3 Basic Wine Tools to Enjoy A Bit of Wine

Enjoying a glass of wine can seem like so much work some days. To enjoy it like the connoisseurs, you'd have to open it. Let it breath an unspecified amount of time (because every bottle is different). Pour the wine in your glass. Swirl it. Smell it. Swirl it again. Taste it. Chew it...yep, that's right its the slurping thing fancy people do to taste the wine. Then, finally swallow it.

Whew! After a long day, I am not going through all of the hassle to do those steps. Enjoying a bit of wine doesn't have to be so complicated. I've discovered that there are 3 basic wine tools you need to have a glass of wine. If this is all you have, then don't worry about the rest of it. Just crack a bottle and enjoy.

3 Basic Wine Tools to Enjoy A Bit of Wine

1. Quality Wine Glasses - I recently wrote a little bit about the do's and don'ts of quality wine glasses, but it is true. If you want to enjoy your wine, buy the right wine glasses. This doesn't mean you have to buy a set of red wine glasses AND a set of white wine glasses. Choose the set of wine glasses you are most likely to use. As you enjoy more wine, you can explore the other varietals and appropriate wine glasses. 

I recommend starting with stemmed Libbey wine glasses. They are lead free crystal, made in the USA, and an affordable set of glasses. For connoisseurs, Ravenscroft Crystal wine glasses are the way to go. Either way, quality wine glasses are the #1 wine tool (don't drink wine out of the bottle - its not classy and can be messy).

2. A 5 Prong Corkscrew - The next wine tool you need is a 5 prong corkscrew. Shorter than 5 prongs you run a higher risk for breaking the cork in the bottle...and that is no fun! So invest in a 5 prong corkscrew that you can easily use. I prefer a twist style corkscrew like the Metrokane The Faucet. It has a a retro vibe to it, but more importantly it is easy to use.

If you want something fancier, try a pump style corkscrew where we have electric push button corkscrews. For the true wine connoisseur, a Rabbit corkscrew is the creme-de-la-creme of corkscrew. Doesn't matter what you choose, but a corkscrew is the second must-have wine tool for any wine lover.

3. A Cute Wine Cork Holder - There are several other wine tools you might want, but I felt a cute wine cork holder out ranks all others so you can save the corks of those special bottles from special moments throughout the year. Its a basic because otherwise you'll throw those corks out and forget what you drank or wish you remember what you were drinking on that special day last month.

Of course #3 is up for grabs between the wine cork holder, or some wine charms for your wine parties or a wine rack to start your wine collection. Any of these options could be considered a basic wine tool...so I'll let you decide what makes it in your top 3 basic wine tools.

So, tell me. What would you make your #3 on this list?

Cheers!

Katie

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