If you're still trying to figure out what to buy for the wine enthusiast on your holiday shopping list, I can help. I researched the options and found these gadgets rated at the top of buying wish lists for wine lovers.
SKIP THE CELLAR
Knowing exactly when a wine is in its optimal drinking window can be tricky. But for those wines we're ready to enjoy a little early, there's the Peugeot Clef du Vin "Travel" wine tool, (about $50 retail). With this tool, there's no need to sacrifice any of the potential additional aging will give the wine. The Clef du Vin uses a combination of metals on the end of the tool that reacts with the wine to stimulate the oxidation process. The main benefit is the harsh tannins of many young reds can be more subtle and white wines show more fruity or floral elements earlier. The tool claims that for every second the metal alloy disk is in contact with the wine it "ages" by one year.
CHILL OUT
We've all been there: you found the perfect bottle of white, but the store doesn't have it chilled. Thanks to the Cooper Cooler Wine Chiller (about $65 retail) you no longer have to stick the wine in the freezer, precariously balancing it on half-empty ice cream containers. The device will chill a bottle of room temperature wine in just six minutes. According to my research (of freezer chilling wines), it's light-speed faster than the one-hour freezer chill. The plus about this chiller is it can be used for other beverages such as beer and soda cans in one minute so the entire family can enjoy it.
SNEAK A TASTE
One of my favorite wine preservation tools is the Coravin Model One Wine System (about $199 retail). It comes with a splurge price tag but is well worth the investment. In the past, this tool was available only in the restaurant industry and the price is becoming more approachable. The Coravin gives the freedom to drink from a bottle of wine without popping the cork. Expensive wines can be enjoyed slightly more frivolously as you no longer must commit to opening the entire bottle when you are only wanting one glass. A tiny needle penetrates the foil and cork to extract the wine, while argon gas pressurizes the bottle. This preservation not only preserves wines from months to years but also adds to your entertaining during the holidays. Everyone gets to drink exactly what they want, and you can offer a variety of options because unopened bottles will not spoil.
OPEN UP
Struggling to pull the cork from wine bottles and considering buying only screw tops? An easy solution is an electric wine opener. The Oster Rechargeable Wine Opener with Chiller (about $30 retail) will open wine bottles with traditional corks and even synthetic. The opener takes away the possibility of cork breakage with just enough power to pull the cork from the neck of the bottle. The plus to this gift is the added bonus of the thermal stainless-steel cooler and foil cutter. A great tech invention for the struggling cork.
VACUUM SEAL IT
A little air is a good thing for wine, but too much oxygen and bold flavors can become flat and unpleasant. There are many gadgets for prolonging the life of an opened bottle. The Vacu Vin Wine Saver with Vacuum Stoppers, (about $11 retail) is my favorite not only because of the ease of use in this tool but the value price. The gadget removes the air from inside the bottle creating a vacuum seal.
Lorri Hambuchen is a member of London's Institute of Wines and Spirits. Contact her at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203, or email:
Food on 12/11/2019