Wine Racks Blog

I haven’t had a chance to mention it, but recently I moved. I moved into a new space temporarily, and unfortunately, the movers misplaced all of my wine glasses. Yes, even all of my collectible wine glasses that I’ve written about before. So, now I look at my wine glass rack, illuminated by the moonlight. From the kitchen window, light shines down on the rack, unhindered because there are no glasses there.

Obviously, it is utterly heartbreaking. But I still must persevere, and I still must drink wine, and so I’ve turned my attention to that denizen of the morning: The Coffee Mug. And since I’m using mugs for wine, my mind drifts to another logistical issue - mug storage.

Mug storage used to be a complicated procedure for me. The mugs themselves have these looping handles, which wine glasses don’t have. So, while I’m very familiar with wine glass storage, mug storage was another thing altogether.

Luckily, as the ancient proverb says ‘another word for crisis is opportunity’, and I have taken this wine glass crises and turned it into a mug storage opportunity by discovering all the ways you can store mugs and coffee cups.

Mug storage solutions range along an entire gamut of ideas. You can store mugs in a cupboard or cabinet. Store them with the handles facing the same way, and you can fit more mugs in there. Another mug storage solution is to use hooks to hang mugs by their handles. See, those handles are good for something! If you only have a few mugs, you can put them on display on a shelf and store them that way. This works best if you have decorative mugs, or need mug storage for mugs that have a deeply intrinsic meaning to you as an individual. Mug storage is simple and easy.

Times are tough right now. Wine is a luxury, I know. But can wine be an affordable luxury? The answer is a resounding ‘YES!’. Take a look at this picture above. At first, we were all saying ‘Box Wine? No way!’. But now, it seems like everybody is saying ‘Box Wine? That’s not such a bad idea! Where can I get some? What are the benefits?’. Luckily, research has been done, and some answers on their way!

QUESTION: Isn’t box wine by definition cheap and horrible and nasty and low quality?

ANSWER: No!! You have outdated views of box wine! Box wine has risen in quality by 100%, and many reputable vintners are getting in the boxing ring ( ha  ha ).  For instance, Chateau de Bonhoste Bordeaux Blanc $33.99 for 5 Liters.
This crisp blend of Muscadelle, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon has classic slate/mineral notes and a dry finish, along with fruity burst of kaffir lime and grapefruit. Does that sound cheap and horrible? No. It sounds delightful.

QUESTION: Five liters? That’s a lot of wine. Won’t it go bad?

ANSWER: No!! As Maggie Hoffman said “Unlike a bottle, which goes bad after a few days even when you pump the air out, spray preservers in it, or dance around it waving your hands in the air, wine in a box lasts. Inside the box, the wine bag collapses as you drink and the liquid doesn’t get exposed to oxygen. We’ve been told the shelf life after opening is around seven weeks, and so far, the wine we opened six weeks ago is still tasty. You can have a half-glass with dinner, or put a cup or two in the stew you’re making, and not worry about what you’re going to do with the rest. No more throwing out bad half-bottles.” Well said, Maggie. Well said.

QUESTION: Won’t box wine make wine racks obsolete?

ANSWER: No! You can’t just stack wine boxes on top of each other - that would look bizarre. But perhaps wine racks will evolve. If anybody wants to send me a prototype of what a wine box driven society would like from a wine rack - let me know in the comments.

One of the poorest and least developed countries in the world, Haiti in recent years has struggled with problems ranging from near-constant political upheaval, health crises, severe environmental degradation and an annual barrage of hurricanes, which killed an estimated 800 people and caused vast damage in 2008.

On Jan. 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti, reducing much of its capital to rubble. It was the worst earthquake in the region in more than 200 years. Since then, there have been aftershocks, causing even more devastation.

It’s far too easy to feel powerless to help in the face of such heartbreaking news. But you can help!

To give to the Red Cross, phone users can text the word “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10, and when prompted, hit “YES” to confirm the donation.

The donation is added to the cell user’s bill, and receipts are available.

Other text-message codes for donations include:

• Text the word “HAITI” to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Foundation Haiti Relief Fund.

• Text “HAITI” to 25383 to donate $5 to the International Rescue Committee.

• Text “HAITI” to 85944 to donate $10 to the International Medical Corps.

Also, some of my favorite companies have started donation campaigns for relief work in Haiti. Through January 28, StacksAndStacks.com will be donating $10 on every order over $100 dollars to the American Red Cross. You can make this a philanthropic double whammy - buy some organizing supplies for a local charity in your neighborhood, and if you spend over $100 dollars, you’ll be helping Haiti as well! It’s a new version of “Think Globally, Act Locally” - it’s “Act Locally, Act Globally”!