Most experts agree that decanting a wine depends largely on the wine’s age and varietal characteristics. Most young wines, especially big, bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo or Syrah benefit from decanting. Not because it helps to soften tannins, but rather by dissipating undesirable sulfer-based compounds it allows the fruit characteristics to concentrate and intensify giving more focused aromas and a smoother mouthfeel, making tannins appear softer. To work effectively, the decanter needs to have lots of surface area such as the Riedel Ultra Decanter or the Riedel Duck Decanter, which combines practicality with aesthetics. In case you’re concerned about leaded glass, try The Ultimate Decanter by Nachtmann or the Eisch Dripless Captain’s Decanter as lead-free alternatives.

In effect, decanting isn’t adding anything to the wine. Instead, it’s subtracting undesirable compounds through dissipation and evaporation. However, allowing the wine to sit too long in a decanter can have a detrimental effect. Decanting any wine too far in advance of serving could rob the wine of the very fruit aromas that you are trying to enhance. With a younger wine, you could be left with an overly-oaky and harsh taste as the fruit characteristics oxidize. With older wines, you could end up with something stale, flat and lacking in richness. So what’s the best way to decant and still hit this elusive sweet-spot?

Allow your wine to settle in an upright position for at least one day for younger wines and preferably as long as four days for wines older than 15 years. This gives the fine particles of sediment time to settle to the bottom of the bottle if you’ve been storing it horizontally.

Plan to open your wine about 90 minutes prior to when you anticipate drinking it. Carefully remove the foil entirely and wipe off the neck of the bottle. Remove the cork without disturbing the wine too much. Start off by trying some of the wine straight out of the bottle. If the aromas are intense and flavors are full and rich, the only reason to decant would be to remove any sediment, so you could wait to decant immediately before serving. Go ahead and stick the cork back in it and wait until you’re ready to serve it. The amount of air exposure from opening the bottle is negligible. If on the other hand the wine seems tight, lacking in aromas and fruit character, or has some slight sulfur odors, you should decant well in advance of drinking.

The traditional proper way to decant wine was using a candle under the neck of the bottle to see when sediment starts to pour out. That’s just too tricky and messy. The new proper way to decant wine is using a bright flashlight. Shine the beam through the neck of the bottle as you gently and slowly pour from the bottle into the decanter. Stop when you begin to see particles or cloudiness. You should have less than an ounce or two left with sediment which is discarded. An easier method uses a funnel with a very fine screen to filter out all but the smallest sediment particles which will most likely remain in the decanter. The sediment in wine occurs naturally as wine ages and molecules of color and tannins precipitate from the wine. This sediment is harmless but gives wine an undesirable cloudy appearance and could add unpleasant bitter flavors and grittiness.

What about white wines? Most white wines won’t have any sediment unless they haven’t been cold-stabilized, in which case, you may get small tartrate crystals. Some white wines will benefit from decanting, allowing more of the fruit and mineral characteristics to shine through as sulfur compounds and fermentation aromas evaporate. But many people like to decant a white wine simply because it makes for better presentation. In this case, a decanter such as the Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter makes for an impressive way to serve your white wines. A more cost-conscious yet elegant option is the Riedel Cornetto Sommelier Decanter.

So whether its to filter out sediment or to open up a young wine, or simply to serve your wine with elegance, there’s an art to decanting and IWA has a great selection of decanters to help you decant in style.

A Farmer’s Tool

What once started as a simple farmer’s knife is now one of the most sought-after urban tools—and status symbol—to ever come out of France. The name Laguiole (pronounced, lah-yole), comes from a village in the middle of the Aveyron region of France, where the original knives were first made in 1829 by Jean-Pierre Calmels. It was a popular knife for farmers since it was adapted to their particular needs. Originally used to cut bread and wood, later, a poinçon or piercer was added that they could use to make holes in harnesses or to pierce the stomach of bloated animals suffering from colic. [I know, TMI, but hey, I'm not making this stuff up.] As needs changed, so did the knife. In 1880, as poor farmers emigrated to nearby Paris to open restaurants and bars, a corkscrew was added to the knife.

Signature Bee

Many legends exist regarding the insect forged on the spring. Many believe it is a fly or horsefly that was commonly seen in the Aveyron region because of the cattle bred in the region. In fact, the catch on a Laguiole knife is often referred to as la mouche (the fly) in French. However, the locals prefer another, more glamorous story suggesting that the insect is a bee, an imperial symbol, bestowed by Napoleon himself to the town of Laguiole in thanks for the bravery of its soldiers. [Now that's a French story that IS made up.]

Popularity Brings Change

Over the years, as demand grew, production increased and the manufacture of the knives gradually moved 100 miles northwest to the town of Thiers. By 1981, these famous knives were all produced in Thiers. In 1988, the town of Laguiole built two forges to once again produce its namesake products, but most authentic Laguiole products are still produced in Thiers. While the design of the Laguiole knife is over 170 years old, the design of the coveted Laguiole corkscrews made today is actually only 20 years old. Today the Laguiole name and signature bee on the spring is on folding knives, corkscrews, table cutlery and even cigar cutters.

Cheap Knock-Offs

There is a lot of confusion about the Laguiole name and the signature bee. Laguiole is not a single company that produces these knives and corkscrews. Aside from being the name of the village in Aveyron and the name of a semi-hard cheese, Laguiole is really just a generic name of a folding knife. Because the name Laguiole and the bee on the spring were never trademarked, many inexpensive, low-quality knock-offs have flooded the market. Just because there’s a bee on the spring or bolster, doesn’t mean it’s made in France. Many of these low quality machine-made knives and corkscrews are made in China or Pakistan. And even in France, there are different levels of quality, from inexpensive mostly machine-made items to high-end, fully hand-made and engraved products, with a high price tag to match.

The Laguiole corkscrews and cutlery offered by IWA strike a nice balance between high-quality and affordability. Proudly made in Thiers, France by the craftsmen at the Jean Dubost Company, our Laguiole products are beautiful, functional and durable. Holding one in your hand is like like holding a piece of French history. Not only should you get one for yourself, they make excellent gifts for the wine aficionados in your life too.

Here’s an interesting video showing the process of hand-assembling a sommelier’s corkscrew.

Not everyone is lucky enough to live in or close to California wine country. But that doesn’t mean you can’t sample wines without spending a fortune. With our mini tasting kits, you can taste all of the best wines we have to offer without having to buy, and open, an entire 750mL bottle of wine or make a trip out to our tasting room here in California.

Sonoma Coast Vineyards offers some of the best Pinot Noir you will ever taste. We’ve taken the very best of what SCV has to offer and, for less than the cost of one full-sized bottle of any of these wines, you get a generous taste of six different and elegant wines from SCV. By using a breakthrough zero-oxygen technology, you get the same experience of our wine from a 750mL bottle in this diminutive, 50mL size. What a great way to try SCV wines with minimum risk, yet with the full aroma and flavor as a full-sized bottle. Order your mini tasting kit soon, though; we didn’t produce many of them and I certainly would hate for you to be disappointed.

Each mini bottle kit comes with tasting notes and vineyard information for each wine. The SCV Tasting Kit contains six 50mL (1.67 oz.) bottles of the following SCV varietals:

• 2008 Antonio Mountain Chardonnay ($40/bottle)
• 2008 Salmon Creek Pinot Noir ($50/bottle)
• 2008 Bodega Ridge Pinot Noir ($50/bottle)
• 2008 Petersen Vineyards Pinot Noir ($50/bottle)
• 2008 Balistreiri Vineyards Pinot Noir ($75/bottle)
• 2007 Occidental Road Syrah ($35/bottle)

Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at blending a wine, like one of our winemakers. Girard Winery has just the mini kit especially for you. Our Girard Mini Bordeaux Blending Kit allows you to create your own blend using five 50mL bottles of the traditional Bordeaux varietals select by acclaimed winemaker, Marco DiGiulio. To complete your mini wine lab (and to satisfy your inner science geek), we’ve included a funnel and two graduated cylinders so your measurements are precise. And, to see how well you do, there’s also a 50mL bottle of Girard Artistry so you can compare your blend to our blend.

Each Girard Mini Bordeaux Blending Kit contains a 50mL (1.67 oz.) bottle of each of the following:

• 2007 Girard Artistry, Napa Valley
• 2007 Girard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2007 Girard Merlot, Napa Valley
• 2007 Girard Petite Verdot, Napa Valley
• 2007 Girard Malbec, Napa Valley
• 2007 Girard Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley

To get the most out of your tasting or wine blending, be sure you have the proper stemware and accessories from IWA. Check out our selection from the biggest names in glassware such as Reidel, Speigelau, Ultima and others.

Yesterday, we visited our friends at Trione Vineyards & Winery to put the Vinturi Wine Aerator to the test on video. We asked the question: could our tasters tell the difference between the wine poured straight out of the bottle to the same wine poured through a Vinturi? Both our tasters, novice and expert, preferred the wine poured through the Vinturi, saying it had a better bouquet and a richer, fuller flavor than the non-aerated wine.

But don’t just take our word—along with those of our tasters—order your own Vinturi and see for yourself. We’re confident that the Vinturi will improve the aromas and taste of just about any red wine you pour through it. Rather than decant that wine, why not simply pour it through the Vinturi and save yourself the time it would take waiting for decanted wine to open up. Plus, you won’t have a bulky and fragile decanter to wash afterward.

It’s summer and just about anywhere you go now, it’s HOT! And if it’s hot for you, it’s even worse for your wine. My previous article on Wine Storage said that temperature is the single most important factor in storing your wine. These soaring temperatures are a good reminder for you to get that wine cellar started. If you’re thinking of creating your own wine cellar, then you’ve probably read our previous series of articles on Custom Cellars, and if you haven’t, you should. In those articles, I talk about the most important component of your wine cellar…well, aside from the wine, of course. It’s your cooling unit.

IWA offers many cooling units, so many, in fact, that it could be difficult to decide which one to get. Well, set aside those anxieties; I’m here to help. First let’s categorize them. It’s easy to sort them by price online if you’re on a tight budget and cost is the most important factor. Or you could sort by the size of your cellar and narrow things down that way. But what about arranging them by Good, Better & Best. You know that if you go and buy a car, you’re going to have a different experience with owning a Chevy versus a Toyota versus a Mercedes. Each car manufacturer has different prices, levels of service, quality, reliability and overall satisfaction. The same can be said for wine cooling units.

Good

If your needs are pretty basic, your budget is tight and the space you’re cooling is small, then the Koolspace units are the answer. It’s no frills, basic cooling that is quiet, small and energy efficient. So small in fact, that you could easily mount this in the space above the cellar door.

Koolspace koolR

Better

The next step up are the Breezaire units. These units are great if you have a larger space, or desire a split system that separates the evaporator from the condensor, without costing more than your wine collection.

Breezaire

Best

These manufacturers are the top-of-the-line in terms of reliability, customer service and overall satisfaction. They’ll service from small cabinet sized cellars all the way up to large room-sized cellars as well as those wine cellars in extreme conditions. They’re also some of the quietest and most energy efficient units around. Plus, these units have the bells and whistles you want with some optional accessories available including probes, remote displays and controls, and outside condenser housings. They’re listed here by the size space they can cool, from small to large.

CellarPro

WhisperKool

VinoChiller

Call Us

You don’t have to make this decision on your own. We’re here to help every step of the way. Give our cellar consultants a call at 800-527-4072 and they can help you find the perfect cooling unit for your cellar, plus helpful advice for your installation.

We’re picky about our barrels…and it shows in the quality of Vintage Wine Estate’s wine.

Oak barrels are vital components in the making of our wines. Not only does the oak affect the aroma, flavor, color and texture of a wine during its fermentation and aging process, it also helps to concentrate the flavors and aromas through evaporation and softens the fruit tannins through the oxidation that occurs from small amount of oxygen that is present in the barrel.

Since oak barrels release most of their flavors within the first few months in contact with wine, Vintage Wine Estates needs to purchase nearly 1,500 new barrels each year for all the different wines we produce. With a typical barrel costing somewhere between $900 to $1,200, it’s imperative that we are getting the most from our barrels for our money. New barrels replace those used for previous vintages and older neutral barrels that no longer impart oak flavors into the wine continue to be used to store and age wines.

Winemakers, Marco DiGiulio and Zach Long have specific flavor profiles they expect from the barrels they buy. Oak barrels are toasted with heat to develop specific flavors. This graphic gives you an idea of how temperature, and time develop different flavors when toasting a barrel. Experienced coopers (barrel makers) know just how much heat and time it takes to toast the inside of a barrel to achieve these specific flavor profiles.

Our winemakers select their barrels from cooperages based on the quality, flavor profile and consistency from year to year. In this video, Marco describes how that selection process works at Girard Winery, one of our popular premium brands, and why they taste samples directly from the barrels from time to time.

Did you know that Vintage Wine Estates—that includes IWA—has a tasting room in Healdsburg, California. It’s warm, bright, comfortable and best of all, right on the square in downtown Healdsburg. Oh wait, on second thought, the best thing is the wine. We’re pouring the Windsor Vineyards Champagne, along with some of our sister wineries including, Sonoma Coast Vineyards,Windsor Sonoma Winery, Fire Station Red, Grove Street Winery, StoneFly Vineyards and, Sexy Wine Bomb.

Of course, there’s also wine accessories from International Wine Accessories available for purchase in the tasting room. We carry a good selection of stemware, decanters, funnels, aerators, corkscrews, and other smaller items.  Finally, when one of our friends is here in Sonoma Valley and asks, “Is there someplace we can go to try your wine?” we can send them over to Healdsburg.

By the way, because VWE has so many wines and only so much space, the Healdsburg tasting room pours a very limited selection of wine. However, if you call us at (800) 527-4072, you can arrange ahead of time to taste up to 3 wines of your choice when you visit. Please call at least 3 days in advance to schedule your tasting and mention this blog article to receive a discount on your tasting. See you in Healdsburg!

We get a lot of questions from our customers about wine storage, and while we’re always happy to answer all your wine storage questions, some questions fall into that FAQ (frequently asked question) category and deserved to have their own blog post. Here are some FAQ’s that our sales consultants often hear:

Q: What are the ideal conditions to properly store my wine collection?

A: There are three issues that will affect the proper storage of wine: light, temperature and humidity. UV rays from light will damage wine by breaking down the organic compounds in wine that contribute to its aroma, flavor and overall structure. An ideal location should be dark. Humidity is a consideration because of the corks used in sealing wine bottles. A relative humdity of 60% – 70% is ideal. Low humidity can lead to failures in the cork seal and then the low humidity condition would cause faster evaporation of the wine. Assuming we can find a dark place with sufficient humidity, temperature is the most important factor in properly storing wine. A cool stable temperature keeps wine from aging too rapidly and preserves its characteristics. Most European wine caves have a naturally occurring temperature of about 13º Celsius or about 55º Fahrenheit with about ±1º fluctuation. Since wine has been historically stored at this temperature with great success, 55ºF is the ideal temperature most experts agree on.

Q: What happens if I store my wine at room temperature?

A: Quite simply, it will age faster with unpredictable results. As wine sits in a bottle, a chemical change is occurring with the compounds in the wine. This change is natural and over time alters the aromas and flavors in a wine. This change is what makes wine a living thing and continues to make it interesting year after year. If we were to give a value to the rate of change in a wine, where a factor of 1.0 equals the change in wine stored at the ideal temperature, then wine stored between 55ºF to 59ºF would change at a rate of about 1.2 to 1.5. If you stored your wine at a room temperature of about 73ºF, it would change at a rate of 2.1 to 8.0. What do all these numbers mean? Well, if you store your wine at 59ºF, after 4 years your wine will have aged the equivalent of wine stored at 55ºF for 6 years. That same wine stored at 73ºF for 4 years will have aged the equivalent of wine stored at 55ºF for 8 years to as much as 32 years! 8 times faster than wine stored at the ideal temperature. And for comparison, wine stored at over 91ºF will change at a rate of over 56. That means that a wine stored for just 3 months at 91ºF will age the equivalent of wine stored at 55ºF for 14 years! That’s a significant change in the span of what amounts to one summer in Texas. If you have a small collection and you generally consume your red wine within a year or two, keeping your wine in a cool dark closet should be fine.

Q: If 55ºF is a good temperature for wine, wouldn’t 40ºF be even better?

A: Not necessarily. 40ºF is the typical temperature of a household refrigerator. Just as higher temperatures increase the rate of change in a wine’s characteristics, a lower temperature would decrease that change. Many winemakers will tell you that bottle aging will improve many wines and often recommend waiting a few years for tannins to soften and flavors to open up. If you store a wine too cold, that change may never occur. As said previously, storing wine in a bottle produces chemical changes. At 55ºF, these changes occur in a well-orchestrated manner and historically produces desirable results. However, at 40ºF, some chemical changes are slowed to the point where they effectively don’t happen while other chemical changes will still occur. The changes in the wine are now unbalanced or out-of-sync and could produce undesirable aromas and flavors. Therefore, it’s probably best to store wine in a cellar and not in a refrigerator.

Q: Can’t I just put a cooling unit in my room or closet to keep my wine cool?

A: No. Since the room will be cooled to 55º-59ºF it needs to be properly insulated and have an adequate vapor barrier installed. A vapor barrier is an often misunderstood yet important component to a wine room and as a result is often omitted or installed incorrectly. The vapor barrier performs three major functions in a wine cellar: 1) it protects the structure and insulation from condensation damage, 2) it prevents air leakage, and 3) maintains proper humidity levels inside the room. In order for a vapor barrier to work properly, it must be installed on the warm side of the insulation. This is because condensation occurs as water vapor moves from the warm side of the wall to the cold side. If a vapor barrier is installed on the cold side, it traps moisture inside the envelope, making moisture problems worse and possibly causing wood rot in the supporting structure.

Q: Don’t the wine bottles need to be on their side because the corks need to stay wet?

A: Not really. Recent studies have shown that Champagne is best stored upright and another study that was conducted on still wine over a 2 year period showed there was virtually no negative effect to the wine. No study has been done beyond 2 years so for long term storage it’s best to have them lying down, but this study shows that there is more of a gray area than some people have been led to believe.

Is there a question I didn’t cover? Feel free to give one of our knowledgeable sales consultants a call at (800) 527-4072 to get your questions answered. Or become our fan on Facebook and ask us your question online.

Those bottles of wine you’re bringing to the restaurant deserve a better way to travel than inside a paper bag or some neoprene tote. You know who you are and what I’m talking about. And what about those times when you’re bringing more than just a couple of bottles? You’re not going to pack them inside a cardboard box and bring that over to your wine group or some fancy restaurant, are you?

You want to make a good impression and show that you care about the wine you’ve collected. So whether it’s 2 bottles or 12 bottles, we’ve got you covered for wine luggage. For those times when it IS all about the presentation, you want to be sure that what you’re toting around your wine in is as impressive as the wine itself.

If you want to make a really big impression, our Handmade Natural 2-Bottle Leather Wine Tote will dazzle them. Made by Argentine artisans from thick, full-grain, leather with heavy-duty stitching, brass keyhole closures, an adjustable, detachable leather shoulder strap and a solid brass ID tag for engraving, this wine tote is all about craftsmanship and quality. The full-grain leather is stiff and sturdy enough to protect the wine and a suede divider prevents the bottles from clanking together.

For carrying 3 bottles in style, our 3-Bottle Italian Leather Tote is a great value. The hard black leather exterior and faux suede interior will gently hold 3 bottles in separate zippered compartments, while the adjustable leather shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. Chrome feet on the bottom allows the bag to stand upright.

If you’re more budget conscious but still want to travel with wine in style, take a look at the IWA exclusive Connoisseur Wine Bag. It comes with its own ice pack to keep your wine cool, the moisture-proof interior carries two bottles of wine between padded dividers (and 3 narrower bottles in a pinch, as shown in the photo). The interior side pocket can be used to hold a corkscrew, and Velcro holds the domed top in place. It has a leather-like vinyl exterior and an adjustable shoulder strap.

How about when you need to carry more than a couple of bottles? Our 6-Bottle Wine Trolley is just the thing for big dinner parties, wine clubs or wine country travel. It’s insulated with adjustable padded dividers that let you hold 6 bottles or larger-sized bottles or a combination of bottles and food. It rolls easily on inline-skate wheels, the sturdy handle extends and collapses easily and two front feet hold the wine trolley upright when at rest. It’s made of black canvas with a PVC-backed polyester lining and comes with an adjustable shoulder strap. It you need to carry 12 bottles, check out our 12-Bottle Wine Trolley.

And finally, I saved the best for last with the ultimate wine carrier. Have you ever received a shipment of wine packed in a large cardboard box with the styrofoam inserts? If you’re environmentally conscious like me, you probably reused that box…at least until the cardboard got wet and started falling apart. Well, the WineKaddy 9-Bottle Wine Carrier is basically that styrofoam insert surrounded by a heavy-duty impenetrable, yet lightweight aluminum shell.

With its reinforced corners, road case-styled twist latches, full-length rubber gasket and sturdy top and side carrying handles, this road-worthy case will protect and insulate your wine and can be checked as luggage on the airlines. Unlike a cardboard box, the WineKaddy can be easily opened by the TSA for inspection and safely resealed without worries. It’s available in a hammertone antique bronze or silver finish. It comes with an easily detachable telescoping luggage handle and a 5-year warranty. Wow!

So recycle that paper bag, use that neoprene to carry beer and get yourself one of these stylish and functional wine totes to carry your wine.

Father’s Day is just around the corner. You did remember didn’t you?…DOH!  Well, you still have time to get him something—no, not another funky Jerry Garcia tie or bottle of Old Spice cologne. If dear old Dad is a wine lover, get him something he really wants. A gift from IWA shows Dad just how much you care and will be appreciated for years to come.

Here’s a few gift ideas just in time for Father’s Day:

Avanti 52-Bottle Built-In Mini Cellar – Give your Father the gift of Built-In Wine Storage! This is the built-in mini cellar he’s been hoping to get! It has stainless steel-trimmed glass doors, an LED readout for temperature setting and monitoring, slide out chrome racking for easy access and interior display lights to show off the collection.

SoWine Home Wine Bar by Transtherm – Give Dad the ultimate in wine preservation. The SoWine chills and preserves opened wine for up to ten days! The compact design will fit easily in the kitchen or Dad’s smoking lounge.

Vinturi Wine Aerator Gift Set – This Father’s Day, Dad deserves a great glass of wine…perfectly aerated by the Vinturi. The Vinturi Gift Set includes the popular Vinturi Wine Aerator beautifully packaged with the Vinturi Tower that holds the Vinturi for elegant wine service by the glass.

Ultima Stemware – Don’t let Dad drink wine in those tiny little wine glasses. Give him the strongest, clearest & most resilient glass crystal ever created! The Ultima Series is designed to enhance a wine’s flavor and bouquet. He’ll appreciate this gift every time he takes a sip.

Bronze Estate Opener – Now Dad can open a wine bottle quickly with modern technology and antique charm. Our Bronze Estate Opener works with both standard and flanged bottles and makes opening wine easy while looking great…the opener that is, but Dad will look pretty good too.

Laguiole Black Horn Steak Knives – Nothing goes better with wine than a great dinner. And a great dinner deserves the finest cutlery. Heirloom worthy, these knives are handcrafted in France of the finest quality, stainless steel for the blades. A set of six for when all the guys (and gals) get together for steaks.

So don’t delay. Order your Father’s Day gift today and surprise Dad with something he really wants.