Most people are skeptical when they hear about decanting their wine with an aerator. Seriously, how can a gadget change the taste of wine? Now, before you look at an aerator as some magical contraption that‘s hardly worth the investment, ask yourself this; do you toast the bread to make your sandwiches tastier? Do you wait for fruit to ripen? If so, then you should also decant your wine or aerate it with a wine aerator.

I’m sure you’ve heard that decanting a bottle of wine by pouring it into a wine decanter and waiting for a few hours will make wine taste better. This process allows the wine to breathe. When wine breathes it mixes with air causing the wine to open with aromas. The initial aromas of a freshly uncorked bottle of wine can be stale. Some people call this bottle stink. Allowing the wine to breathe eliminates the aroma; which also improves the wine’s flavor by greatly softening the tannins. The reduction of tannins creates a smoother glass of wine.

A wine aerator is similar to decanting wine, but better for those of us who don‘t have time to wait for decanting. This innovative wine gadget speeds up the aeration process in decanting wine instantly; thereby, improving the taste of a youthful wine even more quickly than a decanter.

The feedback we receive on these products is amazing. Just the other day a customer called to order more for holiday gifts and said, “it actually works very, very well!”. So, try one today. Conduct a taste test between a glass of wine poured through an aerator and one that isn‘t. You’ll notice the distinction between the flavors.

How it works….

Cooks Illustrated reviewed both the Nuance Wine Finer and the Vinturi Wine Aerator. A blind taste test produced high recommendations for both wine aerators. Nuance Wine Finer said this about their product, “tasters unanimously agreed that our aerator stood out for markedly improving flavor and aroma, increasing fruitiness, opening up the wine’s bouquet, and smoothing harsh notes.” Both innovative wine aerators will change a sip of wine into a more enjoyable tasting.

Nuance Wine Finer

Watch this video of  how the nuance wine finer works.

Vinturi Wine Aerator

A high recommendation went to the Vinturi Wine Aerator as well. This comparison comment was given from Cooks Illustrated’s review, “while it’s messier to use than models that attach to the bottle, this device brought out a ‘bright and strong’ aroma and ‘more fruit flavor.’” The makers of this ingenious aerator just recently (Oct. 2009), came out with the Vinturi Tower which makes this wine aerator less messy to use. Here’s how it works:

Be sure to order your Vinturi Tower early this holiday season. It’s been a popular product that has been difficult to keep on our shelves.

This week we’ll visit Paso Robles and Santa Ynez in the Central Coast Wine region of California for some award winning wines.

Locals of the Paso Robles area recommended these wineries for us to visit; Treana Winery, L’Aventrue Winery and Eagle Castle Winery. Folks in Santa Ynez pointed us to Bridlewood Estate Winery and Kaylra Winery.  Check back with us next week to read our reviews of these wineries as well as our favorite tastes.

We’re also going to get insider tips on additional local wineries to visit. Tune in next week for our reviews of this upcoming trip, recommended winery tours, and wine country stays. Eventually, we’ll have an ultimate list of the best wineries to visit. It’ll be so much work to cover the 100+ wineries in the Central Coast Californian wine region, but we’ll try!

Some of our favorite wine quotes:

Wine …. causes the lips of those that are asleep to speak.
Old Testament, Song of Songs

I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.
W.C. Fields

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
Benjamin Franklin

Wine is the milk of the gods, milk the drink of the babies, tea the drink of women, and water the drink of beasts.
John Stuart Blackie

At least once a day you should do something purely for enjoyment, and wine is my way of relaxing.
Yound Uck Kim, Professional Violinist and Wine Collector

I’m like old wine. They don’t bring me out very often, but I’m well preserved.
Rose Kennedy

Better is old wine that new, and old friends likewise.
Charles Kingsley

Unfortunately, a lot of people taste with their pocketbooks.
Tim Mondavi

Wine has been a part of civilized life for some seven thousand years. It is the only beverage that feeds the body, soul and spirit of man and at the same time stimulates the mind…
Robert Mondavi

Wine is bottled poetry.
Robert Louis Stevenson

One of the disadvantages of wine is that it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.
Samuel Johnson

In vino veritas-In wine there is truth.
Pliny the Elder

If wine tells truth, and so have said the wise,
It makes me laugh to think how brandy lies!
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Wine makes all sorts of creatures at the table.

If you enjoyed these wine quotes, then you’ll surely enjoy reading more from Kate Fiduccia’s The Quotable Wine Lover. The Quotable Wine Lover is a rich collection of more than 400 quotes that wittily explores the essence of the world’s oldest libation. From poets and writers to contemporary chefs, sommeliers, and celebrities, The Quotable Wine Lover includes wit and wisdom from: Brigitte Bardot, Napoleon Bonaparte, Robert M. Parker, Dom Perignon and many more.

We invite you to drink some wine & unwind.
Create some quotes that come to mind.
Then share them with your kind, here at WineVine.

Wine tasting parties are becoming more and more common these days as a great way for friends to get together, have fun and learn about wines. Usually each guest will bring a different bottle of wine to the party. Why not be the talk of the party and put your bottle of wine in a wooden contraption called a bottle puzzle? Start the wine tasting party off to figuring out how to get the bottle of wine out of the puzzle. Conversation and wine will flow, but only if you solve the puzzle!

If you’re planning on hosting a wine tasting party, you’ll need a theme. Select a varietal from a specific region or regions then invite guests to bring California Whites, California Reds, Italian Reds, European Reds, etc.

Our sales have covered many different wine tasting and wine trivia games over the years. Here are some of our most popular versions.

Wine Tasting Party Game

This wine tasting kit can accommodate a party of 36 wine lovers. It comes with 24 colorful wine bottle wraps and 36 wine glass stem tags as portrayed in the following photos.

This Wine Tasting Game goes above and beyond other wine tasting game kits since it includes an aroma guide, tasting tips booklet and flavor guide.

Bouquet the Wine Game

900 questions are divided into 6 categories which are Area, Chateau/Producer, Spirits, Vocabulary, Fortified Wine and Grape in Bouquet The Wine Game.

Sample questions from each category in the Bouquet Wine Board Game are:

AREA
Question
Do you find AC Pomerol in Spain?
Answer
No, it’s in Bordeaux, France

CHATEAU / PRODUCER
Question
A small Spanish district producing highly concentrated wines of Garnacha and Carinena is taking the world by storm. Name the district and the region.
Answer
Priorat DO in Catalonia.

SPIRITS
Question
Which is the most peaty / smoky whisky – Irish or Scotch?
Answer
Scotch

VOCABULARY
Question
Is a vintner a wine merchant or a person who grows grapes?
Answer
Both

FORTIFIED WINE
Question
How soon must a Port be bottled after having been declared as a Vintage Port?
Answer
Within 2-3 years.

GRAPE
Question
The Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara wines are all made from one grape variety. Which?
Answer
Nebbiolo

Winerd Board Game

Our next best seller, the Winerd Board Game, uses three bottles of red or white wine. This wine board game has 300 wine trivia questions and includes blind tastings for evaluations.

An example of a wine trivia question from this game is:

Question
When the cork is presented to you in a restaurant, you should:

• Look at it and touch it
• Bite it to determine the cork’s subtle flavors
• Smell it

Answer
Look at it and touch it

You should do this to make sure that the cork is moist and not crumbly which could indicate improper storage and possible spoilage. If you choose to smell it, you will most likely only smell a wine scented cork unless there is a severe defect.

White Wine Playing Cards

A poker-sized card deck featuring 52 different white wine grapes. Each card describes a specific grape, outlining its origins and characteristics, along with a suggested dish to serve. Learn what grapes are included in popular blended wines—French Bordelais, or Chateauneuf du Pape; Spanish Riojas, and Italian Vino da Tavolas.

If you’re seeking a wine country outing or visiting Orange County, San Diego or Los Angeles, and want a taste of the wine country; I suggest taking a short drive to the rolling vineyards of Temecula as a great side trip away from these busy cities for a romantic weekend or relaxing trip with friends in this growing California wine region.  Temecula is overgrown with over 3,000 acres of luscious grapes and 20-plus wineries from large scale to family run productions.

In August, I visited Temecula with my boyfriend, Sean, and his friends; Paula and Chris.  Merely blocks away from the vineyards, we were lucky to have these wine country experts show us around as we toured Leonesse Cellars and Doffo Winery during our day trip—both wonderful destinations.  The grapes were full, almost ready for picking.  It was nice stepping out of the wine cellar cooling rooms to a hot, sunny day.  However, in the evenings it certainly got cooler to the point where you needed a sweater; an ideal condition for excellent wines.

Great Wine Tasting At Leonesse Cellars

Speaking of excellent wines, one of my favorite tasting tours was at Leonesse Cellars; the best wines I tasted on this trip.  The hosts at this Cellar were funny, informative, and kind with their taste offerings.  Paula & Chris‘ member status granted us access to their private Barrel Tasting Room—a must see.

We started out at their gift shop and first tasting area, then took a path outside through the vineyard, down some steps to the Barrel Tasting Room.  Here we kicked back on their leather couches, tasted wines and savored some snacks.  Not only are their wines delicious but their “Small Bytes” are excellent too!

A wine that surely stands out is their Meritage.  I don’t believe this was part of their wine tasting flight.  I highly recommend trying it or better yet, buy a bottle! This red wine was rich and elegant, with aromas of black cherry, boysenberry tobacco, complementing lush flavors of black currant, and spice.  Aged for 18 months in small French oak barrels, this blend of 69% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot offers soft, supple tannins leading into a long, velvety finish.

The port served at the end of the tasting flight with a truffle was to die for.  An excellent pairing; a perfect ending to an enchanting wine tasting experience.  Next time I’m here, I’ll definitely be signing up for their V.I.P. Wine & Artisan Cheese Pairing where they couple their award winning wines with cheeses and chocolates.  The members we were with highly recommended Lionesses’ Wine Club Member Dinner.

Wine Passion at Temecula’s Doffo Winery

The last winery Paula & Chris took us to was Doffo Winery.  This is a small family run operation on 15 acres.  The owner spoke proudly of his family‘s history and their genuine passion for what they do which is evident in their wine.  Their red wines are delightful, especially the memorable, Los Nietos Syrah. This rich late Harvest Syrah is considered one of their more special wines.  It is aged in barrel for more than 24 months.  Very few cases made. There is a 2 bottle limit per customer.

In the next 5-10 years I‘m confident Temecula will be one of the premiere wine vacation spots in the country and I look forward to another excursion very soon.

Not only do I drink wine, but I also own a building company (and no… I don’t mix them).  But I have installed the Wine Barrel Sink furniture piece in a bathroom before. It looks fantastic! I set it on stone tile from Turkey which compliments the finished barrel tones. I even personalized the Cask & Crown Mirror, with the year the house was built, and hung if over the sink.  Doesn’t it look great?

Tips for Installing the Wine Barrel Sink

1.)  Measure your door opening.
Make sure the wine barrel sink can fit through the door opening. If the door opening is too small, check with your trim carpenter and see if the door casing can be removed to squeeze the barrel into the room. If you are building a new house and plan to put the barrel sink through a tight doorway, order the Wine Barrel Sink furniture piece early. This way you can put it inside the room during framing.

2.)  Rough-In Plumbing for Barrel Sink; New Construction
Once your framing inspection is approved and plumbers are on-site; they will ask for rough-in plumbing location for your Wine Barrel Sink furniture piece. I ordered it early. So, they had it on-site to figure out the measurements. You can wait and order your Wine Barrel Sink furniture piece for final trim out. If you decide to wait, let your plumber know the valves will be located in a 5” area that is 17” – 22” off the finished level of floor (meaning measure from the top of tile or wood floor).

3.)  Widening the Plumbing Opening in the Rear of the Barrel Sink
I suggest you hire a trim carpenter to complete the barrel modifications.  Note the manufacturer’s opening for plumbing connection to sink is too small.

You’ll need to widen the opening to fit the plumbing.  Once the barrel is at your job site have your trim carpenter measure locations and compare to opening in back of barrel. Cut barrel as needed to fit your plumbing. You’ll also need to cut the barrel’s inside shelf to accommodate the pipe.

Last thing you have to do is enjoy this great wine barrel sink for years to come!