thing, Don was the largest coffee buyer in the world. Don was tiring of the coffee business and wanted a different pace of life for his family. While at Interstate, he had started to amass a collection of Bordeaux and Bourgogne wines. He was a 4th generation Californian and did not want to move to France - he wondered if such wines could be made in California. 

Shortly after meeting Tchelistcheff, Andre told Don that high elevation (1800 ft) mountain grown Cabernet Sauvignon and the right cellar techniques might yield a wine very similar to Chateau Latour from Bordeaux. Andre helped Don pick the site of Chappellet. Don left his corporate job, traded his jacket for a tractor, and purchased land on Pritchard Hill. He moved his wife Molly and their five children to the mountain. Later, Molly would establish beautiful gardens near the winery as driving back and forth from town with so many children was a lot of work. She has written several books on gardening, entertaining, and wine caves, including the James Beard Award Winning A Vineyard Garden.

Chappellet is one of few wineries still owned by a family on Pritchard Hill. Today’s owners are descendants of Don and Molly Chappellet.  The winery recently celebrated 50 years in business.

Our online booking experience

We booked our private tasting online about five days before arriving in Napa. Those traveling during the peak seasons of Thanksgiving/Christmas and during the summer months may want to consider booking one or two weeks out to get your ideal time slot.

There were three booking options: the Estate Tour & Tasting, the Private Estate Tour and Tasting, and the Signature Tasting and Estate Tour. The Estate Tour is the least expensive, and is for wine enthusiasts who don’t mind being joined by a few others on the tour. The Private Estate Tour is private, and allows you to taste five wines that are typically available only to club members. The Signature Tasting is geared toward the wine collector, focused on collectable wines, and again, is private. 

We selected the mid-priced Private Estate Tour and Tasting for 90 minutes. The booking process was very easy. Quickly we received an email confirmation with very detailed instructions on how to get to the winery.   

Our tasting experience

When we arrived we were greeted by Theo, the winery’s brand manager. She was very knowledgeable on vineyards, winemaking practices, and retail. It was a rainy day, and she provided us with a giant golf umbrella during our walking tour of the vineyard. (Yes, we had an umbrella in one hand and a wine glass in another!)

Back inside the cellar, we sat down and tasted the following wines.

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  • 2017 Grower Collection Chardonnay, El Novillero Vineyard, Carneros

  • 2017 Grower Collection Pinot Noir, Apple Lane Vineyard, Russian River Valley

  • 2016 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon

  • 2016 Cabernet Franc

  • 2016 Hideaway Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

  • 2014 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

During our tasting we never felt rushed or pressured to join a wine club. We were able to walk around a little in the cellar and watch workers moving barrels and cleaning equipment.

Other Chappellet Winery visit reviews

We wrote this review as we did not see a lot of other wine bloggers writing up a trip report. We did do some online researching before our trip.

The types of positive comments we saw on online reviews were “Pleasant Surprise, Chappellet is great,” “a hidden gem”, and “scenic, best winery of the week.”

Ambivalent or negative reviews included “smaller pours than some other wineries,” “requires credit card deposit for booking,” and “too far from town.”

Alternatives to visiting Chappellet Winery 

It is difficult to get wine tastings at other wineries on Pritchard Hill. If you have found a great winery on Pritchard Hill, kindly share it with us in the notes. Chappellet is a little bit of a trek to get to, and other readers might want to book a second wine tasting in the area. If you are looking for some other options for wine tasting in Napa or Sonoma counties, check out our top 15 wineries to visit.

Where to purchase Chappellet Winery Wines

In addition to purchasing wines directly from the winery, one can purchase wines using the affiliate link for our favorite value-priced Cabernet Sauvignon in all of Napa Valley, the Chappellet Mountain Cuvee. Just click the image below for the link:

Our Favorite Value Cabernet

OR save on any Chappellet Wine by clicking using this link:

Our visit conclusion

When people ask us for recommendations of “mountain wineries” off the beaten path, I often recommend Chappellet (unless they are directions/GPS agnostic!).  

This was our second visit to Chappellet Winery and the staff have always been friendly and knowledgable, and the wines, while at a premium and luxury wine price point, are a great value compared to other wines in the vicinity.  

We enjoy the quiet, serene drive up and down the mountain. The winery feels truly in a world of its own perched up there on Pritchard Hill.  

Enjoy your visit!

Cheers!

Wine Racks America Ponderosa Wood Wine Rack

So, you have space in a dark closet, basement, or cellar (lucky you!) and are looking for wooden wine racks that are economical, robust, customizable, and easy to put together.  Enter Wine Racks America, a company that makes wine racks for a variety of consumers and commercial applications.

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We purchased two Wine Racks America racks in 2013 and were pleased with their robustness and the ease of putting them together. We ended up staining them to fit in with our basement decor, and we still use them there today in our basement, especially for the storage of wines and craft beer bombers that we plan to consume or share in the coming months. 

Things to consider before buying Wine Racks America Wood Wine Racks

The best way to store wines is on their side, and preferably in a dark place away from light, vibration, extreme temperatures, and relative humidity above 50%.  If you have most of these conditions as well as a growing wine collection, you may consider wooden wine racks for storing wines on their sides.

Wine Racks America wooden wine racks are ideal for someone with a cellar, closet, walk-in wine cellar, cave, or off-site temperature-controlled wine storage locker who is seeking sturdy shelving for organizing and laying down wines for in-bottle aging.

Before purchasing a wooden wine rack, consider the following:

  • How much space is available for the rack?

  • Do you want the wine rack to mount on the wall or on the floor?

  • What color of finish or stain do you prefer in a wine rack?

  • How many bottles do you hope to accommodate?

  • Which specific wine bottles will you need to accommodate (e.g., mostly standard Bordeaux or Burgundy bottles or a range of bottle shapes and sizes)?

  • What do you want to store above the wine rack?

You may not be an ideal candidate for a wooden wine rack if the following statements are true about you:

  • You don’t like to assemble products.

  • You need the product right away (manufacture and delivery can take several days).

  • You do not want to sand the item before staining (if you purchase the unstained product).

Wine Rack Americas Ponderosa Pine Wine Racks

Wine Rack Americas has been making wooden (metal, glass, and other) wine racks in Salt Lake City, Utah since 2003. The wooden wine racks are handmade from both hard and soft woods and with or without a finish. They sell five different lines catering toward the wine enthusiast, the serious collector, and the wine retailer.  In this review, we will be covering the Wooden Ponderosa Wine Rack Deluxe.

This product is ideal for the home wine collector who is simply looking to lay down wine bottles in a closet or basement for under a year. Those looking for a more refined or finished product may want to contact Wine Racks America directly for more customized options.  

Pros:

  • Made out of solid wood

  • Available stained or unstained

  • Ships in a flat box

Cons:

  • Some assembly is required.

  • As a natural wood product, there might be some natural variation in the finished product.

  • If most of your collection is Chardonnay, and the bottle has a wider base, they might be a tight fit.

  • If most of your collection is 375 mL or narrower than a Riesling flute, then the bottles might not fit on the brace.

Features & benefits of the Ponderosa Pine Deluxe Wood Wine Rack

How to finish the wood wine rack

The Wine Racks America wood wine rack comes unfinished.  You can stain the unit before you assemble it, or you can choose from over a dozen different finish options.  

We opted to finish the rack ourselves. We simply sanded the entire rack unit, first with coarse sandpaper, and then fine sandpaper.  We spread out all the wood components in the yard (on the cardboard box the pieces arrived in). We purchased some stain from the local hardware store and stained two units within one hour. We let the wine rack pieces dry in the garage for one week prior to assembling.

Wine rack construction

The Wine Racks America Ponderosa Pine Deluxe Wine Rack is made in America (Utah).  It comes with a lifetime guarantee. The Ponderosa pine is a fine-grained pine tree with a pleasant smell.  It is easy to stain and does not splinter as much as other softer pine wood. The entire unit is made of wood - there is no laminate or composite material.  

This freestanding unit does not require bolting to the wall. However, if there are small children in the house who might climb on top of the unit, we would recommending fixing the unit to the wall with some long screws.  

Wine Racks Americas Racks fit all 750 mL bottles

Over the past several years we have stored various bottle sizes in this wood wine rack.  

Wine bottles with wider bases like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir do fit. However, the fit is a little snug.  We have found that the wood is flexible and forgiving, so with a little elbow grease, we’ve gotten in all the bottles.

Special 500 mL or 375 mL bottles often don’t fit, in that most will fall through the slats. We’ve placed these smaller bottles in our EuroCave or placed them at the bottom of the wine rack on the lowest shelf so that they don’t fall through the slats.  

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Weight of the wine rack, with and without wine

Assembled, the wine rack weighs 50 lbs. Of course, you’ll add weight for wine bottles in the rack - you can easily put up to 250 lbs of weight on the system. If you are located on the second floor (or higher) of a building and are uncertain about the quality of the flooring under you, you may want to consider setting up your wine rack perpendicular to the floor joists so that your floor does not sag due to the weight. 

Storage on top of wine rack

With this unit, yes, you can store other items on top of it (including another wine rack, if you fasten them together appropriately!). We store some glassware on top of ours, as well as a collection of carboys containing fermenting beer.  

Wine Racks America’s standard wood wine rack allows for growth

Unlike many other wood wine rack companies, Wine Racks America knows that wine enthusiasts have evolving needs. If your collection grows to a large size and you’re considering adding more units, rest assured that other products have uniform height or width to allow for later expansion. 

Wine Racks America Wood Rack social proof

We did a lot of research on how others felt about the on-demand wooden wine racks from Wine Racks America. Overall, the evidence was overwhelming that the racks work as expected, are sturdy, and hold the wines as intended.

Negative reviews focused on aesthetics: that the wine rack did not always look perfect and that a little cosmetic work (sanding, staining) needed to be done by the buyer to smooth out any rough spots.  Occasionally there were wood knots that were aesthetically unpleasing, especially to people used to the perfect look of laminated or synthetic products. However, it was noted that wood knots did not interfere with the structural integrity of the product.  

Alternatives to the Unstained Wine Rack

Still undecided on the right wood wine rack for you?  Here are a few alternatives

Wine Racks America Ponderosa Pine 64 Bottle Two-Tone Deluxe

The two-toned Ponderosa pine model is good for those who want a finished or furniture-looking wine storage system. This unit is almost identical structurally to the unfinished version. The rough edges have been smoothed out and there are a few choices of finish colors available.  Some assembly is still required.

Stackable Modular Wine Rack Stackable Storage Stand Display Shelves 

If your collection is mainly comprised of Bordeaux-style wine bottles (Merlot, Cabernet, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc), and you want a less expensive, more “palet lumber” look to your wine shelf, then this might be an option.  If you collect Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Champagne, you will likely not be happy with this wood wine rack.

This item will likely have more knots and be less aesthetically pleasing. However, if you just need some robust wood wine racks, this might fit your needs.  Since it is made up of a much softer type of wood than the other racks reviewed, it is going to show dings and scrapes more easily.

This wood wine rack looks very easy to put together.  Once you get this unit filled up, you might need to brace it with some more wood.  This might be a good wine rack for someone who enjoys wine who will be living in their home or condo for a couple of years and wanting to make a minimal investment in a recyclable wine rack. 

Wine Racks America Wood Wine Rack, our conclusion

We purchased our wine racks in 2013 and still use them today for storing value wines for weekday wines, large format (750 mL) beer bottles, and mead.  

The Wine Racks America wood wine racks enable the home wine enthusiast to store wine on a rack at a reasonable price in a location such as a basement or closet.  If the wine is going to be stored in an area with visibility, you might want to finish the wine rack yourself to give it a more polished look, or spring for the two-tone deluxe mode. 

Some less expensive options do exist out there to consider, especially if you are in temporary housing.  These units are typically easier to put together and less flexible to bottle size than Wine Racks America wood wine racks.  Wine Racks America seems to be focusing on the wine enthusiast and wine obsessed market, and not the low end of the wood wine rack market.  

If we needed another wine rack, especially for the storage of beer bombers, we would purchase the Ponderosa pine wine rack again.  

When you purchase a wine rack on Amazon.com through our link, it helps us to keep running our site and to continue to provide you with our reviews, tips, and guides. 

Thank you, and cheers, from KnowWines!



The Repour Wine Saver

Repour Wine Saver.jpeg

Wine preserver systems and gadgets are plentiful in the wine world. Most wine consumers are looking for a wine bottle saver that will allow them to open a bottle of wine and enjoy it over days, perhaps weeks.  Wine bars and wineries also seek out wine stoppers that allow them to open a slow-moving bottle of wine and serve it days or weeks later as part of expanding their wines-by-the-glass programs. 

This week, KnowWines researched, used, and reviewed the Repour bottle stopper as an alternative to inert gas systems or pumps for wines we knew we would finish in about a week.  We didn’t want to use up our Coravin cartridges on weekday wines, so we gave this product a try.

Things to consider before purchasing the Repour:

There are a few situations for which the Repour wine preserver is ideal, for both the home wine drinker and the staff of a wine bar or bottle shop.

For home consumers, the Repour is great for those who want to simply open a bottle of wine - regardless of enclosure type - and enjoy it over a period of a few days or weeks.  It is also a good product if you enjoy having a few different bottles of wine open, let’s say a Cava, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauternes. Historically, having all these different bottles of wine open, either on the counter or in the fridge, meant that these wines would go bad within a couple of days, resulting in a lot of bad wine being poured down the drain.  The Repour helps solve that problem.

In wine bars and wineries, the Repour wine preserver helps maintain a large number of open bottles. This is ideal for the wine bar or shop that doesn’t want to make large capital investments in serving stations like Enomatic. The Repour wine preserver is also good for wine bottle shops or restaurants who already have wine serving stations and want to serve dessert wines or wines with sediment.  Systems like Enomatic and Coravin can potentially aspirate solids into the dispensing mechanism through user error, causing them to plug up and require time-sucking maintenance.

While the Repour fits a broad spectrum of wine consumer and business needs, the Repour is not for:

  • Wine lovers wanting to check bottle aging months or years later on - they should consider Coravin

  • Cheap wines - the Repour might cost ⅓ the bottle of wine if it is really value juice

  • Storing open wine on the side - the Repour won’t work as designed and you may have a leaky mess

  • Locations where wine bottles are shuffled around a lot - someone may accidentally dislodge the stopper, rendering it ineffective

Those who have used pumps or Coravin and are looking for a simple, low-cost alternative to mid-priced wines becoming oxidized as they age on the counter or in the fridge may benefit from having a few Repour stoppers on hand.  Those Coravin syringes and cartridges can be saved for fine wines.

Finally, if you travel for work or vacation and want to enjoy a nice wine during the week without the hassle of packing inert gasses or pumps, consider keeping a Repour or two in your carry on luggage for emergency use.  The Repour also makes for a good thank you gift or stocking stuffer for wine lovers.

So, show me the Repour!

The Repour Wine Saver is a single-use wine preservation tool invented by chemist and wine lover Tom Lutz. Like many other wine consumers, he was tired of discarding partial bottles that contained wine that did not taste fresh a few days after opening.  

After about 18 months of research and product development, the product was featured on Kickstarter, received the funding target, and the rest is history.

The Repour wine saver is available on Amazon and through select wine retailers.  It is available in different package sizes: 4, 10, and 72 stoppers.

Repour Pros:

  • Lower cost per use than Coravin and other inert gas systems

  • Good for wines containing sediment 

  • Good for dessert wines 

  • Good for take-home bottles of fine wine from a restaurant

Repour Cons:

  • Single-use (you recycle or discard after use), so not ideal for cheap or value wines

  • Need to store the bottle upright

  • Don’t know when it is “used up”

How do I use Repour?

Open your wine and consume what you need.  When you are ready to close up the bottle, simply remove a single Repour unit from the box it arrived in, remove the adhesive seal from the Repour unit, and insert it in place of the cork or screwcap.  As you consume the wine over the course of a few days or weeks, simply re-insert the stopper after pouring. Once the bottle is complete, discard the stopper.  If your city or county recycles plastic and metal, then please recycle the stopper

Since the Repour device is so effective, you may need to aerate each pour if the wine aromas are muted. Aerate by simply swirling the wine in the glass.

Finally, don’t be afraid to firmly push the Repour into the bottle. If a good seal is not made, then oxygen will still get into the wine.  

How does Repour Work?

Let’s go back to high school chemistry! Air is comprised of about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. Nitrogen is fairly unreactive. Oxygen, on the other hand, is a double-edged sword. While it is a giver of life, it is also an active element in aging and degradation. The introduction and removal of oxygen from vineyard to cellar to bottle is controlled by growers and winemakers to deliver a specific style of wine.  

As wine consumers, we battle oxygen the moment we open a bottle of wine. While a little aeration upfront (either through decanting or swirling) might be needed to open a wine, oxygen starts to attack the wine within minutes or hours, resulting in tired tasting wine.  Some indications of oxidized wines that often lead to wine getting discarded after oxidation are loss of fruit aromas and flavors, browning of white wine, oranging or browning of red wines. As oxidation continues, the wine can start to get some gamey and vinegar aromas and flavors (commonly referred to as “bad” wine).

The Repour stopper, which include an FDA approved non-toxic oxygen absorber inside the stopper, was designed by a chemist and entrepreneur who knew well the experience of pouring bad wine down the sink. He was also familiar with oxidation as well as Dalton’s law and Henry’s law. The outcome of this research was the development of a stopper containing metals that “rust” as they are oxidized - instead of the wine getting oxidized. Need a refresher? Geek out on these short science videos:

What wines are best to use with Repour?

With a tapered insert, the Repour stopper can be placed in any type of wine bottle. It can be used with sparkling wines, white wines, red wines, fortified wines, and sweet wines. 

The stopper can also be used regardless of the original closure. It does not matter if the original bottle stopper was a screwcap, a natural cork, a synthetic cork, or a glass cork.  

Is my open wine bottle worth the Repour?

Every consumer, bottle shop owner or wine bar will likely have a different opinion on how to determine if a bottle is “Repour Worthy.” One should consider how much wine they are typically pouring down the drain after two or three days of opening. 

We personally use the Repour when the wine is over $15 per bottle, there is over ⅔ of the bottle left, and we’d like to enjoy the wine over a period of a week or two.

Can I re-use the Repour?

We’ve never re-used a Repour stopper. However, after doing some online research we found several different strategies consumers have used to maximize the use of the stopper.

If you insert the Repour on day one and consume the rest of the wine on day two, you may be able to reuse the stopper by rinsing the emptied bottle, filling the bottle almost full of water, then firmly inserting the used Repour into the bottle. I would reuse a Repour on bottles in the $20 to $40 USD range, especially if I aimed to use up the wine in a couple of days. If it was a more expensive bottle, I’d use a new Repour. If the Repour was in a bottle for several days or weeks, I would likely not consider reusing the Repour stopper and recycle or discard it.  

There are a lot of different strategies to consider. Have some fun experimenting with the product (and with Henry’s and Dalton’s laws!). The worst that could happen is that a bottle of wine gets oxidized. 

Testing the Repour

We first used the Repour stopper on a bottle of Champagne that retailed for about $45 USD. We opened the wine on a Wednesday night and poured a couple of glasses. We inserted the stopper and placed the wine in the refrigerator. We did notice that the height of the stopper and bottle exceeded the shelf height in the refrigerator, so we adjusted the height of the fridge shelf to accommodate the bottle plus stopper. We drank some Champagne each day (one glass each - difficult work!). On Sunday (over 72 hours later) we finished the bottle. We were quite surprised each time we removed the Repour that the wine was still bubbly and the aromas were still fresh. I also found the Repour easier to insert than other Champagne stoppers.

Next, we used the Repour stopper with a 2011 Napa Chardonnay. Two other dining companions helped us consume ⅔ the bottle on a Friday night. We inserted the stopper after the meal and placed the wine into the refrigerator. Six days later we drank the last couple of glasses. On the first sip, the wine did not have much flavor.  After letting the wine sit for about 10 minutes after swirling, it tasted just fine. I did notice that the wine was a little muted (not as intense) but did not have any of the oxidative aromas or vinegar flavor that one typically encounters after storing a white wine in the refrigerator for about a week.  

Finally, we tried the Repour stopper on a 750 mL bottle of 1998 Sauternes. Sweet wines are difficult for wine bars to serve in Enomatic stations, as the stickiness can gum up the lines. We enjoyed the wine over 11 days and did not notice any reduction in aromas or flavors using Repour. We stored the wine in the refrigerator between pours.

In the coming weeks, we will open a $25 Bordeaux wine and let it sit on the counter with the Repour and taste over a few days. We will report back here on how that goes!

Similar Wine Preserver Systems

Like the inventor of RePour, we’ve also tried various wine preservation systems. Here’s a rundown of products that compete with Repour in this space. These different types of systems have one or more niches that they fill. We’ve yet to find a holistic solution for all possible wine preservation scenarios.

Private Preserve Wine Preservation System 

Essentially this is inert gas one sprays into an opened bottle of wine, followed by quickly forcing the original stopper into the top of the bottle.  

Pros:

  • Multiple uses per can

  • Pennies per use, so good for cheap and value wines

Cons: 

  • Not easy to travel with

  • Need to store wine bottle upright

  • Takes a little skill to get the procedure right

Vacu-Vin Stainless Steel Stopper

If you know you will finish your wine in less than seven days, then you may want to consider this stainless steel vacuum system. The system comes with a stopper that you insert into the bottle, then you attach the pump and pump until you hear a click. If you have more than one bottle open at a time, you will need to purchase additional stoppers.

Pros:  

  • Easy to use

  • Lasts for 5 - 10 years

Cons:  

  • Not as portable as single Repour

Fantes Champagne Stopper, Made in Italy

For sparkling wines and Champagne, this stopper has been the standard - made in Italy for over 100 years!

Pros:  

  • No gas cartridges to purchase

  • Reusable

  • Easy to use and store

Cons:  

  • With a lot of use, the sealing mechanism can wear, resulting in reduced carbonation and aroma intensity so check the seal that it is working well

Our summary of the Repour stopper

We enjoyed researching, trying and testing the Repour stoppers that we purchased online for a few weeks. This item is good for consumers who like or need to open bottles of wine and consume them in a couple of days or weeks.

We consider the Repour a good item for the home consumer to have on hand for premium wines, and we will be pouring less wine down the sink in the future! We also liked the ease of use - simply remove a foil adhesive and press the Repour stopper into the top of the bottle! We like the option to store wine in the refrigerator or on the counter. 

The Repour is not for consumers or sommeliers who want to try fine wine now and sample it again in six months or a year. The Coravin might be more of interest if tasting across several months is your desire.   

When you purchase the Repour wine saver on Amazon through our link, it helps us to keep running our site and to continue to provide you with our reviews, tips, and guides. Thank you!

And Cheers, from KnowWines!

EuroCave Performance Review

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The EuroCave wine cabinet is a big investment, and we know that fellow consumers want to be certain they are making the right choice.  In our experience, it is common to find product reviews immediately following delivery and installation, with the excitement of the purchase still fresh in their minds. Here, we’re pleased to be providing a review after five years of EuroCave use (we purchased two EuroCave Performance 283 units in 2014).

At the time of purchase, we couldn’t find a lot of online information on EuroCaves. However, we’d been to Europe a few times and had seen the EuroCave in wine bars and restaurants. Their design and quietness stood out to us.

As our wine collection grew, we had to choose between storing wine in the basement at ambient temperature in our Wine Racks Americas wooden wine racks or take the plunge and purchase a large wine maturation cabinet.  Looking back, we wish we’d committed to a EuroCave much earlier!

The EuroCave Performance 259 Built-In Wine Cellar:

Who is EuroCave?

EuroCave Group is an innovative French company with over 40 years in the wine cabinet business. The EuroCave brand came into being in 1976, just after the invention of the wine cabinet in 1975. EuroCave saw that wine lovers and collectors had a desire to store wines somewhere other than an actual cave for improved storage conditions.

EuroCave Group has four brands, two of which are targeted for the home consumer:

  • EuroCave: Sold and distributed throughout Europe and globally. This brand includes wine cabinets, wine cellar conditioners, and storage systems. These units typically have 5-year warranties.

  • ArteVino: Large wine maturation cabinets sold and distributed to select large online retailers and select big-box stores in both France and the United States. These units typically have 2-year warranties.

With over 20 patents in wine cabinets, partners with a university in France on wine maturation research. They also have strong distribution in large wine consuming countries like France, United States, Australia, and Asia.

What is a EuroCave?

In the United States, people use “EuroCave” colloquially to refer to the gold standard of wine maturation cabinets. These same units can also be maintained to keep wine at serving temperature - slightly higher than during wine maturation. The temperature setting depends upon your desire - bottle aging or serving!

Physically, EuroCave wine maturation units are comprised of a cabinet body, control panel, lighting, glass door, bracing, storage shelves and racks, humidity cartridges, breathing hole, adjustable feet, temperature sensors, hygrometer, and hinges.

The EuroCave provides temperature, humidity, air circulation, vibration, and a light-controlled environment to mimic the natural cave-like environment ideal for bottle aging. Read more about the impacts on these environmental impacts in our review of the best small wine refrigerators.

The name EuroCave is typically considered a premium, long-lasting, durable goods producer. Premium durable goods for the home often contain the same components as a EuroCave: metal-versus-plastic components, luxurious look and feel, quiet operation, above-average mechanics like compressors, and seamless integration of cabinet components.  

Large EuroCave maturation cabinets like the EuroCave 283 are likely not a fit for wine collectors who have small collections under 50 bottles, who drink most of the wine that they purchase within a year, and who are living in small spaces.  The EuroCave is also not suitably installed in areas that are poorly ventilated, prone to flooding, have uneven floors, or sustain temperatures spiking above 35 C (95 F) or dipping below 12 C (54 F).  

Pros of the EuroCave Performance

  • Robust walls, wooden shelves

  • Wood-framed metal rolling racks with plastic individual bottle cradles

  • Very quiet compressor (“library quiet”)

  • Easy to make minor repairs by oneself

  • Sleek, modern look 

  • 5-year warranty

  • Less expensive than building a stone-walled cellar

Cons of the EuroCave 283

  • Difficult (not impossible) to move (they weigh over 200 pounds)

  • It’s difficult to know the exact number of wine bottles you can get in the unit due to the variability in bottle sizes common in the wine trade 

Features and Benefits of The EuroCave Performance

The EuroCave Performance  minimizes the environmental impact to wine in the six areas of concern for wine collectors (temperature, humidity, UV light, vibration, air circulation, and storage). Here’s why we love the EuroCave Performance, in relation to those areas of concern. The EuroCave Performance:

  • Maintains a constant temperature.

  • Maintains a consistent humidity level inside the chamber between 50% and 75%.

  • Uses tempered glass to protect wine from UV light.

  • Has anti-vibration technology to reduce vibration.

  • Circulates fresh air to reduce the likelihood of mold, acting as a natural cellar.

  • Convenient shelving system reduces need to move the bottles around too much.

EuroCave Temperature Setting

After using two EuroCave 283s for the past five years, we have experienced no issues with temperature fluctuation. Setting the temperature is very easy.  It is adjustable, but we leave ours set at the default temperature of 12C (54 F). 

The best way to reduce the chances of temperature fluctuation is to install the cabinet in an area that does not see a lot of temperature fluctuation. This EuroCave should reside in a space that is between 12 C and 35 C as ambient temperature.   

Of note, the EuroCaves are one-temperature cabinets.  If one chooses, they could easily convert the wine cabinet to be a wine serving cabinet, meaning one could adjust the temperature to 18 C for serving a red wine directly from it for a big party.

What ambient temperatures are required for the EuroCave?

In order for the cabinet to operate properly, the ideal ambient temperature of the room should be 12 C to 35 C.  We would not recommend installing a EuroCave in a garage in most climates due to these risks. Large appliances in extreme temperatures simply do not last very long.  

Where is the EuroCave made?

The EuroCave is made in France in two locations:  Fourmie and Pont de Chéruy.

What are EuroCave walls made of?

The EuroCave Performance 283 walls are constructed of aluminum.  Some models include a body stiffener, which is essentially a metal brace reinforcing the side walls.  

What accessories come with the EuroCave?

The Performance EuroCave comes with an open door alarm, sensor fault alarm, temperature alarm, charcoal filter alarm, digital setting and selection keys, button to adjust light mode, a humidity display, and temperature display, standby key, and hot and cold circuit indicators.

When purchasing, one has the ability to select, with some constraints, the number of rolling shelves and wooden racks.  

User instructions also came in six languages with plenty of black and white photos and descriptions of components and descriptions of what the different display items mean.

There is also a EuroCave App.  I did not choose to use the App as I already had an inventory in the CellarTracker App and like other features of CellarTracker.

What maintenance is required on the EuroCave?

The maintenance has been minimal with our two units.  

The user’s manual indicates it is important to replace the charcoal filter each year.  We have been religiously replacing this filter because did find stories in online chat rooms of users who did not change the filter only to discover that the EuroCave became moldy. Think of this filter as the lungs of the EuroCave!

One downside of these filters is their cost.  There are very few retailers who sell these universal charcoal filters in the US.  Honestly, what needs replaced each year is the charcoal in the filter. If you have the tools and access to some aquarium charcoal, you might be able to replace the charcoal within the cartridge annually.  

If you purchase a EuroCave in person or over the phone, consider asking the retailer to throw in a few of these universal filters.  Additionally, check the online prices during the winter holidays and stock up to save.  

Once a week we check the temperature and humidity in our caves.  We live in North Carolina, where low humidity is only a problem in January or February.  There is a tray at the bottom of the unit within which water can be added to increase relative humidity.  You can add about two ounces of water a day until the humidity rises to 60 to 70%.

If the interior humidity of the EuroCave becomes too high (maybe you accidentally added too much water to this tray or the room the EuroCave is in has become humid), you can temporarily insert some fragrance free DampRid into the unit to correct the humidity, preventing mold from growing in the cave and the wine labels from getting too moist. 

During our five years of ownership, the only non-scheduled maintenance issue we’ve had on our Performance EuroCaves was the replacement of a control module as the LED lights were not fully functioning.  The EuroCave continued to function but the lights were dim. EuroCave customer support was great. They explained the repair process and offered to send a repair person out, but since we are somewhat handy, they shipped us the part for free with instructions and a voucher for a future purchase at a wine retailer.  The repair was as straightforward as they described. The EuroCaves have functioned flawlessly since.

How do I tighten a EuroCave Shelf?

One common “newbie” compliant on the EuroCave shelving is that, once the unit is fully loaded, the rolling trays don’t move as smoothly as they did when the cabinet was empty. The weight of the bottles can put a shelf out of alignment due to settling.  

To fix this problem (which has happened to us only twice), simply remove the bottles from the offending shelf and tighten the screws. This task was fairly straightforward and required only a screwdriver.

How to conserve energy with the EuroCave?

Single temperature units are the most energy-efficient if you are waffling between a single temp and dual temp unit.

To maintain the lowest energy consumption (0.8 kWh per day), minimize the amount of time the door is open.  Keep the cabinet in an area in the middle of the allowable temperature range (12C to 35 C) and check that the door seal is making a tight seal and is in good condition.

At what temperature should the EuroCave be maintained?

If your intention is to store wine in the EuroCave like one would in a cellar for 2 - 20+ years, then set the temperature between 10 and 14 C (maturing temperature).

If your intention is to use the EuroCave as storage of red wines for consumption within 2 years or so, then you can set the temperature from 16 to 20 C (serving temperature). 

We personally keep our cellar at 12 C (54 F) ideal for cellaring a wide range of wines. 

How to Arrange Bottles in a EuroCave Wine Cooler

As with all wine coolers, getting a precise bottle count per cabinet is a difficult task!  This requires some strategy to maximize all that precious cellar space.

With our two units, I took this approach: I dedicated one cabinet to white wines and “all others” and the other cabinet to Bordeaux / Napa.  In the “white + other” cabinet, I assigned Riesling bottles to the top half of the cabinet (the flute bottle shape is long and narrow) and Burgundy-style bottles to the bottom half of the cabinet.  The “Bordeaux/Napa” cabinet holds fewer bottles due to the nesting ability of Bordeaux style bottles.  

Of course, another approach might be warranted for your wine collection.  Our suggestion is simply not to mix all the bottles as it will make it difficult to find the bottles you are looking for!

EuroCave Performance Alternatives

So, you like what you’ve read about the EuroCave 283 Performance. However, you are looking for other cabinets in the EuroCave family at a lower price point. Consider this high-quality alternative:

Why Invest in a EuroCave Wine Cooler?

After living with two EuroCave Performance Wine Coolers for five years, we would still make the same purchase.  They are true “library quiet” and require little maintenance. Maintenance includes replacing a simple filter once per year and visually checking the cabinets about once per week to monitor for humidity or temperature change.  As with any large appliance, wiping down the unit with warm water for cleanliness and vacuuming the coils to reduce dust build-up will extend the life and maintain performance. The units are sleek and attractive. After a small learning curve, adjusting the racks and tightening the rolling trays is easy for even the most non-mechanical person.  

We hope you find just the right wine cellar for your wine storage needs.

Cheers!

The Best in Wine Clubs and Wine Subscriptions

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The internet, investors, and changing interstate commerce laws have come together to bring innovation to the areas of wine clubs, wine delivery, and wine subscriptions. While we love to frequent local wine shops, we also appreciate that consumers are no longer limited by the wine selection in their immediate market.  

Here, we use our experience with wine clubs to outline the pros and cons of the wine clubs available today, as well as the positives and negatives of wine delivery.  Join us as we dig deeper into wine clubs, wine subscriptions, and wine delivery services.

What is a wine club or wine subscription?

There are many different types of wine club aiming to secure wine lovers as monthly customers. Typically, there is some incentive for signing up - a free wine tasting, a shipping discount, or some other enticing benefit. Before delivery, an agreement is signed detailing the number of bottles per month or year, the corresponding monthly fee, and the length of time one must remain in the club (or how many bottles to receive before canceling).

When you join a wine club, an expert is curating your wine collection, eliminating the burden of decision making.  However, the ease of delivery may not be quite as easy as it sounds because delivered wine can’t be left on your doorstep - you have to be at home it. (More on that later!).

There are plenty of reviews claiming that this or that wine club is the best, but the truth is that wine clubs are not one size fits all. While wine clubs attract a good deal of consumers, many of them opt out of wine clubs within two years. Why? Because the consumer may not have taken the time to find out whether a particular wine club will be a good fit.  So, if you’re considering a wine subscription, take some time to identify your wine profile.

What is my wine profile?

Wine consumers fall into six general categories (or genome segments) as identified by Bauerhaus.com. These are Image Seekers, Everyday Loyals, Enthusiasts, Engaged Newcomers, Price Driven, and the Overwhelmed. We have taken the liberty of adding another category: Wine Obsessives.  

Image Seekers like to look over wine lists and wine scores. Perhaps we want to impress friends or clients with wines. Image Seekers also like the look of labels and feel of bottles. They may be up on wine trends but aren’t overly concerned with the details. Image Seekers might spend a little more per bottle than other wine types. However, if there’s a new trend in craft beer or artisan spirits, they are likely to leave wine behind momentarily to chase after the next great thing.

Everyday Loyals are consistent lovers of particular wines. We all know someone like this - the mom who loves Rombauer Chardonnay, the uncle who loves Chablis or the brother who brings Apothec Red home by the case. These loyalists know what they like - and this can be a wine brand, a grape variety, wines from a region. While sommeliers might be frustrated that Everyday Loyals always want to drink the same thing, research shows that this group makes up the largest group of wine consumers by sales.  

Enthusiasts are the folks thirsty for wine knowledge. They love to get multiple inputs before purchasing wine, either from critic scores, shelf talkers (shelf tags), wine merchants, books, or magazines.  Enthusiasts like to check out what is new in the wine section of stores or visit bottle shops while traveling for work or vacation. Enthusiasts may stay enthusiasts for life, or they may become wine obsessives (like us!). They may also someday switch their enthusiasm to spirits like bourbon.

Engaged Consumers are consumers with an interest in learning more about wine, and are typically new wine consumers. They know they like wine. These consumers may become enthusiasts or they may just enjoy wine occasionally with friends.

Price Driven consumers are fairly straight forward. We all know someone who loves a sale, has all the discount codes, and likes to choose the least expensive wine from the list. Nothing wrong with a great value!

Last is the Overwhelmed Consumer. If you like wine but feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices in store aisles, online, or on a wine list, you can count yourself among the Overwhelmed!

Wine Obsessives!  We’re not included in the Bauerhaus assessment, so I add us in as a seventh type of consumer.  We may have started as an Enthusiast or even an Everyday Loyal, but somewhere along the line we jumped to being an Obsessive. We love reading about wine, visiting wine regions on holidays, purchasing wine storage or wine refrigerators, and collecting a broad or specific wine type. We might also subscribe to multiple wine magazines and follow one or more wine bloggers on social media.  

What type of consumer are you?  Let us know in the comments below.

There are wine clubs or wine subscription services that cater to each of these consumer types.  

What type of wine club is good for me?

The best type of wine club for you is the one that matches your wine consumer profile. You may remain a specific type of wine consumer for a short or long time, or you may shift across different consumption types as you pass through various life stages.

Now that you know your current wine profile, you can start to sift through the many wine clubs out there and find one that fits your needs for the next 12 - 24 months. Why 12 - 24 months? This is the time frame within which one can typically get the best bang for the buck. If your wine profile changes, one can typically opt in and out of wine clubs. Just remember to read the fine print before signing us, as there may be a minimum number of months before you can opt out.

What types of wine clubs are there?

Wine Clubs for Cheap Wine

We get it.  You want a grape-flavored beverage containing alcohol without all the fuss and at a low price, with free or low-cost shipping.  And bonus points for not needing to leave your house! You are likely a Price Driven consumer and are interested in wine clubs with a focus on value. 

These wine clubs scan the wine market and look for something different than what is available in your average big-box store. They focus on wine in the bulk market or value wines available for private label wine branding. Alternatively, the wine might be purchased on the bulk market and vinified by a well-known winemaker. 

If you’ve ever purchased (or been gifted wine) and could not find any information about an actual winery, chances are the wine is from one of these types of wine clubs. The online description will instead focus on key flavors, region, and perhaps farming practices. And importantly, value!

Some examples of these types of wine clubs are Winc and Naked Wines.

Famous Store Brand Wine Clubs 

You may be Overwhelmed by all the wine choices and are thus interested in wines that come from trusted brands. Famous store and media brands you have grown to trust look for ways to strengthen their fan base by offering products and services to help consumers stay with a brand. One of these services is wine clubs.  

Without subscribing, it is hard to tell if you will get private label wines or wines from independent winemakers. Based on an extensive online review, it looks like a lot of these wines are private label bulk wines with a few independent winery offerings included.  

Some examples of these types of famous brand wine clubs are The New York Times Wine Club, WSJ Wine Club, and the Williams-Sonoma Wine Club.

Wine Clubs for Wine Discovery

Engaged consumers looking to build upon their wine knowledge might be interested in wine clubs that are a blend of independent producers and private label wines with a focus on education.

Wine clubs for discovery have an emphasis on learning basic wine concepts through sampling many different types of wines grouped by wine color, style, and agriculture practice. Trendier versions use quizzes or algorithms to direct you to a package you might be interested in.  You can expect to learn the basics around wine varieties, regions, and flavor profiles. In addition to targeting Engaged consumers, these clubs also target the Overwhelmed consumer because the level of detail provided is not overwhelming. If winemakers are mentioned, it is because they are well known.

Examples of discovery wine clubs include Vine Box (for wine drinkers wanting to have a taste before committing to a bottle!), Plonk, and First Leaf Wine Club.

Curation Clubs for Enthusiasts

A number of wine clubs aimed at Enthusiasts curate wines from select wineries. These curation clubs may aim to do any of the following:

  • Introduce wine lovers to new wines based on old favorites (e.g. lower alcohol wines from Bordeaux)

  • Introduce wine lovers of a specific wine style (e.g. Northern Rhone red wine blends) to new wineries that make that style

  • Target specific demographics of wine growers or wine makers (e.g. Women owned wineries or Small Independent producers)


These clubs differ from previous wine clubs mentioned as they are typically grower and winery focused. The information on the website, email, and subscription sign-up is very specific to the wineries highlighted. There will be comparisons between the offered wines and how they differ from other producers in the region or growing the same variety. Specific winemakers and importers may be highlighted, and the club curators may explain why they chose a specific wine over another.  

Some characteristics of these types of curation clubs are engaging emails describing the wines in detail, highlights of winemakers, storytelling about the wine, and dedication to customer service. Local versions of these wine clubs may offer local pick-up to save money on shipping. They may even provide delivery (though delivery options may be limited if it is a smaller wine club).

Take a look at these curation wine clubs: Acme Fine Wines Club, Kermit Lynch Wine Clubs, Women Owned Wineries Sonoma Wine Club, and the SIP Wine Club.

Winery Wine Clubs

If you enjoy the same wines year after year, winery wine clubs are a good way to support your favorite winery as well as getting access to wines similar to your favorite(s). Many of these clubs offer special pricing or shipping discounts around the major holidays. Wine clubs also offer benefits to members which may include free tasting, exclusive events, and travel with fellow wine club members.  Accompanying many winery wine club memberships are details not easily found online, such as in-depth stories about the estate, profiles on the winemaker, vintage challenges, even updates on the cats and dogs at the winery!

Many wineries have online wine club information on their website, and you don’t even need to go to the winery to sign up.  One potential drawback is that your favorite winery may not ship to the state you live in - simply check the fine print! 

Some examples of popular winery wine clubs are the Hall Wines Wine Club, the Ridge Vineyards Wine Club (be sure to also check out our detailed review of Ridge Vineyards!), Biltmore’s Vanderbilt Wine Club, and the Schramsberg Wine Club.

Wine Clubs for Wine Obsessives

Wine obsessives tend to purchase bottles independently and may participate in specific winery wine clubs or subscribe to email lists that offer sales on recognized wine.

Wine Obsessives interested in blind tasting will probably like the Somm Select.

Wine Obsessives interested in sales on known wine brands may like Last Bottle Wines.

What should I know about wine delivery?

Here are some key things to know when it comes to receiving your wine shipments.

Minimum Age 21

In the United States, someone age 21 or older will need to sign for the wine.  

Home Delivery of Wine

Wine won’t be left on your porch or stoop in the United States. You will need to be at home when the wine arrives or you will need to travel to a location indicated on your door tag (e.g. FedEx, UPS). One way to reduce this hassle is to have the wine shipped to your workplace. Some businesses may restrict alcohol on-premise, though, so check your workplace policy. Delivery to work might be a convenient option if you travel for your job and want to prevent the shipping company from returning wine to distribution center because you did not pick it up in time. 

Wine Shipping Laws Vary By State

Wine laws are constantly changing. The amount of wine that can be shipped and whether or not your state even allows wine to be shipped are variables. Also, be aware that the wine retailer needs to do paperwork for each state to which their business ships wine. While it might be perfectly legal for the wine club to send you wine, the business may opt out of shipping to your state if there aren’t enough customers to justify the work required to ship.

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Weather and Wine Delivery

Wine clubs may not deliver year round due to extreme temperatures. It is more expensive to ship during the summer as special care is needed to prevent wines from getting “cooked.” Additionally weather disturbances like snow storms or hurricanes can disrupt delivery and delay your shipment.  

How do I store my wine?

Regardless of which wine club you choose, you might find that it is hard to keep up with consumption. This is a common reason why people stop subscribing to wine clubs.  Check out our article on wine storage to learn more about how to store your wines.  

How do I cancel a wine club?

It is important to keep documentation regarding wine club signups. Some wine clubs allow you to cancel at any time. Others require a minimum number of shipments or wine bottles purchased before cancelling.  

Our Wine Club Wrap Up

Wine clubs are a great way to explore the world of wine. It’s important for customers to find a club that’s a good fit (fitting their wine profile). (Also, it is critical to read the fine print before signing up!) If you have a poor wine club experience, it is likely because the wine club does not meet one of your needs. Either it doesn’t fit with your consumption style, the shipments are too frequent and pile up, or you find it inconvenient to coordinate shipment pickup.  

Wine clubs are probably the best fit for Loyal and Engaged wine types. For the Loyalists, getting your favorite wine over the course of the year might be a great way to support your favorite brand or winery, and ensure that you don’t miss a vintage in case your local bottle shop stops carrying your favorite wine. Wine clubs are generally great for Explorers, though Image Seekers may get bored before the year is up. Value wine seekers might find better values at places like Trader Joes and Costco. Enthusiasts might find that some of the detail is lacking, and may wish to seek out wines from sommelier selection services or regional wine clubs highlighting specific wineries.  Obsessives are more likely to purchase from a variety of sources.  We might like to purchase directly from the winery or from traditional bottle shops or online wine sellers by the bottle versus as part of a wine club.  

We’d love to hear about your wine club experiences in the comments below!

Cheers!

Single Wine Bottle Holders

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Many wine enthusiasts like single wine bottle holders because they provide an attractive conversation piece on the countertop or table while their guests are enjoying wine.  There are many types of single wine bottle holders available from artisans and from online retailers. 

We’ve scoured the internet and found the very best, up-to-date wine holders, any one of which may be a good addition to your dining space or a nice gift for a wine-loving friend.

Why would I want a single wine bottle holder?

A single wine bottle holder is a decorative way to show off a prized bottle of wine.  The wine bottle holder might be minimalistic - intended to display the fine wine. Or, you may prefer a bolder wine holder - a conversation piece beside the cheese tray.

Wine bottle holders, which can be constructed from wood, wire, plastic, or all of the above, have become very popular home decor items.  Also, a wine bottle holder can be an easy, quick gift for the wine lover who “has it all.”

How do I choose a wine bottle holder?

Whether you are purchasing the wine bottle holder as a gift or for your own home, there are a few things to consider.

Construction

Wine bottle displays can be constructed from wood, wire, plastic, wire, resin or a combination all of the above.  

Aesthetic

Since wine bottle holders are home decor, the design aesthetic is a big focus.  Consider who will be using the wine bottle holder. Do they intend to use the product seasonally or throughout the year? Do they like funny/quirky things or are they more traditional?

Space

If the apartment dweller or homeowner has limited space, then a large single wine bottle holder might take up too much space.  They may prefer a wall-mounted item.  

Quality

Since these items fall into the kitchen home decor category, they are typically low to moderately priced.  One-of-a-kind wine bottle holders can be premium priced. However, since those items are very specific we limit our reviews to items that are mass-produced but not low quality.   

Do I need a wine bottle holder?

No, a wine bottle holder is not a necessity for a wine collector.  Its purpose is to show off a bottle of wine or to serve as a conversation piece in its own right.  Most often, single wine bottle holders serve as a unique piece of art reflecting the style and aesthetic of the wine owner. There’s not a single, go-to brand of wine bottle holder.  

Precautions to consider

The wine bottle holder exposes the wine bottle to light, heat, and vibration, all of which can affect the wine. For more on long-term storage of wine, check out our wine storage article.  

If you are gifting a single wine bottle holder, acknowledge that minimalists may find them cluttering.
Best wine bottle holders

And the best single wine bottle holders are ….

Best Wooden Wine Bottle Holder

This hardwood wine bottle holder would be a good bet for anyone whose design style you’re not sure of. It does not look or feel cheap and would make a good gift for someone who would like to show off a single Napa Cabernet Sauvignon to guests. This is our pick for that conservative or traditional wine enthusiast in your life.
Pros:

  • Unique gravity-defying shape - does not look like every other wine bottle holder on the market

  • Dark finish and minimalist design complement many home decor styles

  • Comes in a nice box for easy wrapping - no need to wrap an awkward shape

Cons:

  • Free accompanying bottle stopper seems like an odd freebie (but hey, it’s free!)

Best Metal Wine Bottle Holder

We love this simple, stainless steel wine bottle holder as our favorite metal wine bottle holder.  If you (or the gift recipient) want to showcase the wine instead of the bottle holder itself, this might be a good selection.  

Pros:

  • No design elements near the neck of the wine bottle - so it can acomodate 750 mL bottles of various sizes and lengths

  • Matches most stainless steel kitchen appliances

  • Rust resistant - if you entertain outside and accidentally leave it outdoors a few times, it won’t rust

Cons:

  • Might look a little too simple or industrial for those who would prefer a little more character in their wine bottle holder

Best Floating Wine Bottle Holder (in Cowboy Up! Or Ships Ahoy!)

Yes, you can have the best of both worlds - minimalist design that won’t detract from a great bottle of wine AND a topic of discussion at your next party.  

Pro:

  • Makes guests look twice

  • Design is not obtrusive

Con:

  • Only available in white

  • Might get tipped over in a crowded or busy space

Best Wall Mounted Wine Bottle Holder

Many wall mounted wine bottle holders detract from the wine bottle.  Our top pick lets the label do all the talking.   

Pros:

  • Minimalist design - you see the wine bottle not the holder

  • Can be used at room temperature (in a kitchen) or in a wine cellar 

  • Easy to install

Cons:

  • The holder does stick out of the wall a little bit - you will not want to mount one right next to a doorway

Best Animal Wine Bottle Holder

There are so many animal wine bottle holders available online, it was so hard to pick one!  If you don’t know what type of animal a gift recipient likes, an octopus is a good compromise (they’re quite intelligent, and fun to look at, too!).  This wine holder is also a great gift for nautical themed condos or beach homes - or Kraken lovers.  This guy’s tentacles don’t get in the way of the top of the bottle, so it can acomodates a variety of bottle lengths and sizes.  

Pros:

  • Some of the animal wine bottle holders have the bottle aimed at the animal’s mouth.  While this may elicit a chuckle, some people consider it a little on the silly side. Also, those designs might not fit all bottle types.  This one allows for more flexibility in bottle size.

Cons:

  • Don’t store the wine for long in an upright position as the cork will dry out!

Best Unique Wine Bottle Holder (Perfect for Halloween!)

Worried about having a lifeless party?  Why not liven it up with this Undead single bottle wine holder? This is a perfect gift for fans of The Walking Dead or Santa Clarita Diet (or for anyone who loves Halloween).

Pros:

  • Weighing in at a little over three pounds, this resin wine holder is a sturdy piece

  • Very detailed gore on the zombie neck, face and arms

Cons:

  • Does not hold odd wine bottle sizes or odd liquor bottle sizes

Best Wine Holder for Boxed Wine

Who says boxed wine doesn’t deserve a spotlight. We say, “No wine left behind!”

Entertaining a crowd?  Need to take wine to the beach or pool where glass is a no-no? Discard that carboard box and place that bag of wine inside this stylish wood box!  The way this wood box is designed, you can actually get all the wine out of the bag (in some cardboard boxes it is tricky to get all the wine out).

The best part about wine in a bag is that if you don’t finish it all, it will keep for many days.  While much of boxed wine here in the US is nameless plonk in a box, there is an increasing number of good value wine being placed in these containers.  

Pro Tip: Purchase more than one for a party and then use one for wine and the other for any other spirited cocktail under 80 proof.  

Pros:  

  • Good for weddings or big parties when you want to avoid unsightly cardboard boxes

  • Home winemaker?  Fill the bag with your own creation and label with the free accompanying chalk

  • Accompanying bags can be filled with bottled wine as well

Cons:

  • A little bulky - you’ll need to find a place to store it when not in use

And the winner is…

The floating lasso bottle holder!

We like that this wine holder showcased the wine, yet was intriguing enough to be a topic of discussion at an indoor or outdoor party.  Also, the white color complements or contrasts a lot of trendy decor and surfaces.  It would fit right at home in a range of decor styles - beach, cowboy chic, or rustic modern.  

Good luck choosing the wine bottle holder that’s just right for your entertaining or gifting needs!

Cheers!

Shark Week Themed Wine Party

Shark Week Shenanigans

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July of each year means…. Shark Week!  You’ve had enough time to recover from the 4th of July and school will be back in session soon. We know you’re looking for the perfect excuse to host a party in that summer stretch between 4th of July and Labor Day.

So, why not host a Shark Week party and combine your love of wine and all things sharks? The wines covered in this shark party blog have Maritime or Mediterranean influences, with wine styles ranging from fine sparkling to refreshing whites to intense reds. We’ve also thrown in a few fun discoveries like Tasmanian sparkling wines and popular favorites like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. 

Last, we’ll cover wine accessories - from shark wine glasses to shark cheese platters to nautical - to make your Shark Week celebration fun and with a hint of beachy elegance, perfect for summer parties! 

When is Shark Week 2019?

Shark Week 2019 runs from July 28 to August 4 on the Discovery Channel. Now in its 31st year, the Discovery Channel annual tradition of week-long programming featuring at least 20 hours of new shark-themed programming each year.

Coastal Wines Perfect for Sharky Celebrations

Wines in coastal regions typically have Maritime or Mediterranean climates.

Maritime climates don’t experience a lot of change in temperatures.  They also don’t have rainfall in just one season - the rainfall is spread throughout the growing season.  As a result, the growing season can go for quite some time into the autumn, with grape harvests well into October for Northern Hemisphere grapes.  Cooler temps often mean that wines from these regions are lower in alcohol, higher in acidity, and more restrained in fruit aromas and tastes, as these grapes often struggle to reach physiological maturity before harvest.

Mediterranean climates also don’t have a lot of temperature fluctuations, except in summer months. These months can be warm and dry - quite often hot. With long, hot growing seasons, wines from these regions can be higher in alcohol and lower in acidity with fruit forward aromas and tastes as the grapes have an increased likelihood of reaching physiological maturity before harvest. 

Why not celebrate Shark Week by selecting party wines from lands close to famous shark-infested waters? Read on for our favorite selections.

Shark Week Wines

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Sonoma Coast AVA

This American Viticulture Area is home to some of California’s best cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  One will also find some Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. With around 2000 acres of vineyards, there are actually few wineries in the Sonoma Coast AVA.  The fruit is typically purchased and then conveyed to wineries in Sonoma Valley or elsewhere for vinification and bottling.

Sonoma Coast has a Mediterranean climate with Maritime influences.  Also, there’s quite a lot of diversity in soil types and the topography of the region lends itself to many microclimates.  As a result, there’s not a “typical” Sonoma Coast style. When exploring the Sonoma Coast wines, we rely on up-to-date information from local wine bottle shop owners in selecting these cool climate Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.  

In addition to vineyards, Sonoma Coast is also home to dairy herds and over 30 artisan cheese producers.  Check out this guide for selecting some Sonoma cheeses for your Shark Week cheese plate!

Just off the Sonoma Coast, in the cool salty waters, find the Red Triangle.  This region is where about 40% of great white shark attacks occur in the United States (yikes!). One could imagine that these sharks are on the prowl for a crisp Chardonnay to pair with some Bodega Bay oysters, however these magnificent creatures are more likely the search for tasty marine animals that frequent the area (as well as the occasional unaware San Francisco day-tripping surfer).

Tasmania

Tasmania, with its Maritime climate, is a recognized producer of sparkling wines as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Tasmania is home to over 200 wineries, many of them small and independently owned. Tasmania produces less than 1% of wines coming from Australia, however it has a very good reputation as a producer of fine sparkling wines.  These sparkling wines are exported in small quantities and are available at various on-line wine retailers and by special order at many independent wine bottle shops.  

While there are over 140 shark species in Australia waters, most don’t pose a danger to swimmers with the exception of great whites, bronze whalers, and the rare tiger and bull shark.  For those wanting to learn more about the history of sharks in Tasmania, the book White Pointer South is regarded as one of the best illustrated books on sharks. It has detailed information about sharks and a history of shark and man together in the Southern Hemisphere. 

New Zealand

Sauvignon Blanc is quite popular these days.  In fact, its popularity has led to the doubling of vineyard production between 2003 and 2010, with Sauvignon Blanc making up more than 50% of new plantings.

The Marlborough region of New Zealand is home base to the style of Sauvignon Blanc that put New Zealand on the map.  This style of Sauvingnon Blanc is known for its strong grassy, herbal aromas, as well as those of gooseberry and lemongrass.  

Since winemaking is fairly new in New Zealand, this region was able to implement many of the most modern viticulture and winemaking techniques.  One of these innovations is the use of screwcaps. The use of screwcaps for these wines enables the pure flavors and aromas of these wines to be transported thousands of miles to their raving fans (plus, they’re convenient for wine consumers!).

Most of New Zealand’s wine regions are within 80 miles of the ocean and the climate is Maritime.  These oceans are home to over 70 shark species including Shark Week favorite, the Mako Shark.

Albarino Alvarinho grapes in Rias Baixas Spain.jpg

Spain

Wine has been produced in Spain since at least Roman times.  Spanish wines are increasing in popularity here in the United States due to their lower price point (value) and a growing interest in younger generations of Americans wanting to try grape varieties indigenous to Spain.  Since the mid-1980s, a lot of money has been invested in Spain to bring modern viticulture and winemaking practices to the region.

Two regions of Spain for American wine lovers to explore are the Rias Baixas in Northwest Spain and the Priorato in Northeast Spain.  These regions have Maritime and Mediterranean climates, respectively.

 “Green” Rias Baixas is home to Albarino, which is growing in popularity  in the USA as a wine to drink with mild fish and shellfish.

At the other end of the spectrum are the wines from Priorat.  The Priorat is a rugged hilly region of Northeast Spain where significant investment has been made in the past 30 years.  These dark colored wines, made typically from Grenache, Carinena, and Cabernet Sauvignon possess high levels of alcohol and tanin and have raisin-like aromas and flavors.  

In the Mediterranean, there are almost 50 species of sharks.  The species dangerous to humans inlcude the tiger shark, the bull shark, and the great white shark.  While there are a large number of species, the shark population in the Mediterranean Sea around Spain is quite small due to over-fishing.  

Shark Week Party Accessories

If you’re going to have a Shark Week party, you may as well go all out! Check out these shark themed entertaining accessories.

Shark Wine Glasses

At KnowWines, we prefer a thin-rimmed crystal universal wineglass.  However, we’re not above tasteful nautical decor for Shark Week! Note that you may want to avoid stemless glasses, as Shark Week is in the hottest part of summer - stemless wine glasses held in the hand typically raise the temperature of a wine quickly, which can make many wines taste flabby. 

We like these Made in USA shark bait wine glasses as they have discreet etching and the bowl is a nice shape.  Alternatively, one could use these glasses for serving sangrias or water. 

Shark Wine Glass Markers

Already have glassware and looking for just a little something for your shark-themed event?  Consider these Shark Wine Glass Markers so that guests can tell their wine glasses apart as the afternoon or evening progresses. 

Shark Attack Snack Bowl

This fun and festive snack bowl holds 20 ounces of your favorite shark week snacks.

Shark Glass Bottle Stopper

This handmade glass shark bottle stopper makes a nice hostess gift for Shark Week parties.

Shark Wine Bottle Holder

The perfect hostess gift for Shark Week Fin-atics and fun for displaying at your own party, too!

Shark Salt and Pepper Shakers

Looking to add a little bite to a shark-themed party? Here you go:

Shark Week Cheese and Fruit Platter

This beachy-elegant cheese platter can be used time and again. 

Have a Jaw-some Shark Party

We love the idea of a Shark Week-Themed wine party. After all, why not learn more about wines from coastal regions while also learning about sharks?  

So, if you are looking for a mid-summer excuse to throw a shark themed party, we hope you enjoyed our shark-themed accessory recommendations. 

And just so you’re extra prepared, here’s more from KnowWines on how to throw an amazing wine party.

We hope you have a great Shark Week!

Cheers!

Top Nine Wine Books by Women

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There are so many books that can aid you in learning about wine!  

Spend any time around wine lovers and experts and you will quickly find that most are avid readers. In studying for any of the wine certifications through entities such as WSET (Wine and Spirit Educational Trust), CMS (Court of Master Sommeliers), Wine Guild, and Certified Specialist of Wine, one will find that a lot of reading is involved.

It is no surprise, moreover, that many of these books are written by women - 8 out of 10 bottles of wine consumed in home are purchased by women! 

Each book on an aspect of wine has different ideas and different goals for the reader. When picking out wine books, there are many things to consider. 

This blog will help you differentiate typical types of wine books and help you decide which is best - and most interesting - for you.

Wine 101 Books

All wine novices, wine enthusiasts, connoisseurs, and sommeliers all started at the same place … the beginning!  But not all beginning wine books are the same. Some encourage us to memorize specific regions, while others focus on discerning aromas and flavors and demystifying “wine speak.” Some encourage us to explore the world of wine with abandon, while others suggest we focus on the classics. Some are text-heavy while others appeal with images and tables. 

Best Wine 101 Book for the Visual Learner

Wine Folly:  Magnum Edition

If you learn best through maps, eye-pleasing graphics, and smaller snippets of text, then Wine Folly:  Magnum Edition is the best wine book for you. This book was awarded the 2019 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Beverage. Wine Folly co-founders are Madeline Puckette (sommelier) and Juston Hammack (digital strategist). If you are a fan of the Somm movie series, you may have seen Madeline in Somm: Into the Bottle.

The book begins with a short overview of wine basics presented with graphics and images.  Basics covered include wine labels, types of wine, how to taste wine, how to choose wine, how wine is made, and how to pair wines. It then shifts into an overview of the major grape varieties and wines of the world, with charts and diagrams outlining their geographic distribution, acreage and what smells and tastes to expect. The book recommends wines to explore from each region.  

 

Best Wine 101 Book When You are Crunched For Time

The 24-Hour Wine Expert

Jancis Robinson, the most respected wine critic in the world and well known for authoring and co-authoring some of the heftiest wine books, distills over four decades of wine knowledge into this petite book. 

We love this easy-to-read overview written, with humor, in plain English. The book introduces key concepts then gets right down to the business of choosing the right bottle, matching wine and food to the occasion, and seeking out wine values. After explaining how to handle wine, the book covers the most common grapes and wine regions.

Fun and concise, this book answers many beginner wine questions and may leave you wanting to learn more about wine after following the suggested exercises. You can also check out Jancis in The Somm Series.

 

Wine Consumer Review Books

Not everyone who shops for good wine values is interested in learning a lot about wine. I get it. I love grilled veggies, but I’m not that into outdoor grills. If I need to buy a new grill, I’d consult a consumer review publication or do some online research to find the best grill at a certain price.

General wine review books focus on getting you the best value for your dollar on wines you see year-in year-out in large wine retailers like Total Wine, Target, and Wal-Mart.

For the more wine savvy, other annual publications focused on getting you the best value in a given vintage or vintage + growing region. These books are aimed at emerging or serious collectors placing orders online or through a local wine shop, or at those purchasing wines at restaurants.  

Best Wine Consumer Review Book

Good, Better, Best Wines

If you are looking for a good, cheap wine under $15 that’s available almost anywhere you shop, then this book is great to have on your e-reader App as you browse the aisles.  

Canadian wine judge and wine columnist Carolyn Evans Hammond covers the best $5 to $15 wines distributed throughout the United States and Canada. She covers Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Red Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Rosé, sparkling wines, and other great inexpensive red and white wines.     

Harried shoppers will enjoy this book’s simplicity - Carolyn lists “Good, Better, Best” with an image of each bottle to make shopping a breeze. She also makes recommendations for those looking for a super low-priced Tuesday night wine as well as dessert wines and party wines.  The book ends with best hidden gems.

In addition to checking out Carolyn’s book, see our recommendations for wine shopping at the grocery store.

 

Wine Books About the Pleasures of Wine

Let’s face it, we consume wine for pleasure.

People who enjoy wine derive different pleasures from its consumption, which can include

  • The rituals surrounding wine service in fine dining

  • Relaxing with a complex glass of wine in your favorite chair

  • Exploring the pairing of wine with different food flavors and cuisines

  • Gifting or sharing a coveted bottle with family, clients, or friends 

  • Seeking out and finding underdog wines

  • ...and much more

These books encompass several aspects of the world of wine. The best combine culture, travel, gastronomy, and poetry.  

Best Pleasures of Wine Book for Short Story Lovers

Wine in Words

Wall Street Journal Wine Columnist Lettie Teague shares mini-essays on many wine topics including wine myths, wine culture, and wine exploration. We’re a big fan of Lettie’s wine advice, including “Drink what you don’t know.”

Lettie has been writing about wine for years and the stories in these essays dispense knowledge while gently poking fun at wine insiders.  





 
The Art of Eating
By Joan Reardon, M.F.K. Fisher
Buy on Amazon

Best Pleasures of Wine Book for Foodies

Art of Eating

This book is a compilation of some of the most sensuous books on food and wine. Sixty years have passed since these works were written and they continue to delight readers.

If you want to go back to a time before busyness, microwaves, fast food, and food blogs, then get a taste of M.F.K Fisher’s food and wine writing. His dark humor is a reprieve from today’s “look at me” wine and food social media gastronomy content.

 

Wine Reference Books

Sommeliers and wine lovers collect books in much the same way we collect wine. Book collecting is a pleasure, as well as a necessity, for those in the business. Most wine certification programs require prospective sommeliers to read literature produced or recommended by the certifying body.  Wine reference books can be heavy tomes (some weigh in at more than six pounds!) which makes e-reader versions better on the back.  

Some of the books in this genre focus on breadth of coverage for wine servers, while others go in depth on topics like soils, production practices, wine chemistry, or wine region. 

Best, Most Comprehensive Wine Reference Book

Oxford Companion Wine

From “amphora” to “Zinfandel,” this is the wine reference book for serious enthusiasts and those studying for various wine certifications. Comprised primarily of definitions, maps, and images, it also includes topics such as the following: wine regions, history, viticulture, winemaking, grape varieties, famous wine people, and labeling and tasting terms. The book won the James Beard Award and many others.

 

Best Wine Reference Book for Tasting a World of Wine

The Wine Bible

Hey, it’s not called The Wine Bible nothing. 

Karen MacNeil’s wine tome checks in at over 1000 pages, so we find Kindle the easiest way to carry around all this wine knowledge. This book is the accumulation of years of tasting and wine education since she got her start in the male-dominated wine world of the 1980s. Where many wine books either skim the surface or go very in depth, Karen’s Wine Bible touches on a breadth of topics for both beginners and intermediate-stage wine lovers.

Its many maps, photos, travel stops, wine flavor profiles, and wine pairing suggestions make this the best wine book for travel to wine regions when you know just a little about wine. This book is good for analytical types who prefer text, tables, and diagrams that are clear and efficient. If you are looking for more infographics and less text, some of the other wine books we recommend here might be a better fit.   

 

Wine Essays and Wine Trends

Essays on trends in wine have emerged as a popular kind of wine writing over the past 10 years. These books often cover hot topics like sommelier and restaurant culture as well as vineyard and cellar practices.  

Best Unpretentious Wine Book of Wine Essays

Wine All the Time

Marissa writes about drinking in the real world, four-letter words and all.

Her journey started with drinking all the “two buck Chuck” wines of the world. Then she made a video series called Wine Time. After working as Mindy Kaling’s assistant for four years, Marissa landed a book deal and a role as Bon Appetit contributor.  

Between all the jokes and LOL moments, Marissa dispenses with some good beginner wine information.

 

Best Journalist-Infiltrates-Wine-Connoisseurship-Culture Book of Wine Essays

Cork Dork

Those wanting a front row seat to “rock-star” sommelier culture will enjoy this book. It reveals the lengths that somms and serious students of wine will go in pursuit of certifications. 

Journalist Bianca Bosker takes an investigative reporter approach to learning the world of wine in New York City. Fans of Kitchen Confidential and other “foodie” books may really enjoy this look into the world of the wine-obsessed.  

 

In Conclusion

As you can see, there are many different types of wine books meeting different needs. And we’ve only taken a closer look at wine books written or co-written by women!

Regardless of your wine reading intention, we hope you have enjoyed our recommendations of some of our favorites!

Cheers!






































Top 5 Reusable Gift Bags for Wine

You’ve found the perfect bottle of wine for a housewarming gift, promotion present, or hostess offering. Don’t settle for that flimsy, disposable gift bag. Present the bottle in a gift bag that the wine-loving recipient will use again or proudly re-gift! Better yet, get two — give one away and keep one for yourself.  We’ve reviewed loads of gift bags for giving wine as a special present. This article details our top picks.

Why Use a Gift Bag for Wine?

The purpose of a gift bag is to show the recipient that you not only put some thought into the selected wine, but also that you cared enough to pair the packaging to the recipient’s style. Often, the selection available for wine gift bags does not match the style of the wine or personality of the recipient. For example, you don’t want punny wine sayings “It’s time to wine down!”) plastered on a bag containing a Bourgogne Grand Cru. Another consideration is that many paper gift bags simply end up in the trash heap without being re-used.

A higher-end, reusable wine bag not only impresses the giftee and makes the wine seem more special, it also serves as a discreet way to carry that special bottle. This is convenient in the event that you plan to bring the gift into an open office setting without making it obvious to your colleagues that you are gifting a bottle of wine.

Finally, the wine bag can serve as more than just a festive ornament. You may want to consider a wine bag that keeps the wine cool while you travel a long distance, or even help the recipient go the distance by selecting a wine bag that attaches to their bike!

Decide How Many Bottles

Is more always better? Not always. Our research found that wine gift bags overwhelmingly hold just one bottle of wine, which aligns with how we typically gift wine.  

Still, you may want to consider a two-wine gift bag if you think the recipient likes to start a meal with a sparkling or white wine and transition to a red wine for the meal. Or perhaps you want to offer one dinner wine and one wine that works well with dessert. A two-wine bag is also great when you want to carry one wine and one 750 mL bottle of sparkling water. Some two-wine bags can even hold magnums (1.5 L bottles). Wine bags can also be used to gift craft beer bombers and many whiskey and craft spirit bottles.   

What is the Best Wine Gift Bag for the Recipient?

Consider the recipient and their interests and hobbies. If you are unsure, take a look at their social media platforms, like Instagram or Pinterest. Their posts should give you a good idea of their style, interests, and perhaps even color preferences.  

Here are some questions to consider when selecting a bag for the recipient:

What colors does the recipient like?

Is the recipient up on trends or more traditional? Are they minimalist or extravagant?

Where will the recipient use the bag?

Will they use it indoors, outdoors, or both?

Might they use the bag for travel?  

Is the recipient a leather lover or would they prefer vegan materials?  

Keeping these considerations in mind, we found the following five bags to be our favorites.

Wine Tote by Viski

 
 

After just one look, we wanted to be seen carrying this classy bag to our favorite beach restaurant. We love the minimalist design. This gift bag differs from a lot of bags in that it does not look like a lunch bag. Also, the faux leather makes it a good selection for vegan friends.     

Pros: We liked the easy-to-clean faux leather. The modern design is refreshing. The magnetic stainless steel closure gives it a luxurious appearance.

Cons: There is no strap, and the metal closure might not be comfortable for carrying a long distance.    

Premium Insulated Wine Carrier Bag by OPUX

 
 

This wine bag looks like it came from of a high-end outdoor provisioning store. Riding on the current athleisure trend, it mixes sport, outdoors, and travel. The robust strap makes it ideal to carry some distance, and the brighter color options make it appealing for pool parties and housewarming gifts. The construction has some padding to help keep wines an appropriate temperature, however not so much as to make it bulky. The free corkscrew is a nice addition.

Pros: There’s an included divider to prevent bottles from clinking against each other. The bag comes in a wide selection of bright and dark colors. It is not heavy and can be reused as a lunch cooler. Great design for concealing  wine. The removable strap and standard handle make it easy to cover. There’s a small loop inside the lid for storing the corkscrew. The pocket does not have a zipper, making it handy to slip in a map, small booklet, or card for the recipient.     

Cons: Don’t fill bag with ice directly as melted water will leak out. Best for standard wine bottles as it is hard to get oversized, tall, or odd-shaped bottles in the bag.

Shintop Jute Wine Bags

 
 

This bag is our pick for bulk gift giving, let’s say for a bridal party or for a handful of favorite clients. Perhaps you would also like the option to personalize the bag for the recipient. This is also our pick for covering up wine bottles when hosting blind tastings. The Shintop Jute Wine Bag can also be used for storage or regifting items in addition to wine.    

Pros: We like that this eco-friendly bag is composed of burlap from natural jute. Unlike rough box store craft burlap, this burlap is silky and has no foul odors.  

Cons: While each bag comes with an attractive drawstring, the bag is not convenient for carrying to restaurant.

Fyxation Leather Bicycle Wine Carrier

 
 

If your wine gift recipient uses a bike for running errands — and those errands include picking up a wine or a beer bomber — this leather minimalist holder fits the bill. It’s perfect for wine country tours as well! Please bike responsibly!

Pros: Trendy and impressive. Made in USA of high quality full-grained leather.  

Cons:  Can be difficult for some users to figure out how to get a wine bottle in the carrier when it is attached to the bike. Use caution when inserting the bottle so you don’t rip the bottle label.  Not vegan. Higher price point than other options.

Kato Insulated Wine Carrier Tote

 
 

This bag is perfect if you don’t have time to do research on the recipient’s preferences and simply want a clean, timeless look. Any recipient will appreciate an easy-to-carry bag, especially if it comes with a free corkscrew!

Pros: We liked that the bag has three layers — durable polyester, foam, and aluminum. The divider keeps bottles from bumping against each other. The strap is removable and has a metal buckle. The bag features sturdy handles and a small zippered pouch on the outside to store a corkscrew.

Cons: Some users report that the item does not include the corkscrew as indicated at time of purchase. It’s triple layer construction also means that if it is squished during delivery, it can take some time for it to return to its normal shape. This might put gifters in a bind if the item does not go back to its original shape between unpackaging and gifting. Like all the other bags reviewed, this one is not leak proof.

Conclusion

When it comes to wine gift bags, there are a lot of options out there. These are just a few of the great gift bags currently available. We like that these gift bag options are reusable, unlike the flimsy, disposable wine gift bags you find in grocery stores.

For us, the winner was the Premium Insulated Wine Carrier Bag by OPUX. In fact, we snagged one of these ourselves for a hostess gift. We like the durability and the range of colors. The black and grey options are timeless, and the brighter colors are great for those who like bold colors. The bag keeps wine cool while transporting to parties, and packs well in checked luggage. When not in use for carrying wine, it doubles as a weekday lunch bag.

Finally, if you multiple wine lovers on your shopping list, check out our ultimate guide to gifts for wine lovers!

Cheers!

Harvest Inn in St. Helena, Napa Valley

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Hotels are in high demand in central Napa Valley and there aren’t a whole lot of options. Harvest Inn Saint Helena, a luxury hotel in the central part of wine country, offers a cozy, small-town feeling (and will also help you to avoid resort fees). Before you plan your trip to wine country, read our review and consider putting this inn on your California wine map!  

Things to Consider Before Booking with Harvest Inn

So, you’ve decided you would like to go to Napa Valley. Congratulations! Now it’s time to book a hotel. If your main intentions are wine tasting and fine dining, choosing lodging in the smaller towns north of Napa will put you right in the middle of wine country (and save you the time you’d spend driving back and forth from Napa and Sonoma).

Harvest Inn in St. Helena is ideal for 40+ travelers looking for a luxurious experience that is sophisticated yet unpretentious, without over-the-top amenities. It’s perfect for solo travelers or couples who wants a rustic yet elegant setting setting in the heart of Napa Valley.

Before booking this hotel, think about how often you plan to be in the town of Napa, as the hotel is over 30 minutes away and traffic is often congested on Highway 29.

This hotel has several nice amenities: two outdoor pools, two hot tubs, a small fitness center, and easy access to the sidewalks of St. Helena and roadways for biking. Some spa services are available with advance notice (the spa is located near the fitness center or you can arrange in-room services). Harvest Inn also provides convenient, on-demand, free shuttle service to nearby restaurants and wineries.

The Harvest Inn St. Helena, an Overview

Location

The Harvest Inn is located at the southwest edge of the quaint town of St. Helena in the heart of Napa Valley. It is nestled next to Whitehall Lane Winery, just off Highway 29.  

St. Helena is a fairly rural area. There are no shuttles or public transportation options from St. Helena or the Inn to nearby cities. If you are flying to California, you’ll need to rent a car, hire a private driver, or use rideshare apps like Uber or Lyft.

In addition to Harvest Inn’s on-site restaurant, the hotel is just a 20-minute walk to several well-regarded St. Helena restaurants, including Goose and Gander, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, and Charter Oak. The Inn is also within walking distance of Sunshine Foods Grocery Store, Dean and DeLuca gourmet store, and a few of the best wineries in Napa Valley.  

The Harvest Inn St Helena is:

75 miles north of San Francisco International Airport

70 miles southwest of Sacramento International Airport

68 miles northwest of Oakland International Airport and

28 miles east of Santa Rosa Airport

History and Construction

The hotel opened in 1975 with 25 rooms, and now has a total of 78 guest rooms across 17 brick and stone cottages. The cottages are grouped into four or five “neighborhoods” with walkways, green space, and pools. A line of evergreen trees helps separate the hotel from the two-lane highway, and over 300 magnificent redwood trees dot the eight acre hotel property. (And here’s a fun fact: there are over 2 million bricks on the property!)

The property has had a few different owners over the years, including chef Charlie Palmer. In 2018, the day-to-day operations were taken over by Woodside Hotel Group, an independent and family-owned chain of California hotels.  

Room Details

The rooms are renowned for their spaciousness. Room size starts at 350 square feet, though many are closer to 500 square feet. The Harvest Inn manor room is over 1000 square feet!

Most rooms have a wood fireplace (there are about 20 rooms with gas fireplaces and 14 rooms without fireplaces at all). Adjoining rooms are available.  

Each room appears to have either a patio or balcony.  Several rooms on the west side have full vineyard views (Whitehall Lane Vineyards) as well as a full view of the Mayacamas Mountains. These west-facing rooms also offer great sunset views! A few of these rooms also have private hot tubs.

There are about 22 second-story rooms, so if you have heavy luggage, ask for one of the ground level rooms or assistance with luggage from staff at check-in and check-out.

We stayed in one of the Fountain rooms at the east side of the property with peek-a-boo views of vineyards and the Mayacamas mountain range.When I arrived, there was a free bottle of wine in the room from an adjacent winery.

Each room is designed a little differently, though exposed brick and dark wood are common throughout. In our room, there was ample closet space and a large dresser. The room provided two bathrobes and pairs of slippers, as well as an umbrella. The flat screen TV provided premium TV channels, and the WiFi speed was fast and convenient for multiple devices. The desk was a comfortable space for writing or working. The mini-fridge was stocked with still water, sparkling water, and juice, and the room offered several publications on local events, wineries, restaurants, activities, and tours. The bathroom was spacious, with a natural stone shower separate from the updated tub. The king-sized room had a large vanity space for spreading out toiletries and beauty products. Hand soaps, shampoos, and toiletries were provided by C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries.    

Amenities

The Harvest Inn has free on-site parking, including two electric car charging stations. Free wifi is available in the rooms and in the common areas. The small on-site fitness center is equipped with basic fitness equipment, including treadmills and weights.

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There is an on-site spa with three treatment rooms, and guests can arrange for in-room spa services for an additional cost. Spa services include massage, body treatments (like exfoliation), and facials. Wellness for Cancer massage experts are available. We suggest planning ahead for any of these services rather than waiting until your arrival so that you get the service(s) you desire. During our stay, it rained, though we learned that guests could get receive some spa services outside under the redwood trees during better weather conditions. How relaxing!

The Harvest Inn has a relationship with the nearby Silverado Golf Course, home of the PGA tour.  Again, call ahead and the very helpful concierge can help you set up tee times - with the wonderful mediterranean climate, this course is likely quite popular!

Free wine tastings with nearby winery partners like Salvestrin Winery, HALL Winery, Whitehall Lane Winery, Merryvale Vineyards, and Heitz Wine Cellars are within walking distance of the hotel. Additional wineries within walking distance are Sutter Home, The Prisoner Wine Company, V Sattui, Pahlmeyer Wines, Meiomi Wines, Louis M Martini Winery, and Prager Winery and Port Works.

Finally, if you’re looking to keep up to date on local or national news while sipping a glass of wine, free daily newspapers are available at the Harvest Bar.

Grounds and Event Space

In addition to the nearly half-a-century old redwood trees and neighboring vineyards, the gardens include a Koi pond, evergreen and flowering shrubs, terraces, lawns, two swimming pools and two hot tubs, a botanical garden, and a few garden beds to supply the restaurant.  

Unique artwork from St. Helena’s own Aerena Galleries and Gardens is on display. If you are interested in learning more about the art, someone at Aerena will come to the Inn to explain it further, or you can bike/walk into town (30-minute walk) and check out their beautiful exposed brick showroom.

In the event that business or a wedding (perhaps your own?) takes you to the valley, the Harvest Inn can help you with either. There are several areas in the property that include a mix of indoor and outdoor garden, lawn, and covered patio space. For weddings or other large events, you can rent out the entire Harvest Inn restaurant. (And hey, if you decide you want to elope,  they can help with that, too!)

Dining

Harvest Inn boasts a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Most of the food is locally sourced, including a few items from their own gardens. All meals are served in either a main dining room or on a covered terrace. Room service is also available most days.  

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We enjoyed breakfast there several times. Their delicious Eggs Benedict featured english muffins from St. Helena’s famous Modal Bakery. Coffee is available to go in the morning, or you can sit and enjoy some French press coffee with your breakfast.  

Adjacent to the dining room, the Harvest Bar features wines from the area as well as artisan cocktails. Beers on tap include two craft beers made on site and other beers from the region.

Other Factors to Consider

The Harvest Inn is not for budget travelers or travelers who want to pay for their rooms with chain hotel points. It is also not a good fit for travelers who need to be in close proximity to Napa or city activities. It is not ideal for travelers seeking modern, minimalistic design, a large swimming pool for doing laps, or a large gym. There are a limited number of dog-friendly rooms.  

Social Proof

In addition to my our experience, other reviewers say that they are not disappointed when they pay a little more to get vineyard views. Guests staying near the adult-only pool report that it can be noisy until the pool closes around 11 pm. Other guests comment that the gym is rather small.  Last, some guests are disappointed that the bar and restaurant are closed on Monday if they are tired from a full day of activities and want to stay in for the evening. There are, however, a few places in town that do deliver food and several restaurants within 20 minutes walking distance that are open on Mondays.    

Alternatives

If you find that the Harvest Inn is fully booked, here are three alternatives.

Wine Country Inn in St. Helena is about the same age and has similar ambiance at about the same price point. We enjoyed a stay here a few years ago. More cottages have vineyard views and there are views of the Vaca Mountains. The rooms are a little more dated and I found the breakfast at Harvest Inn to have a much better selection. Here are a few more details about Wine Country Inn:

  • Located just north of St. Helena

  • Nestled in the vineyards

  • Pool and hot tub

  • Breakfast available, no lunch or dinner

  • No resort fee, limited spa services, no gym

Wanting the same ambiance but a little further down the road in Yountville?  We recommend the Hotel Yountville. Their breakfasts are exceptional! Here are a few more details:

  • Boutique hotel with exposed stone walls

  • Breakfast and lunch available, many Michelin rated restaurants within 10 minutes walk, or take in-room dining

  • Pool and hot tub

  • Large spa

  • Patios and balconies, no vineyard views

Last but not least, if rustic elegance is not your style and you want the newest and most luxurious hotel accommodations in St. Helena, try Los Alcobas just south of Beringer winery. Here are a few more details:

  • Marriott hotel for points-accumulating aficionados

  • Large and luxurious spa

  • 10-15 minute walk to downtown St Helena

  • 24 hour fitness facility

  • Restaurant headed by Top Chef alum Chris Cosentino

  • Luxury modern design

Conclusion

The Harvest Inn in St. Helena is perfect for couples or solo travelers who want to get away from it all and enjoy a bit of small town ambiance. It’s a very convenient and centralized homebase for wine tasting and dining and has luxury hotel amenities like spacious rooms and fine dining, without the resort fees. It is a good fit for people wanting a warm, rustic, and luxurious experience.

Cheers to happy travels!

How to Find Great Wine At The Grocery Store

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KnowWines understands that the wall of wines at the supermarket can be an intimidating place.  Often, people choose wine with a label that catches their eye or they grab a bottle they’ve tried before and know they like well enough (Apothic, Meiomi, Prisoner?). The problem with these approaches? Great labels don’t always mean great wine, and drinking the same red blend wine all the time can get pretty boring. Still, we understand that you’re busy and don’t always have time for a stop at the bottle shop, where you’re likely to get decent advice on the proper wine for your palate. That’s why we developed this quick checklist to increase your odds of selecting great cheap wines at a grocery or big-box retailer (like Wal-Mart, Target, Costco), where finding knowledgeable staff can be hit (or mostly) miss.

Finding the Best Grocery Store Wines

While understanding your palate  and preferences is the best go-to for finding great cheap wine, we know some tricks for zeroing in on the best wines when you’re on your own at Trader Joe’s or Safeway. Here’s what to look for:

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Look for the Wine’s Region

The more the bottle says about where it came from (specific appellation, specific region), the better the wine. Grocery stores know that many American shoppers purchase wine by variety from a specific region. Often, the best cheap wine will be your favorite wine variety from an up and coming region.

If the climate of the origin of the wine is warm, the wine will likely be fruitier and sweeter. If the climate of origin is cool, the wine will likely be more tart or acidic. (You may need to brush up on your high school geography for this one!).

The Best Wine Isn’t Always the Most Expensive

Ignore sale stickers. Whether or not a wine is on sale is not an indicator of quality or value. Instead, read the back of the bottle and look for descriptors that sound like something you would enjoy or not enjoy. The more it says about winemaking and the less its says about lifestyle, the better the value. In a similar vein, ignore supermarket shelf talkers. These are the colorful tags and other flair hanging below the wine shelf - usually they offer very little in the way of understanding a wine’s actual value.

Learn How to Evaluate Wine Labels

Be aware of trendy gender and generational advertising norms and how they are applied in grocery and big-box wine aisle advertising. If the label is trying to appeal to these assumptions with phrases like “frazzled mom,” “diet-obsessed,” “lumbersexual,” or  “bRose,” chances are it is overpriced. Same goes for a really cool font. There are plenty of good wines and good wine stories that don’t pander to offensive assumptions.

Take Advantage of Bulk Discounts on Wine

To explore a broader variety of wine, take advantage of the bulk discount by buying wine by the case. Most grocery stores like Whole Foods and Harris Teeter offer a discount on 6 or 12 bottles (typically 10% or more) at certain times of year. Perhaps your go-to wine is $9 but you want to try a different sparkling wine that sells for $25 — buying five of the $9 wine and one $25 wine can bring that $25 bottle down to $22.50, and you’ll save almost a dollar on each of your old standbys.

Learn How to Talk to a Wine Salesperson

Talk to the person stocking the shelves. You might get lucky and find someone passionate and knowledgeable about wines. Show them what you like and ask what they consider a value. If they judge your selection, talk to you in a condescending manner, or simply can’t provide any good answers, just stick with our trusty checklist.

Don’t Be Afraid to Return Bad Wine

If you do buy a wine and it tastes like bandaids or cardboard (yuck!), has no flavor, or looks strange, ask for a refund.  Wine flaws originating within the winery are less and less common due to better sanitation and technological advancements in the vineyard and winery, however it is possible that the wine was mishandled after it left the winemaker. Most retailers like Total Wine, ALDI and Whole Foods would rather give your money back and have you return for another purchase. Also, if the wine is just not to your liking, consider using it for a wine cocktail, sangria, or mulled wine before pouring it down the sink. Then, try again next time! 

Happy wine shopping, friends! We hope this checklist will make it a little bit easier to end up with a great tasting wine on your table tonight. For an in-depth set of wine shopping resources, check out our list of great wine books!

Cheers!

Fifteen Wineries in Napa and Sonoma

Five Large Wineries:

Each of these five large wineries produces over a million bottles of wine per year. Because their wines are widely distributed in the United States, you can experience the tasting without feeling obliged to buy something to take home. These wineries either work with many varieties and have many “brands” at different price points,  or they focus on one or two wines made in large volume.

In Napa:

Beringer: California’s oldest continuously operating winery.

Hall Wines: Nestled in the Diamond Mountain District of Napa Valley.

Robert Mondavi: Four decades of award-winning winemaking.

Stag’s Leap: Beautiful architecture, gorgeous vineyards, and underground caves!

In Sonoma:

Jordan: A beautiful winery-chateau in the French style.

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Five Medium Wineries:

Typically, these wineries have been in business for 30 or more years.

In Napa:

Chappellet: Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill is a stunning setting for tasting wine.

Montelena: The winery boasts a unique stone chateau resembling an English gothic castle.

Opus One: Unique architecture paired with beautiful scenery and wine.

In Sonoma:

Ridge: Sip wine in the presence of gorgeous, 115-year-old vines.

Merry Edwards: Merry Edwards is a female vintner making Pinot Noirs with a sense of place.

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Five Smaller Wineries:

These wineries generally make less than 250,000 bottles of wine per year.

In Napa:

Tor: Family-owned, with a focus on single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines.

Pina: Family-owned for eight generations! A small Napa Valley treasure.

Corison: Artisanal, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon by winegrower Cathy Corison.

In Sonoma:

Williams Selyem: Highly-prized Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel.

Peter Michael: Nine family-owned mountain vineyards and thirty-five years of handcrafted wines.

Interested in traveling to Napa and Sonoma? Check out our guide to California’s wine country as well as our recommendations for lodging and unique wine country excursions!