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Wine Expert
Michael De Loach
STUFF YOU NEED
FOR WINE
The buyer’s guide
for 2009:
A half-dozen unusual recommendations
Yes, I know, you’ve got one hand on your wallet and the other on your chest. Times are tough, times are hard. But, let’s face it, you’re reading a food e-zine. So shut up. You’re still in search of good food, good wine (both must be good values, of course) and good times. And, there are always brand new things we all must have to make our lives more tolerable. Without much more ado, the list:
- Crystal Clear Stemless Acrylic “Glassware”
You must have these. Pottery Barn has “reinvented elegant glassware in shatter-resistant styles … molded of lightweight polycarbonate – the same material used for bulletproof glass – so they won’t crack or break… and they hold up beautifully even when washed in the dishwasher…” Perfect for the pool or a “roadie”…
Wineglasses: 3.25" diam., 8.5" h
Stemless Bordeaux Wineglasses: 3.5" diam., 5" h
Stemless Wineglasses: 3.5" diam., 4" h
6 for $29.99 – almost free
2. Art Ice Chiller
Chill dude – here’s the most perfect way to get that white cold, and in style. Let world-famous Guy Buffet art-wrap that sucker in ice for only $8.
3. Real Restaurant Wine Shelving for Cheap
Here it is, the real deal direct. Chrome shelving made exclusively for all of that wine you’ve been hoarding. (Believe me, those old cardboard boxes are not cutting it.)
Two sizes are available to fit your wine storage needs. The 36" wide shelf holds nine bottles across, while the 48" wide shelf holds 12 bottles (a case) across. These start at less than $80 per shelf. Be sure to order the posts (less than $7 each). You’ll need 4 posts, and at least two shelves to get started.
4. The Vinturi
This air-infuser will improve any newly bottled wine and instantly “age” it to perfection. (But keep in mind that it’s not a substitute for decanting older wines.) $40 direct; available for less at a wine store near you. Start hunting now, these sell out quickly.
5. Laguiole
There is really only one corkscrew. Never mind the rabbit, or the “ah so” that came and went 20 years ago, or whatever is supposed to be “the” cork remover these days. This fine specimen has been made the same way for over 150 years from your choice of rosewood, staghorn, ebony and other fine rare materials. Stop pretending and become a professional. Yours for less than $400. Also available from the same manufacturer: great knives.
6. Really, really good books
All my recommendations come from University of California Press. Follow the link below and check out the last one listed on the first page: Winkler’s General Viticulture. I purchased this for my dad on his birthday when I was only 14 years old (it wasn’t $70 then). It is still as shockingly prevalent today as it was the moment penned. Among the first several authors listed, I once roomed with Clive Coates; he is the master of Bordeaux, and not to be missed. Trust me, throw a dart; every one of the books showcased here is a great read.
Great books on wine for holiday gifts.
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