The Brookstone Compact Wine Opener #ad is one of the easiest cork extraction tools we have used in a long time.  We own two of them and highly recommend this product. Some of the larger, fancier ones require a lot of torque. Even some well-known brands aren’t designed for ease of use.  This one is smooth and easy every time.  This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

For serious wine collectors, I highly recommend The Durand #ad. It has both prongs and a corkscrew to help you remove the most fragile corks. This is a must-have-on-hand for older, valuable wines.  

AERATORS

If I have just opened a red wine and don’t need to decant it, I like to use an aerator. It can make a world of difference in the taste of the wine. There are many kinds of aerators available. We have owned the VinOair Wine Aerator and Wine Pourer #ad for years. I also witnessed it in action at a winery taste test of an un-aerated and aerated wine.  The difference was quite discernable!  

DECANTERS

Decanters are also essential items in the serious wine collector’s home.  Style can be largely a personal choice, influenced by your wine aeration needs.  We have all kinds at our house:  from a simple blown glass, to one that you can spin on the table to aerate the wine.  A very simple one can do the job.  And, even though we have 4, I am super tempted to get a 5^th one I first saw at Barghetto’s tasting room.  Here are a couple I found on Amazon:

The Godinger Wine Decanter Carafe, Hand Blown Wine Decanter Aerator #ad has a sleek, sophisticated appearance, while having the broad base for aeration – at an affordable price. This is very similar to one we use at home. This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

SJZQ Circulation Wine decanter 50oz Wine Carafe with lid,100% Hand Blown Crystal Aerator decanter #ad has some unique attributes:  In addition to aeration features, it is very simple to use. No funnels required to double decant your wines!  Trust me, we have wines that require double decanting in our wine room. I’d like to have one of these!

WINE STRAINER

If you have an old wine or an unfiltered wine, you might want to use a strainer. Let the strainer collect all that sediment instead of having it show up in your glass.  The Norpro 242 Stainless Steel Funnel with Strainer, 3-Inch Mouth Diameter #ad has a tube narrow enough to fit back into a wine bottle.  We do not have one of these, but it is on my wish list. Ours is too wide to fit back in the bottle – lesson learned!

WINE PRESERVATION

We’ve all seen those expensive wine preservation systems. Are you wondering if you need one? If you are going to finish that really expensive bottle in a day or two, IMHO, it isn’t worth it. Here’s a much more affordable option:

The Vacu Vin Wine Saver Pump with Vacuum Bottle Stoppers (Black) #ad has worked reliably for us over the years.  I’ve tried other systems and don’t find them as effective as this simple device. You simply pump out the air, creating a tight seal and preserving your wine.  We’ve had ours for many years and they still work well. This one will be on special during #AmazonPrimeDays.

WINE CHILLERS

Want to keep your white or rose wines chilled after they have been opened?  Here are a couple of ideas for you! We have a marble one which we keep cold in our wine room – it is ready to go all the time.  We have a terra cotta one we have to fill with cold water and refrigerate in advance.  And our friends have a cool freezer pack one, easy for transporting! There are many options on Amazon – the ones below are a couple which appear similar to the ones I have seen in use. I’ve added a third one that looks like a “cool” idea for carrying wine to a party.

This Modern Innovations Marble Wine Chiller Bucket – Wine Bottle Cooler for Parties – Keep Beverages Chill in This Champagne/Wine Bucket – Marble Wine Bottle Chiller – Holds 750ml Bottle (Grey) #ad is very similar to the one we have. This kind of chiller keeps a bottle cold while it is being served. They come in a variety of colors and styles. Not all of them will hold a champagne bottle, so be sure to check the size.

This Vacu Vin Active Cooler White Wine Chiller – Reusable, Flexible Wine Bottle Cooler #ad is similar to ones we’ve seen used. I like this one for its attractive grape pattern. There are many chiller sleeves to choose from on Amazon.

As I was searching for wine bottle chillers, I saw these Ice Wine Bag, Wine Chiller, Wine Cooler Refrigerator, Wine Fridge, Wine Bottle Chiller Cooler for Red White Champagne or Sparkling. Gel Cooling Holder Freestanding Carrier Chilling. Set 2.  These would be very handy for taking chilled wine to a party or, say, your neighbors’ house!

WINE POURERS

Sometimes you may need to ensure a bottle of wine makes it around the table – or that the pours are consistent.  We like a 2-ounce pour for wine tasting purposes.  They aren’t a perfect device and there is a trick to getting them to work correctly.

The AmeriPour – Measured Pourer – Liquor Bottle Pourers – Collared – (3pk) (2oz) #ad is the one the Monterey Chapter of the American Wine Society and I are using to ensure we share the wine evenly at events. 

Got a favorite wine gadget to share? Please comment below!

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