Questions? call 866.909.WINE or email ben@cellaraiders.com
Questions? call 866.909.WINE or email ben@cellaraiders.com
Whether you’re starting a wine collection or are looking to expand your current catalog, it’s not enough to simply have a place to store your bottles. You’ll also need a few essential accessories in your arsenal that will enhance your wine collecting experience. These useful products will complement your collection and help you remedy a variety of problems that may arise.
Let’s take a closer look at five of the best wine accessories every collector should own.
Wine bottle openers come in all shapes and sizes. From electric openers to winged, lever, and waiters’ corkscrews to everything in between, there are countless ways to open your bottles when you’re ready to enjoy them. Lever corkscrews are ideal for novice wine enthusiasts who need an easy, efficient way to open their bottles. Meanwhile, double-hinged openers provide fine-tuned control that’s ideal for uncorking delicate, vintage wines.
Decanters serve two primary purposes: to remove sediment that may have accumulated in the bottle and to enhance the flavors and aromas of the wine. Sediment often includes grape solids used in the winemaking process, yeast, or tartaric crystals. Removing these particles from the wine will allow for a grit-free, smoother mouthfeel, which is especially important for older bottles.
Decanting can enhance your wine by exposing it to oxygen, which reacts with its natural compounds. Also known as aeration, this process opens up the wine’s flavors and aromas to create a more vibrant taste. Aeration is especially beneficially for full-bodied wines that are high in tannins, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
Wine aerators serve a similar purpose to decanters. However, these tools are much smaller and are often designed to fit right on the bottle. Aerators expose the wine to oxygen as it’s being poured, which allows it to “breathe” much faster than decanting. Keep in mind that aerators do not catch the sediment that is often found in older bottles. This build-up may even clog or damage the device, so be mindful when choosing a wine to aerate.
Organization is key for wine collectors of all skill levels. What good is a fully stocked cellar if you can’t locate specific bottles easily? Reusable tags eliminate this problem by allowing you to organize your wine by vintage, varietal, or any way you see fit. They’re also a great way to custom label any special wines from your collection, so you know to save it for the perfect occasion.
Perhaps the most technologically advanced item on our list, the Coravin Wine Preservation System is an excellent solution for an age-old problem – wanting to enjoy one glass of wine without wasting an entire bottle. This unique device uses a fine needle to drill a hole through the cork of an unopened bottle. It then pressurizes the wine, allowing you to pour a perfectly portioned glass. Once the Coravin system is removed, the cork will reseal naturally and continue to protect your wine until you’re ready to open it.
Having these wine tools on hand will help you enhance, modernize, and simplify your collecting experience. And when you shop Cellaraiders’ selection of unique, high-quality wines, you can increase the value of your collection and find your new favorite bottles.
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