Wine lovers are enjoying wine at home more often than ever before! Not everyone can venture out to tasting rooms just yet, and we don’t all have wine country in our backyard. But that doesn’t stop the real aficionados. We have some tried and tested tips and tools to help you create a personalized wine tasting experience in the comfort of your own home! Read on for can’t-live-without-’em accessories and advice for top-notch tasting…
A Good Wine Opener – Also known as a wine key, the right opener makes life so much easier. Our Harney Lane rosewood wine key was specifically chosen for its quality and clean cutting prowess. It fits comfortably in your hand (and stocking) and gets the job done cleanly and consistently. No ragged edges here! Shop this key.
Solid Stemware – You have probably wondered, “why in the world there are so many wine glass options available?” and how does one keep track, let alone have enough space in the cupboard? While the type of wine glass is proven to make a vast difference in how a wine can taste, we have found that quality over quantity is the real key. Our Harney Lane logo glasses are made from high quality Reidel Crystal glassware, styled to present optimal flavors in both red and white wines to heighten the enjoyment of whatever you’re eating or drinking. We like to keep things simple and our kitchen space clear for what really matters – the wine.
The Proper Polishing Cloth – We love using our crystal shine glassware towels so very much, we now keep them in stock for our guests to take home as well! Lint-free and ideal for getting that ultra shiny, spot free polish, these microfiber towels both dry and polish your glassware to pristine condition, leaving room for nothing but pure wine in your glass.
Wine Glass Writers – Customize your glassware for the evening without worrying about wine charms (do you have trouble keeping track like we do?). Simply write your name onto the base or bowl of your glass for easy recognition. Ink comes off quickly with warm water and a light scrubbing, so your glass emerges clean as a whistle after use.
Chillers – Drinking wine at the proper temperature is definitely not a requirement, but it will help you get the truest enjoyment out of your selection. Our friends at Wine Folly put it best: “Does wine serving temperature matter? Imagine it this way: does lemonade taste better at room temperature or ice-cold? Here are some best practices on wine serving temperature based on style of wine.”
As a general rule, they suggest serving red wines slightly cooler than room temperature, between 62–68 degrees F (~15-20° C) and white wines slightly warmer than fridge temperature, between 49-55 degrees F (~7-12°C). You don’t need a big or fancy wine fridge to get here – your standard kitchen fridge is a great tool when it comes to reaching the right temperature. When you’re ready to open white wine, we recommend removing it from the refrigerator about 10 minutes before serving. Pop your bottle into one of our handy double-walled stainless steel wine coolers to maintain the perfect chilly temps until that bottle has disappeared (up to 4 hours). For room-temperature reds, simply stick your bottle in the fridge for about 10 minutes prior to serving and – voilà! – it will taste exactly as it should.
Wine Folly: Magnum Edition – As we’ve mentioned, we love Wine Folly and all of the wine knowledge they offer in simple, digestible language. Their special Magnum Edition doesn’t just look beautiful on a wine lover’s bookshelf, it’s filled with information that beginners and pros, alike, will find useful! Beautiful illustrations, infographics and fun facts make tasting even more interesting when you follow along. Currently in stock in our tasting room – email us to request a copy of your own!
Wine Experiences with Harney Lane – Tasting packs are a perfect way to enjoy wine together from afar, whether you are sipping withfamily, friends or co-workers over Zoom. Grab one for yourself or send them across the U.S. for a lively group activity that can be done no matter where you reside! Our tasting packs include handy “how to” instructions and wine tech sheets for a fully self-guided experience, or as a starting point when you taste along with a Harney Lane guide! Shop our tasting packs here, then contact us if you’d like to explore a hosted virtual tasting of your own.
No matter if you’re feeling fancy this holiday season or prefer to pair your wine with PJs and a sofa, you’ll be ahead of the game with the right accessories to round out your home wine bar. We’ve got you covered with the wine, too. From our family and team here in Lodi Wine Country, we send a very merry Cheers to you and yours this December!
