Guilty Pleasures: Wine Accessories

It’s been a fun month this April despite the dreary weather we’ve had in the Midwest.  Hosting numerous beer, wine and cheese tastings I feel downright indulgent!  And it got me thinking about collections.  Collections are guilty pleasures aren’t they?  I’m betting I’m not the only one with a growing wine accessory collection.

I’ll Show You Mine, If you Show Me Yours…

Wine Charms –

I think one of the first items I received in my wine collection was a set of wine charms, and since then we’ve accumulated a few more!  Wine charms are a fun and unique way of decorating one’s glass so throughout the night, as bottles go, you’ll remember which glass is your glass!  Charms can be fun little rings around the stems of glasses, or even stickers meant to easily peel off when the night’s over!  Here are a few of our charm sets – lovely gifts courtesy my honey’s mom!  Thanks, Sharon!

Wine Stoppers –

If you’re not planning on finishing the bottle off that night, you may want a few wine stoppers on hand.  We have some decorative ones, but we also have 2 that act both as a pouring spout and a stopper, which is nice I think for white wines especially.  The photo below also shows off our wine aerator.  Best used for red wines, an aerator does several things: First and foremost, it allows air back into the wine to show off its aroma and flavor a little faster than just leaving the bottle top open to vent.  But it can also come with a strainer and catch any sediment in the bottle so it’s not going in the glass.  We really only pull ours out when we’re trying to be fancy. 

Wine Bottle Holders –

Ever plan on bringing a bottle of wine to a friend’s house, but feel like you have nothing to safely store the bottle in during travel?  I love this little wine sock for that reason!  It’s cute and practical when you’re taking your wine on the road!  *And I mean that in the most safest of contests, you should always, ALWAYS buckle your wine bottle up when driving.*  😀

Wine Picnic Ware –

Those that have hung around The Happiness Project for awhile know I like my wine on the go.  I’ll just say wine hiking is not for the faint of the heart, and do so at your own risk.  Since then, another great gift from my honey’s mom was this portable wine cooler!  It comes complete with compass and whistle!  You’ll have to ask my Joe how they work because since the last time, he’s in charge now…

Wine in a Box –

Another wine travel aid is wine that comes ready to go – in a box!  A fabulous road trip companion, it stores easily in the back seat or trunk, boxed wine does not have to taste like it was aged in a box!  Joe and I are particular fans of the Bota Box collection and during hard economic times, this really is the way to go if you’re hosting a party.

Wine (in a box) For the Movies! –

Again, followers of this blog will recognize a little hobby of mine, which is sneaking wine into the movies!  Who can afford the monstrous prices of soda these days?  I’d rather sneak this little guy in my purse.  There are several brands which are good, but being a nerdo for a play on words, I’m a fan of Bandit wine when I play Drinko McSneakery.  This wine is best enjoyed with girlfriends, free plastic water cups from the concession stand (hint: do fill with water so as not to look conspicuous and to stay hydrated at the cinema!), and a movie along the lines of Twilight, Breaking Dawn Part 2.  Trust me, it will make the movie better!

Those are just a few of my favorite wine accessories!  What are some of yours?  Do you have a favorite wine charm or stopper?  Would you drink wine in a box?  It’s getting cool now!

Almost as cool as this…

Why yes, that is a picture of me attending Jurassic Park 3D while wearing a Dinosaur hat. Jealous?!

Until next time, happy weekend everyone!