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Spit Happens # 62- Holiday gifts for wine lovers

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Spit Happens # 62- Holiday gifts for wine lovers

Every year we are inundated around this time for the latest and greatest wines and wine accessories for wine lovers. So I’m thinking this post will be no exception but I’ll try to make it a bit more practical and less gimmicky. These are my top 3 recommendations for wine related goodies. 2 are reasonable stocking stuffers and 1 is a wee bit more spendy . Champagne stoppers are super useful but maybe not in the way you think. My experience has led me to believe that most users of these stoppers try to use them to preserve the bubbles over the course of a few days. While they preform reasonably well the highest use case is to keep the bubbles contained in the bottle in a single serving. When I use the stoppers I’ll reseal between each pour as I find leaving the bottle open will degrade the experience in as little as 15 minutes. So as soon as the cork comes out I’ll use the stopper and just have it off long enough to pour the glasses I need. You will enjoy the last glass just as much as the first. If by some miracle you do have some left at the end of the night all the bubble will be preserved for Mimosas the following day.

champagne stoppers

Pulltap corkscrews are my favorite corkscrew to use on a regular basis . I think the combination of good design, sturdy construction and a nice feel in the hand make this a great price quality ratio. The double lever design makes it especially useful for longer corks and it’s not so expensive that you will be sad if it disappears. Look back to Spit Happens archives for a funny/embarrassing story about me opening wine for the first time in a restaurant setting.

corkscrew

Coravin is the present you get for the friend who has all the little toys . This little beauty is designed to let you sample your wine sealed with natural cork without opening the bottle. You clamp the unit on the side of the bottle and push the Coravin needle through the cork. The cartridges pressurize the bottle with an inert gas. Hit the switch and wine comes out and the inert gas replaces it and preserves your wine. You can sample the wine in a non-destructive way over the course of a few weeks. Perfect for drinking your best wine over the course of a few weeks/days . One piece of advice is to make sure your wine is sealed with a cork not a glass stopper, don’t ask me how I know ……

coravin

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David Lancelot