I already wrote about wine accessories, but this time, let’s look at those wine tasting kits which are necessary for connoisseurs and sommeliers. In the end, I added an indicative budget for those lovers who do not deal with a wine like professionals but still want to enjoy the wine at a slightly higher level with helpful aids.
The Gadgets You Must Have For This Purpose Are:
- Cork stopper opening,
- Glasses,
- Decanter or aerator,
- Polishing cloth,
- Stoppers for wine with a vacuum pump,
- The stopper or spark plug.
For home storage, I also recommend a wine cooler and a cooler bag if you go with wine bottles wherever you go.
Sommeliers swear on the simplicity and practicality of the accessories, so we choose those that are most practical and make our work as easy as possible for us.
Cork Stopper Opener
The cork stopper, which is simply called a bottle opener, is the best friend of Sommeliers, so I always have it. Sometimes I need it where it would be least expected. The opener, which always proves to be reliable, usable, and convenient, is a two-stage opener, which is called “waiter’s friend” by sommeliers. In addition to doing its job always perfectly well, it is also small enough to be put in a pocket easily. Many other openers are also usable for opening the bottles, but they are not so convenient to take with us.
Glasses – The Most Important Part of Wine Tasting Kits
In the flood of various glasses of all sizes and shapes, the choice of a suitable one seems to be the real venture. So I recommend that wine lovers consult with a dealer in a specialized store or with an expert who knows something about this issue. Personally, for your first purchase, I recommend a universal glass that is suitable for a wide selection of wines. As long as you do not know how to handle the glasses, avoid buying very expensive glasses because some of them are likely to break down. You probably know about good luck. Later, you will slowly buy a set of glasses to cover all types of wine.
With its shape, the glass has a tremendous impact on the taste and experience of wine.
The shape of the glass determines which part of the tongue will come into contact with wine earlier, and in this way, you will highlight a certain flavor or you will first notice it. Interestingly, the perception of the smell and taste of the same wine can be quite different if you try it from two different glasses. This can also be one of the ideas for your thematic evening. Choose two types of wine and a few different glasses. I only bought several different glasses after several years of my wine journey, but at the moment, I use four different sets or shapes of glasses.
Decanter or Aerator 
We are decanting old wines, where the separation of sediments is important, but on the other hand, we are aerating young wines that do not have sediment.
In the case of aged wines, the sediment in the wine glasses is disturbing, and they can also leave an unwanted aftertaste. When decanting, wine is more strongly exposed to air or oxygen in the air. We say that we wake him up, encourage him to “breathe,” and show himself in the best fit. A similar ventilation effect is usually achieved by combining the bottling of the wine from the bottle into the glass and rotating the glass before we taste it. Still, in the ventilation using the decanter, the wine “wakes up” even faster.
Almost all wines can be decanted in order to separate the sediments or ventilation – young and old, white and red, rosé, and sometimes even sparkling wines. The usefulness of the decanter is great, and for the beginner, I recommend a basic or classic design. Later, you will also find out some special forms, depending on which one you prefer or which will be more suitable for you.
Polishing cloth
It may seem to you that the polishing cloth or polisher is an insignificant addition, but it does not go without it in the wine world. The glasses for the wine must be perfectly clean and free of dust and various stains. For polishers, it is most important not to get smells that pollute the glass. Using highly fragrant cleansers can destroy the perception of wine, flavor, and odor, so I advise you not to use softeners and aggressive detergents. Polishes should be made of high-quality cotton or microfibre, and you should also be careful that the polisher does not leave a thread on the wine glass.
Wine Stoppers and Vacuum Pump
When you do not drink all wine from the bottle, the bottle must be closed to wait until the next day. It can be clogged with a cork stopper with which the bottle was initially clogged, but sometimes for various reasons, it is not possible. Perhaps the stopper cannot be pushed into the neck of the bottle, it may be of poor quality and is broken and crushed, and this way is especially inadequate in case we know that we will not be able to drink the rest of the wine the next day. The best way to close a half-empty bottle is to use silicone stoppers and a vacuum pump to drain the air out of the bottle. This creates a negative pressure and reduces the exposure of wine to oxygen. Wine can be sustained in such an enclosed bottle, stored at the appropriate temperature in a cooling wine cabinet or refrigerator, for two or three days, depending on the wine.
The Stopper For Sparkling Wine
The task of the stopper for sparkling wine is to keep the bubbles in the bottle. CO2 is otherwise derived from wine, but to a much lesser extent; therefore, the use of the stopper for sparkling wine is recommended in the event that we do not drink whole bottles of sparkling wine immediately. In doing so, I would like to emphasize that a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne is best to drink immediately or at least on the same day if you wish to enjoy it in bubbles.
How Much Does a Kit For Wine Lovers Cost?
The prices of wine products are very different, depending on where you buy and for which manufacturer you decide. As elsewhere, a brand is also being paid in the wine world, so I prepared some pricing for the equipment you need to enjoy the wine. Take the price only as a recommendation that you will not pay too much or too little.
– Glasses, Set of 6 pieces, 18 EUR
– Decanter 26 EUR
– Opener 6 EUR
– Sparkling plug 6 EUR
– A set of stoppers with a pump of 15 EUR
– Microfibre cloth 10 EUR
As you can see, you will give about 80 EUR for the basic set of gadgets for wine lovers. Depending on your wishes and needs, you can add to this set a cooling bag and a wine cellar. Later, you will also be able to purchase a few additional sets of wine glasses and special shapes of extra decanters. But for the initial set of wine equipment, the above is quite enough.