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Bewildered by bottles?
Ever stared at a wine label trying to make sense of mysterious foreign words, without the faintest idea of the grape type, vintage or origin of the wine in question? Indeed, wine label language can be a tad obscure, especially when unfamiliar European varieties are concerned. Do not fret: Peter Saunders’ excellent book will come to the rescue. This comprehensive, easy-to-use reference guide demystifies wine labeling from A to Z, leading the novice as well as the connoisseur through a step-by-step tour of the wines of France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the new world. Why is the grape variety seldom featured on European wine labels? What’s an appellation controlée or a DOC? What’s a riserva? All these questions and more are answered in a simple, straightforward style that will help you learn more about the wines you love to drink. Whether you’re a wine rookie or a sophisticated oenophile, keep Wine Label Language on hand on your next trip to the wine shop.

The minimalist
If you’re all for clean lines, stylized forms and minimal designs, you’ll love the Tecno Decanter from Franmara. Simple and elegant, this Venetian glass decanter is encased in a removable silver plated stand that gives it stability and loads of charm—and makes it easy to lift. Allow your wines to “breathe” and recapture their full body while serving them in a beautiful, sophisticated container


Pair it with soave
Soave, a light, crisp white wine from the Veneto, is often dismissed as bland and uninspiring—and for good reason. Many of the cheap Soaves you find in supermarkets are rather ordinary, inconspicuous wines that are more than a step or two away from memorable. But a few producers have recently stepped in to change this, aiming for high quality rather than middle-of-the-road quantity. Look for Soave Classico DOC or Soave Superiore DOCG, made with Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave grapes grown at higher altitudes. A good Soave should be a straw yellow color with hints of green, have an intense aroma of tropical and citrus fruits and a good amount of acidity for some zing. It matches delightfully with all kinds of summer fare, from simple grilled vegetable dishes to light pastas and fish, such as the seafood spaghetti pictured below.

Keep ‘em cool
Ah, summer! We know how much you love those breezy Sunday picnics, concerts in the park and dining al fresco. But, if you’re a wine lover, you’ve got a serious head-scratcher: How do you keep your whites and rosés nicely chilled for more than half an hour with temperatures hovering in the eighties? There is a way to have your wine and drink it too. Try this strong, fully insulated BYO Wine Chiller—it will keep two bottles of your favorite white, rosé or sparkling wine chilled at the right serving temperature for hours. Just store the removable chilling element in the freezer until you’re ready to go on your next summer outing.


The guessing game
Who hasn’t set their wine down at a party only to realize it has vanished in a sea of identical glasses? As the holiday season approaches, it’s time to invest in a practical yet stylish solution to this annoyingly common problem. Wine glass markers are an easy way to distinguish glasses from one another while adding a bit of pizzazz to your stemware. These festive charms made by Boston Warehouse come in over 40 different themes, from tropical fish to golf clubs. There are even charms for most holidays. Never again will you be stuck debating with a friend over whose is whose.

Why on its side?
Still storing wine bottles upright on your countertop? There’s a reason why wine racks hold bottles horizontally. Storing wine on its side allows the wine to remain in contact with the cork, keeping the cork moist and the bottle well-sealed. If the cork becomes dry (as may happen if a bottle is stored upright), it shrinks slightly, allowing air to creep into the bottle, or even wine to leak out! For a smart, chic way to properly store your wine, try the Euchelon six-bottle wine rack. It fits perfectly on a countertop, and additional sections can be easily attached as your wine collection grows.

Great legs
The term “legs” constantly gets thrown around by wine buffs, intently swirling their glasses as they flaunt their expertise. But what exactly are the legs of wine? Contrary to common belief, the legs, or drips down the side of the glass, have nothing to do with the wine’s quality. Instead, they demonstrate the amount of alcohol in the wine. The denser the legs, the greater the alcohol content. The appearance of legs is explained by a matter of physics known as the Marangoni Effect. The alcohol in wine has a higher evaporation rate than the water. When a glass of wine is swirled, alcohol crawls up the glass until it is pushed back down by the film of water on top. This causes the alcohol to form an arch and eventually burst into beads which trickle down the inside of the glass. These are the wine’s legs.

 

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