The Wine Tools you Need
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 100 times: spend your money on the wine. That wand doesn’t remove sulfites. The robot corkscrew is an accident waiting to happen. Decanters are gorgeous but, well…
We’ve created a list of the absolute must-haves for your wine drawer. Best part? Just pick the ones you want and send them right to your Amazon cart! (your price is the same as everyone’s but we may earn a small commission).
Okay! Let’s dive in to the wine tools we keep in our kitchen drawers and think you should, too!
How This Works
While we always recommend supporting local, this is a one-stop-shop using Amazon. We’ve placed our favs on this list. You can make any adjustments to the cart you need (like removing something you already have) and then move everything to your Amazon cart. Done!
Essential Tools for Serving Wine
Getting the bottle open. Whether or not you already have an opener, you can always use one more. We prefer the “waiter’s friend” style because it contains a folding knife (which is sharp! be careful!) for cutting the foil. This fully-folding style of wine opener is perfect to keep in your back pocket, bag, picnic basket… and at this price (under $5!) it won’t break the bank to get an extra. Why this style instead of the winged one? Try walking around with that in your pocket! Please note: TSA agents will take this from you if it’s in your carry-on. Only travel with it in your checked bag!
Pour with promise. White, rosé and delicate reds love a little oxygen. This aerating pourer does the trick! It’s a simple way to get a little air in without overdoing it.
For when a mason jar isn’t okay. If you don’t have one, a set of sturdy, stemmed glasses is a must. Sure, we drink out of mason jars and pint glasses (and coffee mugs… shhhhh…) but not when entertaining or tasting. You don’t need different sets for different wines! Find a set of 12 you love and if you don’t want to get lost in glassware, these are the ones. Also, use these for sparkling wines—trust us.
Give it some air. Sometimes a screw-cap wine is a little funky. That’s okay, it’s probably not flawed! It just needs some air. Big, young reds (2018-now) can also need a little more air than just an aerating pourer will provide so grab a coffee frother and just give it a little zhuzh before tasting. You’ll be amazed how much different 5 seconds can make. Be gentle!
Didn’t finish a bottle? When you haven’t finished a bottle (remember, one bottle is 5 glasses!) you can pop the cork back in but that can lead to some funk. Instead, use a still or sparkling wine stopper. These keep your wine fresh for 3-5 days (just like recorking) without the risk of bacteria and yeasts. Be careful removing your sparkling wine stopper, it will pop!
Is it a premium bottle? Use a Repour. This stopper has a Stanford-grad developed filter that pulls oxygen from the bottle, slowing the aging process. Bottles last 2-3 weeks if you use a Repour properly. The only downside is that you can’t reuse them. But, for less than $2 a pop, it’s a great option to keep for those really good bottles. Each is foil wrapped to keep it clean and fresh until use.
The Best Wine Books
If you only buy one (more) wine book in your life... Wine Folly’s Essential Guide to Wine is, hands down, the go-to resource everyone needs in their kitchen. Nancy is on her second copy it gets used so much. Keep it in the kitchen and enjoy pages upon pages of easy-to-follow graphics, and limited text, about all of the major grapes. There’s also sections on how to pair, maps and descriptions of major regions and some other helpful sections. Madeline Puckette is a graphic designer and wine expert and it shows!
And when you decide to buy a second… The Wine Bible, by Karen MacNeill is a serious tome. Seriously amazing! It’s not meant to be read front-to-back but is instead a great resource for learning about wine regions. The book is broken down by major wine-producing countries further divided by regions. Short sections and call-out boxes will introduce you to what you must know and the writing will suck you right in. Perfect for when you’re planning a trip to wine country (or on the plane on the way there).
Go Forth and Drink Better with Wine Tools
See! You don’t need much. Under $200 (the set of glasses is around $50) will get you the basics you need, including two excellent books. Just click, move what you want to your Amazon cart and you’re only a few days away from enjoying wine better. Stay tuned for a post in a few weeks about additional items you can consider if you want to go deeper into your wine education journey, and, when you’re ready, book an in-home or virtual wine tasting to learn even more!
