How to Host an Online Wine Tasting

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

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

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

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

Wine

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

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Glassware

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

Notepad or Tasting Grid

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

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

Smartphone, Tablet, or Computer

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

SwitchPod or other Smartphone Tripod

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

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

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

Facetime

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

 
 

Zoom

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

 
 

DIY Online Wine Tasting: Step by Step

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

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

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

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

  • On the day of the party:

    • Get your tripod and smartphone device ready to go.

    • Prepare a clean glass for tasting.

    • Start the Facetime call or Zoom meeting.

    • Start tasting (and chatting!) with friends!

    • Take notes if you like.

Virtual Alternatives to a Wine Tasting Party with Friends

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

Social Online Wine Classes

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

Serious Online Wine Classes

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

In Summary

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

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

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

Stay safe. And cheers!

The Best Wine Refrigerators for Wine Lovers

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In this article, we take a look at the highest-rated small wine refrigerators that are ideal for storing approximately 50 bottles of wine.

This type of refrigerator may appeal to any of the following wine lovers:

  • Those seeking a step up from a lower-end wine cabinet or perhaps a temporary solution before taking the plunge to a larger cellar down the road.

  • Those undergoing a kitchen remodel who are seeking a sleek, under counter wine refrigerator to fit in with new appliances.

  • Those who have collected a few bottles from their wedding year or a child’s birth year and are seeking a storage solution for those special bottles.   

  • Single people or couples who have downsized and want to age just a few special bottles.

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

Do you need a small wine refrigerator?

Before moving on to our recommendations, let’s take a deeper dive into understanding the benefits of small wine refrigerators. It’s important to consider the environmental factors that impact wine and why wines benefit from being stored in cellars. Ideal conditions for wine storage include cool, stable temperature, relatively high humidity, and no light or vibrations. If you drink wines within a couple of weeks of purchasing your wines, then you can get by without a wine refrigerator because the changes caused by improper storage take time to develop.

If you’ve tried some older, properly aged wines — perhaps a Mosel Riesling from the 1980s or a Napa Cabernet from the 1990s — and didn’t enjoy the aged wines, then your preferences don’t warrant investment in a wine refrigerator. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying many age-worthy wines when they are young (though we do recommend a bit of research at your local bottle shop on decanting times!).

If you do enjoy storing wine to age, however, you may already have some stored in your kitchen island, coat closet, basement, or bar. It’s not uncommon for wine enthusiasts to have wines stashed throughout their home in several places. Over an extended time, however, these wines can deteriorate if not stored properly.  

Want to learn more about wine storage? Check out our podcast interview with wine storage expert Roy Wilson.

Assassins of Wine

What Temperature Should Wine Be Stored?

Temperature variation is one of the biggest enemies of wines as it ages. Wines should be stored at around 55 F (typical cave temperature), however, a range of 50 to 58 F is often considered acceptable.

You might think, “Hey, why can’t I store my wine in my refrigerator for the long term, or perhaps in the beer fridge in the garage?” Well, a few unfortunate things can happen when the wine is stored at too cool of a temperature for extended periods. The cool temps can slow down the aging process, the cork can dry out and allow refrigerator smells to seep into the wine (gross!), or the wine can be agitated when jostling around food or beer in the fridge, thus damaging the closure or label. Also, if the wine is pushed to the back of the refrigerator, there’s the possibility of freezing which may result in the cork getting pushed out.

Storage in a dark closet also may seem ideal but will have mixed results over multiple years. If the air conditioning in the house or apartment breaks down, temperatures can escalate. Prolonged periods can lead to the wine taking on a stewed or cooked flavor. Some wines may also start to take on a vinegar taste as the aging process is accelerated.

What Are The Effects Of Light On Wine?

Like temperature, too much light can also make wine deteriorate. This phenomenon is not unique to wine, as some beers are also known to suffer from light-strike. Simply, light is a form of radiation. Ultraviolet and blue portions of the light spectrum carry more energy than the red portion.  

Wine (and beer) have naturally sulfurous compounds. When light strikes wine, unwelcome chemical reactions can occur, leading to “skunky” aromas and flavors. Different colors of glass do provide more protection than others (e.g. dark brown or amber glass), however green and clear bottles are more common.

Since wine cabinet door selection has more to do with the aesthetics of a room these days, those of us wanting to age wines want to reduce light damage as much as possible. Wine refrigerators with dark glass or a solid door significantly reduce the possibility of light getting into the bottles.

What is the Optimal Humidity Level for Storing Wine?

When storing wines, most bottles are stored on their sides. This keeps the cork moist and keeps it from drying out, reducing the likelihood that too much oxygen will enter the bottle.  

A typical food refrigerator is a low humidity environment. In there, the cork can dry out. Corks can also dry out in arid environments, like the desert southwest of the USA. The ideal humidity level is around 70%.

Once oxygen has gotten into the wine bottles due to improper storage, the wine will quickly oxidize. Oxidation causes aromas and flavors to change. This negative impact is irreversible.

Does Vibration Ruin Wine?

Like light damage, damage caused by vibration is the direct result of energy being transferred to the contents of the bottle. This time it is kinetic energy and not radiation. Vibration damage can result from storing wine on top of a refrigerator or near another vibrating appliance like a treadmill, washer, or dryer. Wine stored under stairs may also suffer from vibration damage.  

The exact biochemical causes are not yet well known, however food chemistry research shows that wines exposed to vibration can lead to a reduction in esters, resulting in dull flavors.  Additionally, wines exposed to vibration can taste sweeter as the amount of propanol and isoamyl alcohol increases as tartaric acids, succinic acids, and esters decrease.

For more on wine assassins (and how to tell if your wine has really gone bad), check out our blog on wine faults.

Advantages of Small Wine Refrigerators

Now that you understand the environmental risks to wine in suboptimal storage conditions, let’s move on to those refrigerators!

When selecting a small wine refrigerator, one of the common regrets is getting too small of a wine cabinet.  As your passion grows, some of the smaller 18-24 bottle wine refrigerators can be outpaced by your collection habit.  

Many small wine refrigerators are also targeting a more entry-level clientele and are more likely to have thermoelectric coolers rather than compressors. Too small of a wine refrigerator also makes it difficult to maintain humidity.

Alternatively, some people purchase a wine refrigerator that is too big. The best large wine refrigerators are thousands of dollars and are designed for storing wines for 20 years or more. If you move frequently, large wine refrigerators are difficult to move! Your new or downsized home may not be able to accommodate a magnificently large wine refrigerator.  

Much like the “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” story, here we review the “just right” wine refrigerators that can fit under the counter or stand-alone in a den or walkout basement.  

Things to look For in your Wine Refrigerator

Warranty

Most small wine refrigerators in the size and price category we reviewed come with a one year warranty on some components and a five-year warranty on the cooling system.  If you purchase your wine refrigerator online, through a retailer like Amazon, you can also get major appliance warranties (affiliate link) at the same time as purchase.

To extend the warranty of any durable good like a wine cabinet, consider using a premium credit card with extended warranty provisions to make the purchase. Check with your credit card company to see if they offer extended warranties with this type of purchase. In our experience, American Express, for example, offers a doubling of the manufacturer’s warranty for many electronics when purchased with their card.  

Last but not least, keep an electronic record of the customer service number in case you have any issues with your wine refrigerator.  

Wine Cooler Reliability

Most issues that buyers face when ordering small wine refrigerators have to do with the initial delivery and installation. Typical issues include damage during shipping such as scratches and dents. Delivery issues are the most frequent cause of poor reviews.

If the unit arrives in good condition and is installed properly, expect about five years of use and potentially up to ten years.

Environmental conditions that shorten the lifespan of small wine refrigerators are typically related to ambient temperature and humidity. Wine refrigerators used in extreme conditions like a garage in Florida or a cold basement in North Dakota may have a shorter lifespan. Another situation that may shorten the lifespan of small wine cabinets is frequent moving. We lost a 7-year old unit during an in-state move recently when the movers damaged the back of the unit.  

When selecting a small wine refrigerator, pay attention to how much clearance is required under the unit for optimal performance. If the unit vents to the front, it can be used as an under-counter unit or as a stand-alone unit. If the wine cabinet vents only to the back, make sure that the unit is not installed flat against a wall. Attending to these small details will extend the life of your unit and reduce the chances of overheating.

Cooling Technology and Energy Efficiency

Small wine refrigerators are excluded from the federal Energy Star energy program. Some wine refrigerators are more energy-efficient than others.  

Thermoelectric units are typically more energy-efficient and are best suited for small living spaces like a studio apartment or condo.  

Compressor units use refrigerants like standard refrigerators. They may be less energy efficient than thermoelectric units and may be a little noisier, especially at lower price points. However, they tend to last longer and work in a broader range of ambient environmental conditions. The more life one gets out of a wine refrigerator means fewer units purchased over one’s lifetime and less landfill accumulation of dead units.  

Noise and Design Aesthetic

Following delivery issues and bottle count, the third most likely source of complaints on small wine refrigerators is noise. Remember, any durable good with a fan makes noise, and sensitivity to this noise varies by person. In this price category, we found that these units will be between 25 and 45 decibels, about the noise level of a quiet conversation.  

Think about where the wine refrigerator will be located. If it will be in a living or entertaining area, or in your bedroom, pay special attention to the noise emitted by the unit. If the unit will be in an unfinished walkout basement or utility room, then noise might be less of a concern.  

Since wine is a luxury good and many of these units end up in kitchens, most wine refrigerators are aesthetically pleasing. Consider whether or not you like the color of the LED lights and trim finish (stainless or black). Also, do you prefer (or need) a left or right opening wine cabinet?

Bottle Size Flexibility

Keep in mind that bottle capacity is typically referring to Bordeaux style bottles. Chances are, most wine enthusiasts have bottles that range in size and shape. Frequently, consumers are disappointed when they can’t fit all the expected bottles in the cabinet when the sales literature notes a capacity of, say 56 bottles. Second to delivery issues, the bottle capacity count is a frequent cause of low reviews.  

Wine bottle sizes vary by wine style and region. Champagne and Burgundy bottles typically have a fuller, rounder base, while Bordeaux style bottles are more rectangular in shape.  Flute-shaped Riesling bottles have longer tapered necks.

If your collection has wines from many regions, you will likely need to spend more for flexibility in the interior shelving system, or just live with a fewer number of bottles than the labeled capacity.   

Other Considerations

We reviewed only single-zone temperature zone units, small wine cabinets. Dual-zone wine cabinets tout flexibility, however, we like fewer moving parts that have the potential to break down. We suggest keeping things simple by planning ahead: just slip that rosé or Sauvignon Blanc into your regular refrigerator or an ice bucket 20 minutes before serving if you enjoy them below 55 F.  

We have found that wine cabinets with the same capacity can vary a lot in price. Typically, higher-priced units have the following features:

  • Better shipping pallet and packaging material

  • Less assembly

  • More responsive customer service

  • More robust individual components (e.g. glass layers, more metal thickness, heavier duty compressor, shelf quality)

  • Higher-end look with trendy finishes

  • More shelving flexibility

If you have minor children in the house, or you rent out your home on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo, we strongly suggest getting a wine refrigerator with a lock.  

Most small wine refrigerators will not need a lot of cleaning or maintenance, other than checking to see if the temperature and humidity are near the ideal conditions.  

If you are concerned about your small wine refrigerator temperature and humidity (let’s say while you are out of town or in case of power loss), you may want to consider putting one of these Moat Temperature & Humidity Wireless Smart Sensors in the wine cabinet. It will send you an alert if either is out of the specifications you set.

Now, let’s get to those small wine refrigerators!

Best Unit for Diverse Bottle Sizes:

Allavino FlexCount - 56 Bottle Single Zone Wine Cellar Refrigerator

Of all the units we reviewed in this product category, this one had the longest warranty. The cooling technology is a compressor. The noise level reported is around 40 decibels or less.

The small wine refrigerator comes well packaged and on a pallet. Minimal assembly is required and the small wine refrigerator is easy to get up and running. You can choose if you want the door to open from the left or right. The wine refrigerator is front venting and can be installed under a countertop or as a stand-alone unit.

What sets this unit apart from the others is its FlexCount shelving. It can accommodate many different sizes of bottles. This FlexCount shelving is not only practical, its sleek design makes it look premium and contemporary. The wine refrigerator comes with a lock.

Here’s your link for more information on the Allavino wine refrigerator:

Best Unit with Traditional Wood Shelving

Lanbo Built-in Compressor Wine Fridge Cooler With Reversible Door 52 Bottles

For wine enthusiasts who love the look of traditional wood shelves, this unit may suit your needs. It is also a front venting unit, enabling under-counter or stand-alone installation.  This unit comes with adjustable feet, carbon filtration, a safety lock, door alarm to let you know if the door is ajar.

The door is reversible and includes a lock.  The unit fits 52 standard wine bottles, so if your collection contains wider Bourgogne style bottles or broad-shouldered Cabernet Sauvignon bottles, you likely are not going to get 52 bottles in the unit.

Here’s your link for more information on the Lanbo wine refrigerator:

Best Unit for Basement Bars:

NewAir Built-In Wine Cooler and Refrigerator, 52 Bottle Capacity Fridge with Triple-Layer Tempered Glass Door

If you’re looking for a small wine refrigerator for your basement bar and don’t need the “wow” factor but still want a visually appealing refrigerator, this one may meet your needs.  Like the previous two models, this one also has a compressor cooler. It has a noise level of just under 40 decibels, a reversible door, beech wood shelves, and a moisture container to help with maintaining humidity.  It is also front venting, perfect for under counter or stand alone installations and has a lock. It comes with a one year warranty.

A few potential downsides: it appears as if the legs are not adjustable so one will need to use wood shims to balance the unit on an uneven floor. Some users report that the temperature needs to be reset when electricity goes out and that the bright blue LEDs are very bright.

Here’s your link for more information on the NewAir wine refrigerator:

Best Budget Option:

Kalamera 50 Bottle Compressor Wine Refrigerator Single Zone with Touch Control

This small, quiet wine refrigerator is ideal for townhomes, smaller condominiums, or office spaces.

Budget does not mean giving up on aesthetics. This small wine refrigerator has pleasing blue LED lights, a stainless steel door, and double layer glass. Unlike the other units, it has thermoelectric cooling technology, making it very quiet. At 82 lbs., it was the lightest small wine refrigerator we reviewed. The beech racks are removable to accommodate the wider bottle bases of wines like Pinot Noir and Champagne. It has a one year warranty and does not have a lock.  

Some potential downsides: if you have a lot of non standard wine bottles, you may only be able to fit about 40 bottles. The door is not reversible and the unit does not have a lock. The unit vents toward the back, so it is best used as a stand alone unit and not as an under counter installation.  

Here’s your link for more information on the Kalamera wine refrigerator:

Conclusion

We’ve four similar sized small wine refrigerators for a variety of circumstances, from a premium unit suitable for kitchen installation to a stand-alone wine refrigerator perfect for a condo or small business.

If I needed a small wine refrigerator for a home remodel or for a condo, I would select the Allavino (affiliate link). It’s a great value for those interested in something like a EuroCave, but wanting a smaller capacity at a lower price point. We like it due to its flexibility of bottle size and five-year warranty on the compressor, as well as other positive reviews we found on the internet regarding delivery and responsiveness of customer service to delivery issues.  

At the end of the day, each of these units covers the intended purpose: keeping about 50 wines cool at a stable temperature with enough humidity and minimal light exposure and vibration.  

Best of luck in selecting your wine refrigerator!

Cheers!

Are Zalto Wine Glasses Worth It?

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A few years ago the Zalto wine glass took the wine world by storm. These high-end crystal wine glasses, handblown in Austria, have ultra-thin bowls and are heralded by wine enthusiasts and magazines as vessels that actually make your wine smell and taste better. In today’s blog, we share the various styles of Zalto wine glasses and also compare Zalto glasses with our other favorite luxury crystal wine glasses

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


What Are Zalto Wine Glasses?

The Zalto Story

Zalto wine glasses were developed by Hans Denk, a famous wine expert in Austria. These finely crafted wine glasses are crystal, lead-free, and handblown.

The story goes that the angles of Zalto wine glasses mirror the angles of the tilt angles of the earth: 24 degrees, 48 degrees, and 72 degrees. The concept of tilt angles, which supposedly improve taste, is not unique to Zalto - apparently, the Romans used a similar approach when building storage containers.  

Here’s the classic Zalto Denk’Art Universal Glass:

Handblown Glass

Essentially, Zalto wine glasses are made one at a time - a unique feature in any modern product! The glass itself is comprised of three parts: the bowl, the stem, and the base. These three pieces are made individually and are then put together by the artisan glassmaker.

Here’s a video detailing Zalto’s process of handblowing their glasses:

 
 

Zalto’s Hometown in Austria

All Zalto wine glasses are made by the Zalto Glasshutte in the town of Neunagelberg, which is about two hours north and west of Vienna, Austria.  Artisans have been making wine in this area since at least the 1300s. 

 
 
 

Where to Buy Zalto Wine Glasses

Some independent wine stores (like Red Bank Wine in Wilmington, North Carolina) sell Zalto wine glasses. Your local wine retailer may have some on hand to try before committing to a glass. If your local wine shop does not have Zalto glasses, then check out the Zalto shop on Amazon (affiliate link) or Wine Enthusiast.

Wine Glass Styles

Zalto and Riedel (affiliate link) both have lines of glassware that are designed for specific wine styles. Below, we’ve shared the Zalto styles we’ve enjoyed.

Zalto Universal Wine Glass

Personally, we prefer Universal wine glass styles. If you select wine glasses that are specific to a certain type of wine, your cupboard can fill up pretty quickly, and not everyone has room for all those glasses! We particularly enjoy the Zalto Universal glass with robust wines like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and the wines of Bordeaux.

Zalto Wine Glass Champagne

While it’s true that having too many types of wine glasses on hand can overwhelm your wine glass storage, it’s also true that you’ll never regret having great champagne glasses. Special events deserve bubbly, and bubbly tastes better from glasses like these:

Zalto Wine Glass Bordeaux

Here is Zalto’s beautifully shaped wine glass, specifically for Bordeaux:

Zalto Burgundy Wine Glass

And if Burgandy is your drink of choice, Zalto has a glass for that, too:

Zalto White Wine Glass

Now, on to the whites. You won’t regret sipping a crisp, cold white wine out of this glass on a warm day:

Zalto Sweet Wine Glass

If you really love your dessert wine, try the Zalto glass for sweet wine:

Zalto Beer Glass

Love the (or not so occasional) occasional beer? Or, have a partner who prefers beer over wine? Grab a duo of these beauties:

How To Care For Zalto Glasses

Zalto recommends using the dishwasher for cleaning its glassware. However, in our experience, there are a few extra steps you’ll want to consider when using the dishwasher. Consider doing the following:

  • Leave plenty of space between the Zalto glass and other items in the dishwasher.

  • Avoid phosphate-free dishwasher soap.

  • Use less dishwasher soap than usual, as excessive dishwasher soap may cause buildup on the glass, causing it to get hazy.

  • Don’t use a long steamer cycle after the washing.

We don’t know about you, but we’d prefer to wash the glasses by hand than to wash them again after a faulty dishwasher run.We clean our glassware with hot water, unscented dish detergent, and then dry and polish before storage with a wine glass polishing cloth.

Zalto Universal vs Gabriel Glas

And now for a comparison between two luxury crystal wine glass brands: Zalto and the Gabriel Glas Gold wine glasses we recently reviewed.

Both the Zalto and the Gabriel Glas Gold are luxury crystal wine glasses. The difference between the two is that the Gabriel Glas Gold glass is made as one piece, whereas the Zalto is constructed of three pieces.

KnowWines is a team of two. My husband loves the Zalto. However, I’m partial to Gabriel Glas Gold. When swirling the glass, I feel that the Zalto is a little clunkier, while the Gabriel Glas is more “fluid.”

Zalto glasses are heavier in the hand than the Gabriel Glas Gold.  The weight and feel of the Zalto Universal wine glass is similar to the Gabriel Glas StandArt:

Do I Need a Zalto Universal Wine Glass?

No, you do not need a Zalto wine glass to enjoy wine. In fact, at KnowWines we reserve the use of these luxury wine glasses for wines at $30 and above. I’m not about to break these fine glasses on everyday-type wines (and if we’re on a boat or the back patio, we’ll even go for unbreakable wine glasses!).

Remember, too, that when you’re using luxury wine glasses like Zaltos, you need to plan to clean them carefully after use. I suspect that a number of these glasses are broken by folks trying to hurry through the cleaning process or they break the stem from the bowl by putting too much pressure and torque on the glass while quickly drying.  

If you’re willing to put in the time and investment, these glasses can really be a joy to drink from!

Unbreakable Wine Glasses

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Classic wine glasses are beautiful, but they can break easily, especially if you err on the side of clumsiness. If you want to enjoy wine without the fear of breaking glass, you may want to invest in a couple of unbreakable wine glasses. Unbreakable wine glasses are made from a variety of materials, including stainless steel, silicone, and plastic.

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, our podcast, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

What Is an Unbreakable Wine Glass?

Typically, an unbreakable wine glass is (ironically) not made out of glass. Thanks to innovations in molds and polymers, there are several beverage sipping options that are truly unbreakable!  Typically, unbreakable wine glassware is constructed of stainless steel and plastics such as Tritan, acrylic, or silicone.

These Glasses Are Really Unbreakable?

Unbreakable glassware may be labeled as shatter-resistant or shatter-proof. What’s the difference? Shatter-resistant glassware has been coated with or made from materials that will keep the container from shattering into tiny pieces if dropped (though it may still crack and break). Shatter-proof glassware, on the other hand, will not shatter or break when dropped. You really can throw it around or knock it off the counter. It may break, but usually only in an extreme situation (like being run over by a car!).

Want visual proof?  Check out this video of two young women proving how robust unbreakable wine glasses are these days. 

Do I Need Unbreakable Wine Glasses?

Unbreakable wine glasses can be a solution for wine lovers who are afraid of breaking glasses due to clumsiness or inebriation. They can also be great in households with small children or pets who inadvertently knock over glassware.  

Unbreakable wine glasses are a great option for parties or weddings that take place outdoors in areas where going barefoot is the norm - like beaches, swimming pools, and boats.  

Finally, unbreakable wine glasses are a good option if you like the idea of having a wine glass or two stowed away in a classic large Longchamp Le Pliage nylon handbag (affiliate link) or the TUMI unisex Voyageur duffle bag (affiliate link) for a weekend trip.    

Will Unbreakable Wine Glasses Detract From the Experience of Drinking Wine?

The world of wine can be broken down (more or less) into two categories: beverage wine and fine wine. Most wines you find at big-box stores and larger grocery chains are beverage wine, designed to drink right after purchasing and without a lot of fuss.  Fine wine, on the other hand, can be found at independent wine shops and specialty boutique grocery stores as well as online retailers and select wine clubs.  

Unbreakable wine glasses will not deter from enjoyable consumption of beverage wine.  

When drinking fine wine, however, you may find that unbreakable wine glasses take away from the experience, especially when it comes to capturing the aromas of wine and the feel of a thick glass rim in their mouth (rather than the preferred thin rim for fine wine glasses).  

What About Stemless Wine Glasses?

We are not big fans of stemless wine glasses as the liquid in the glass quickly warms in the hand, causing the wine to become dull and “flabby.” However, if the stemless wine glass is constructed of insulating materials - like a double-walled stainless steel wine glass (affiliate link) - this is less of a concern. Insulated stemless wine glasses are a great fit for outdoor drinking situations like the pool or beach.  

What Are The Downsides of Unbreakable Wine Glasses?

In addition to being suboptimal for fine wine experiences, there are a few downsides to unbreakable wine glasses. One downside of unbreakable wine glasses is that many are single-use and thus, not environmentally friendly.

Cheaper unbreakable wine glasses can have visible seams on the bowl, which can be rough on the mouth in addition to being unseemly.  Also, cheaper plastics can often be cloudy. As the price of the cup increases, so does typically the quality of construction and the visibility of the wine.  

Finally, while most unbreakable wine glasses are made of food-grade materials, like the popular govino stemless wine glasses, you’ll want to double-check really inexpensive unbreakable wine glasses for food-grade material construction before you drink out of them.

Best Unbreakable Wine Glasses

We love taking wine for a walk on the beach or a ride on a boat. We’ve tried several different types of unbreakable wine glasses in these environments. In our search for the best unbreakable wine glasses, we focused our selections on reusable unbreakable wine glasses and glasses that will work in a variety of situations.

Best Wine Glass For Clumsy People

If you (or a friend you’ll be buying a gift for) are very clumsy with wine glassware, this shatterproof wine glass made of Tritan materials in the USA is a great option.

We like these “glasses” as they really do look like “real” wine glasses. They’ve got a stem and substantial foot, making them a step up from stemless glassware. They are also reusable and dishwasher safe. However, don’t place them in a dishwasher set on the highest temperature setting as they might melt or bend. We do wish the bowl was a little bit bigger. And like any molded item, quality may vary across the various lots.   

Best Silicone Wine Glass for Hot Tubbing

If you enjoy relaxing in a hot tub after a day of skiing or work, these silicone glasses may work for inexpensive wine or fun cocktails. They’re unbreakable and don’t have sharp edges in case they are crushed underfoot or fall into the hot tub. What sets this silicone wine glass apart from the others is its wider opening, making it less likely that your nose will hit the rim when imbibing.  

There are two potential downsides to silicone wine glasses. One is that they can attract dirt (like dust or fine sand) easily. This might be unappetizing to some wine drinkers. The second downside is that the glass is “squishy” in one’s hand, unlike firm glassware or stainless steel. This might not work for folks wanting the feeling of a firm glass in their hands. 

Best Shatter-Resistant Glass Wine Glass

Still want an actual glass wine glass, but need it to be more robust than expensive crystal? Then this wine glass may work for you. Most fine crystal glassware is mouth-blown, resulting in a super-thin stem and bowl. These Paksh wine glasses are made in a mold, resulting in a thicker base, bowl, and stem.

It’s important to note that these glasses are not shatter-proof. They are simply thicker and more durable than fine crystal glassware.
While these are a good solution for clumsy folks who still love an actual glass wine glass, they might be too thick for anyone looking to drink fine wine. Wine glasses made in a mold may also have small quality defects simply due to the fact that they are made in bulk. 

 Best Double-Walled Stainless Steel Wine Glass 

The Yeti Rambler Stainless Insulated Wine Tumbler is a great stemless wine glass for outdoors as the wine is not heated through contact with your hands.  

To learn more, check out our full review of the Yeti Wine Tumbler. Another wine tumbler option to consider is the Corkcicle Tumbler (affiliate link).

Best Reusable Tritan Unbreakable Wine Glass (Made in America)

Fans of Tervis for reusable water containers? You may like this wine glass made by Tervis for drinking wine at the beach or on your patio. You can purchase the tumblers with or without lids. While you can wash them in the dishwasher, we find that our Tervis tumblers hold up best when washed by hand.

One of the downsides of this unbreakable wine glass is its size. It holds only 9 oz, while other glasses we’ve reviewed hold a little more wine. 

Unbreakable Wine Glasses Breakdown

Innovative polymers, as well as stainless steel wine glasses, provide a safe option for drinking wine in areas where conventional glassware is not allowed.  

For the benefit of durability, wine enthusiasts should expect to give up the thin rim common in crystal glassware. Other sacrifices include not being able to see through a stainless steel bowl to admire the color of a wine.  

Our experience also indicates that you get what you pay for, meaning that as price increases, characteristics like glass clarity increase and weight decreases.

In conclusion, we recommend having a couple of unbreakable wine glasses to take with you if you like to enjoy wine in venues where glassware is not allowed.  Since the type of activity you enjoy influences the ideal unbreakable wine glass for you, it’s a close call to choose a favorite.

If we had to pick just one of these unbreakable wine glasses, we would go with the Yeti tumbler. This tumbler is stylish, has a pleasing shape, and keeps wine cool in our (very hot!) North Carolina summers. Also, the lid conveniently keeps sand and bugs out of the wine while we are at the beach or in the yard (always a plus!).

Whatever you decide, we hope this review was helpful, and we hope that you find just the right unbreakable wine glasses for all of your indoor and outdoor adventures!

Cheers!

Coravin Review

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So, you’re looking for a wine tool that will dispense wine from the bottle without removing the cork? Amazingly, such a device does indeed exist: the Coravin System. The Coravin System is a combination of components that allows one to aspirate a volume (typically 90 mL) from a wine bottle without removing the cork. As the wine is aspirated, the liquid is displaced by an inert gas. This allows a wine lover to drink a treasured bottle over days or even months. 

You might be wondering, however, if these devices really work as advertised. In today’s blog, we’ll give you a rundown on the best Coravin models available. We’ll also dig a little further into the benefits and drawbacks of this innovative device so that you have the knowledge you need to make your own decision.

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


First, Our Top Coravin Pick

The Coravin Model Five

A quick internet search will yield a potpourri of Coravin models. For those outside the trade, it might be challenging to study all the features. Your best bet is probably this mid-level Coravin System that balances aesthetics and durability and is targeted toward wine professionals. Meet the Coravin Model Five!

Other Coravin Models Worth Considering

The Coravin Model Eleven Fully Automatic Wine Preservation System  

This Coravin Model Eleven the ultimate gift for that special wine lover in your life who has a passion for all things wireless and is a total gadget fanatic.

This particular package is Coravin’s top offering for 2021. The Coravin Model Eleven is Bluetooth enabled and connects to an App called Coravin Moments which gives ideas on wine pairings with food and pop culture themes, including music.  

In addition to the aspiration device and Bluetooth functionality, the bundle comes with an elegant display vase, six capsules (which will allow you to pour about 90 glasses of wine), an aerator (to aerate wine as it is dispensed into the glass), and a carrying case for travel.  The bundle also includes six Coravin Screw Caps (affiliate link), which allows you to sample from screw cap wines by pouring wine from the bottle and displacing the poured liquids with inert gas using this special screw cap replacement.  

This bundle would be a good gift for a wine collector who is fascinated by wine, gadgets, and the arts. The ideal recipient likely has a wine collection, a wine cave, or wine refrigerator and enjoys seeing how specific wines evolve during aging

This might also be a good gift for single fine wine lovers or households within which only one person enjoys fine wine, as it allows for a wine to be consumed over a period of days, weeks, or months (even one or two years!) without removing the cork.    

For the wine lover who has to think more strategically about paying the rent (and doesn’t care so much about all the bells and whistles), the Coravin models below may be more appealing.

Coravin Model One: The Least Expensive Option 

Think of this as Coravin’s “base model.” In this model, many of the chrome parts featured in the other Coravin models have been replaced with a polymer. Also, there’s no textured grip. “Under the hood,” however, the moving components are essentially the same. This is a great value if you’ve had your eye on a Coravin but are worried about cost.

Coravin Model Two Premium Wine Preservation System

While Model Eleven has all the high end bells and whistles, the Model Two is a happy medium between the luxury and the base models. With this model, you’ll sacrifice the Bluetooth and a few other bells and whistles, but you’ll still get an ergonomically designed unit with more stainless steel, zinc, and chrome compared to the Model One. For anyone who has been seeking a Coravin for at-home use, this is a great model.

Coravin Models New in 2020

Coravin Model Three Advanced Wine Bottle Opener and Preservation System


The 2020 Model Three allows the user to slide the Coravin onto the bottle versus the manual clamping of earlier models. While the original versions have been historically easier to use, Coravin has further reduced the amount of force needed to attach the device to the top of the bottle. These new models are easier to use for those with smaller hands or less hand strength.  

Another 2020 improvement is that the Model Three is relatively lightweight. In some of the earlier models, the weight of the Coravin was significant enough to cause concern that it might cause the bottle to topple over if left on top. Since the Coravin is used primarily by folks in the wine trade, it would be embarrassing and unprofessional to have a bottle tip over while pouring fine wine for a customer.

Last but not least, these new models can be used on screw cap wines! Simply replace the bottle’s original screw cap with a rubber seal.  

Coravin Model Six Advanced Wine Bottle Opener and Preservation System

For those who want a little more flair and love the look of stainless steel with a flash of color, the Model 6 is a step up. We love this one in candy apple red!

Coravin Model Five Premium Wine Preservation System

Last but not least, the Model 5 is targeted more towards trade professionals. Previously, we were fans of the Model Two, but we’re liking this Model Five even more. It’s the best of both worlds - solid construction and a sleek look without any extraneous gadgetry. The mid-range price doesn’t hurt, either!

A Little Background on Coravin

Where Is Coravin Made?

Most Coravin packages we’ve seen indicate that the Coravin System is made in China, though the capsules are made in Austria.

The company is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts and there is a European office in The Netherlands. 

Where Can I Buy A Coravin?

Coravin is available at independent wine shops, some big box retailers, and online.  

We highly recommend that you stop by your local independent bottle shop and ask them to share their Coravin tips/tricks before you take the leap and buy one yourself. They have likely seen all the models and can recommend favorites. They may also demonstrate how the Coravin is used or even let you try it yourself so that you can get a sense of hey the device will handle.

Once I Get a Coravin, How Do I Use It?

This video is a great primer on using the most recent Coravin models. It also answers many frequently asked questions about the Coravin wine preservation process.

 
 

The Coravin Conclusion

Do you need a Coravin Wine System?

In truth, most wine enthusiasts don’t need a Coravin wine preservation system. There are several other wine preservation systems that can do the trick.

However, if you are in the wine trade and need to consistently give samples to buyers or customers from premium bottles, then yes, you should consider the Coravin Model 5.  

Also, if you collect fine wine and want to sample some of the wines in your collection without opening the bottles, then you may enjoy having a Coravin (especially if you live alone or are the only one in your home who enjoys fine wine).

Good luck with your Coravin decision!

Cheers!

How to Remove Wine Bottle Labels

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If you’re a wine and craft beer enthusiast, a winemaker, or a crafter (or are just curious!), you may find yourself needing to remove wine labels from bottles. Here, we offer an overview and specific details on how to get a label off of a wine bottle for a variety of purposes. As you’ll see, there is no one-size-fits-all methodology for removing wine labels.  

Before we continue our how-to, 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, our podcast, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

Why remove the label from a wine bottle?

Wine enthusiasts and scrapbookers may want to remove a wine label to save it in a wine journal or scrapbook.  Private-label winemakers remove labels for the purpose of re-use - they remove commercial labels from the bottle before adhering to their own.  Last, artisans and crafters often use wine bottles or wine labels for crafts such as wine bottle glassware (affiliate link), wine tile coasters (affiliate link), or framed wine labels as wall or desk art (affiliate link). 

What should I consider before removing a wine bottle label?

First, remember to keep the bottle you want to remove the label from! Far too often, a wine bottle disappears from the table or from the party before one thinks to save the label.  Once the bottle disappears, the only option remaining is to send a self-addressed stamped envelope (via snail-mail) to the winery or restaurant and ask if they have an extra label from that vintage. Explain that you did not keep your bottle and that you want the label for your wine journal.  

Next, determine if you are able to take the bottle home with you or if you must remove the label there at the event.  Not being able to take the wine bottle home will significantly reduce your options for removing a wine label. Your only options then are the Lift-Off Method and the “kindly ask your server or sommelier if they can remove the label for you” approach!  

Once you have the bottle home, you’ll need to assess the label and the associated adhesive.  Determining which item you wish to keep - the label or the bottle - will dictate the method of removal you use.  

How do I decide the method of label removal for a particular bottle?

What is the label constructed of?  If the label is plastic (more like a sticker) it will be less permeable to water.   If it is plastic, then removal will often require heat or physical means (such as a razor) regardless if you are trying to save the label or just the bottle.

If the label is paper, then it is more permeable to liquids and a different removal method may be needed depending on if you are trying to save the label or the bottle.

Labels adhere to wine and beer bottles through a variety of adhesive polymers. These include pressure-sensitive adhesives (sticker-like) and water-based glues.  Since many of us are not adhesive experts, we will be assessing the label using visual assessment to guess the composition of the glue and to select the label removal method with the highest likelihood of success.

To assess the adhesive construction, take a razor or knife and lift a corner about ¼ inch.  If the adhesive looks like traditional glue, the use of a detergent and water-based method can be considered.  If the adhesive looks more sticker-like in consistency, then heat or physical means (razor, peeling) will be your best bet.     

Wet Label Removal Methods

So, the label you want to remove from the wine bottle looks to be a more conventional glue composition - these label types are typically more water-soluble.  

The OxiClean Method

Based on our personal experience, as well as those in most wine and craft beer forums, we find that the most successful method is the OxiClean approach. We’ve used the OxiClean method on both paper/glue bottles as well as plastic labels with adhesive. If you don’t have Oxiclean in the house, try a comparable household cleaning product like Ajax (affiliate link) recommended by Harry in our comments section.  

Here’s an effective OxiClean label removal method we found in a craft beer forum:

  1. Fill sink (or bucket) with one gallon of water and ¼ cup Oxiclean.

  2. Submerge the wine bottle in the liquid.

  3. Wait thirty minutes (during which time you may as well enjoy a glass of wine!).  Depending upon the adhesive, you may return to find your wine label floating in the sink intact.  

  4. Take a utility knife and slowly lift up on the edge of the label.  If the label is not easy to peel off after thirty minutes of soaking, it’s not going to come off using this method without significant elbow grease. You might as well resign yourself to drying the bottle and trying a dry method. 

  5. Work the utility knife under the label at a diagonal angle. Resist the urge to use your fingers to help speed along the process, as using fingers may result in adding wrinkles to the finished product.

  6. Place the wet label on a piece of waxed paper so that the wet adhesive does not stick to your counter

  7. Once your label is dry, use an acid-free glue stick to adhere your label to your wine journal, your prepared coaster, or photo frame.  Check out this article for making your own wine label coasters.



    Other Household Cleaners to Use for Wine Label Removal

    Ammonia

    No OxiClean?  No problem. Household ammonia (affiliate link) is another product, in combination with water, which can aid in dissolving adhesives. Instead of using ¼ cup OxiClean replace it with ¼ cup ammonia. The ammonia method, in our experience, is a little less effective than the OxyClean method.  

    Baking Soda

    Only have baking soda (affiliate link) on hand?  Add 5 to 10 tablespoons to one gallon of warm water and follow the same steps as the OxiClean method.  

    Hot Water

    No OxiClean, no ammonia, no baking soda?  Try placing the bottle in boiling water, or filling a sink with hot water and dish soap and letting the bottle sit overnight.  Regardless, there is going to be some elbow grease involved to remove the adhesive residue.  

Accessories for Wet Method Wine Label Removal

Regardless of your method - OxyClean, ammonia, simply hot water - if your aim is to discard the wine label and use the bottle for crafting or home winemaking, two products are indispensable.

First, you can scrape the residue with a straight razor or this slightly safer razor with a handle. If you scrape too hard, you can scratch the bottle.

You can also try a non-abrasive scrubber that is gentle and won’t scratch the wine bottle unless you apply superpower strength.  

Still a little bit of adhesive?  Goo Gone (affiliate link) is our go-to product for adhesive removal.  After using the Goo Gone, we recommend thoroughly washing the bottle soapy water before re-using to adequately remove the Goo Gone (Goo Gone residue may interfere with your crafting products).

Dry Label Removal Method

Label Lift Method

This method is for the crowd who wants to keep the label in a wine journal or affix it to cardstock for a souvenir.

Our favorite Label Lift is the Onephile Label Lift. We’ve found that this label lift works well when following instructions - we’ve yet to come across a label that gets ripped or torn by the process.  

To apply the Label Lift, simply place it over the label, rub for 1-2 minutes with the backside of a spoon or other hard object, then peel the label. 

Before placing the label in the wine journal or book, you can trim the edges.

These label lifts come in packages of 10 or 50.  To get the hang of it, we recommend getting your technique down with a label from a wine or beer you don’t intend to keep, or practice by first removing first the back label (which most people don’t collect).

This lift label package also fits nicely inside a notebook or wine journal for easy transport.  

The one downside is that the wine label now appears laminated.  If that is not a look you are going for, then try the Oven Method.  

Heat (Oven) Method

So, you don’t like the idea that your wine label appears laminated after removal. Perhaps you would like to make a wine label trivet or mount the wine label onto cardstock for framing.  Or maybe you collect them for eventually making a collage for your wine cellar (lucky you!). Try the heat method! You’ll need some oven mitts (affiliate link) for this one.  

First, make sure there is no wine inside the bottle.  Also, make sure that the foil cap or wax bottle cover is removed so there are no foul odors when heating the bottle.  

Place the wine bottle on a cookie sheet (or in a baking dish so it is not rolling around in a dry oven) at 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.  Remove the bottle from the oven and check the readiness of the label for removal by testing the back label. Slip a razor or knife under the label and start to peel slowly from one corner. Don’t force the label or push with your fingers as this is how labels get crinkled during removal. If the label does not give, give it another 5 minutes in the oven. If after 15 minutes the label will not come off, you will have to use another method (like the OxiClean method) as the adhesive needs to be dissolved to come off cleanly.

That’s a wrap … and a few bonus tips!

We’ve provided you with several options for removing wine labels from the bottle, whether you are wanting to keep the label or the bottle!

Removing a label from a bottle of wine is never a perfect endeavor.  A little trial and error are involved in the process as well as some elbow grease.

If you don’t want to go through all this effort, here are two options:

  • You can ask the waiter to remove the wine label for you if you are enjoying a special bottle of wine in a restaurant.

  • You can send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the winery and ask for a pristine label.  They may have one available to send to you (however, it won’t, of course, be from the specific bottle you drank).

Let us know which methods you’ve used in the comments!

Cheers!

Does Champagne Go Bad?

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In the past few years, wine lovers have been buying sparkling wines like Prosecco, Cremant, Cava, and wines from Champagne not only for the holidays or special celebrations but also for everyday drinking. With the increased frequency of consumption comes a common question: How long does champagne keep? Many of us are increasingly mindful of drinking in moderation and less likely to drink an entire bottle in one evening. Perhaps you are a single sparkling wine lover or your partner does not like sparkling wine and you need some advice on making champagne last. Here are some tips and tricks on storing opened champagne - or any other sparkling wine.

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, our podcast, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!

How long does an open bottle of champagne keep?

An open bottle of champagne sealed with a stopper and placed in the refrigerator will keep for at least 24 hours. It is possible to use an inexpensive bottle stopper like this one (affiliate link) made of food-grade silicone. Keep in mind, though, if there is enough pressure from the bubbles, the stopper may become dislodged while it is stored, causing the the champagne to go flat.

With a stopper like this, the wine will start to lose some of its bubbles and freshness fairly quickly. However, it will still be good enough to make mimosas or other mixed drinks for a day or two!

Some people who like less aggressive bubbles may actually prefer champagne or sparkling wine on the second day. After three days, most sparkling wines become flat (not sparkling).

How do I keep an open bottle of champagne fresh?

When champagne or sparkling wine loses its freshness, it is simply due to the natural oxidation of the wine over time as it is exposed to air (read more about drinking your already-opened wine in our “How to Tell If Your Wine is Bad” blog!). To minimize the oxygen coming into contact with the leftover champagne in the bottle, there are a few options to seal the bottle that are a little better than a simple bottle stopper.

The first is the Kloveo champagne stopper (affiliate link), a highly rated stopper made in Italy.

We’ve used the Champagne Stopper by Kloveo for a few years, especially for inexpensive domestic sparkling wine or cremant.

For more expensive non-vintage or vintage champagne, we use the Repour Wine Preserver.

Check out our full review on the Repour Wine Saver, including our field test on a bottle of champagne.

For both the Kloveo and the Repour, bottles should stay standing up in the refrigerator once the enclosure has been placed on the bottle opening.

How do I keep an open bottle of champagne bubbly?

Regardless of the enclosure, the reason we recommend keeping an opened champagne or sparkling wine in the refrigerator is to slow down the loss of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is more soluble in wine (and any other beverage) when temperatures are lower.

Can old champagne make me sick?

Old champagne (or any sparkling wine for that matter) will not make you sick (unless of course, you overindulge). If you are concerned about the quality of an older wine, assess it just as you would a container of milk you’ve had opened a few days in your refrigerator. If it looks unpleasant, smells unpleasant, and a few small drops on your tongue taste unpleasant, then yes, the wine has gone bad but won’t make you sick.

How long can I keep an open bottle of champagne in the refrigerator?

We recommend drinking any remnant champagne within 24 hours. However, when using the Repour Wine Saver (affiliate link), we’ve had some champagne that was still bubbly and fresh enough to drink three days later.

Will champagne freeze?

Yes, champagne (and any other sparkling wine) can freeze.

It is generally not a good idea to place sparkling wines in the freezer simply for the reason that one can forget the wine in the freezer. Upon opening the freezer door the next day, you can be greeted with a wine popsicle - and typically the cork has been compromised or pushed out of the bottle. While one can thaw and drink most still wines, sparkling wines often lose some of their bubbles after being frozen.

How long can I keep champagne or sparkling wine unopened? Does champagne expire?

When purchasing any sparkling wine or non-vintage champagne, a good rule of thumb is that it is still fresh and effervescent a few years after bottling. If you can’t find the year when the wine was bottled on the label, ask the wine bottle shop owner or staff. Some premium and luxury sparkling wines and non-vintage champagnes can be stored even longer than a few years. If your wine is vintage champagne (meaning that there is a vintage, or year, on the front of the bottle) these wines can age 15 years or more.

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Not sure if your bottle is vintage champagne? Here’s an example of vintage champagne (left) next to non-vintage champagne (right). If it’s not clear if your particular wine is vintage champagne or not, you can scan a photo of it into an App like Vivino or CellarTracker (or ask your local wine bottle shop for help!).

Americans are trained to look for expiration dates on all sorts of goods, but expiration dates are uncommon in wines. Preferences vary significantly when it comes to consuming aged sparkling wines. If you are not sure if you like the taste of aged vintage champagne, consider looking for it by the glass at a restaurant or wine bar around the winter holidays and splurge on a glass. It’s much better to learn your taste preference by the glass rather than investing in a bottle you might not enjoy years down the road.

How do I store sparkling wine at home?

If you are going to drink your sparkling wine in a few weeks, then it is fine to store it at room temperature, away from light and heat. Don’t store it in the refrigerator long-term, as the cork might dry out, resulting in loss of carbonation or oxidation of the sparkling wine.

If you are going to store sparkling wine or champagne from a favorite producer over months or years, consider investing in a small wine refrigerator like this one. Or store in a closet as recommended by Roy Wilson, our recent podcast guest.

For more ideas on wine storage, read our detailed article on storing wine in your home as well as our reviews on small wine refrigerators and larger wine cabinets.

Does Champagne go Bad?

In conclusion, if you store your wine well before consuming it, and have an appropriate stopper to place in the bottle after opening, you can get one or more days of enjoyment out of that special champagne or sparkling wine.

The two enemies of any type of opened bottle of sparkling wine are oxidation and loss of carbon dioxide, which are fought valiantly by using a stopper and refrigeration, respectively. With those two in place, you can unwin(e)d for a day or two after opening that chilled sparkler!

Have you enjoyed champagne or sparkling wine a day or two after opening? Share your experience (or questions!) below.

Cheers!

The Beginner's Guide to Wine Foil Cutters

In any kitchen store, big-box store wine aisle, online wine marketer, or brick-and-mortar bottle shop, you’re bound to find a selection of wine foil cutters. But do you really need one, especially when there are so many other fun wine gadgets to shop for, like wine charms, decorative wine bottle stoppers, and cork holders? In this week’s blog, we share everything there is to know about wine foils (why they’re there in the first place, and how to remove them) and wine foil cutters (are they useful, or just more clutter?). Finally, we’ll share recommendations for our favorite wine bottle foil cutters.

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

Why is There Foil on My Wine Bottle?

Historically, foil or wax has been used for years to prevent damage to a cork by rural and urban cellar-dwelling animals like mice, opossums, and an assortment of insects.  

These days, most of us don’t need to worry about a stray raccoon in the pantry or a cork weevil infestation in a walk-out basement cellar. Regardless, most wineries still use some sort of foil or wax out of a sense of tradition.

There is a trend to move away from wine foils by some winemakers as they do contribute to waste in the environment.  

Since these foils are now decorative, winemakers can take advantage of this little bit of marketing space by printing them with nuggets of information like agriculture practices, clever quotes, funny photo, or other details related to their brand. The time you go to the grocery store take a look at a few foils and observe the diversity in how this small space is utilized.

What is Wine Foil Made Of?

Today’s foils are made of tin, aluminum, or shrink-wrap plastic.

Before the late 1990s, wine foils often were made of lead. Thankfully, these types of labels have been phased out, since trace amounts of the toxic element could possibly get into the wine (not a good addition to your drink!).

How are Wine Foils Placed on Wine Bottles?

Ever wonder how those foils get on the bottles? Us, too! Here’s a short video describing how the new foils are placed on a recently filled wine bottles.

 
 

How To Remove Foil From a Wine Bottle

There are several ways to remove foil from a wine bottle, including the use of a wine foil cutter. Here’s an overview of different approaches:

The “I Need Wine Now” Approach

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Sometimes, you just really need that glass of wine (like, now!).

When those moments arise, you can always insert the corkscrew right through the foil, pop out the cork, and and pour yourself a glass!

The downside of this method is that it’s messy. The still-attached foil coming into contact with the wine as it’s poured could be unhygienic.

Also, you won’t get a clean pour if the lip of the bottle is covered with torn pieces of foil.

How Sommeliers Open A Bottle of Wine

Sommeliers use the knife blade of a corkscrew to cut away the top portion of the foil. This is a more sophisticated approach and is fun to learn if you want to impress your guests. This video by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust is created for the benefit of future sommeliers and wine industry experts, so it’s a perfect primer for how to open, serve, and pour wine!

 
 

Cutting Wine Foil with a Foil Cutter

Wine foil cutters come in a variety of shapes. Usually, they are comprised of a smooth surface that fits in the hand. On the underside of the wine foil cutter are blades that cut the foil when the foil cutter is rotated on the top of the wine bottle.

Using a wine foil cutter leaves a nice clean cut on the wine foil. It is also a less intimidating approach than removing the wine bottle foil with a teen-tiny knife! Wine foil cutters are easy to use, and they can be a nice addition to your collection of wine accessories. You’ll just want to make sure you get a quality wine cutter with nice, sharp blades (more on that later!).

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What are the Best Wine Foil Cutters?

The best wine foil cutter makes those clear, crisp foil cuts every time with ease. We’ve lined up four of our favorite wine foil cutters. Check them out:

Le Creuset: Our Top Choice Wine Foil Cutter

This Le Creuset brand is indicative of high-quality kitchen tools, and this black nickel wine foil cutter is no exception. A four-wheel system with razor-sharp blades cuts the foil quickly and effortlessly, leaving a clean line with just a quarter-turn of your wrist. Also, this wine foil cutter is attractive and fits perfectly into your palm. Simply a great wine gadget that makes a lovely present for friends and emerging wine enthusiasts.

Best Economical Wine Foil Cutter

This set of wine foil cutters comes with an unbeatable price tag and a magnetic storage design so that you can keep it handy on your refrigerator. Plus, the fact that this is a set of two means you can store one on your fridge and the other on a wine cart, RV, boat, or beach house. These are also lightweight and inexpensive, which makes them perfect for throwing in the picnic basket or your wine purse or bag.

Best Unique Wine Foil Cutter

Beach house, here we come! This novelty wine foil cutter has summer vacation written all over it. Perfect for cutting the foil on a bottle of crisp Sauvignon Blanc or Grüner Veltliner on a warm summer evening. This one also doubles as a refrigerator magnet when it’s not busy opening bottles!

Best Wine Foil Cutter to Give As a Gift

This new-in-2020 wine foil cutter comes in three attractive colors and includes attractive packaging, which makes it easy to store and perfect for wrapping. Hostess gift, anyone? This one is also lightweight, easy to use, and won’t break the bank.

That’s a (Foil) Wrap!

Thanks for joining us on this wine foil journey. We love sharing wine knowledge and recommending the best products for wine enthusiasts.

Remember that, while wine bottle foil cutters aren’t necessary nor expensive, they’re an easier option for removing the wine foil from a bottle than the small knife of a corkscrew for budding wine enthusiasts. And they’re much less messy than the “I Need Wine Now” approach.

Finally, high-quality wine foil cutters can make great gifts or great additions to your at-home wine accessories collection.

Cheers!

Sommify, the Best New Board Game For Wine Fun and Learning

If you love wine and are looking for a board game to play with friends and family in your pandemic “bubble,” we have the game for you! Sommify, a new board game by a fun-loving wine couple who got serious about blind wine tasting last year, is an entertaining and educational wine game. And it comes with an added bonus: you’ll learn the deductive method of wine tasting without the insider jargon!

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Before we continue our Sommify 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 to Consider Before Buying Sommify

This wine-themed board game has a premium, modern look and is great for evenings in with friends, family, and wine.

Sommify is great gift for wine enthusiasts, and is also a perfect tool for anyone studying for sommelier or WSET courses.

Sommify is not a “Trivial Pursuit” type of wine game. Rather, Sommify requires that you have both wine and wine glasses on hand, so players do need to be over 21 years old.   

Introducing the Sommify Wine Board Game

The Sommify wine board game was invented by a husband and wife team, Conner Taylor and Jessica Bush, who are both in the wine industry. Tired of “stuffy” wine tasting groups, they brainstormed this game as a fun way to learn deductive wine tasting. The result is a fun, relaxed way to learn about wine.

After coming up with the idea for the game, they asked family member Andrew McKee to design it. Once they had a prototype, they sought out funding on Kickstarter. The new wine board game was fully funded within 24 hours!  

The Sommify founders made this video to describe the game and how to play it.

 
 

In addition being available on Amazon.com and at the Sommify website, the board game will be available at several wine bottle shops in the coming weeks and months!

Features and Benefits of the Sommify Wine Board Game

The Sommify wine board game comes in a sleek and modern plastic-wrapped box, making it a good gift. The box itself has a stylish, matte finish and is of high quality construction. The Sommify cards, playing cards, and tokens are also of above-average board game quality.

Each Sommify board game comes with the following items:

  • 1 Sommify Game Board

  • 27 Bottle Shock Cards

  • 6 Sommify Wine Keys

  • 6 Dry Erase Markers

  • 1 Rulebook

  • 6 Pawns

  • 2 Dice

Each player will need to bring one bottle of wine to the party. Since the aim of the game is to identify grape varieties, the list of “allowable” wines is kept to 22 international varieties. These varieties include Albarino, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and more!

To familiarize yourself with the rules and guidelines for playing the Sommify board game, check out the Sommify website tutorial.

What Have Others Thought About Sommify

Sommify entered the world of board games with a swell of positivity, as it was funded on Kickstarter in less than 24 hours. Since then, positive responses to the game have continued to grow.

Online, we’ve found several positive reviews. We’ve also taken note that the Sommify board game is showing up in more and more independent wine shops. It’s also available online and was recently featured as a recommended wine gift by Town & Country magazine.

All of the above is great news for what we think is a great new game!

Alternatives to Sommify

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While there are several wine games available online, the Sommify wine board game is unique. It is elegant, educational, and uniquely interactive. We’ve yet to find another board game that focuses specifically on deductive tasting.

While it might be easy to find wine-related gifts online, this is a gift that will satisfy even the most enthusiastic of your wine enthusiast friends.

Our Conclusion on the Sommify Tasting Game

We highly recommend this game for wine lovers interested in learning more about wine in a fun and crowd-pleasing way.

In terms of the size of your gathering, we have found that this is a great wine game for parties of three to six people, maybe a few more. More than eight people might become too many.

Of course, this might not be a good game for someone not interested in wine, and it would definitely not be a good wine game for someone who does not drink.

Overall, we’re glad to add the Sommify board game to our growing wine game collection. With its premium, modern look and sophisticated tasting approach, it really makes a great gift for a wine lover.

Happy tasting, from Know Wines!

Cheers!

Beautiful Wine Puzzles For Surviving This Winter

Recovering from surgery?  Waiting out the pandemic?  Sitting out some inclement weather? Or simply looking for a fun holiday gift for the wine lover in your life? We’ve put together a list of beautiful wine puzzles that will help you pass the time and keep your mind active. These wine puzzles can be enjoyed with or without wine. But if you do enjoy your puzzle with a glass of wine, it’s definitely a low pressure pairing!

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

Types of Wine Puzzles

Wine puzzles, like any other type of puzzle, exist to entertain us, test our knowledge, or challenge our ingenuity. The more pieces a puzzle has, and the smaller those pieces are, the greater the challenge! The wine puzzles we’ve selected depict everything from vineyards to wine bottles to scenes from various wine regions.

History of Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles were invented in the late 1700s in England, first as educational tools and toys for children to learn geography. This year, puzzles have enjoyed a recent increase in popularity, probably due to more people being at home during the pandemic.

To learn more about the history of jigsaw puzzles, check out this short video.

 
 

Best Wine Jigsaw Puzzles

Here’s a collection of our favorite jigsaw puzzles. These puzzles can be shipped to locations in the US and elsewhere.  

Water & Wines: Best Wine Puzzle by A Sommelier

These new wine puzzles by Water & Wines of Sweden are not only the highest quality and most premium product - they also donate a portion of their profits to Charity Water every month.

The puzzles are 1000 pieces and easy to snap together. Inside the box is also a large poster you can frame (or to assist you with putting the puzzle together).

Shipping was fast from Sweden - under 7 days! They have puzzles featuring France, Spain, Italy and you can buy their puzzles directly here.

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Story of Wine Puzzle

This Piatnik puzzle offers a brief, fun “history” of wine. A great gift for your favorite wine aficionado:

Wine Cork Jigsaw Puzzle

Collect wine corks? Challenge yourself with this monochrome wine cork puzzle. This one is sure to perplex even the most practiced puzzlers!

Wine Bottle Puzzle

It’s always “wine time” with this 1,000-piece puzzle that pictures almost as many wine bottles. Another great challenge for puzzle buffs!

Challenging Vineyard Puzzle - 2000 Pieces

This puzzle depicting a beautiful vineyard is very large and boasts 2,000 pieces. At 38 x 27 inches, this one could keep you busy all winter!

Michigan Wine Map Puzzle

Did you know that there are five distinct wine regions in Michigan? Put this puzzle together and learn all about it. A great puzzle for your Midwestern family or friends who enjoy wine and viticulture.

Napa Valley Winery Scene Jigsaw Puzzle

This winery scene puzzle is great fun for anyone who has spent time in Napa and Sonoma, especially if they’ve spent time on Napa’s wine train!

Grapes and Leaves Jigsaw Puzzle - Made in USA

This 1,000 piece puzzle is a fun challenge with a beautiful picture to reward you at the end!

Corkscrew Jigsaw Puzzle - Made of Wood for Decor

This puzzle has a clean, modern design and is sturdy enough to be framed after completion. It even comes with a bonus poster of the poster image to help with solving.

Wine Barrel Jigsaw Puzzle - Made in Germany

This wine barrel jigsaw puzzle has a romantic, old world feel to it. Perfect for cozy, candlelit nights by the fire.

Best Puzzle Mat for Puzzle Storage

Ever have to move a puzzle before you’ve finished it, and then had it fall apart? Huge bummer! This ingenious puzzle mat makes it easy to move a puzzle without impeding your progress! Just roll your unfinished puzzle into the mat and unroll it at your next location.

Looking For More Wine Games?

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If you enjoy other types of puzzles as well, like word-search puzzles, relational or logic puzzles, or conversation-starting conundrums, check out our review on other wine games!

We hope you enjoyed our review of engaging wine puzzles!

Have you found any wine-related jigsaw (or other) puzzles you enjoy?  Let us know in the comments!

Cheers!

Govino, the Best Plastic, Stemless Wine Glass

The govino reusable, plastic, stemless wine glasses solve a number of problems for wine lovers on the go.  While we love our luxury stemmed wine glasses like Gabriel Glas and Zalto, these wine glasses can’t go everywhere. We love having a few govino wine glasses on hand for activities like boating and hiking where stemware is a hassle or verboten.

What to Consider Before Buying govino Wine Glasses

The govino wine glass is best for those wanting to drink wine (or other beverages) in typically outdoor environments where glass stemware is not suitable or allowed.  

The ideal customer for govino reusable, plastic, stemless wine glasses is someone who enjoys boating, swimming, concerts, picnics in the park, or hiking. They are also great for those who are living an RV lifestyle or want to drink wine on the go. 

Other ideal customers for govino glasses are corporations or event planners who want a good quality stemless wine glass with a company logo or special date (wedding, birthday, retirement, holidays) stamped onto the glass.  

Finally, the ideal customer for govino glasses is someone who most frequently enjoys inexpensive or value wines and wants to buy Made in USA products.

Before buying govino wine glasses, buyers should consider the following:

  • Where will I use the govino wine glass?  Will I sustainably reuse the glass, or will I discard it after one use?

  • Am I looking to put my logo or event name on a reusable wine glass?

  • Am I looking for a BPA-Free, Made in USA, plastic product or do I want to take chances with plastic wine glasses of unknown origin and composition?

  • Is my family or customer going to be happy using a stemless wine glass with a thumb indentation, even with it’s award winning design, or does my family or customer demand luxury glassware?

What Is The govino Wine Glass?

The govino wine glass became available for sale in 2008. It’s a re-usable, flexible, shatterproof, and recyclable stemless wine glass. 

This convenient glass was invented in response to the wine industry’s need for low cost yet highly aesthetic wine glasses for wine tastings, wine fairs and corporate events. Many plastic, disposable wine glasses before and since govino have thick rims or unsightly seams.  Goino made a big splash in the wine industry and has won a number of design awards for its innovative design.  

Who is govino for?

Govino is a great unbreakable wine glass for wine fairs, corporate events, and for wine drinkers who want a wine glass that mimics many of the features of traditional wine glasses without sacrificing much in taste.

Who is govino NOT for?

Govino is not for those who want to keep their wines cool while drinking a glass over an extended period.  Govino is also not ideal for drinking fine wines on warm days, unless of course it is the only drinking receptacle around.  

Pros of govino Glasses:

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  • Unbreakable

  • Reusable

  • Recyclable

  • Dishwasher-Safe

  • Made in USA

Cons of govino Glasses:

  • Made of plastic, some wine drinkers don’t want to buy use single or even multiple use plastic cups.

  • Govino won’t keep your wine cool like insulated wine tumblers such as the YETI.

  • The govino is a stemless wine glass. If there are off-putting flavors on your hands, these aromas may interfere with the enjoyment of the wine in the glass due to the proximity of your hands to your face.

Features and Benefits of govino Stemless Reusable Wine Glasses

We have had some 16 ounce govino glasses we picked up in the Bahamas a few years ago. However, they were pretty scratched up from traveling in our checked bags and from using on our boat. The folks at govino provided us with some 12 ounce and 16 ounce glasses that looked much better than our well-loved glasses. 

Govino Wine Glasses Are Made in the USA

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that these reusable wine glasses are made here in the USA.  

Govino Packaging

The govino comes in a few different types of packages. The 12 ounce wine glasses come in a nice cardboard holder that keeps the tumblers from touching and scratching each other.  The packaging also allows one to clearly see the tumblers inside and at the same time not get filled with dust if they happen to sit on a retail shelf for a few weeks or months.

The 16 ounce tumblers also came in a cardboard box. Upon opening, we could see that each stemless wine glass was individually wrapped in material similar to parchment paper.

After opening each box we gave the 12 ounce and 16 ounce govino wine glasses a quick sniff test. We were pleasantly surprised that they were free of odor, no plastic or even “cardboard” odor that sometimes comes with traditional glassware. We’re still wondering how govino manages to make these glasses odor free!

Before giving them a quick rinse, I held up each to a white light and was pleased to find no dust and no scratches. The seam line on the govino glass is very small and does not detract visually from the glass. We felt around for rough patches on the rim of the glasses and found none.

Govino is a Flexible and Shatterproof Wine Glass

Regardless of its size, all the govino products are shatterproof (unless you do something crazy like drive over one in your car or place it in a liquid nitrogen tank!).

Squeezing the glass a little bit, we found that the glass had a pleasant amount of give but did not feel flimsy like some silicon wine glasses we have tried in the past.  

For folks who get nervous at big events they might like the semi-flexible feeling of the glass. One can squeeze the glass to calm the nerves!

What is the govino Glass Made Of?

Govino glasses are made of Tritan. Tritan is an ultra-thin and flexible BPA-free polymer.  

The govino Award Winning Design

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Yes, we were initially a little skeptical of the govino glass design. In the past, we’ve not been fans of stemless wine glasses for several reasons:

  • One’s hand can quickly transfer heat to the liquid in the glass, causing the wine to warm up and taste flabby or more alcoholic.

  • Holding a wine glass bowl brings the hand close to the nose - if there is any food or fragrance on your hand, you are more likely to smell it while drinking than if you were holding a stem.

  • Most stemless wine glasses can be difficult to swirl.

Upon experiencing the govino design firsthand, however, we were happy to see that the thumb indention could help resolve some concerns on the warming of wine in the glass.  This indention forces you to hold the glass on the side - minimizing warm hand contact with the wine, especially if you filled the glass to just below the thumbprint.   This thumb notch also helps with swirling. How clever!

The govino wine glass has won several awards, including winner of the International Design Excellence Award, the GOOD DESIGN award, and the Pantone Award.

Govino is Dishwasher-Safe

Yes, these award winning glasses can be washed on the top drawer of your dishwasher. Of course, you can also wash govino glasses by hand.

The glasses can become a little discolored by lip-gloss or sunscreen.  If that’s the case, we recommend using a non-scratch scrubber pad built for removing greasy films from glassware.

The govino Product Lineup

GoVino has a number of products to fit your wine or beverage needs.

The 16 Ounce govino Glass for Wine  

This 16 ounce size would work well for people with various hand sizes. We felt like the 12 ounce wine glasses might feel a little small for people with larger hands. This larger 16-ounce size also gives a little more surface area for swirling. This glass would also be suitable for wine cocktails like sangria.

For those needing a large quantity of govino glasses for a wedding or corporate event, the 16-ounce glasses are available in sets of 72!

The 12 Ounce govino Glass for Cocktails or Wine

These smaller glasses (3 inches x 3 inches x 4 inches) are good for cocktails or smaller servings. In comparison to the 16-ounce glasses, we found that the felt a little small. However, those with smaller hands might prefer the 12-ounce glass to the 16-ounce glass.  

The smaller size is nice however for travel, taking up less space in luggage. This smaller size is more likely to fit in boat or RV cupholders - the 16-ounce glasses might be a little too wide for some cupholders.  

The govino 8-ounce Champagne Flute

If you want to serve Champagne or other sparkling wine in a venue that does not allow glassware, we recommend these flute glasses.  These flutes are a lot more aesthetically pleasing and robust than many other unbreakable wine flutes.

These sparkling wine flutes would also be great for serving sparkling water.

The only downside of these flutes is for people who like to “nurse” a sparkling wine for more than 15 minutes. In that case, the sparkling wine might warm up in your hand, making the drink taste a little flabby as it approaches room temperature.    

The govino 16-ounce Glass for Beer

These shatterproof, reusable, and recyclable beer glasses would be good for boating and poolside, and other places where glassware is not allowed.

How Does One Reuse govino Wine Glasses?

Perhaps you’ve been the recipient of a govino wine glass at a wedding or wine tasting. Here are some ideas for reusing govino wine glasses if you normally don’t drink at home or if you already have more than enough glassware! These attractive glasses can be used in any of the following ways:

  • Pencil holder

  • Plant terrarium

  • Fresh herb storage for the fridge

  • Piggy bank

  • Dry goods scoop

  • Vase

  • Rain Gauge

What Do Others Think of govino Wine Glasses?

The govino wine glass has won several design awards including the International Design Excellence Award.  

We did some extensive online research to find what people say about these glasses. Overwhelmingly, we found positive reviews on govino’s surprising thin, crystal-like lip and the positioning of the ergonomic thumb-notch. Many reviewers also observed that there was no icky plastic odor when opening the box.  

There were a few negative reviews, focused on the melting of some glasses in the dishwasher. If you do have your dishwasher heat setting to high and have had other plastic items “melt” in your dishwasher, then that might be a concern. However, we’ve washed these in the dishwasher before and had no issues.  

Many sommeliers and wineries have also given the govino glass positive reviews. They recognize that is is challenging to get a thin lip on plasticware. Often they are looking for glassware for special events where traditional glassware is not allowed and find that the govino glass is the next-best option to traditional glassware.  

What Are Some Alternatives to govino Wine Glasses?

Traditional Wine Glasses

We don’t recommend replacing your traditional wine glasses with govino. We do highly recommend GoVino glasses, though, for use in places where glass can’t be taken, like the pool, beach, or on a boat.

Stemless Wine Glasses

Govino glasses might be a much less expensive option than wine tumblers like the YETI tumbler for events like bachelorette parties or some corporate events. Like the YETI, one can get customized glasses through Govino directly.

Plastic Reuasble Wine Glasses

If you are looking for plastic, reusable wine glasses with stems, check out our previous article on best unbreakable wine glasses.

Our Conclusion on govino Reusable Wine Glasses

While we weren’t originally big fans of stemless wineglasses, we do keep govino wine glasses on hand for boating and for use at our community pool and neighborhood park where breakable glass is not allowed.

When researching the product, I was reminded that the thumb notch does keep one’s hand away from wine lower in the glass, reducing the likelihood of warming the liquid while drinking.

We were happy to find that the glasses are made in the USA and are slightly flexible in the hand.

After researching this article, we might also pick up some govino beer glasses to take to the pool! 

We hope you’ll enjoy your on-the-go govino wine glasses as much as we do!

Cheers!

Best Unique Wines For Your 2020 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2020 will be different this year.  

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Your decisions about which foods to prepare and how much will probably revolve around a much more intimate affair than in the past, when you may have been more focused on pleasing a crowd. Thanksgiving 2020 may offer wine lovers the opportunity to celebrate by opening a special bottle of wine. Alternatively, some of us wine enthusiasts have had negative financial impact from the pandemic and are looking for inexpensive wine options that still allow for festive fare while still being gentle on the pocketbook.

Last but not least, it’s important in all years - not just 2020 - to offer non-alcoholic opetions to guests (especially since so many of us have overindulged in recent months!).

In today’s blog, we recommend a variety of Thanksgiving beverages, from budget wines to splurge wines to non-alcoholic drinks.

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

Should I Bring Wine to Thanksgiving?

If you are attending a Thanksgiving meal hosted by someone other than yourself, check to see if they would like you to bring a wine.  Perhaps the host has already foreseen a red or white wine, but is happy to have you pick up a sparkling or sweet wine to complement the meal. This conversation is also a good time to find out what type of Thanksgiving meal will be served. Will the meal be traditional? Vegetarian? Coastal? Or will it celebrate a specific regional cuisine?

Non-alcoholic Beverage Options for Thanksgiving

In addition to bringing a wine, also consider asking the host if there are non-alcoholic drinks (or ingredients for non-alcoholic drinks) that you could provide. It’s always a good idea to have festive options for those who don’t partake in wine, and busy hosts may overlook this detail. Non-alcoholic beverages other than the standard (and very un-festive) soda or juice are refreshing both for non-drinkers and for drinkers alike, as a means of pacing consumption.

Need inspiration on the non-alcoholic drinks front? We like the book “Dry” for inspiring alcohol-free drinks. There’s an awesome Autumn Sangria recipe that is super-easy to make and celebrates the flavors of fall!

What is a Good Sparkling Wine I Can Bring to Thanksgiving?

If you are hosting Thanksgiving or are bringing a sparkling wine to Thanksgiving, sparkling wine does not need to break the bank. Sparkling wines are often high in acid and lower in alcohol, and the fresh flavor is a nice break from what can be an onslaught of heavy, fatty foods. Most sparkling wines are food friendly, so you can drink them throughout the meal, all the way to dessert!

Here are a couple of our favorites:

Made in USA (New Mexico)

One of our favorite inexpensive sparkling wines is Gruet Brut, found in many grocery stores in the United States.

This sparkling wine is made using the Champagne method and is comprised of Champagne grapes including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

What you might not find in your local grocery store is Savage, which is their zero-dosage Champagne.  So if you or your host like dry Champagne, you might like Gruet Savage Sparkling Rose.

Find the Gruet Sauvage Rose at this link: Gruet Sauvage Rose - Champagne & Sparkling
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Cremant d’Alsace

Alsace sparkling wines (cremant) are another great value when it comes to sparkling wine.

This cremant, by Lucien Albrecht, their Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut, is a classic representative of this style. 

This well-balanced sparkling wine has a lovely golden color. It’s elegant bubbles make it a go-to for holidays and special celebrations. It definitely won’t disappoint at Thanksgiving!

Find the Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut at this link: Lucien Albrecht Cremant d'Alsace Brut - Champagne & Sparkling

What Is a Good Red Wine I Can Bring to Thanksgiving?

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Many under $30 red wine blends produced domestically and found in the grocery store are bulk wines with (often, not always) more marketing than substance. While those wines can be good for everyday drinking and for drinking without food, when sitting down to a meal we look to the Old World for food friendly wines at this price point. Additionally, food wines are higher in acidity than the food one is serving it with. Some red wine blends in the grocery store have very little acidity and can taste flat with Thanksgiving food.

We’re partial to wines from the Cotes de Bordeaux and Fronsac - wines that are both great and affordable. These wines are typically blends of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Unlike many domestic wines at this price point, these wines are lower in alcohol, lower in residual sugar, and pair nicely with food without overwhelming it with jammy New World fruitiness.  

Check with your local wine retailer for budget-friendly wines from the Cotes de Bordeaux or Fronsac.  If they don’t have anything in stock, we’ve shared links to a couple of our sub-$30 favorites below:

What Is A Good White Wine I Can Bring to Thanksgiving?

As long as poultry or vegetarian fare is served, almost any white wine is good to bring to Thanksgiving. The only wine we shy away from for this meal is an oaky Chardonnay.

Our favorite white wine to make this list of good Thanksgiving wines is Round Pond’s Sauvignon Blanc. Find it by clicking the image below:

 
 

What Sweet Wine Can I Bring to Thanksgiving?

Sweet wines as dessert or with traditional pumpkin pie are a decadent way to end the Thanksgiving meal.

We like Chateau Doisey Daene Sauternes in the 375 mL half bottle, especially for smaller gatherings. Sauternes also keeps well in the refrigerator with a bottle closure for up to one month, so one does not need to consume all the sweet goodness in one sitting.  

What Wines Go Well With Turkey?

Many different wines pair well with turkey. Typically you want to pair a wine that - like a background singer - makes the turkey the star. Don’t select a wine so intense that it will cover up the flavors of the turkey. Here are few suggestions for all types of turkey:

Fried Turkey

Frying your turkey? Pair it with sparkling wines and Champagne.  

Baked Turkey with Herbs

For a baked turkey stuffed with herbs, go for a Riesling, Albarino, or Sauvignon Blanc.

Tasteless Turkey

You gave it the college try, but your turkey just tastes dull or has little taste. Gewurztraminer and Viogner can add some flavor and cover for the star that fell a little flat.   

Wine Pairing with Tofurkey

Since tofurkey tends to run on the salty side, this is the one time where we recommend something more full-bodied like a warm climate California Pinot Noir or Sonoma Zinfandel.

Ridge East Ridge Zinfandel: Ridge 2018 East Bench Zinfandel - Red Wine

Wine Pairing for a Coastal Thanksgiving with Lobster

During the coronavirus, the lobster industry was hit quite hard. If you want to take a break from Turkey in 2020, this might be a great year to support fishermen and women.

To pair with lobster, try a Chardonnay or sparkling wine. Patz & Hall has some great single vineyard Chardonnays from Sonoma. like this Dutton Ranch Chardonnay.

Patz & Hall Dutton Ranch Chardonnay: Patz & Hall 2017 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay - White Wine

How Much Wine Should I Plan for Per Person on Thanksgiving?

Here’s the math: a 750 mL bottle will serve six people 125 m glasses, 4 people 175 mL glasses or 3 people 250 mL glasses.

Where Can I Buy Wine on Thanksgiving?

Many wine bottle shops are open Thanksgiving morning, but not all. These independent shop owners may be at home with friends and family preparing their own special dinner. If you wait until the last minute to buy wine on Thanksgiving, chances are you won’t get the wine you want. You might not get the best price on Thanksgiving day, and you may miss out on good wines altogether. So, order ahead!

What If I Have Leftover Wine From Thanksgiving?

Lots of leftover wine with that leftover turkey? No problem!

It’s perfectly fine to freeze leftover wine for future use in cooking. To freeze wine, we like these larger silicone ice cube trays with lids. You can measure ¼ cup aliquots into each cube space and simply pop out the wine cube when cooking! Not only do these ice cube trays stack, they are also BPA free and super easy to clean!

The Thanksgiving Wine Wrap-Up

There’s really no need to stress about what wine to bring to Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving meals have evolved to include a little bit of the old traditions along with new flavors. Thanks to this diversity of dishes in Thanksgiving meals, most wines will pair well with at least one food. 

Want to save on wine purchases and have bottles shipped to your home? Check check our special KnowWines discount here: New customers save $25 off your order of $150 or more.  Use code FALLNEW25

Cheers, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Best Bordeaux Wine Maps

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Earlier in the year we wrote a blog on the wide world of wine maps, surveying wine maps from regions across the globe. In today’s blog, we’re looking specifically at wine maps of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux is the largest wine region in the world, so naturally there are many wine maps of the area, all with different target audiences in mind. That’s good news, as wine lovers may want Bordeaux wine maps for a variety of reasons, from trip planning to decor to study and reference.

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

Types of Bordeaux Wine Maps

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There are a wide variety of Bordeaux wine maps available for wine enthusiasts, students of wine, winemakers, and journalists.

There is no one-size-fits-all “best” wine map of Bordeaux. However, KnowWines has collected a number of great Bordeaux maps over the years, and here we are sharing a few of our favorites!

Don’t have time to read through our recommendations? Spoiler alert: all of our overall favorite Bordeaux Wine Maps are located in the book Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson.  


Easy to Read Bordeaux Wine Maps 

Maybe you’re a new wine enthusiast and you want a simple, trendy, and visually pleasing Bordeaux wine map. Or perhaps you teach wine classes at a bottle shop or wine bar and are looking for great decor. These Bordeaux wine maps are visually appealing even in low light conditions. We like the larger font as well. Overall, these maps are well constructed. However, we took our map to an Office Depot to get it laminated so that it wouldn’t get stained or written on.  


Bordeaux Wine Maps for Decor

In addition to the Wine Folly map above, we like this classic map that goes well with traditional decor. While the font is fairly small, it looks great in a frame.


Bordeaux Wine Maps for Tour Planning

Having been to Bordeaux four times now, we’ve amassed quite a collection of maps, books, and guides on Bordeaux. Here are our new favorites and a few of our old ones.

BORDEAUX SIP BY SIP BY NICOLE CROFT

This is an excellent resource for DIY trips to Bordeaux, and for finding exceptional values on off-the-beaten path Bordeaux. We’ve taken Nicolle Croft’s tour in the past and it was delightful. Check out our interview with Nicolle on Bordeaux Buzz podcast!

BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES

Benjamin Lewin has two good resources detailing the locations of the classified and up-and-coming chateaux in Bordeaux.  There are also details in these books on recent vintages and their hours and tour availability in addition to maps.  

BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES: RIGHT BANK BORDEAUX

BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES: LEFT BANK BORDEAUX

MICHELIN WINE MAPS

We usually plug in our final destinations for a wine tour on our iPhones, however for the research phase, we prefer old school maps to a four-inch screen. While there are plenty of Michelin maps available at bookstores and online retailers, one complaint is that they are more for “passing through” purposes than they are for planning a trip. One exception is this Vins de Bordeaux map available on Amazon:


Bordeaux Wine Maps for Wine Enthusiasts

If you are looking for wine maps that are more detailed than the Wine Folly map or a travel guide, check out this book by the Bordeaux Wine School. In addition to several maps, there is a good introduction and deep (but not too deep!) dive into the wines and the region. This is not a stuffy, dry resource, there are plenty of photos and graphics to illustrate maps and points.

 
The Essential Guide to Bordeaux Wines
By Bordeaux Wine School, Brissaud, Sophie
Buy on Amazon
 

Bordeaux Wine Maps for Wine Certification Studies

  • DE LONG BORDEAUX MAP: While there is not a Bordeaux-specific wine map from Steve De Long, there is this recently released box set which does include a Bordeaux map on the Wine Map of France. 

  • WINE SCHOLAR GUILD WINE MAP OF BORDEAUX: Members of the Wine Scholar Guild can get access to many maps for studies. 

  • INSIDE BORDEAUX BY JANE ANSON: Our top pick for Bordeaux reference maps, Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson, has a number of Bordeaux maps. This simply gorgeous book is currently occupying our nightstand. The crux of the book is maps, all of them detailing the best soils and terroir of Bordeaux.


Vintage or Antique Maps of Bordeaux

Sites like ebay, Etsy, and Amazon have vintage or antique wine or city maps of Bordeaux. The price and availability of antique Bordeaux maps varies significantly, so check out those sites for vintage or antique maps of Bordeaux.

Bordeaux Wine Map Wrap-Up

There are a number of maps available to help you visualize Bordeaux, plan a trip, or simply decorate.  

If you like to geek out on soils, the Inside Bordeaux book is a must. If you are interested in a general overview of the region, check out The Essential Guide to Bordeaux Wines. 

Off the beaten path more your style? Check out Nicolle Croft’s new book Bordeaux Sip by Sip highlighting independent wine producers in Bordeaux like Chateau Coutet.

Finally, if you are looking for a colorful and introductory map of Bordeaux, we really like the bright and large font of the Wine Folly map.

Cheers!



What You Need To Know About Red Blend Wine

 
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Red wine blends are one of the largest wine categories in the United States.  These wines have increased in popularity as many wine lovers like inexpensive, fruit-forward, low acidity, easy drinking wines. Red wine blend producers also know that Americans also have a soft spot for sweets, so these inexpensive red wines often have residual sugar.

But wait, aren’t some of the most famous and expensive red wines (like Bordeaux, Rhone and cult Napa Wines like Opus One) also red blends? Well, yes.

Join is as we break down the red blend wine world, from grape varieties to the wine making process to calories.

What Is A Red Wine Blend

A red wine blend is any red wine that is not made with one specific variety, like Syrah. Instead, the wine blends two different varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon meets Merlot, Merlot meets Malbec, Tempranillo meets Graciano, and so on.

Why Do Winemakers Make Red Wine Blends?

There are several reasons why vignerons may grow multiple grape varieties and then use them to produce a red wine blend. The top reasons are fiscal sustainability and compliance with regulatory bodies.

Multiple Grape Varieties Increase Fiscal Sustainability

In most farming - and grape growing is just another type of farming - risk can be managed by growing more than one crop, thus ensuring harvest. The same goes for grape growers. Growers may plant multiple varieties on their land to spread out the natural risks of farming.  Hail, frost, pests, and rain can impact different varieties differently throughout the season. Producers might lose most of the crop of one variety but still have enough fruit from three or more varieties. As a result, they can still make wine and maintain their bottom line. 

Red Wine Blends Are Required by Regulatory Bodies

In many wine regions, there are laws requiring that wine be comprised of specific grape varieties and be a blend. If the wine is not blended in accordance with these specifications, it can be labeled more generically as “table wine.”

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What Is A Red Wine Blend Made Of?

A red wine blend can theoretically be made of any combination of red grape varieties.  

The red wine blend might be made potentially of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot, and Carmenere, as prescribed in Bordeaux.

Or in the New World, a red blend wine like Cooper & Thief Wines might be made of  Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel,  Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and other red blenders like Carignan.  

Why Are Red Wine Blends Popular?

Traditionally, wines have been blended to ensure that there are sufficient levels of alcohol, acidity, tannin, and fruit extract that will increase the likelihood for aging ability, ensuring that the wine will have interesting flavors years from now,

The increasingly popular types of red wine blends on the market now have leveraged this age-old technique to make wines that appeal to consumers who want something that they can drink now.

Blended wines may taste more homogenous. Many consumers like the predictability of a wine flavor that they are used to consuming with other homogeneous products from the grocery store. Inexpensive red blend wines typically have a target taste profile, allowing the winemaker to adapt the recipe with several varieties to yield a consistent product year after year. 

It’s also worthwhile to note that blending can add complexity that is not present in a single variety. By blending wines made from different varieties, the winemaker can combine the best aspects of two or three grape varieties into one final product. 

What Is A Sweet Red Wine Blend?

Wine enthusiasts who want a “drink-now” or readily available sweet red wine made in the US can try Apothic, Menage a Trois, or Cupcake Red Velvet. In fact, many domestic red wine blends in the grocery store or big box stores under the $20 price point likely contain some residual sugar to lure in the sweet tooth. Sweet wine words to look for are “jammy",’ “juicy,” and “lucious.”

At What Temperature Should Red Blend Wines Be Served?

If your favorite red blend wine is slightly sweet, it might taste better at 45 F to 55 F than at warmer temperatures.

If your red blend wine is a Bordeaux, Claret, Cateauneuf-du-Pape, or other dry red wine blend, the recommended service temperature is 60 F to 65 F.  

How Long Do You Let A Red Blend Wine Breath?

Many wines benefit from some decanting. Red wines from the grocery store or any wines that fall into a “drink now” category can benefit from 15-20 minutes in the decanter before consuming. Of course, the amount of decanting time is up to personal preference.  

Wines designed for aging may have much longer decanting times than “drink-now” wines. One could do a little online research on websites like CellarTracker to see how long other users decanted their wines as a general guideline.

How Long Can You Cellar A Red Wine Blend?

Most red blend wines purchased at the grocery store will not benefit from additional cellaring. The same is true of red wines sold by independent bottle shops with a shopkeeper recommendation of “can drink now.”

This designation does not mean that your wine will go bad if you don’t drink it in the coming weeks. In fact, if you store it for several months or a couple years in a wine refrigerator (link) it will likely taste much like it does today.

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How Many Calories Are In A Red Wine Blend?

Red wine blend wines can range from 90 to 150 calories per 5 fl oz (147 mL).  

Wines with an ABV of around 12% and dry will be at the lower end, and sweeter red wine blends with ABV of 15 or 16% will nudge closer to 150 calories per serving.

The Wine Folly guide to calories in red wine is a helpful reference.

Red Wine Blend Wrap Up 


Red wine blends are simply wines created by blending two or more grape varieties. In many places, including the United States, red wine blends are popular for their drinkability and predictability.

Do you have a favorite red wine blend? Share in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Cheers!

Wine Glass Travel Case

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Some wine lovers like to travel with their own glassware, especially to a vacation rental where the glassware is often suboptimal or missing altogether. You might be thinking, “Really? Do people actually travel with wine glassware?”

Yep, they sure do. But to be fair, traveling with glassware is often more about being prepared for unknown situations than it is about being a snob. In fact, if you are prepared in advance for a trip to wine country, you will also be prepared to safely bring back souvenir wine glasses from your favorite wineries.

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

Why Bring Your Own Glassware?

Benefits of Bringing Your Own Glassware

When you rent a house on AirBnB or stay at a relative’s home, you don’t know what the wine glass situation will be. 

If your reputation as a budding wine enthusiast precedes you, your host may be expecting a knock-out wine experience as a benefit of an invite. If you are going to share wine with a partner or friends/family in a new locale, it helps to be prepared with quality wine glasses.

Here are a few things we’ve run into over the years when it comes to wine glass inventory at rental homes:

  • Dirty wine glasses.  Gross!  Glasses might be dirty from days or months of non-use, or they may be hazy from too many cycles in the dishwasher. 

  • Cheap, thick-rimmed wine glasses or wine glasses with too much “personality” (over-use of hand lettering, glue gun art, or extravagant laser edging).  Nothing takes the fun out of wine tasting more than drinking a special wine out of a “Mommy’s Sippy Cup” wine glass.  

  • No wine glasses at all.  Perhaps the HomeAway host does not offer wine glasses for personal reasons, thinking it might cut down on partying or save them the trouble of replacing broken wine glases.

Bringing your own wine glass can eliminate the need to stop and buy new wine glasses or hunt down extra strength cleaner to remove dust or even dead flies!

Downsides of Bringing Your Own Glassware

While there are several upsides to bringing your own glassware, there are some downsides, including the following:

  • Bringing your own glassware takes up valuable space in your luggage.

  • Glassware could break in transit.

  • You might accidentally leave behind your glassware at the rental.

Bringing Your Own Wine Glasses on an Airplane

In the United States, you can bring empty wine glasses on the airplane. We recommend that you already have the wine glasses packed away safely in your hand luggage using any one of the methods we share below. If you’re planning a trip to wine country, you can also check wine when you fly!

Best Wine Glass Travel Cases

When it comes to wine glass travel cases, there are a few decent products on the market.

However, when possible, we prefer to go the DIY route, reusing household items that might fit the bill, especially when planning a trip to wine country. In this case, we might not need to take any wine glasses on the outbound portion of the trip, but we may need to be prepared in advance for bringing back any souvenir glasses from wineries.

DIY Wine Glass Travel Cases

Pro Tip: Keep the box your wine glasses came in, as it can double as a wine glass travel case! Canisters from wines like tawny port or the boxes that whisky often come in make great travel cases.

Most food-safe storage or pantry containers over 6.5 L can accommodate easily one - if not two - wine glasses.  Be sure to measure the length and width of your wine glass(es) to make sure that they will fit.

With any of the DIY approaches, make sure to pad around each wine glass bowl with packing paper or bubble wrap so that the bowls are not clanking against each other in transit.  

Riedel Wine Glass Travel Case

This wine glass travel case by Reidel holds three universal wine glasses and standard red (Bordeaux) glasses.  Unlike our DIY solutions, this wine glass travel case can hold three to five glasses.  And it has a shoulder strap!

This travel case will not hold extra-large glasses like Pinot Noir glass that have a wider bowl. Note that some users indicate that after a year or so that the bag may start to give off plastic or rubbery smell.  

Ravenscroft Crystal Ultimate Travel Case

This wine glass travel case is similar in size to the Riedel travel case and is a good option if you don’t want a big brand name on the outside of your bag. It also is fairly compact and will pack easily.

Like the Riedel bag, some users find that oversized wine bowls (like Pinot Noir-specific wine glasses) may not fit in this travel case. Glasses with especially long stems may not either.

In Conclusion

Thanks for reading our review of wine travel bags.

As we discussed, some wine lovers may want to travel with their wine glasses. Reasons for this may include being prepared at an unknown destination that might have unclean glasses (or none at all).  Other wine lovers might want to purchase a wine travel case or come up with a DIY wine travel case solution if they are traveling to a wine region and want to bring home souvenir wine glasses.  

Wine glass travel cases are certainly optional wine hobbyist accessories. Through the years, we have found that one can often “make do” with solutions like liquor bottle boxes, shipping tubes, pantry tubs, or boxes received as wrapping for purchase or gift.  

Whatever solution you choose for your next getaway, we wish you happy travels!

Cheers!

What Wine Pairs With Southern Shrimp Dishes?

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Shrimp is an often overlooked wine pairing partner. It is often ignored or lumped in with “seafood” in most pairing articles, perhaps because it is a Southern food? Or it could be due to too much flavorless frozen shrimp on the market.

Whatever the reason, we think overlooking shrimp is a shame. Shrimp should be the star of the show! At KnowWines, we love fresh shrimp, especially when paired with wines that don’t overwhelm its flavor. In today’s blog, we highlight different wine pairings based on the preparation of the shrimp: boiled, on a salad, or in a savory dish like shrimp and grits (so good!).

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

About Shrimp In the South

Shrimp are “born” in the ocean and are carried via waves into waters in the Mid-Atlantic and South. Shrimp spend their lives as juveniles and adults growing and feeding at the base of plants and structures in the Intracoastal marshes, tidal creeks, and inlets. As these water sources are varied, so too are the flavors.

As the shrimp mature, they leave this marshier habitat and head back out into the ocean. And again the shrimp flavor changes as the water out in the ocean (as well as the depth that the shrimp live in) is varied.   

Where To Find Great Shrimp

While your local supermarket might be flush with frozen shrimp, you’re not going to get great flavor unless your shrimp is fresh. And the best-flavored shrimp will be wild-caught and fresh shrimp.

First, Consider Shrimp Origin

Shrimp from different regions of the US, much like oysters, will taste different. Few shrimp connoisseurs mention “terrior” when it comes to shrimp like wine enthusiasts do with wine, but in fact, there’s quite a variety in flavor depending on where your shrimp comes from. Depending on the coastal area, bay, or out island where the shrimp originates, the taste will vary.

Also, the flavor of shrimp will change throughout the season. At KnowWines, this is something that we did not appreciate until we started to buy shrimp from our local farmers market in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.

Explore Your Farmers Market

Since we moved closer to the beach, we’ve been buying our shrimp from the local farmers’ market. There are a number of farmers’ markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the US from which one can purchase fresh shrimp.

The shrimp you purchase at market be head-on, or it may be sold with heads removed. Unless you are looking for shrimp heads to use for bait or for making a seafood broth, we recommend purchasing shrimp that have had the heads removed but the shell still on.  

With the shell still on, more flavor is preserved, especially if you are not going to cook the shrimp until the next day or if you intend to freeze the shrimp.

Check with Your Local Grocer

Further from the beach?  Check with your local grocer on the availability of fresh or frozen shrimp. 

If you are looking for shrimp to use for a fairly simple preparation, such as boiled shrimp, look for mid-Atlantic shrimp. 

If you are looking for shrimp to use in a more heavily seasoned recipe like curried shrimp, Gumbo, Pad Thai, or Shrimp Carnbonera, then previously frozen or Gulf shrimp might be a more economical choice.

Investigate the Freezer Section

Your grocer may sell frozen shrimp. When looking for frozen shrimp, try to find shrimp from the mid-Atlantic of the USA.  

Look for Coastal Shrimp from the USA

If you are based in the US, you will want to look for shrimp from the US. These shrimp are more likely to be sustainably fished and have fewer preservatives than shrimp imported from further distances like South America or Southeast Asia.

If you want to learn more about sustainability and shrimping, check out the

Shrimp Recipies

When it comes to shrimp, simple recipes are best. Minimal manipulation helps to highlight the expression of fresh shrimp. Use previously frozen, less flavorful shrimp for recipes with strong spices.

Before cooking shrimp, it is not necessary to devein it. However, it is a good idea to boil one of your shrimp and taste it for sandiness before cooking the whole batch. If the shrimp does taste a little sandy (which can happen after a storm) then we advise cleaning the shrimp before cooking. Removing shells with a deveining tool will make quick work of removing shells before cooking. Here’s our favorite:

Wines to Pair With Shrimp

When it comes to pairing shrimp with wine, shrimp should be the star.  

While one can enjoy any wine with shrimp, we recommend some particular varieties and styles that let the little shrimps shine.  

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Wines to Pair With Poached or Boiled Shrimp

The simplest of preparation - peel-and-eat or steamed - lead us to two of our favorite wines.

First, we recommend an Albarino wine with the simplest preparation of shrimp. As Master Sommelier Evan Goldsmith has said, “If it swims or clings to a rock, it will be happy with Albarino”. These wines can be found at most independent wine bottle shops and online retailers.  They are typically imported from the Galicia region of Spain, which is also renowned for seafood such as octopus.

Another good choice will be a dry Semillon from Bordeaux.  We tend to hear more about the famous red wines of Bordeaux. However, some of the best oyster production is about an hour’s train ride west of Bordeaux.  

If the particular wine you find has label descriptions like “crisp” or “refreshing” and not a lot of descriptors about fruits, then it might also pair well with shrimp.

Wines to Pair With Shrimp and Grits or Coconut Shrimp

Buttery and or creamy dishes like Shrimp and Grits can pair well with lightly oaked or “buttery” examples of Chardonnay (from Napa or Paso Robles), or oaked Assyrtiko from Greece.  

Not sure if the wine you have picked out is a “buttery” wine? If there are descriptors on the wine like “vanilla” or “toasty,” or if there are fruit descriptions that sound like a tropical vacation, then these wines might pair well with shrimp and grits or fried shrimp dishes like coconut shrimp. Yum.

Wines to Pair With Shrimp Cocktail or Spicy Tomato Sauce

Perhaps one of your favorite coastal activities is to order a half-pound or pound of steamed shrimp and go “heavy” on shrimp cocktail. Or maybe you love a good shrimp gumbo. In this case, you’ll want to seek out a rosé wine, or venture off the beaten path with Dolcetto or Xinomavro.   

Wines to Pair With Shrimp Salad

Do you enjoy a simple preparation of shrimp with a salad? If the salad is more on the fruity side - with cantaloupe or other tropical fruits - try a slightly off-dry bubbly wine from Piedmonte, Italy.

If the salad is a little more herbal, then try a Sauvignon Blanc from California. The tropical fruit aromas and flavors will go nicely with the greens in the salad and the saltiness of the fresh shrimp.

Wines to Pair With Spicy Dishes Like Pad Thai or Jerk Chicken

In addition to fruity salads with shrimp, off-dry wines also pair well with spicy shrimp dishes. If bubbles are not your thing, try an off-dry Riesling or Pinot Gris.

Shrimp & Wine Resources

Best Cookbook on Southern Cooking and Foodways

This James Beard Award-winning Southern cookbook will tell you everything you need to know about the right way to eat shrimp.

 
Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking
By Dupree, Nathalie, Graubart, Cynthia
Buy on Amazon
 

Best Book on Wine Pairings 

This fabulous wine pairing book will help you to get maximum enjoyment out of your food and the wine you pair with it.

Shrimp & Wine Wrap-Up

Next time you have the opportunity to make a shrimp dish or order shrimp at a restaurant or dockside, try one of our wine recommendations instead of reaching for a stronger alcoholic cocktail.

If you let the shrimp take center stage, you won’t be sorry.

Let us know how it goes in the comments.  

Cheers!

 
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Pairing Wine With Flounder

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Flounder, fluke, Northern fluke, hirame, flatfish. This fish of many names is ever so popular with summer anglers here in North Carolina - and all along the eastern North America seaboard.  The fish can be prepared in many ways:  grilled, broiled, baked, fried, or pan-seared.

Happily, there are a number of crisp, white wines that pair well with flounder. The challenge is to select a wine that does not overpower the delicate fish. Eating flounder is an infrequent treat for most, so in today’s blog we’ll recommend some less common wines that often cost less than mediocre supermarket wine. We’ll also share our best tricks for catching and cooking flounder.

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

What is Flounder

Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) are a flat-bodied fish. At maturity, they generally have both eyes on one side (the left, colorful side) and no eyes on the right (bottom, white side). Mature flounder can range between two and three feet in length.

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Flounder are primarily sold as fresh fish. Flounder populations are managed carefully by several councils and commissions in both inshore and offshore waters, as well as state and federal waters.

What Wines Go With Flounder

In selecting a white wine to pair with flounder, one might go for the default Sauvignon Blanc, mild Pinot Grigio, or any old Chardonnay.

The problem with such a general recommendation is that these grape varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay - are international varieties, meaning that the style and quality can vary dramatically.  An especially oaky Chardonnay might cover up the delicate flavor of the flounder.  A run-of-the-mill Sauvignon Blanc may be too uninspiring to do the fish justice.

Here are a few more daring recommendations, many from one of our favorite wine pairing books - Daring Pairings, by Evan Goldstein. Our recommendations are all under $25 per bottle.

Assyrtiko (Dry)

This grape variety grows in Santorini, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea.  

Garganega (Unoaked)

If you are having some stir fry or a salad tossed with ginger salad dressing, you might want to seek out Garganega from Italy’s Veneto Soave appellation. This is a highly acidic wine that is fragrant and aromatic.  We’ve also heard that this wine pairs well with pesto.

Pinot Blanc

Pinot Blanc that pairs well with simple preparations of flounder come from Alsace, Oregon USA or Italy. This wine pairs so well with most fish that it can easily serve as a “default” or “no-brainer” fish pairing wine.  Seek out unoaked Pinot Blanc for the freshest expression of the grape.

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White Vijariego

This is a white indigenous grape from the Canary Islands just southwest of Spain. These grapes struggle to grow in the volcanic sands of the island. The style of these wines is light and slightly aromatic.  

Verdejo

This is a good wine for lovers of west coast Sauvignon Blanc (or someone stuck in a Sauvignon Blanc rut). This is a Spanish wine that might also be good for someone who thinks most white wines are “too weak.”

This wine has aromas of fruits like nectarine/peach, herbs, and a medium body. Some Verdejo wines will have a little residual sugar, so if you like a little sweetness, check with the bottle shop owner to see if your selection is more on the dry or slightly sweet side.  

Vermentino

This variety is grown on Sardinia, Corsica, Provence, and Languedoc-Roussillon. The wine can be very aromatic. Try Vermentino if you like simply prepared flounder with a touch of salt and pepper. This would likely not be a good pairing if you made a rich or complex cream or hollandaise sauce.  

If these wines are not available in your area, check with your local wine bottle shop for recommendations, especially if you are in the Mid-Atlantic of the United Staes where folks are familiar with this tasty fish and common preparations.

Can I Pair Flounder with Red Wine?

Yes, you can drink red wine with flounder. However, you might not taste the flounder after a few sips of most red wines, as flounder is an especially mild, flaky fish.

Depending upon how the flounder is prepared and if it is especially fleshy and fat, the combination of red wine and some flounder may give a metallic aftertaste.

Where To Get Flounder

Flounder are mostly sold as a fresh fish (not previously frozen). There are a few places to get fresh flounder here in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

Seafood Store

In the Mid-Atlantic of the US, if you are within an hour of the coast, you likely have access to fresh fish at a farmers’ market or a seafood store like Motts Channel Seafood.

If you are at a distance from the coast but still in the Mid-Atlantic, then check with your local grocer in the meat counter. They can tell you if or when they will have flounder available or can request one for you from the fishmonger. 

Catch A Flounder

Our favorite way to access flounder is to catch them.  

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Flounder are fairly easy to catch with some basic instruction and minimal gear. One does not need a boat to catch a flounder, especially in the late summer or early fall when the flounder migrate into the Intracoastal waters and hang out around docks or other structures accessible by foot.

How To Cook Flounder

Flounder can be prepared many ways, including grilled, baked, steamed, broiled, fried, or pan-fried (and more!). 

Our favorite way to prepare our fresh flounder is to cook it skin-on, on the grill.  We cook it in the skin as this fish is very delicate. If you filet it and remove it from the bones and/or flesh, it can be tricky to keep the filet in one piece without covering the filet in flour. We’d rather taste the fish than fried all-purpose flour.  

As soon as we catch and clean the flounder (by removing its head, guts, and scraping of the scales with a flat knife), we salt the flounder and place it on a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 12 to 36 hours.

One hour before grilling, we remove the fish from the refrigerator, rinse off the salt, and pat the fish dry.  We let it sit on the baking sheet to warm up to room temperature and season with our favorite spices sparingly. While it warms, we score the fish skin with a sharp knife so that the skin gets extra crispy when cooking, also allowing a little of the salt and spice to get into the fish flesh.

Finally, we grill the fish 3-5 minutes on each side, checking to see that the flesh of the fish is no longer opaque and that the fish flakes nicely.

 
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Is Flounder Skin Edible?

Yes, flounder skin is edible. Enjoy!

Our Favorite Flounder Resources 

Here are a few of our favorite resources on catching, preparing, and pairing wine with flounder.

Perfect Pairings 

A very good resource if you prefer International grape varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

Daring Pairings

This is a very good resource if you prefer often lower-cost (and perhaps a little more difficult to find) regional and indigenous grape varieties from around the world. 

Flounder Lure

When fishing the often muddy Intracoastal waters of North Carolina, this is the bait we’ve had the best luck with.  

Kosher Salt To Remove the Slime

For those who like a “salty salt,” this is a very good one for salting fish. It removes the slimy protective layer on the fish skin.

Weber Professional Grill Pan

We’ve recently downsized to a smaller home and gave away many of our grill accessories. This is one of three items that survived the cut! We especially like the easy cleanup and universality. You can use it with fish, vegetables, and any other delicate or small item cooked on the gas grill.

The Final Word on Flounder Pairings

Flounder is a light, delicate white fish that can be prepared in a number of ways. Though flounder can be enjoyed with red wine, we prefer a nice, crisp white wine, though not a typical Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.

You can find flounder in a local market or you can catch it yourself. Either way, it’s best prepared when very fresh.

If you decide to grill your flounder and enjoy it outdoors, consider the Corkcicle to keep that white wine chilled throughout your meal.

Happy fishing!

Cheers!



Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller Review

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As I’m writing this, we are in the dog days of summer here in North Carolina. Come evening, it is often nice enough to sit outside. However, the ambient temperature can be in the mid-80s, meaning that both red and white wines can warm quickly while you’re doing your best to cool down. Too warm white wines can taste flabby. Red wines that are too warm might taste too bitter or too “alcoholic.” And warm wine in general just isn’t refreshing on a hot night.

While there are many ways to chill a bottle of wine, the Corkcicle is a suitable option if you don’t like the hassle of dealing with a bucket full of ice and simply want to keep one bottle of wine chilled while you consume it outside during a meal or event.

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

What is the Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller?

In 2010, the company Corkcicle came out with its first product, the Corkcicle in-bottle wine chiller. It’s likely a result of seeing people put ice cubes in their wine to cool it down and thinking, “There must be a way to cool wine without diluting the wine with ice melt.” After a series of prototypes and tests, the Corkcicle wine icicle was born. 

The Corkcicle is fairly straight forward. It comes in an elegant box without obtrusive plastic wrap.  Once you pop the corkcicle out of the box, simply place it in the freezer and let it freeze over a few hours or overnight.  When it is time to use the Corkcicle, it is ready to go.

The frozen BPA-free, non-toxic “icicle” extends into the bottle to keep the liquid cool.

With the success of the Corkcicle, the company has since expanded to making beautiful beverage cooling solutions like these wine tumblers.

Can I Use the Corkcicle for All Wines?

For the most part, yes! How and when you use the Corkcicle will depend on the type of wine and the bottle it comes in.

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Type of Wine Bottle

Corkcicle will work with any wine bottle that has a standard cork.

You may find that the Corkcicle will not fit well in Champagne bottles or some sparkling wine bottles - the bubbles may push the Corkcicle out between pours, leading to spilled wine.

Similarly, the Corkcicle may not fit well in 375mL or 500mL bottles, as it is designed for standard 750mL wine bottles. It might not fit smaller bottles because the “icicle” part of the Corkcicle is about 10 inches long.  

White Wines

The best application for the Corkcicle is keeping already chilled white wines cool while you’re enjoying them in a warmer setting. Many white wines taste best between 50 and 60 degrees F.  

Red Wines

Many red wines are served above ideal temperatures. Ambient temperatures in some homes can be 75+ degree F, and of course here in the southern USA it is a little warmer. We find many red wines taste better at 60 to 65 F than at a higher room temperature.  

Do I Need a Corkcicle?

No, you don’t need a Corkcicle Classic Wine Chiller. There are many different ways to keep wine chilled

However, the Corkcicle might be a great solution for keeping white wines cool and bringing down the temperature of red wines a little if you don’t have space for a wine bucket with ice water or don’t want to deal with that mess (e.g. the bucket can sweat on a wood table).

Where to Buy a Corkcicle

Your local wine retailer may sell the Corkcicle. You can also find the Corkcicle online through specialty cookware sites or on Amazon.com.  

Should I Give Corkcicle as a Gift?

We were honestly impressed by the box the Corkcicle arrived in. It was elegant, modern, and recyclable. For this reason, we think it’d make a great hostess or birthday gift. The Corkcicle website also indicates that personalization of their items is also an option, which makes for a great gift.

Note: We did have to wait a week for the item to arrive, but as we’re reviewing this item during the Coronavirus pandemic, we’re pretty sure that supply chain issues have impacted the Corkcicle folks (in addition to many other businesses!) during this challenging time.

Other Single Bottle Wine Chiller Options

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Some Corkcicle users may find that one Corkcicle doesn’t last long enough for an especially long meal or outdoor event. One solution could be to have two Corkcicles on hand in your freezer.

Alternatively, for especially long meals or special occasions, an ice bucket filled with a mix of ice and water might be the best solution. Or, check out our article on other single bottle wine chiller solutions.

Corkcicle Conclusion

The Corkcicle performs the task it advertises. It keeps cool white wines cool for at least 30 minutes in 85 degree F weather and can chill a red wine from room temperature to about 60 degrees F in under an hour.

The Corkcicle can replace the need for an ice bucket, water, and ice - especially if you want to chill only one bottle of wine. The Corkcicle doesn’t take up much space in the freezer compared to other single wine bottle chilling tools on the market

In summary, the Corkcicle Classic is a keeper for those of us in a warm climate.

Cheers from KnowWines!

How To Hold A Wine Glass

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New wine enthusiasts might worry about the proper way to hold a wine glass. In fact, it’s likely that most people have dined in a fine restaurant or enjoyed a glass of wine at a social gathering have wondered if they’re holding their wine glass properly. “All these people are holding their wine glasses differently,” they might think. “But what is the right way?”

It might sound a bit snobby to insist that there’s a right way and a wrong way to hold a wine glass, but in fact, the recommended ways of holding wine glasses exist to maximize the enjoyment of wine regardless of price point or occasion. And these recommendations have more to do with science than they do with snobbery, we promise!

In today’s blog, we’ll share recommendations for how to hold various types of wine glasses. We’ll also discuss a few other wine glass tips for new wine enthusiasts. Before we continue with our reviews and recommendations, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We’re an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions help us pay for web hosting fees, products to test, and other costs associated with running this site. Thank you for using our affiliate links and supporting this independent blog!

Why Does It Matter How One Holds a Wine Glass?

As a new wine enthusiast, you’ve put in the effort to pick out a wine and properly store it. Maybe you’ve even moved your wine and wine glass collection from one home to another! Don’t let all that hard work go down the drain with sloppy wine glass holding at the finish line.  

Holding a wine glass incorrectly can lead to flabby, lukewarm wine. If you hold a wine glass by the bowl, the heat from your warm hand is transferred to the mass of the wine in the bowl, effectively warming up the wine. This wine warming can lead to flabby and dull wine aromas and taste, especially with wine and sparkling wines.

Holding the wine glass by the bowl also places your hand closer to your nose. In this case, the “off” aromas you smell might not be from the wine - it could instead be from that stinky cheese appetizer you just touched two minutes ago or that coconut-scented hand creme you applied an hour ago. To prevent smelly hand interference, flabby wine, and unsightly fingerprints, there are ideal ways to hold your glass of wine.

How to Hold a Wine Glass With a Stem

If you’re drinking wine from a glass with a stem, hold the glass by the stem. Because there’s a lot of space between the bowl and base, there are actually many different ways to hold a wine glass by the stem. Check out all the different poses your hands can use to hold a wine glass by the stem in this video:

 
 

How to Hold a Stemless Wine Glass

Hold the stemless wine glass as close to the base as possible, not around the middle or top. If you hold the glass around the middle or the top, your hand will heat the glass and its contents. Holding a stemless wine glass improperly will also leave unsightly fingerprints.

How to Hold Your Wineglass in the Shower

I thought you’d never ask! Would you believe that there’s a wine gadget for holding a glass of wine in the shower or tub? All jokes aside, we actually think it’s pretty great that someone has solved this wine glass need! This model not only fits the needs of showering wine drinkers, but of coffee and beer drinkers as well. It’s also made of recycled plastics!

Are There Specific Ways to Not to Hold One’s Wine Glass?

In all honesty, it’s not likely that anyone is judging the way you hold your wine glass. That said, you may be better off avoiding the wine glass holds we describe below.

The “Housewives” Wine Glass Hold

In movies and TV shows, one often sees actresses holding wine glasses by the bowl. Thanks to the phenomenon of the “housewives” reality TV shows - and the extra large wine glasses these ladies hold - this wine glass hold got its new name. We think maybe this hold is a ruse for showing off rings, watches, and French manicures, though we can’t be entirely sure.

The “Hail Mary Pass” Hold

The guys also aren’t getting away with their funny wine glass holds. Sometimes, at wine events or corporate functions, there’s that guy holding his wine glass with all his fingers on the bowl like he’s channeling Peyton Manning - ready to lob that wine glass over to Morgan in Accounting to complete some imaginary Hail Mary Pass.  

Is It Ever Okay to Hold a Wine Glass by the Bowl?  

While these amusing wine glass holds point at the “wrong” ways to hold your wine glass, there are times when it’s appropriate to hold a wine glass by the bowl. Sometimes, wine is just too cold when it is served and just needs to be warmed up a bit to release aromas that are muted by the cold temperature. So, if you see a wine lover “cupping” his or her wine in a restaurant, they are simply trying to warm up their drink a little bit.

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Other Wine Glass Tips for New Wine Enthusiasts

How Full to Fill Your Wine Glass

Here are the guidelines, by type of wine:

  • Half full for white wine

  • ⅓ full for red wine

  • ¾ full for sparkling wine or Champagne

Why does it matter how full your glass is? Well, red wines need room to breathe in order for their full aromas and flavors to come to life - hence, the wider bowl in most red wine glasses. White wine and sparkling wine glasses are narrower, as they don’t require the same amount of “breathing room.” No matter what type of wine, though, a too-full glass makes it hard to swirl and thus, you may miss out on the wine’s aromas. 

How To Keep Your Wine Glass Rim Looking Clean

If it has ever been your job to clean wine glasses, either as waitstaff or as a party host, you become quickly amazed (or grossed out!) by just how much lip balm, lipstick, food, and saliva can collect on top of the wine glass rim. Not only is this mess a hassle for the glass cleaner, but it could also lead to bad odors from previously consumed wine or a bad smelling natural interaction between your lip balm and the wine or food you consumed before your next sip. To avoid this, pick one spot on the wine glass and continue to drink from that one spot throughout the entire meal or event.  Your nose - and your host - will thank you.

Rest Your Wine Glass

If you’ve been the recipient of a very generous pour, or if your arms are simply tired from typing all day, rest assured that it is just fine to set your wine glass down throughout an event or tasting. In fact, you will see many wine professionals holding a wine glass only for evaluating the wine and sipping, then immediately putting down the glass. 

You might try resting the glass in your non-dominant hand if there are no hors d'oeuvre tables nearby. If you are seated at a fine restaurant or corporate event where there is formal service, it’s recommended to place your wine glass to the right of your water glass.  No water glass? The glass can be set down in the upper left corner of your place setting.

Resting your wine glass may also help slow your consumption by helping to reduce the impulse to keep drinking sip after sip.

Takeaways on How to Hold Your Wine Glass

  • Being “snobby” about the “right” way to hold a wine glass is actually rooted in a desire to enhance the enjoyment of wine. The likelihood of flabby or bad smelling wines increases with potential odors coming from your hands or previously consumed foods.

  • Hold your glass by the stem, pinching the stem with your thumb and index finger. You can be creative with placement of all the other fingers.

  • Stemless? Hold by the base and minimize contact with the middle and top of stemless wine glasses.

  • Drink from one spot on the wine glass to reduce the occurrence of lip smudges.

  • Rest your glass when it becomes too heavy or to slow down consumption. Hey, you may even want to rest your wine glass in the shower (but for that situation, we recommend unbreakable wine glasses).

Cheers!

What to Know About Freezing Wine

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Can you freeze wine? And if so, why would you want to?

Many wine lovers have likely placed a bottle of wine in an ice bath or in the freezer for a quick cool-down, but we usually pull it out when it’s crisp and cold, not frozen.

In today’s blog, we’ll explore the science, methods, and uses involved with freezing wine.

Is it even possible to freeze wine?

Yes, but how completely a wine freezes depends on its alcohol content.

Because of its alcohol content, wine freezes at a lower temperature than water. Usually, it will freeze at about 15 degrees Fahrenheit (the average temperature of your home freezer). Even at this temperature, though, you may find that you end up with more of a wine slush than frozen-solid wine. The alcohol content in wine will determine how well your wine freezes. In a nutshell, the higher the alcohol content, the lower its freezing temperature. So, in a 15 degree freezer, a wine with higher alcohol content may remain a little soft around the edges.

What happens when wine freezes?

It expands.

You may have learned the hard way that when wine freezes, it expands. In cases in which there’s not enough room in the bottle, this expansion could cause the bottle to break.

Even if the expansion of the liquid doesn’t cause the bottle to break, it could push the cork slightly out of the bottle or, in the case of a screw top wine, break the seal. When this happens, air can creep into the bottle, causing oxidation. Oxidation, unfortunately, will turn your wine to vinegar. If the wine is oxidized, you’ll probably be able to tell right away with a quick taste or sniff test. If you’re still not sure if the frozen wine is ruined, read our advice on how to tell if your wine is bad.

The flavor could change.

If oxidation occurs, the flavor of your wine will be dramatically altered (because the wine will essentially be ruined!). If oxidation does not occur, however, the wine is probably still fine to drink.

So if you happen to accidentally leave a bottle of wine in the freezer overnight and the cork and screw top are still intact, all is well. The flavor of your wine may be slightly altered, but not so much that the average wine drinker would even notice.

You might find some sediment.

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Freezing wine may cause the tartaric acid, the compound responsible for the tartness in your wine, to crystalize. When the temperature of your wine falls below 40 degrees, its tartaric acid becomes less soluble and will bind with potassium in the wine to form tartrates (or, as many wine enthusiasts refer to them, “wine diamonds.”).

So, when you freeze your wine and then drink it after it’s been thawed, you may notice this crystalline sediment in your wine. No worries, though. Wine diamonds are a natural part of the wine, and it won’t hurt you to drink them.

The alcohol content could change (but probably not).

The alcohol content in your frozen (and then thawed) wine is not going to freeze unless it’s frozen at a temperature well below what your home freezer is capable of. The water will freeze quickly but the alcohol may not follow suit (hence, slush) - just don’t strain out the icy bits before thawing, and you should be left with the same alcohol content.

Why freeze wine?

In general, it’s not a good idea to freeze wine. However, there are some reasons that people choose to freeze wine (and there are some ways to deal with an accidentally frozen bottle).

You can cook with it.

Have a great bottle of wine but just can’t finish it? Pour the last glass into ice cube trays, carefully cover the trays with foil (or placce them in a Ziploc bag once frozen), and save them for your next cooking adventure!

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So many recipes call for both red and white wine. Rather than open a fresh bottle (or saving an open one until it goes bad), try the ice cube method. Then, when you’re making a garlic white wine sauce for your chicken or concocting wine gelées for cheescake, you’ll be all set.

Make sangria or wine slushies.

If you accidentally freeze a bottle of wine and don’t love the way it tastes after thawing, can always use the thawed wine to make sangria. Grab a pitcher, pour in the wine, add a bit of brandy and simple syrup, and top it off with loads of citrus fruit. Serve over ice!

On the other hand, it could be fun to intentionally freeze your wine to make wine slushies. To do this, pour a bottle of white or red wine (choosing a cheaper but still tasty wine is a good choice for this venture!) into ice cube trays. Freeze overnight, or at least until firm. Then, toss the ice cubes into a blender, pour into a chilled wine glass (an unbreakable wine glass, if you intend to enjoy your frozen beverage by the pool or on the patio), add a fresh garnish if you like, and enjoy. Perfect for very hot days!

What’s the best way to chill my wine?

Slushies might be fun, but the best way to chill your wine is not in the freezer. If you need to get your wine cold fast, use a cold ice bath. Then, keep the bottle chilled in a champagne bucket or wine sleeve.

Alternatively, if you have a growing wine collection and like to always have a chilled bottle on-hand, consider investing in a wine cabinet.

So, what’s the low-down on freezing wine?

While popping a bottle of wine in the freezer is really not the best way to cool it down, it’s also not a total catastrophe to end up with frozen wine. The alcohol content won’t be affected and in many cases, neither will the flavor.

If you do end up with frozen wine, you can use it for cooking or for an extra-cold poolside beverage.

Find yourself tossing ice cubes into your wine because it’s not cold yet? Try an ice bath or buy a wine cabinet.

Whatever the temperature of your wine, we hope your enjoy your next glass.

Cheers!