Ask anyone with a passion for a particular sport or hobby and they’ll tell you that to get started, you need the right gear: a cyclist needs a decent bike and helmet, a golfer needs a good set of clubs. What they don’t tell you upfront is the kinds of things that matter, the things that make you feel like you’re a part of it, like knowing where everyone gathers for that post-ride Sunday morning caffeine fix, or how Be nominated for the best golf course.
The same can be said for anyone who is interested in wine or takes it seriously. So how do you maximize your enjoyment of wine? We’ve put together a list of tips, ideas, and gear for any self-confessed wine lover. If you can’t check off each of these, you’re not getting the best of them, and boy, are you missing out.
Wine Education – expand your wine knowledge
A good way to start here is to get a good wine book and subscribe to a couple of wine sites, plus a magazine or two. Major newspapers have regular articles recommending wines, so give them a try and see what you think. You may find that you disagree with some wine writers and that your taste is aligned with others. There is no right or wrong when it comes to wine, the only thing that matters is what you like to drink. You can also attend a wine course which is a bit of fun.
Next, meet a reputable wine retailer and introduce yourself to someone who has extensive knowledge of local and foreign wines. Tell them what you like and dislike and ask them to suggest which wines you should try. Buy a bottle or two and then give them feedback on the wine they recommended. If you really like something and it will get better over time, buy half a dozen to put in the cellar.
When visiting wineries, sample some wines at the cellar door and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Again, you can buy a bottle or two of what you like and sign up for their mailing list if you really love their wines.
Bottle racks: ideal for short-term drinking
A wine rack at home is fine for short-term wine storage, wines you intend to drink within a couple of months. Of course, your choice of wine rack will depend on a number of factors, including space, budget, and aesthetic preference. There are a wide variety of wine racks on the market that fit all of the above, but please don’t store wines there if you plan on long-term storage.
Wine Storage – Start a Winery and Keep Good Records
There is probably no better feeling of satisfaction for a wine enthusiast than opening a bottle of wine that has been stored for a few years. Assuming it was a decent wine to begin with, the quality of the wine after aging will largely depend on how and where it was stored.
Ideal conditions for storing wine include a constant low temperature, high humidity, low vibration, minimal lighting, and good airflow. So storing wine at home is simply not enough.
Your options here are outside storage at a professional facility, a good wine cellar or wine cooler as they are more commonly called, or building your own wine cellar. Of course, each option depends on a number of factors and each has its advantages and disadvantages, so you really need to do your research to determine the best option.
Serve wine at its ideal drinking temperature
While all wines should be stored at the same storage temperature, your ideal drinking temperature depends on your variety, as the following table clearly illustrates (temperatures are in degrees Celsius):
Easy to say, but how do you determine the temperature of the wine? If you take into account that the fridge in your house is set at about 4 degrees centigrade, you could take the bottle of white out a little before drinking, and with the reds stored at room temperature (which is around 21 degrees), you could put it in the fridge a bit before drinking. If you want something a little more precise, there are a number of wine temperature devices on the market that will do the trick.
corkscrew
Get yourself a hundred corkscrews. Here are three that I can highly recommend:
1. Screwpull LM400 Lever Model Corkscrew: A sturdy corkscrew from a reputable brand, and the easiest corkscrew I’ve ever used.
2. Forge Laguiole Corkscrew: A classic every wine enthusiast should aspire to own.
3. Pulltap Corkscrew: A good basic corkscrew to keep in your wine bag or picnic basket.
decanters
Decanting aerates the wine which releases aromas that accentuate the nose and palate and almost any bottle of red will benefit from decanting. Some people collect decanters, but you can’t go wrong with the following:
1. Riedel Tyrol Decanter: To impress at your next dinner party.
2. Parabola Decanter or Cantatrice Decanter – something different for yourself or a great gift for someone else.
3. Lola Carafe L’Atelier du Vin – because it’s easy to wear every day.
If you can’t be bothered or don’t have time to decant, get a wine tuner or wine aerator, which will basically do the same thing. Heck, get one anyway and put it in your wine bag for that weekend getaway.
Glassware
Do yourself a favor and buy some decent wine glasses. Anyone who has attended a master class where they have tasted the same wine in different ‘vessels’ will tell you what an incredible difference it makes to the smell and taste of the wine and that you have to get it right. Here are three drinks that you will certainly enjoy:
1. While Riedel is a well-known brand, it has so many ranges and shapes that you really need to talk to someone who knows what they’re talking about. Riedel Vinnum is a good place to start and buy at least two of your favorite wine variety and you will feel like a king when you drink from them. Don’t let them get too dirty though, use them every time you open a big bottle.
2. Spiegelau Authentis: Also made of glass and impressive enough for dinner but won’t break the bank if someone breaks a glass, it’s also great for everyday use. Best of all, you can put them right in the dishwasher.
3. The Wine Enthusiast Fusion Shatter-Resistant Glassware: Perfect for outdoor entertaining because it takes a lot to break. Dishwasher safe too.
Wine Care
There are plenty of “wine care” products out there that make your life easier when it comes to caring for glassware, like decanter beads, a glass cleaning brush (which we use almost every night and wouldn’t wash a glass with nothing else), a mat to dry glasses, a decanter drainer and the list goes on.
Wine preservation – for leftover wine
Whenever we talk to people about keeping an opened bottle of wine, they invariably reply with ‘but we always finish the bottle’. What they don’t get is the flexibility it gives you. It means you can open that special bottle without having to worry about it going to waste if you don’t drink it all. You can also open a bottle of white before dinner and drink red with your meal. Most products will keep your wine for a day or two, but there is a new product on the market that will keep your wine as fresh as the day it was opened for up to 10 days. Once again, we have listed a few options below:
1. Vacuvin: easy to use manual vacuum pump system that preserves wine for a day or two.
2. Wine Preservation: A thin disk is inserted into the bottle and provides a barrier that keeps wine fresh for up to 5 days.
3. Sowine: Unique, high-quality preservation system that keeps your favorite wines at the perfect tasting temperature and preserves your wine for up to 10 days.
Wine Gadgets – toys for wine enthusiasts
This is where we get to the fun stuff, the bits and pieces you probably didn’t know you needed but won’t be without once you have them. Some examples are label protectors, foil cutters, a wine quiz, a wine journal, and Le Nez du Vin (an aroma set that lets you learn about the different smells of wine).
Drinking wine at its peak / Cellar management tools
Many wine guides will give you an indication of the maturation age of most wines. The idea here, especially if you’ve bought at least half a dozen, is to try a bottle a couple of years in advance to see how it travels. You can keep manual notes in a wine journal or, if you have the time and discipline, purchase wine software. Do not allow wines to exceed their recommended storage dates in the hope that they will improve because they will not.
Consider selling wines as your tastes change.
Your taste in wine may change over time. If they do, consider selling some of your collection. There are a number of wine auction organizations that are always looking for interesting wines. They usually charge a percentage for doing the work and you can put a reserve on the wine.
There you have it. We hope we have shed some light on how you, as a wine enthusiast, can get the best out of your drinking experience.
