Christmas List 2017: Dear Santa

Oh, the joys of Christmas & last-minute shopping! Minds racing furiously for ideas while sending your blood pressure up & making you contemplate your next opportunity for fun in the sun. I have been busy this year with many projects & life hurdles, luckily for you, I stumbled upon some great ideas along the last few months that will make your wine loving person happy.

The first gadget, I might have blown off as just another stopper, but witnessing its use personally changed my mind. The Repour Wine Saver, conveniently available at https://www.repour.com/, is designed for a single bottle use. This wine stopper is designed to absorb the oxygen that likes to alter your wine in the space after you pour a glass & don’t want to commit to the rest of the bottle. So, imagine that amazing wine you put off because you feel like it should be opened on a special occasion, but you really just want a glass now, well every day is a special occasion so open it. Pour your glass, put on the repour & feel confident that you can preserve the wine in that bottle for your next sips.

The 4 – pack would be great for stocking stuffer for $8.99, but for those of us that know the year will hold many bottles in the future you can order a 72 pack for $71.99! There is no reason not to have this item in all your friend’s homes. Because it’s designed for one bottle use, that can be sealed multiple times, you should stock up…which reminds me I need more!

4-Pack of Repour Wine Savers

My second item, is a gorgeous coffee table book that will transport you to the area I’ve called home for around 20 years. The photographic eye of George Rose brings inspiration & depth to simple things that others may overlook. His most recent book, Vineyard Sonoma County has more than 188 pages of gorgeous color images that take my breath away. Considering the recent fires in the area, these images become even more precious to those that have been touched by the experience.

A portion of the proceeds from this book will be going to the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation for those workers who have been displaced due to the firestorms. Do a little good & give (or keep) this book available for $80.00 at  https://georgerose.com/

Image result for vineyard sonoma county book

My next wino must have, is another recent discovery that I was Wowed by, Wine Nots. This fantastic tablet of pixie dust takes away that red wine lover purple tongue & gets you good night kiss ready. A little effervescent lime hint of flavor that will have everyone wondering how you didn’t look like you spent a moment in your Malbec. These packets of 12 tablets are perfect for stocking stuffers for a convenient price of $12.99 & available at https://winenots.com/

I’d love to wax poetic, but this is something you may just have to try to believe!

Image result for wine nots

Lastly, but in no way least, is my favorite travel companion other than my husband, The Wine Check! In my travels this year I actually packed my clothes in this handy travel companion on my way to France & then filled it, lovingly with 12 precious gems to bring home. Ok, less the bottle of bubbly in the hotel the night before we left, but it could hold a full case. I love this product! A new gorgeous label design was born after the recent fires in Sonoma & Napa that truly steals my heart, which you can see on the website.

For the price of $70.00 & up you can bring back the bottles that brought great memories during your vacation so that you can share upon your return. This fabu piece of luggage is available on Amazon as well as https://thewinecheck.com/

Image result for wine checkImage result for wine check

Happy shopping & get your orders in soon so that they come in time for your loved ones. All these item, with the exception of the book can also be found on Amazon.

Happy holidays & cheers to the best wine times ahead!

Winter Wine Reads

When the weather gets cooler it beckons you indoors to restore your being. This is a great time to catch up on your joy of reading. You can chose to escape, learn something new or laced in a fresh perspective, or take in moments of beauty to live in. I chose some of my favorite wine reads all for different reasons & hope you find something to enjoy within these pages.

Wineocology by Caitlin Stansbury with Heidi Shink is a breath of fresh air for someone curious about learning how to deeper enjoy wine without wanting to read encyclopedia style. It is written in an approachable & almost playful way that helps a beginner feel comfortable while being a relaxing read for an expert. The book is available through Amazon, but starting on the books website is a great opportunity to learn about the author & her perspective

Wineocology

The Essence of Wine by Alder Yarrow with Photography by Leigh Beisch has to be one of the most beautiful books I own about wine. The book uses an eloquent journey through your palate in words that enrapture your senses in a beautiful growth of terms from the earth’s bounty. The journey is exquisitely paired with photography that enables you to dive into the pages to take a bite. This book makes a beautiful coffee table book for even your most discerning of friends, should you not keep it for yourself. Available at: http://www.vinography.com/essence_of_wine.html

The Essence of Wine

The Essential Guide to Wine by the Wine Folly dynamic duo of Madeline Puckette & Justin Hammack is a great read to dive into wine education with an ample amount of graphics to drive the knowledge deeper for the visual learner. This book has a vibrant & fun appeal that almost makes it feel like a quick read that just jet set you around the world of wine. Whether you read through or use it for reference this is a great gift, travel read, or fireplace bound Sunday sipping book to enjoy. Watch a trailer & purchase a copy here: http://winefolly.com/book/

The Essential Guide to Wine

The Exes in My IPod by Lisa Mattson was a book that I was glad to have purchased on my IPad before a long flight. It is a wit laced, humorous journey through love & songs on shuffled rotation. Whether you deem this book as a guilty pleasure or a peek into relationship traversal in the modern era it is a must read with a great glass of wine. Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Exes-My-iPod-Playlist/dp/1490959866

The Exes in My IPod

Hopefully you get to tuck in some time for yourself to enjoy a glass of wine with the peace of escaping to a hidden journey. Whether you chase lounge read or jet set travel explore pick up a book & view another world through the pages.

Cheers!

Christmas Wine Toys – These are a few of my favorite things!

I’m seeing many lists from writers regarding wine related gifts for the holidays, but as I peruse these various lists of items, that I may want to add to a future wish list, all I can think of is how the best gift is the thing you, yourself would treasure. With that in mind, my list is my favorite items that are used often in my house.

The first item I use almost daily, is the Capabunga. I love to have these handy to just pop onto my open bottle as soon as I pour a glass. In my home, I usually enjoy a glass of wine that my husband may not adore, so I have no intention of finishing the bottle…can’t say it’s never happened, though. I’ve used many wine closure products, but these have become my favorite. These wine bottle closures come with a variety of logos, but they do accept custom orders as well. They have closures & other items for your wine needs. Enjoy checking out your options! http://www.capabunga.com/

Capabunga photoCapabubbles

With multiple Wine Aerators on the market, I’ve found that this is the one I prefer when I chose not to pull out my decanter. The Soiree is nice to have around when you need it! I’ve found the Soiree is not only great in function, but the least drip from some of the other products I have used in the past. These are available on Amazon as well as well as their website. https://soireehome.com/product/soiree/

Soiree Wine Aerator Soiree Wine Aerator in use

The world looks better through good glasses and a favorite stem of mine is called, The One. Available for white and red wines, these are great glasses when you do not want to have a huge variety of glasses, but understand there is a need for a type of glass to enhance your wine tasting experience. I would purchase both varieties of these beautiful stems to have on hand. http://andreawine.com/the-one/

The One

The final item is something that has been on my wish list for awhile. I decided that passing my level 2 sommelier certification was a great excuse to get myself this gift for Christmas. Sonoma Champagne Sabres have beautiful saber options as well as great customer service with quick shipping. I am so excited to open this gift! http://www.sonomachampagnesabres.com/Default.asp

Sonoma Champagne Sabers

Happy shopping, wish list building, or gift giving!

Cheers!

 

 

10 Poetic Wine Words

“Drink to me only with thine eyes,

And I will pledge with mine;

Or leave a kiss but in the cup,

And I’ll not look for wine.”

– Ben Jonson ‘To Celia’

 

“A little saint best fits a little shrine,

A little prop best fits a little vine,

As my small cruse best fits my little wine.”

-Robert Herrick ‘A Ternary of Littles’

 

“Love is that liquor sweet and most divine,

Which my God feels as blood, but I, as wine.”

-George Herbert ‘The Agonie’

 

“Lo! The poor toper whose untutored sense,

Sees bliss in ale, and can with wine dispense;

Whose head proud fancy never taught to steer,

Beyond the muddy ecstasies of beer.”

-George Crabbe ‘The Library’
“And now I am come, with this lost love of mine,

To lead but one measure, drink one cup of wine.”

-Sir Walter Scott ‘Marmion’

 

“Here is wine

Alive with sparkles – never, I aver,

Since Ariadne was a vintager,

So cool a purple.”

-John Keats ‘Endymion’

 

“You’ll have no scandal while you dine,

But honest talk and wholesome wine.”

-Alfred, Lord Tennyson ‘To the Revd F.D. Maurice’

 

“All love at first, like generous wine,

Ferments and frets, until ‘tis fine;

But when ‘tis settled on the lee,

And from th’ impurer matter free,

Becomes the richer still, the older,

And process the pleasanter, the colder.”

-Samuel ‘Hudibras’ Butler ‘Genuine Remains Miscellaneous Thoughts’

 

“Wine is as good as life to a man, if it be drunk

Moderately: what life is then to a man that is

without wine? For it was made to make men glad.”

-Ecc. 31:27

 

“Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of

Friendship; and pass the rosy wine.”

-Charles Dickens ‘The Old Curiosity Shop’