We Like to Call Them Wine Essentials

What is a wine essential?

By my classification, it's a product or idea that helps you enjoy more and/or better wine. When it comes to products, most wine essentials are - or can be - accessories. But, not all wine accessories are essential. There are also products that, when taught to be used properly, can become essential to you.

To many of us, wine can be a largely unknown and sometimes intimidating topic. We all know something, but we also seem to know so little. Ever sit in a restaurant and stare at the wine list or worry that you’ll be asked to select the wine? I know I have. 

We rely on others, waiters, sommeliers, and even bartenders etc. to help us select and that is o.k.. However, keep two things in mind:

1. With all the wine options in the world it's really hard to know it all
2. Everyone’s tastes are different, so any selection may or may not be right for you at any given time

From the variety of topics that I write on, most of you may recognize a common thread. I want to help you enjoy your wine experience(s) whether at home or traveling. Through information and education, I want to help you gain an understanding that creates comfort and confidence when speaking wine. By introducing wine essentials, I hope it will help you continue to grow and expand the quality of your wine experiences.

My List of Wine Essentials

Here are a couple categories I have on my own wine essential list:

1. Wine Aerator - wine aeration has been around for years, although until recently much of it was occurred with the process referred to as decanting. Essentially the benefit with wines (predominately used for with reds) is to “soften” the wine by exposing it to air “loosening” the tannins. Decanting also has the added benefit of separating sediment. As of the past 10+ years, the process has taken on a more modern twist using products that aid the process.  I’ll go more in detail in an upcoming article and describe the why’s, what’s and how’s.               
2. Wine Preserver - I'm biased on this, however, I am not bashful to be adamant on the importance for this category to be known and understood. For consumers and the retail and restaurant trade, this category can help expand the enjoyment of more and better wine more than any marketing campaign.  Education, comprehension, trust and use are key. There are many methods with pros and cons and some being better than others. I look forward to discussing this more.
3. Experiential Wine Events - this is a very WIDE range of angles that will fill the qualification of being a wine essential. These events can be at home, restaurant, local or near/far away as destination experiences. They can be formal, casual or event oriented. As you can tell, it is not all about where wine is drunk, but just simply that you are drinking wine and able to enjoy more and better.  Look for multiple topics here.

With all the above said, I’ll do all I can to talk about ways to enhance your wine experience. I look to hear questions and ideas from all of you on products or experiences and hope to turn them in to wine essentials for you and your friends.