5 Things Every Serious Wine Enthusiast Can’t Live Without

Being a wine enthusiast can be both one of the most exhilarating collector passions—and one of the most overwhelming. There are several aspects in being a wine connoisseur, from understanding the qualities of different vintages to having a refined enough palette to pick up on the subtle differences between them to even simply understanding the different types of wine that exist.

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Being a wine enthusiast also involves knowing what you need to make the most of your enthusiasm. This can range from storage to service to simple tools to simple cute gimmicks. There are a lot of things and this can be a bit overwhelming, so that’s why we’re here to help narrow this list down for you. So continue reading on to learn about five things that every serious wine enthusiast can’t live without.

1. Wine Coolers

No, we’re not talking about cracking open a bottle of Arbor Mist. We’re talking about something that keeps your wines at a steady temperature until you’re ready to drink them. There are several different types of wine coolers that you can invest in, including a wine refrigerator or a refrigerated minibar.

If you’re serious about your wine, it’s important to have something that can keep your wine—especially your whites—chilled at the appropriate temperature. Different wines have different ideal conditions, but the best kinds of wine coolers allow you to adjust their settings accordingly so your collection can be consumed and enjoyed properly.

There are different sizes available to accommodate the size of your collection, usually ranging from as little as eight bottles to as many as 180. It all depends on how many bottles you tend to amass at a given time. Dual zone coolers are especially handy if you have red and white wines that require different ideal temperature conditions.

2. Decanters

If you have a particularly fine bottle of wine, especially an older red, a decanter is a necessary item to keep handy. Decanting wine accelerates the aeration process, which helps to bring out full flavor of the wine. More importantly, decanting wines separates the sediment that often accumulates in the bottom of the bottles. This provides a smoother, cleaner glass of wine, free of sediment, for your guests to enjoy.

There are differing schools of thought on the effectiveness of decanting, but at the end of the day, it can provide a great visual flair to any wine enthusiast’s collection.

3. Wine Racks

A wine rack is a perfect piece of decor for any wine enthusiast, especially for those who are fans of red wines that are best kept at, or just below, room temperature. There are several different types of wine racks out there, but it’s arguably most ideal to have a wine rack that not only shows off your collection to friends and family, but also that allows you to pick and choose your bottle with ease.

Wall-mounted wine racks that hold the bottles in place by their necks or by their sides are great additions to a wine enthusiast’s toolkit. They’re easy to access, they show off the label, and can essentially be treated as their own form of wall art! They also take up far less space and are generally less expensive than standing racks, which can be a real boon to a wine enthusiast with a smaller kitchen.

4. Wine Thermometers

No, your wine is not sick. Actually, a thermometer specifically designed for wine is a great tool for a wine enthusiast without a wine cooler. There are variations, but a popular model is one that you wrap around the bottle itself which reads the interior temperature of the wine. When it hits that special number on its digital display, you can start serving.

There are also models that are more like traditional thermometers with a reading tip that you place within the wine itself and are more likely to give you a more accurate number. However, they’re not as slick as the wrap-around kind and can even look a little gaudy in the eyes of discerning dinner party guests.

However, both models are effective and either is a must-own for any wine enthusiast.

5. Wine Preservers

If you find yourself with a half-empty bottle of wine, don’t simply shove the cork back in the top; sticking the cork back in the top of the bottle does not create a vacuum seal, which in turn causes your wine to spoil more quickly.

There are different types of preservers out there, ranging from vacuum stoppers all the way up to wine saving carafes. The carafes are perfect for those who want to ensure an airtight, spill-proof container for their wine and the vacuum stoppers are great if you don’t have the space for a full-sized carafe.

Drink and Be Merry

Those are the five things that every serious wine enthusiast needs if they want to make the most of their passion for all things wine. Make sure you take these into consideration, whether you’re just starting out as a collector or if you’re looking to up your game as a wine enthusiast.