From clear to blue to amber to various shades of greens, glass wine bottles have always had beauty in their own right. Still, most us of see them only as empty containers and they usually end up in the recycling bin.

 Turn a Bottle Into a Light

Long ago, somebody had the idea to stick a candle in top of an empty wine bottle. Now, that simple concept has been taken to a new level and an entire industry has been created to re-purpose bottles. Craftsmen have taken bottles that were once trash, re-envisioned a new use, and created incredibly elaborate and beautiful works of art. Sconces, pendants, and chandeliers incorporate glass from bottles that might have once held everything from a vintage Bordeaux to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

From Meyda Lighting, a company that has been producing innovative lighting options for over 35 years, comes a whole line of products aimed specifically at the wine lover.

From the simple beauty of the Finned Frosted White Bottle Mini Pendant all the way up to the classic Tuscan Vineyard Estate 6 Light Chandelier, Meyda has created a necessity for every wine lover.

With its classic flat black metalwork reminiscent of a grape vine, the Tuscan Vineyard Frosted Amber Bottle Wall Sconce is particularly stunning when used as a pair.  Light up an entryway, place it on either side of a bed, or use it to highlight a mantel or bookcase.

The Fluted Amber Bottle Mini Pennant has a fabulous Victorian look. Using an innovative glass blowing technique, Meyda’s artisans have reshaped the base of a wine bottle to turn it into the perfect fixture to hang over a bar or kitchen counter.  It’s also available in frosted or transparent versions to suite tastes.

If you really want to make a statement then the Tuscan Vineyard Estate 16 Bottle Chandelier is for you. This wow-inducing light fixture features copper metalwork and 16 Chardonnay bottles. Hang it over your dining room table, in a game room, or light up you man (or woman) cave sanctuary.

No matter what your lighting needs, there is a wide variety of wine bottle lighting available from Meyda that will match any décor. Perfect for dining rooms, kitchens, wine cellars or anywhere else, there’s no way more appropriate to pay homage to your wine hobby.

Made in the USA.

The life of a whiskey barrel moves along several phases.  It starts out as an oak tree, harvested into wooden strips to be toasted then crafted into a barrel.  From there mashed grapes, along with other ingredients, are placed into the barrels for a time, in some cases as much as thirty years.  Eventually, the qualities that make oak so desirable for aging wine are ‘leached’ out of the wood, no longer depositing those rich tastes of butter and vanilla in the wine.

After a barrel is no longer used for aging wine, often it is shipped to whiskey and scotch manufacturers.  For scotch, dessert wines such as a sherry or port are preferred to age their spirits.  The stained barrels give the whiskey and scotch its signature coloring.  Depending on the type of liquor, it ages in the barrels over the course of months are even years.  In the case of single-malt scotch, the aging process requires a minimum of three years and one day.  These barrels may be used for as long as seventy years.

By the time a barrel has served in aging both wine and whiskey (or scotch), it can potentially be more than two centuries old.  Imagine the history that barrel has witnessed.  How things have changed since the cooper who manufactured that barrel, however many years ago.  Many time honored traditions as well as trades have succumbed to the rolling tide of modernization and technology.  Methods, perfected by masters of their craft over the centuries, have been drained of that human touch that radiated pride and expertise.  Instead, those skills and qualities are being sacrificed in the name of profit and efficiency.  The whiskey barrel is a functional link to that time.

Adopt a Whiskey Barrel

In recent years there has been a surge in demand for whiskey barrel furniture.  Pub tables, coffee tables, vanity sinks all can be fashioned with ‘retired’ whiskey barrels.  They are perfect additions to any home or room that’s in need of a touch of character.  An old barrel can even be converted into a whiskey barrel chest, not only bringing class to your storage needs but also efficiency.

So please, give these aged barrels a chance.  Allow them to be part of your home.  Rescue a Whiskey Barrel.

Storing your favorite wines can be a challenge.  Whether you’re a casual drinker or a committed enthusiast you still have to deal with where to put the bottles.  One of my relatives tends to keep his bottles cluttered on his kitchen counter (at least out of direct sunlight) eliminating that space from doing what it’s supposed to do – which is not wine storage.  Even the causal drinker wants to impress friends at dinner parties with a knowledgeable method of securing their wine from the elements in a tidy and tasteful manner.

First, here’s a quick reminder of things to consider when deciding on your storage space – Light, Temperature, and Humidity.  This brief overview of those important conditions of healthy wine storage is tremendously helpful — from Bordex Wine Racks.

Wine Storage Tips

1. Light

A cellar should be as dark as possible as wine is badly affected by light. Light can cause undesirable chemical reactions within the bottle and often spoil the wine. UV light can cause hydrogen sulphide compounds to develop in wine. Therefore, the ideal lighting conditions for a cellar is no sunlight and all lighting (globes and tubes) to be UV FREE.

2. Temperature

If you intend to mature wines for 5, 10, 15 years or more, temperature is the single most important factor of wine cellaring. Constant temperature is crucially important. Temperature changes (especially rapid change in temperature) cause corks to expand and contract, allowing air to enter the bottle. There is no surer way to create oxidization of the wine and thus render the wine undrinkable. Suitable temperatures for storing wine are between 11ºC to 17ºC but several degrees either side of this are safe.

3. Humidity

It is crucially important to monitor humidity within the cellar. The ideal humidity level for wine is between 62.5% and 72.5%. Most wine cellars suffer from lack of humidity (especially air conditioned cellars), which leads to corks drying out, shrinking and eventual wine leakage and oxidization Placing some warm water in a large tray on the cellar floor can help treat lack of humidity.  A very high level of humidity (say too long a time at above 75%) will cause labels to fall off and; if there is no/low level of air movement, will cause mold to grow on corks and labels. Mold is devastating for wine. Therefore, an ideal environment for wine not only pays attention to temperature control but also ensures air flow and humidity control.

 Wine Storage Racks by Bordex

Once you’ve designated an area in your home for the wine to be stored the next step is choosing an appropriate wine rack.  After all, you don’t want the bottles sitting on the floor or in moldy boxes, only for you to have to sift through them like dusty record albums.  A wine rack is the only solution to storing your wine as well as displaying it for easy selection.  For the enthusiasts who’ve invested in wine cellar storage, we have several options to perfect your display with innovative stackable wine racks that can hold up to 120+ bottles.

Wine-Vine Imports is proud to recommend Bordex, an Australian based manufacturer, for their elegant and innovative solutions to proper wine storage.  Each product is carefully crafted, using sturdy hardwoods and ‘baked enamel steel’.  They rely on twenty years of experience in safely shipping their quality racks to virtually every corner of the globe.  Whether your needs are commercial or residential, these unique and tasteful wine racks are the perfect solution to your wine storage needs.

These selections from Bordex Wine Racks can accommodate just about any sized collection.  From mere twenty-bottle display kits to the more elaborate multi-tiered displays racks (many of those commercial wine racks are sought after by restaurants) – your wine storage solution is right here.  Be sure to take advantage of our Free Shipping on several of our wine storage options.

Before any wine drinker takes that first sip of delicious ruby or golden liquid it must first be freed from the glass container in which it has so lovingly been sealed by the winemaker. To do so usually requires the assistance of a corkscrew, something most probably think of as a utilitarian device that languishes in a kitchen drawer until needed.

Early wine bottles were sealed by corks inserted in such a way that a substantial portion remained above the bottle lip. The wine drinker would remove the cork by wrapping a cloth around it and pulling quickly –or using a set of strong teeth. At some point, perhaps to remove a cork that became lodged too deeply in a bottle’s neck, an enterprising and thirsty wine lover realized that a simple screw could solve the problem.  Attach it to a handle, screw it into the cork, and pull. Problem solved.

No one knows exactly when that happened but corkscrews are known to have been in use as early as the 1600s. In the centuries since they have evolved immensely. While still practical tools, they have become expressions of individualism and there is a corkscrew option for everyone.

Most corkscrews, but not all, still feature a steel “worm”, which essentially screws through the cork. For rest of the instrument, however, the sky is the limit. Handles can be as simple as plastic tube, as elaborate as a gold and ivory work of art, as silly as a ceramic cartoon figure, or anything in between. Over the years they have been crafted of walrus tusks, carved wood, porcelain, and even titanium. They have also been created in the shape of animals, human body parts (like feet), or ships and automobiles.

Some corkscrews are engineering marvels featuring rack-and-pinion levers and gears (check out the Le Creuset LM250L Lever Model Corkscrew and Foilcutter Gift Set). Electric motors power some modern versions, such as the Peugeot Elis Rechargeable Electric Corkscrew and Metrokane VIP Electric Rabbit, while others rely only on strong wrists. Some have knives for cutting foil built into them while some are built into knives (think Swiss Army knife).

By the 20^th Century, wine producers began to see the advertising potential of corkscrews. They began to embellish their names on them and give them away as promotional items. Who wouldn’t be proud to use a corkscrew that was a memento from a trip to a favorite winery?

Since corkscrews come in so many forms they have become a popular collectible for wine enthusiasts in recent years. Those with a passion for these functional, yet sometimes whimsical, or even beautiful, tools are known as helixophiles and there are even clubs for collectors of vintage corkscrews. (Take a look at the Cremaillere Wall Mounted Corkscrew a modern reproduction of  an early 20^th century model.)

So next time you open a bottle of wine, give the humble corkscrew a little of the respect he deserves. Without him, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy our favorite hobby!

By the way, it was mentioned that not all wine openers use the steel worm. If you want to try something different check out the Giovanni Cork Pops, which uses compressed air.

Beer drinkers have their koozies.  Most liquor will do fine with some ice and a cocktail napkin.  Meanwhile, your glass of chilled white wine warms up and sweats.  This dilemma faced Julia Sherron as she relaxed with her family during a beach trip on the North Carolina coast.  Like many ingenious ideas, her solution was so simple.  Why not wrap her wine glass up in a modified koozie?

An insulator for your wine glass – Woozie® – is a perfect way to maintain the temperature of reds and whites as well as to avoid holding or clutching (depending on how many you’ve had at this point) a wet glass.

Sherron and her team have since developed an array of options to ‘outfit’ your wine glass to protect wine from all temperatures.  Whether your wine glass is stemmed or stemless, acrylic, or crystal, Woozies will keep your wine at the temperature it was intended to be enjoyed.  You can choose from a variety of patterns and design schemes for those wine tasting gatherings as a way to personalize your glass among the rest.  The patterns vary from paisley to safari (for those themed get-togethers) or mono-colored (yes, there is black for the guys).

The Woozie can add a touch of creativity to the practical need of maintain the integrity of your red or white; while under the relentless sun on a boating excursion or next to a warm fire on a chilly autumn night.  You can plan your next gathering or wine tasting with a set of themed prints or pick out woozies with fun sayings for when you want to make your get-togethers really fun!

In whatever setting you enjoy your next glass of wine, thanks to the ingenuity of Julia Sherrod and her team, now there is a way to keep your wine chilled or keep it from chilling with style and flair.