Must have gear for wine lovers

Over the many years of drinking wine I have used and disposed of many wine gadgets. A few, however, have proved to be necessities. Check out my list of must have wine gear for wine lovers:

Reidel Wine Glasses
In my previous blog post "10 ways to ruin a good wine" I talked about how a good wine glass could improve your wine drinking experience by bringing out more aromas and flavors. I recommended good quality wine glasses like those from Reidel. Reidel has many different styles for different wine types at a variety of price and quality levels.

Govino Stemless Shatterproof Wine Glasses
I first saw these at one of the wineries I had visited and thought they were a great idea for when you are on vacation or a business trip and you want a decent wine glass that won't break. They even have indentations in the glass for a better grip. You can get a set of 4 for under $20 or buy it here

Winediaper travel wine protectors
I don't know how many times I've tried to jam a couple of bottles of wine into my suitcase after a trip to an out of state or out of country winery. After wrapping the wine in 3 socks and then a couple of t-shirts, I felt it was safe to make the journey. OK, wrapping your wine in socks and throwing it into you luggage isn't exactly appealing to most, so that's why products are now specifically made for packing wine in your suitcase. Take for example the Winediaper padded absorbent wine travel bag. It allows you to pack and protect your wine as well as absorbing any spillage that might occur if the bottle is damaged. You can get them in packs of 3 on Amazon or other online retailers for under $20- or buy it here

Cuisinart Private Reserve Wine Cellar
This stylish table top wine fridge holds up to 16 bottles and will fit nicely on most kitchen countertops. Set the temperature depending on what you are storing. Available for under $200

Wine Enthusiasts Complete Wine Tasting and Aroma Kit
"Taste and smell wine like an expert" claims the Wine enthusiasts complete wine tasting aroma kit. Gain an extensive wine vocabulary by being able to dissect and disseminate aromas from wine. 36 distinct vials ship with this kit which will surely increase your familiarity with wine. Great for dinner parties. $199, but cheaper less extensive kits are available.

Vinturi wine aerator
I like to use the Vinturi wine aerator at http://vinturi.com/. It injects air into the wine as your pour it into the aerator over an empty glass and allows the wine to open up faster than by decanter. One pour is equivalent to having the bottle open for one hour. Pour it through twice for older vintages that need longer decanting. It also is portable and travel friendly and comes with a travel pouch...also it's fun explaining what it is to the TSA employees checking bags at the airport. Available for around $20 or buy it here