Wine Racks Blog

The foodie world is abuzz with the menu of yesterday’s post Inauguration luncheon at the White House. To go with the food (which included duck, pheasant, and a seafood pie - yum!), three wines were served. There was the Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, the Goldeneye Pinot Noir, and a Korbel California Champagne. On a side note, I’ve had the Goldeneye Pinot before, and it is ridiculously delicious. It’s one of the most well balanced pinots I’ve ever tasted - the jammy fruits and the tannins are working together in harmony. Hmmm…you could even call it a bi-partisan wine!

Anyway, special times call for special wines. And special wines need an out of the ordinary setting. That’s why I love this wine server. This decorative server is handcrafted from copper, and the cool colors? That’s not paint - that’s the natural oxidation of the copper. Wine servers like this are a great way to add a distinctive touch to a meal - it’s a great way to pamper your guests.

What wines would you like to see served at the White House? I’m sure they’re going to be stocking the wine racks in the cellar with some of America’s finest vintages.

I love making resolutions at the start of the year. However, keeping the resolutions - well, to be frank that part isn’t quite as fun. I start with the best of intentions (working out every day, brushing up on my French vocabulary in the evening). But by mid-March, the only work out I’m getting is walking to the cafe and the only French I’m using is ‘pain au chocolat’. 

So, this year I’m keeping my resolutions simple. And my favorite of my resolutions is to drink more champagne! I’ve fallen into a habit of only popping open a bottle for a special occasion. No more! I’ve been working on a list of things worth breaking out the flutes for this year:

• Finishing a good book
• Trying a new recipe (this one is also practical, since if the recipe doesn’t work out, the champagne will make everything better with its sparkling goodness)
• Finishing a craft project (maybe all those half finished scarves I have malingering in the closet will finally get done!)
• Watching the new season of Lost! (I’ll put a Dharma Initiative label on the bottle those nights)

Now as part of this resolution, I’m going to try to keep a bottle in the fridge at all times. However, I’m a bit forgetful, so I think a good chilling bucket will be necessary. Plus, there’s something so stylish about a good looking chiller - it’s like tapping into your inner Bette Davis. I found this copper champagne bucket, and I’m smitten. It has brass handles, and I love the simplicity of it. I particularly like this one, because I think it would look great with flowers (ooh! Like hydrangeas!) during those non-chilling times. I found this one at StacksAndStacks.com

So, what are your resolutions this year? I hope I’ve provided some inspiration for your own resolutions. Remember, as a great man once said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” So fill your chilling bucket with some salt, ice, and water - pop in a bottle of champers, and find your own reason for an everyday celebration.

Some people say that we are living in the electronic age. Well, that’s probably true, but I think we’re also living in the infrared technology age! At my day job, we have an infrared retinal scanner, and I think it’s just the neatest thing ever. Although, I don’t think I’m supposed to talk about it. Okay, forget you heard anything. Anyway, that infrared technology has come to the wine cellar with this Infrared Wine Thermometer.

Sometimes when you’re checking the temperature of your wine, all you have to go by is how the bottle feels in your hands. What if you naturally have cold hands? You’re not going to be able to accurately gauge the temperature. Likewise, if you’re one of those people with warm hands, you’re not going to know exactly how cool the bottle is.

That’s why this keychain style wine thermometer is a must. Using infrared technology, this thermometer detects wine temperature from outside the bottle. Simply put the end of the thermometer on the bottle to read internal temperature. Made of premium quality stainless steel, this wine thermometer features a laser-inked wine menu and upscale thin cylinder with a keychain hanger.

I love the fact that this thermometer is so portable. You can take it wine tasting, or take it over to your friends house for a dinner party. You can even make a little game of it, by having people guess what they think the temperature of the wine is, and then you can verify who is the closest to being right. It would be a fun party game, and a great way to get to know each other.

Have you found any great wine gadgets lately? Wine racks are great, but they’re not always portable, and it’s nice to be able to show off a cool gadget when you’re traveling. So let me know what you’ve seen lately!