Here’s the thing about wine accessories, almost none are necessary but, all of them make the wine drinking experience that much better. It’s the same thing with accessorizing any outfit, none is necessary but they enhance the overall outfit. That being said, I’ve put together a quick list of wine tools and gadgets every wine drinker should own. And bonus, none of these accessories will break the bank.
1. Good universal wine glasses
As mentioned in a previous blog, nice wine glasses or the right wine glass for the wine you’re drinking can totally change your overall drinking experience. A good wine glass is just an aesthetically pleasing wine accessory. The same wine tasted from different glasses can leave you with a different experience altogether.
2. A good cork pull, or even better an electric wine opener
Have you ever tried an electric wine opener? I swear these are straight magic and depending on where you buy them, they can be quite affordable – around $20. Outside of a handy electric wine opener, my go-to wine opener is your classic double-hinged opener. This style allows you to open the bottle of wine without stressing the cork or your wrist. Most openers like this are less than $10.
3. Wine cooler or ice bucket
This accessory is mostly for white, rosé, and sparkling wines. An ice bucket or wine cooler will make it so you can keep your wine at the perfect drinking temperature. Make sure to choose a wine bucket that is deep enough to allow the ice to come up to the shoulder of the bottle. I recommend double-checking the dimensions before you buy one. I know, I know, there’s nothing super special about an ice bucket but, they serve their purpose!
4. Wine notation system
If you’ve ever had an amazing bottle of wine and the next day forgot what it was, having a way to track the wines you’ve tasted and loved, or not loved is essential. I’m trying to use my phone for things like this, so I have everything in one place, so I found an app that helps catalog all of this for you, It is called Vivino. However, if you’re more old-fashioned, or like this written on paper, which is really what I prefer, a general wine journal will do. I make sure to note the winery, year, and notes that I liked from the wine. A fun way to add more to your journal is using wine label savers that remove labels and paste them into your journal. I am a very visual person, so saving the labels helps me remember the wine even more and I am better able to recognize it when I am in a store.
Again, none of these accessories are necessary but they do round out the experience of drinking wine. Enjoy!
– Natalie