Holiday Feature!
How to Dress Your Wine for the Holidays!
- By: Linda Kaban
Shopping online is a great way to alleviate the stress of crowded malls around the holidays.Reserva's Linda Kaban hit the web to find some great gifts for the wine lover on your list.
Buying accessories for wine lovers online is a journey well worth taking. It can however lead to a mild case of panic when you are confronted with the sheer number of choices out there. I’ve done a little searching for you and found some fun, user friendly sites devoted entirely to the world of wine.
If money’s no object and Dad fancies himself a connoisseur you’ll want to surprise him with a wine fridge. With storage capacities ranging from 12 to 1000 bottles, you’ll have no trouble finding a fridge that fits his lifestyle. I checked out Rosehill Wine Cellars, which started as a general renovation company in 1983. After building their first wine cellar in 1995, they developed a passion for wine storage and have vowed to become one of the top purveyors of storage products in North America.
The Eurocave Wine Refrigerator la Petite sells for $1395.00, has a 12 bottle capacity (2 preserved, 10 storage) and is perfect for a condo.
This is an upscale site serious about their product as evidenced by the disclaimer, “Why don't we carry really small coolers? Because we don't think they work very well”.
But not everyone can afford a $1400 wine fridge and with that in mind I headed over to www.cookswarehouse.com to find the Ravi Instant Wine Cooler, which chills as you pour.
If you buy your wine last minute or have it brought to you by a holiday guest, this little accessory will ensure it comes out chilled no matter how long it's been in the fridge. For only $39.99 U.S. it makes for a great gift and will make certain your wine is at the perfect temperature for that big holiday meal.
I thought I was getting a handle on the growing number of sites offering every manner of accessory from corkscrews to complete wine cellars until I stopped by Artisans on Web.
Clicking on the accessories tab, I was astounded to see drop down arrows for everything including ‘fashion and furnishing’, ‘wine buckets/spittoons’ and ‘engrave and imprint’ where you can custom order an engraved placard specially designed to label the contents of a decanter or bottle. For as little as $7.99 and measuring less than 3x3 with a 6 and a half inch chain, your bottle of Madeira, burgundy or merlot can be festooned as handsomely as your wife’s neck after you buy her that diamond necklace she’s been eying.
I couldn’t help myself and clicked on “cleaning” just to see what it had to do with wine. That’s where I discovered that the old rag used to wash your everyday dishes just won’t do when cleaning your stemware. There’s the Stemware Washing Brush that even fits into the narrow opening of a champagne flute, and Stemware Towels, perfect for drying those delicate pieces of crystal. Both washing and drying accessories are an affordable buy at under 10 dollars.
And as for corkscrews, don’t get me started. When I open the drawer to find mine, I’m ashamed to admit I have to dig out two separate pieces, neatly and mysteriously broken in half. When I glanced at the Antique Bronze Estate Opener, I was green with envy.
Ingeniously designed to clamp onto your table, uncorking your wine has never been easier. One swing of the handle and voila!
If your head is swimming with so many choices, Artisans also offers gift certificates starting at $20.00 and ending with a very generous $200.00.
Wineonline.ca has a smaller selection of accessories but priced just right for those looking for stocking stuffers. I like the Air Seal Bottle Stopper that keeps your wine fresh after opening. And for convenience you can’t beat the 4-Bottle Tote Carrying Case perfect for transporting your libations without worrying about tipping.
Linda Bramble, wine writer and sommelier reviewed the cellar tags offered at Custom Cellars and called them, “Brilliant! Brilliant time savers!”; mainly due to the fact they don’t fall off. A pack of 50 costs $4.50 CDN. Whether you’re privileged enough to walk into the splendour of your own cellar, or just stocking a few bottles away for a special occasion, cellar tags “help you locate, track and record your valuable wine with ease.”
I could spend hours traveling from page to fascinating page immersing myself in the sometimes mysterious, always delicious world of wine and hope that you benefit from my findings. Drop into any one of these sites on your lunch hour or that precious quiet time after the kids have settled down for the night and know that whatever you order will be sure to delight the wine lover on your list.
