4 Things You Should Have as a Wine Connoisseur
The world of wine is a complex and beautiful one. The more you learn about it, the easier it becomes too navigate. To help you get started, this article lists down some of the things that every wine connoisseur should have in their home.
Wine rack to store your wine
One of the primary things that you need to have in your home if you are a wine connoisseur is an appropriate place where you can store the wines that you frequently drink. The best option for this would be having a custom-made wooden rack in which to house all of your bottles.
- Wooden wine box
As an expert in this area, your knowledge of wines is sure to grow over time and it would be only natural that you begin to collect large amounts of different types of wine bottles. With so many bottles, you need a proper way to store them and the best option for this would be having wooden wine boxes. These are the perfect way to keep your collections in good condition so that they can stay protected from damage or any kind of disorder caused by factors like sunlight.
- Decanter for aerating your wines
You should also own a good quality decanter which will help in the process of aeration. This means it helps to remove sulphides from your wines so they become more mellow with less bite. Many experts recommend that you should aerate your wines before drinking them to get the most out of their flavour.
- Wine thermometer
This is another important item that you should not be without as a wine connoisseur: a good quality digital thermometer that can help in finding out whether your wines are at an appropriate temperature for drinking or storing. Your wines should always be stored somewhere cool and dark, such as in a basement or cellar.
A wine thermometer is an important item for any wine connoisseur because you never know when the right occasion might come up and you’ll need to bring out your best wines at just the right moment. Without having these bottles stored correctly, they can easily become damaged due to inappropriate storage temperature, which means that all of your time and effort in choosing the perfect wines for these special occasions will go to waste.
Good quality corkscrew
An equally important item that every expert should own is a good quality corkscrew. While there are several different types of these tools, the primary function remains the same across all of them – they help you pull out corks from bottles with relative ease and without causing any damage to yourself or the bottle itself. Corkscrews prove to be essential in this case because, without them, opening a bottle of wine can be very frustrating and dangerous. When you damage a bottle of wine upon opening, you lose the integrity of the wine which could have a significant impact on its quality.
- Wine opener set (wine bottle opener)
Apart from a corkscrew, a good quality bottle opener is another important tool that every expert should have at their disposal. If a cork, no matter how tightly it has been pushed into the top of a bottle doesn’t budge for you even after using all sorts of different types of screws for this, then you should opt for a separate bottle opener which will help you get the job done effortlessly. Bottle openers are especially helpful in cases where the cork has become very hard or dry and starting to crumble away, which can make it difficult for corkscrews alone to help you out.
Set of wine glasses to drink from
Another important thing that you should always keep in stock is a nice and sturdy drinking glass, preferably one made out of crystal or lead-free glass so as not to be harmful to your health. Wine connoisseurs should always drink their wine from these glasses to appreciate the colour, texture, and taste of it.
There are many types of glasses on the market, but having at least four different shapes will do just fine. You’ll want to use these for reds, whites, rosés, and sweet wines respectively. Some of the most common shapes that need to be included in your set are the balloon, the tulip, and the wide bowl. A balloon-shaped glass is best for red wines, while a tulip-shaped glass is ideal for white wines. On the other hand, wine glasses with wide bowls are perfect for sweet wines which you can consume in large servings without worrying about spilling.
When you have a full set of wine glasses, you’ll be ready for any occasion. You can break out the glasses when entertaining guests, or simply keep them stored in your cupboard so that they are at hand whenever you need them.
Wine cooler
One other tool that can be beneficial for those who drink wine regularly is wine coolers. Although not necessary, these can be extremely helpful for people who want to store their bottles at the right temperature so that they are always in perfect condition when you decide to take them out and enjoy a glass or two with friends or family members. Some wine coolers are designed to sit on your countertops while others are built into cabinets. As long as they can hold at least six bottles of wine, you should be fine.
- Beverage tubs
Another useful piece of equipment that every expert should have available to them is beverage tubs or coolers. These will help you keep your wines at the perfect serving temperature until they are ready to be consumed, and also prevent them from becoming damaged as a result of too much heat exposure. You can also have an ice bucket that will help keep your drink cold on a hot day or night.
The wine lover’s life is full of an endless list of supplies, but these four essentials are the basics. A wine rack to store your bottles, a set of wine glasses for tasting and drinking, a corkscrew to open them up with ease at home or on the go, and a wine cooler to keep your drink cold on a hot day or night. These can make the difference between a good night and an unforgettable one.