What's the Best Corkscrew?

You want the world of wine at your fingertips, but you're not yet ready to fully embrace the twist cap?

Then face it—you are going to need a very specialized tool. The mighty corkscrew—first patented in 1795.

Some like the classic waiter's corkscrew—inexpensive and effective. But if you're willing to spend a bit more, you can get yourself a more efficient barware tool. Possibly even a new prized possession for your silverware drawer or wine cellar.

Here are our choices for the best gadgets to get the job done. Choose your weapon!

Slickest

Metrokane V.I.P. Rabbit ($100)
Sure it looks a bit like the Playboy bunny logo, but if you're looking for style and efficiency, this corkscrew is your best bet. Slick design and fluid lever action means you're lined up and done fast. And the cork comes out super easily, which is half the battle, right?

Lightest

Cork Pops Cork Popper Legacy ($35)
No muscle required. Just insert this baby's needle into the cork. The air pressure gently pumps until you hear makes a satisfying pop like champagne. The unique design makes your work lighter—but be sure to get some refill cartridges if you plan to use this tool frequently.

Most Illuminating

Electric Blue Push-Button Corkscrew ($30)
This rechargeable electric gadget takes on all the work while you press a button. It has a stainless steel body and a handy clear window that lights up as the cork is extracted and released. No batteries required—it's rechargable. And you'll get a kick out of the blue light glowing inside the action chamber.

The Bible of Wine Grape Varieties

Get more info at Amazon.com

Book Review

You're a grown-up now, serious about your wine. You enjoy knowing what wines you like and what you don't. You wanna get serious about grapes? This past October saw the publishing of the bible of wine growing grapes, and it's written by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Dr. José Vouillamoz:
Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, Including Their Origins and Flavours. Eric Asimov (New York Times) called it "a masterly work that I know I will return to again and again."

First, let's establish that this book is not child's play. We are talking about a massive, slip-cased tome spanning almost 1,300 pages, and that's not including the charts and illustrations of ampelography (grapevine botany).

This book is a wildly comprehensive guide with individual entries for 1,368 varieties of grapes used in commercial winemaking. Each grape is first described by where it's grown and what its wine tastes like. And as you leaf through this journal, you'll get each grape's complete family history, as well as the grape's real name and pseudonyms (for example, Grenache is fully explored under its Spanish name Garnacha). Along the way you'll pick up a plethora of grape knowledge, such as the fact that Korinthiaki (kohr-een-qyah-kee) is a Greek grape that finds its way into California wines during small vintages, and one you've likely enjoyed countless times (it's a California raisin).

Using cutting-edge DNA analysis, painstaking design and illustration, this volume is indispensable for wine lovers and educators. But with a price tag just north of $100, it's appeal sits with true wine connoisseurs. If you do take the plunge, and I recommend it, don't expect to make it through cover to cover—it's not setup to be a page-turner. But it's a book you'll display proudly in your library and pass along to your children and grandchildren, once they're grown-ups of course.

N.B. if grape botany isn't your cup of tea, consider these other recommended recent releases:

Divine Vintage: Following the Wine Trail from Genesis to the Modern Age by Joel Butler
or

Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World's Most Ancient Pleasures by Paul Lukacs

Does the Wine Glass Really Matter?

I remember an old shack in Plymouth, Massachusetts, set on a lake with a sky full of stars and a few good bottles of Bordeaux. Did we have Bordeaux wine glasses on that summer night? Heck no, we had a choice of red plastic solo cups or jelly jars. And those jelly jars were just right.

However, if you have a great wine, or a special occasion with friends, you might want to be sure you have the right wine stemware. Good wine tastes even better out of good glasses. Seriously. The appropriate size, thickness and shape of your stemware can help you appreciate the feeling and aroma of your wine in a considerably different way. In particular, the shape controls the flow of wine onto your tongue.

• Red Wine Glasses: These hold a minimum of 12 oz., but some range from 16 to 24 oz. or more—great for Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chianti and Zinfandel. Consider a wider bowl shape for your Pinot Noirs and Barolos. The wider mouth offers more exposure to air, allowing the wine to breathe.
• White Wine Glasses: These are smaller and more upright, holding 10 to 12 oz. of wine—great for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Moscato, Pinot Grigio or Riesling.
• Sparkling Wine Glasses: Champagne stemware (whether a flute, trumpet or tulip by any other name) is particularly tall and thin, which helps keep the bubbles in the bubbly and the temperature cold.
• Dessert Wine Glasses: For Sherries, Sauternes and other sweet wines, try the smallest stemware—8 to 13 oz. to direct the fruity aroma straight to your nose. These wines typically have a high alcohol content, making a smaller serving more appropriate.

Other types of glassware have become popular over the years, such as outdoor wine glasses (great for the patio; usually made of acrylic), and patterned and colored wine glasses (for the more creative or artistic). But lately I've seen stemless glasses show up at practically every other gathering—the base allows your glass to stand upright, and feels less likely to tip over than traditional stemware.

In the end, a great wine deserves a great glass. It doesn't even have to be the finest Ravenscroft glassware—selecting decent wine glasses simply heightens the aesthetic experience of drinking wine. Try it—it makes a real difference. And if you're in a pinch, try a jelly jar!

Welcome to The Wine Lover Blog!

Welcome to The Wine Lover Blog! We've been wine enthusiasts for years. We truly enjoy sharing experiences with fellow wine lovers.

But finding the perfect wine accessories at the right price is no picnic. Over the years, we have become frustrated with too many options, less than optimal customer service, and difficult return policies.

Well, our frustrations led to our commitment to help make our lives and the lives of fellow oenophiles easier.  We've started a little site called SimplyLoveWine, and it's designed to provide the most popular wine products and accessories. To take it a step further, we even offer discounts like free shipping for orders over $100.

They say wine makes everyone hopeful. Well we hope you'll share your thoughts, check out our store, and join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter as we discover new ways to enjoy wine with friends.

Cheers!

The Team at SimplyLoveWine.com