For the Wine Lover

There are at least 2 major issues with Champagne stoppers: they take up too much space on your refrigerator shelf and in your drawer and they’re awkward to use. Often they simply don’t work, because they cannot withstand the pressure from the bottle. And many are just plain ugly.

Now you can banish all those issues from your bar!

Decanting wine is often necessary: whether the wine is young - when it will benefit from exposure to more air - or old, when filtering out sediment is essential. There are other tools that perform these technical tasks very well, like the Nuance Wine Finer. But there is an artistic dimension to enjoying wine that requires more elegant presentation, and for that we have wine carafes.

The problem is that we may need to decant more frequently than we actually do, because ...well, sometimes it can be complicated. The “ritual” of opening and pouring and candling into a carafe requires extra equipment, in addition to the carafe, and so much attention to detail that sometimes it just seems inconvenient ...and so we don’t do it. And then we end up drinking young tight wine, or chewing on bits of cork or those globs of sediment hiding in the bottom of the glass as the last of the bottle approaches. Right? ... Wrong!

In order to simplify this task, what we need is a multi-function single unit, combining the technical tools - the carafe, the filter, and the aerator - in one elegant package of glass and stainless steel. A piece of beautiful design, performing its functions in a highly efficient fashion. A Cool Tool.

How many times are you at a party where you lose half a glass of wine because you put it down and then you have no idea which glass is yours! And if you’re the host, you are constantly providing more glasses for those guests who can’t recognize which glass is theirs.

There are lots of glass markers on the market, but we've been on the hunt for glass markers that work for stemless as well as stemmed wine glasses, and even for cocktail glasses. We also wanted ones that looked good and were easy to use. Not a lot to ask for, but surprisingly not easy to find. Well, we've finally found one we truly love!...

One of the most often-asked questions is: “how can I most effectively preserve that open bottle of wine?” After much testing, and if you're not willing to buy one of these big deal expensive, big deal preserving systems, then our answer is an inert gas blanket to keep your wine and the air that could ruin it separate. And, if your gas preserver is going to be effective, then you should not be letting air seep into your open bottle by stoppering with the cork that you just drove the corkscrew through! Of course there are those cutesy cork-wrapped stoppers with the grapes on top, or their O-ringed cousins topped with art glass or golf balls or … all very nice as novelty gifts, but not very effective at sealing your open bottle of wine. So what are the alternatives?

Some problems we encounter in the kitchen are exponentially aggravating, beyond their actuality. In many of these cases, we simply sigh, shrug our shoulders, and move on …. And when someone else decides to confront one of these little issues head-on, and their determination produces a tool that eliminates that problem from our pantheon of small nuisances, we are extremely grateful. This is about one of those problems, and its solution!

We’re talking here about dried-on wine or other spots … inside your decanter, pitcher, or wine glasses … from red wine or food residue … those nasty little spots that require reaching through a narrow opening and attempting to scrub the inside surface … without damaging your container. Those bendable sponges are only partially effective … but what else to do? Well, now we have it …!

Modern Danish design is an important product of the mid-20th century … a desire to use new technologies and materials to enable the creation of beautiful products, in simple forms and shapes that had been previously difficult or impossible to create …. Recall the iconic jewelry and housewares designs of Georg Jensen, the chairs and other furniture of Charles Eames and Arne Jacobsen, Bang & Olufsen’s consumer electronics, and in architecture, such as the Sydney Opera House, designed by Jorn Utzon, Denmark’s most famous architect. All this, and much more, made Modern Danish design an important contribution to mid-20th century life.

Upon reflection, we at Colbrook Kitchen realized that this tradition - simple design with sleek, clean lines that deliver excellent functionality - is an essential source of our standards for what makes a Cool Tool. Wine Coolers should be attractive, and address the twin issues of temperature maintenance (yes) and dripping excess moisture (no!).

Sometimes you just need a thin long rigid thing with a soft tip that sticks straight up. (OK, I don’t know where your minds are going, but I’m talking about a decanter dryer!)

Decanter dryers are incredibly useful for drying all sorts of bottles, carafes, pitchers, etc., anything, in fact, that needs to hang upside down and let air circulate inside so that the moisture drains out and evaporates. It’s particularly useful for anything with a narrow neck, which makes hand drying very difficult, like our water bottles that we try to keep by our side so that we remember to hydrate. And it’s so much better than trying to balance your decanter precariously in your drain basket, risking damage or breakage.

The problem with most decanter dryers is that they take up a lot of room, and when they’re not gainfully employed to dry something, they are often in the way. That is what makes the FInal Touch Decanter Dryer such a revelation!

There is an all-too common problem that arises when you drink a lot of wine: when you are trying to pull the cork, you push it - some or all of it -  into the bottle. We find that this happens especially with older wines, when the cork is soggy and moldy and breaks. But it happens also with longer corks, when the worm of your corkscrew is not long enough to go all the way through the cork. And it will happen also with synthetic corks that simply get pushed into the bottle, instead of being pulled.

There are some products that are so much a part of your life that you take them for granted. That’s the case for us with the fabulous govino wine “glasses”. In Napa Valley you see them everywhere, and they are an essential tool anytime you want to really enjoy the taste of wine without the worry of broken glass.

govino was designed originally as a trade tool to help professional salespeople showcase their wines whenever and wherever proper stemware wasn't accessible. But soon the creators discovered an even bigger need for govino in the consumer sector, particularly at settings where breakable glass is an issue. After all, how many times have we all had to endure drinking good wine from bad glasses? govino glasses preserve the taste of the wine, while protecting you from shattered glass.

As one of our customers said so eloquently in her review:

How many times are you at a party where you lose half a glass of wine because you put it down and then you have no idea which glass is yours! Never have to worry about that again with these handy (and so pretty) glass markers! It is like jewelry for your glasses that are functional too!!! You wouldn't believe how many compliments something so simple can get you!

And during the holiday season, this becomes almost a necessity!

No set of wine tools would be complete without the classic “Ah-So!” Cork Remover. Whether you are confronting a partially broken cork, or a synthetic or plastic cork, this is an essential tool!

This classic two-pronged design - first patented in the US in 1879 - slides alongside the cork - or the remaining piece of cork - and breaks the vacuum, while gently gripping the cork as you rock and turn the prongs, for slow and careful removal. You too will be saying “Ah - So!”* when you remove those larger cork pieces, or even those sometimes troublesome plastic corks. This latest design from Metrokane features an attractive stitched faux leather cover and a slightly heavier and more rounded handle for better leverage.

To paraphrase Superman: Look at that thing in your bottle: It’s a pourer, it’s an aerator, it’s a filter... (OK, enough of that!)  This is one of the most versatile and handy wine tools around.  If you have an old wine, this filters out the sediment; if you have a young wine, this aerates it to bring out the aromas and flavors, and if your wine is “just right”, this is a terrific pourer that reduces drips and spills.  What more could you want...?

It’s a beautiful day (hey, spring is just around the corner ...Yay!) and your guests are enjoying the outdoors, whether it’s a springtime lunch or a balmy summer evening. But how do you get cocktails or glasses of wine and hors d’oeuvres from your kitchen to your guests, while still looking cool and being the perfect host?

The answer, of course, is a serving tray--that wonderful “tool” that expands the capacity of your two hands to carry more… and to do it with style. But once you focus on the need for a serving tray, you need pick the serving tray that’s right for you. The right size and shape that will work best - or most versatiley - for your needs may vary. Transporting multiple plates or serving dishes and utensils, from kitchen to table [especially if that table is outdoors!] will require your tray(s) to have greater surface area - a large rectangle, for example. But carrying cocktail glasses and a cocktail shaker, or wine glasses and 1 or more bottles of wine, requires a more stable serving piece. And THAT is where the OGGI Stainless Steel non-skid Rubbergrip™ Tray meets your needs, in several, highly-effective ways!

We are on a continuous hunt for the best way to open a bottle of wine. We want something easy to use, effective and convenient, with a nice design, because it lives on the counter for easy access.

Our new favorite corkscrew - the Steel Corkscrew from Oxo - is an improved design of the classic ‘Screwpull’ or ‘Rabbit’ lever design, sleekly rendered in brushed die-cast zinc with black rubber and plastic. The ergonomics are excellent and very attractive: from the soft non-slip grip of the lever to the hand-sized collar to guide the worm (or screw) into the neck of the wine bottle, this is a well-designed tool. In two simple motions (after removing the foil), you squeeze the collar around the neck of your wine bottle and lower the lever all the way down, and the ~3”/7.5cm non-stick worm easily penetrates the length of most corks. Simply remove the cork from the bottle and pump the lever one more time to remove it from the corkscrew. Easy to use and highly effective!

OK ...there are times when you want to stop short of finishing that open bottle of wine: you’re trying to cut back on consumption, you have more than one bottle open, you want to save some for tasting another day …. What technique do you use to preserve that bottle - or bottles - for next time? There are several options, and we’ve recently identified a product that we think works really well.

We’ve all faced this situation at innumerable cocktail parties, dinner parties or other events: you’re filling a plate of food - walkaround hors d’oeuvres or your filled plate from the buffet - and carrying it with your wine glass .… And then, in the midst of a crowded room, you’re introduced to someone and need to shake hands, or exchange business cards, or you’re simply trying to eat standing up … and there’s no convenient spot to place your glass without fear of damaging your hosts’ antique table, or not remembering which glass is yours (which shade of lipstick are you wearing, or not, tonight?), or it being simply misplaced or left behind as you move about the room, or it gets carried away by zealous cleaner-uppers …. right?

And if you’re the host of an event like this, then you will be worried about your antiques, and you will be concerned that you won’t have enough glasses on hand to give a second or third clean glass to your guests who left theirs behind, somewhere in the room or on the back deck …. right?

We have a solution to all these concerns!

There are at least 2 major issues with Champagne stoppers: they take up too much space in use on your refrigerator shelf, or out of use in your drawer, and they’re awkward to use. Often they simply don’t work, because they cannot withstand the pressure from the bottle. And many are just plain ugly.

Now you can banish all those issues from your bar!

One of the great joys of summer is concerts in the park. Just grab a blanket or a couple of low-backed chairs, a bottle of wine, and your favorite foods to snack on. Then sit back and enjoy the summer and the sounds. But this activity, as delightful as it is, has its own hazards: rarely is the ground ever level enough to support your wine bottle and wine glasses, so you risk not only making a mess, but losing some of your delicious wine.

Enter the clever design team from Tovolo...

One of the great joys of summer is concerts in the park. Just grab a blanket or a couple of low-backed chairs, a bottle of wine, and your favorite foods to snack on. Then sit back and enjoy the summer and the sounds. But this activity, as delightful as it is, has its own hazards: rarely is the ground ever level enough to support your wine bottle and wine glasses, so you risk not only making a mess, but losing some of your delicious wine.

You want something that is effective, but doesn’t take a sherpa to schlepp it.

Enter the clever design team from Tovolo...