WINE ACCESSORIES

As wine accessories go, I’m a bit of a minimalist. I’m not into aerators or fancy wine openers, but I do believe in making a few solid investments that can dramatically improve your wine drinking experience.

MARK THOMAS GLASSWARE

As a long-time lover of Zalto, I struggled with the fact that they just didn’t work as well for my new-world reds — in particular Napa Cabs. Burgundy and edgier wines from regions like Piedmont and the Northern Rhone sang in the delicate, modern-looking stems. But somehow the wines from Napa just always seemed disjointed and angular.

When I was contacted by someone from Mark Thomas, my prayers were answered. They sent me the full lineup from their double-bend series, and I was immediately hooked. The founder was actually one of the original consultants for Zalto and while there are definitely similarities in terms of structure, weight, and quality, the ethereal combination of edges and curves makes this stem truly distinct and worthy of the investment.

While they aren’t cheap, they are an absolute staple in my home. I’ve tried every glass in the double-bend lineup (including the tumblers) and there isn’t a single product I wouldn’t stake my reputation on. In fact, almost every person I’ve recommended them to has come back to tell me I’ve ruined their lives as no other stems will do. Seriously, they are worth every penny and then some.

For 10% off your Double-Bend Purchase use code: SOMMVIVANT_DB10

The coravin

I can count on one hand the number of wine-gadgets I believe are actually worth a damn. And Coravin is one of them.

The Coravin is a wine preservation tool (and relatively new invention) that allows you to penetrate the cork with a surgical-grade needle and extract the wine without actually opening the bottle. The displaced wine is replaced with argon — a neutral gas heavier than oxygen that will prevent the wine from spoiling. In short, you can enjoy any wine, one glass at a time, over the course of weeks, months, or even years.

There are an exponential number of use cases beyond just the '“one glass at a time model.” I use it when I want to try multiple wines out with a dish, compare wines side by side, or have multiple options for big dinners like Thanksgiving.

There are a few options to choose from - I like the Model 6 best.

*Pro tip - you don’t have to just extract a glass, I’ll sometimes pour a half a bottle into a decanter and set them out as wine options for guests.

Portae wine cradle

For my wine lovers who like ‘em old … or just love a good aesthetic… or both. A wine cradle was an essential “tool” for me when I worked at PRESS and had to handle older, delicate bottles that we didn’t have time to stand up in advance (which at a restaurant was most of the time). When you remove the wine from it’s horizontal position in your cellar or fridge, you want to be careful not to jostle the sediment that’s likely collected from neck to base along the side it was laying on. By immediately transferring it to the cradle, you keep the sediment from “mixing” and can handle the wine without moving it to a vertical and upright position. You can either pour directly from cradle or gently decant.

Portae is truly the unicorn of wine cradles. There are few (if any) that don’t look like a shitty basket or a twisted hanger, and none that combine beautiful design and functionality in the way this does. Believe me, I’ve scoured the depths of the internet looking. The Portae is artfully crafted in LA by a sommelier in conjunction with a small team of artisans and can be customized with different leather colors and metal finishes.

It’s a beautiful piece that will gracefully patina over time. I keep mine on display with a rotating empty bottle of something delicious I recently drank.