Red Wine, White Wine
The Best Wine Accessories for Discerning Drinkers
The best wine accessories can elevate wine drinking from an ordinary experience to an elegant art form. A perfectly selected accessory not only improves the style and aesthetic of a glass of wine but can also enhance the way wine looks, tastes, and pleases the palette.
If you want to have the best experience when drinking wine and hosting tasting experiences, add these essential wine accessories to your homeware collection. These are the best wine accessories for discerning drinkers according to acclaimed entertaining expert, Fran Berger.
Essential Wine Accessories for Every Enthusiast
The key to artful wine drinking starts with the basics. You need tools to open, drink, and preserve beautiful bottles of red, white, and sparkling wine. Every wine enthusiast must have these essential wine accessories in their collection.
Corkscrews and Wine Openers
While you only need one opener to get the job done, we recommend having two or three types of corkscrews for creating different experiences when opening bottles of wine.
- Waiter’s Corkscrew: Often referred to as a wine key, a waiter’s corkscrew has a small knife for cutting foil, a metal spiral (worm) for inserting into the cork, and a lever to help lift out the cork. It offers a traditional, hands-on approach to opening which can add a nice touch during wine tastings, and due to its small size, it’s also great for packing alongside a picnic basket.
- Winged Corkscrew: Larger than a waiter’s corkscrew, the winged corkscrew has a metal spiral in between two levers (wings) that rise as the spiral is twisted into the cork. It is easier to use than a waiter’s corkscrew, so it’s a great option to support seamless hosting.
- Electric Wine Opener: Unlike manual corkscrews, an electric wine opener is battery -operated and features a built-in spiral that automatically removes a cork with the press of a button. While it doesn’t offer the hands-on charm of other openers, an electric wine opener is the easiest way to effortlessly open multiple bottles of wine.
Wine Glasses and Decanters
Glassware does more than create a stylish wine-drinking aesthetic. It influences the wine’s flavors and aromas, making glassware one of the most important accessories for discerning wine drinkers. Drink wine paired with the glassware that brings out the best flavor profiles of your selected bottle.
Red Wine Glasses: To highlight the best in red wine, choose glasses with wide bowls. A wide bowl allows red wine to breathe, mellowing the strong tannins and allowing the aromas and flavors of the wine to fully release. We love red wine glasses with a slight curve, like The Ibis Fine Red Wine Glass, as it can help guide the wine’s aromas toward the nose.
Learn More: The Ultimate Guide to Red Wine Glasses
White Wine Glasses: White wine should be kept cool, so choose glasses with a long stem to keep your hands from touching and warming the bowl. Because white wine doesn’t need as much space to breathe as red wine, glasses can have a more narrow, elegant bowl shape. The Crane White Wine Glass from Fran Berger’s hand-designed collection flawlessly captures the delicate elegance perfect for drinking white wine.
Learn More: The Ultimate Guide to White Wine Glasses
Sparkling Wine Glasses: Sparkling wine and champagne are best enjoyed in traditional champagne flutes or retro coupe glasses. For an elegant glass of champagne, choose a flute with a long stem that leads up to an elongated, narrow bowl which allows a beautiful stream of bubbles to rise. For a cocktail mixed with champagne or to create a vintage vibe, choose a shapely coupe glass with a broad, shallow bowl that allows flavors to develop and evolve. Create a different experience with either The Swallow Champagne Flute or The Heron Coupe Glass.
Learn More: A Guide to Choosing the Perfect Stemware
Decanters: Like wine glasses, decanters affect the way wine opens up and presents its aromas and flavors. Rather than pouring wine directly from the bottle into a glass, pour it into a decanter to allow it to breathe, release its full bouquet, and smooth out tannins.
Wine Stoppers and Preservers
If you aren’t going to finish a bottle of wine, store it in a way that will preserve the flavor until you return for another glass. Use wine stoppers and preservers that keep out air and prevent oxidation. The type of stopper you use could be the difference of wine lasting for days, weeks, or even months.
- Silicone/Cork/Metal Stoppers: Basic stoppers in a variety of materials can be placed in the opening of a wine bottle to help preserve wine for a day or two.
- Lever and Vacuum Stoppers: Lever and vacuum stoppers create a tight seal that helps bottles stay preserved for even longer.
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Wine Preservation System: For a seal that can last weeks or months, use a Coravin Wine Preservation System to open and preserve wine. The system pulls wine out without pulling the cork, preventing air from touching the wine and making it last for weeks or even months.
Advanced Wine Accessories for the Connoisseur
As your interest in wine grows, add accessories to elevate the experience even more. Here are a few of the best wine accessories to move you from casual drinker to wine connoisseur.
Wine Aerators
Take wine drinking to a new level by serving it in a way that allows it to quickly bloom into its full flavor. The aromas and notes of wine open up after it has made contact with air, which is why people wait to drink a freshly opened bottle of wine to “let it breathe.” You can speed up this process using an aerator to introduce air to wine more quickly.
- Pourer Aerators: Use a wine topper that aerates the wine as it is poured from the bottle.
- Decanters: Combine aeration with decanting using a decanter with a wide base and narrow neck that allows more wine to come in contact with air.
- Electric Aerators: Use a battery-operated aerator to pump air into the wine while pouring.
Wine Thermometers and Coolers
Any true wine connoisseur is mindful of serving temperature, as each type of wine has a temperature that is optimal for highlighting its flavors and aromas. Use the best wine accessories to serve wine at its ideal temperature.
Wine Thermometer: Take the guesswork out of wine temperature. Use a wine thermometer you attach to any bottle to get a read on the internal temp. We love this Deluxe Wine Bottle Thermometer that includes a scale so you know where your wine should rate on the temperature range.
Wine Gems: For optimal drinking experience, keep chilled wines cool for longer using wine gems. Store wine gems in the freezer and add them to a glass of wine to keep your drink cool without diluting it with water. Wine gems are useful and also come in a variety of gorgeous options. We love these Vida Wine Gems made in Rose Quartz and Fluorite found in the Fran Berger collection.
Wine Cooler: Set up the perfect wine-drinking environment by using a tableside wine cooler to keep nearby bottles chilled. Add some ice to the bottom of the cooler to keep white wines and bottles of bubbly at the ideal temperature. Select an elegant style, like this Brass & Marble Wine Cooler from the Fran Berger Collection.
Accessories for Wine Presentation and Serving
One of the greatest joys of wine is sharing it with others. Whether you have guests over for a meal featuring your favorite wines or you host a full night of wine tasting, here are a few of the best wine accessories for presentation and serving.
Wine Tasting and Serving Sets
A wine tasting is a fun way to share your love of wine with others. As you plan your tasting, gather accessories that make presenting and serving wine easy and elegant.
Serving Tray: Use a serving tray to bring out bottles and fresh glasses for each new tasting. We love this stunning Silver Serving Tray that is both sturdy and stylish with its silver-plated crystal handles.
Snack Serveware: Great wine is even better when accompanied by delicious food pairings. Use a variety of small plates to serve gourmet meats, cheeses, nuts, and crackers with your wine tasting. Elevate the experience using high-quality serveware like a 3-Piece Cheese Knife Set and stunning Walnut Serving Board.
Wine Glass Markers
Once you elevate your wine drinking to the point where you are hosting tasting parties, one final accessory will come in handy. Wine markers are accents placed on glasses so guests know which glass belongs to them. Stylish wine charms are a fun way to help guests keep track of their drinks while adding a touch of flair and personality. We especially love these Bee Wine Charms and Zodiac Wine Charms found in the Fran Berger Living Collection.
Shop For the Best Wine Accessories and Accents
Using wine accessories can elevate your experience of every glass of bold Cabernet or crisp Chardonnay, whether you're enjoying a quiet glass alone or hosting a lively wine-tasting event. To find the most elegant accessories for optimal wine enjoyment, shop the collection by lifestyle expert Fran Berger. Discover stunning crystal glasses, unique wine stones, artful table decor, and so much more in the hand-picked collection. Shop the collection today.
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