Here are some personal favorites. Which wine gadgets and wine accessories do you own that tell your wine, “I Love You!”?

Label Savers – One of our all-time best sellers, label savers are a quick and easy way to make lasting memories from a special bottle.  Sold in sets of 10, these nifty laminators work by separating the front printed surface from the adhesive back of the label.

Cork Kits – Another classic product, we have offered cork kits in all shapes and sizes from coasters to barrel hoops for decades. And with our new heart-shaped option, there is truly love in the air!

Riedel Black Tie Bliss Decanter – An elegant wine decanter is the perfect way to let your wine breathe. Your love of wine is perfectly represented in Riedel’s unique design with its heart-shaped cutout which also serves as a pouring assistant!

Eurocave – One of the most infinitely rewarding wine investments you can make, a Eurocave will cradle and protect your wine for years to come. Show your collection some appreciation with the world’s finest wine cellars, crafted in France.

WineHug Self-Inflating Protective Travel Pouch – If you love your wine, the last thing you want is for it to fall victim to the bumps and bruises of travel! The WineHug acts as a life jacket for your wine, so you can take it with you everywhere you go!

Good Wine Glasses – Wine needs to express itself and the best way to do that is with the proper stemware. Our Fusion line is not only beautiful , but break-resistant! Your beloved bottles will be at their best in these glasses.

Bathtub Wine Bottle Chiller – Your wine gets to relax as it chills in our whimsical bathtub wine chiller. White wine lovers, this one is for you!

An Aerator – Whether a finer, a breather or a funnel suits you, aerators allow your wine to mix and mingle with the air around it! Improved aromatics and softer tannins will be the end result. Your wine will thank you!

This past week the media has been buzzing about a new BYO trend started by the singularly named icon – Madonna. Last week Madonna was spotted at a restaurant with her current boyfriend Brahim Zaibat, in New York City. A celebrity sighting like this, though exciting to some, doesn’t usually make its way into the wine blogosphere…until now. Madonna’s main squeeze was not all the mega pop star arrived with – she also came with a bottle of wine and glassware in tow.

Though BYOB is common, BYOG  is an entirely new take on the trend! Perhaps Madonna has something here! When bringing that special bottle out it can be a disappointment when the waiter clunks down a sad looking footed-cup.  The vessel can make or break a wine experience. Proper glassware is key to wine enjoyment.
 
One of my favorite products for a BYOG night– is the Wine-for-Two Bottle & Stem Tote. This all-in-one bag can hold two bottles of wine, two beautiful stems and all the gear you’ll need to pop the cork! For your stems we recommend the Fusion Classic Chardonnay for their durability, versatility, size and elegance. We’re not positive that Madonna actually used this ingenious tote and stemware for her BYOG dinner, but we’re certain it is material-girl-approved!
Have you ever brought glassware to a restaurant? Have you ever wished you had? Tell us in the comments below!

Most members of the wine community are aware of all the different varietal glasses (Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, etc) and how the shapes and sizes bring about the aromas and flavors specific to those wines. What you may not realize is the same dynamic goes for spirits and their glassware. Let’s take Whiskey for example look at the standard Single Malt Scotch Glass.

First and foremost, the glass should have a tulip shape. The purpose of this is to concentrate all the aromas towards the top of the glass, whereas in a tumbler they settle more in the middle or even towards the bottom. In fact, some Whiskey aficionados will argue that a brandy snifter should be used to intensify this effect, however if your sense of smell is a bit sensitive this may not be the best idea.

Just like wine, the aromas and color will offer much insight to the whiskey’s quality and style. So the shape and clarity of the glass both play pivotal roles in exhibiting the spirit in its truest form. The glass should also allow the spirit to reach all parts of the tongue so that you can distinguish between the different aspects as well as appreciate the mouthfeel, or weight, of the whiskey.

The bottom line is this… all spirits have their own specific glassware for a reason. Otherwise we could all drink every beverage from a plain old water glass! So if you are looking to intensify your tasting experience the next time you indulge, sip your favorite drink from its proper glassware. It just may open your senses as to why true connoisseurs are such a proponent of this practice.

As the weather heats up, outdoor entertaining and BBQ’s are on the mind. For a successful party, it is crucial to be armed with casual, elegant glassware that will impress your guests and avoid headaches for you! Shattered glassware on an outdoor patio is never fun to clean up. For this reason, we are excited to offer our new, Unbreakable PolyCarbonate Stemware. These glasses are crafted from a sturdy polycarbonate material which is unbreakable yet thin enough to be elegant. We offer them in varietal-enhancing shapes like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet , Champagne and more. These are the stems you cannot live without this season! We put the polycarbonate stems to the test in our video demo, check it out here:
 
 
 

Click here to view the embedded video.

We’ve always been proud of our Fusion line, but with our new 10-Year Limited Warranty, we have something to stand behind.

We promise that if you purchase our Fusion stemware and it breaks within 10 years, we’ll replace it for free, you just take care of shipping and handling. In the unlikely event that this occurs, we have a Fusion Hotline, waiting to assist you at 800.648.6058.

Are you tired of broken glasses? We hear your frustration! Leave a comment, and fill us in!

Cleaning Beads: These little ingenuous beads are tossed into a decanter and mixed with water to clean the entire interior of the decanter. Best of all, these are a one-time investment as they can be reused again and again.
 
 
 
 

Decanter Cleaning Brush: This extra long brush can reach the bottom of the tallest decanters. There’s no need to use a crummy old sponge when you have a brush tailored to your decanter.
 
 
 
 

Stem Shine: If you’ve ever been frustrated with the cloudiness that regular dish detergent can leave, Stem Shine is a great solution. Squeeze some stem shine into your decanter and scrub with your decanter cleaning brush for a perfectly clean and sparkling decanter, every time.
 
 
 
 

Drying Stand: Our decanter drying stands hold your decanter perfectly in place as it air dries. We offer various shapes for each decanter type.

Now that you’ve learned how simple decanter cleaning can be, what are you waiting for? Select a decanter that catches your eye from our wide variety, then add-on some decanter cleaning products to keep it immaculate with every use.

Have you tried any of our decanter cleaning products? Which do you recommend? Leave a comment and let us know!

With the launch of the Riedel “O” glass in 2004, stemless wine glasses became elegant. As the story goes, Maximilian Riedel (eleventh generation glassmaker from the Riedel family) lived in a small apartment with little space for tall stems. Many of us urban dwellers can empathize. Hence, he created the shorter, stemless, “O” glasses as a great solution. Max wanted a quality wine glass, that didn’t take up much space. Hence, Riedel created his own version of a high-end stemless wine glass.

These days, stemless wine glasses are a required vessel in all wine lover’s cabinets. When refinement is less important than simplicity, a stemless wine glass is a great solution. If you’re hosting a party with a lot of guests, stemless wine glasses can go directly in the dishwasher without the worry of stem breakage.

So one might ask, why did glasses have stems in the first place? For more serious tastings, the stem of a glass allows one to swirl the wine easily and evenly. It also prevents foggy hand prints which can muck up the look of your glass. Finally, holding a glass at its stem helps maintain the temperature of the wine. When a glass is held at the bowl, your warm hand can heat up the wine over time.

It all comes down to selecting the type of glass that suits your needs. Stemless or stemmed wine glasses is a personal choice and it may depend on the occasion. For summer entertaining, you may prefer stemless. We have a wide variety of stemless wine glasses in all shapes, patterns, and sizes perfect for any occasion. Our new “Fireworks U’s” are popular for July 4th, or try the more tailored Riedel ‘O’ Chardonnay or Riedel ‘O’ Cabernet. Why not stock up your cabinet with an assortment of stemless options? You can even personalize them, so you know which one is yours :)

Do you use stemless wine glasses at home? What’s your preference? Leave a comment, and let us know!

Cabernet Sauvignon/Bordeaux Glasses

The large elongated bowl of this glass allows the wine’s aromas to build before reaching the nose. The opening of the glass directs wine to the front of the tongue where sweet receptors detect its luscious fruit flavors of black cherry and cassis. The full tapered bowl provides ample swirling room and concentrates the aromas at the rim for a full nose. Swirling also aerates the wine and softens the tannins.

Pinot Noir/Burgundy Glasses
This glass has a wide, short bowl to offer more surface area and less distance for subtle fruit aromas to reach the nose. It directs wine to the front of the mouth where the tongue tastes the delicate red fruit flavors and acids, characteristic of a Pinot Noir. The wide bowl offers plenty of swirling room to soften the tannins.

Chardonnay/Chablis Glasses
The fruit flavors of a Chardonnay or Chablis range from green apple to tropical fruit, depending on where it was produced. A Chardonnay/Chablis glass has a smaller bowl to focus on the delicate aromas of this fruity wine. The narrow opening delivers wine to the front of the tongue for fruit flavors to be savored. Less volume keeps the chilled wine at its ideal serving temperature longer.

Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigio Glasses
The narrow shape of this bowl focuses the delicate aromas and delivers them straight to the nose, while minimizing warming. The narrow opening targets wine to the front and sides of the tongue where fruit flavors and acidity are detected. Sauvignon Blanc and Pino Grigio are clean, crisp-tasting wines with vibrant acidity, experienced best with the right glass.

Sparkling Wine/Champagne Glasses
Did you know a standard-size bottle of Champagne (once opened) has about 56 million bubbles! That’s a lot of bubbles to serve. The slender flute-shaped glass maintains a constant flow of bubbles to the palate, where the fizz, fruitiness, and acidity are fully enjoyed. The slender glass also maintains the chilled serving temperature of Champagne and sparkling wine.

Do you use different glasses for different wines? Post a comment and let us know!