Wine Storage Specialist:

Just in at Vintage Cellars are the powerful WhisperKOOL 5000ti Platinum Extreme Cooling System and the WhisperKOOL 5000ti Platinum Extreme Fully Ducted Cooling System.  Both of these advanced products are high-end, self-contained cooling units at the very top of the WhisperKOOL line.  These state-of-the-art cooling units are brand new, replacing the earlier WhisperKOOL 4000 Platinum Extreme models, which were also exceptionally...

This rich, dark red hails from the Limoux region of Southern France.  With sufficient aroma, the Le Grand Pinot Noir 2009's nose consists of delightful red berries, cherries, raspberries, currants, and a note of fig.  The wine is rounded, and delights the taste buds with exploding flavors of red berries, cherries, and currants.  Its semi-spicy kick is nicely countered by...

With appropriately-matched, quality wine glasses like Riedel Sommelier Wine Glasses or Riedel Vinum Extreme Wine Glasses, it is not only easier to notice the characteristic fragrances and tastes of your selected wine, it is also easier to see the beauty of your delicate beverage.  With a clear wine glass, the clarity, color and depth of your wine are highlighted like...

Rieslings are fantastic wines that wear many hats.  Often referred to as being a “chameleon grape”, Riesling grapes really do play many roles.  In fact, the wines they produce range from those that are completely dry to wines that are insatiably sweet!  While “Zinfandel” makes us think of California, “Riesling” instantly brings Germany to mind, though good Rieslings can be...

There really is no substitute to being a part of a friendly group of wine tasters!  Not only do you come to know one another’s preferences, you are also exposed to numerous wines you might not try if left to your own devices.  In addition to broadening your horizons, your close group of enthusiastic wine peers can make recommendations based...

I picked up a bottle of Cantine San Silvestro’s “Ottone I” Piemont doc Barbera 2009 the other night on a whim, not sure what to expect.  Consisting of 100% pure Barbera grapes from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, this full red was simply bursting with big fruit flavors.  Ruby red in color with a soft-but-sound nose including black raspberry...

In a previous post, Dine With Open Wine, we discussed some of the benefits of decanting wine.  While it’s one thing to read about what decanting does to a wine, experiencing it is another matter.  And what better way to experience the dramatic impact decanting has than to conduct your own comparison of decanted and non-decanted wine at home, or...

While having your own wine cellar is ideal for storing and managing large wine collections, there may be times when it’s preferable to have select bottles close at hand.  Say, for instance, you use a lot of wine in the kitchen and want some of your wine stored in an easy-to-access location.  Or, perhaps you want to have some nice...

Have a question about how wine cooling systems work?  Wondering about the similarities and differences between various wine racks and wine racking kits?  Need help choosing the right wine cabinet for your needs and living space?  Perhaps you simply want to learn more about how wine preservation systems work to keep your open bottles as fresh as possible?  Now is...

Whether or not we like to admit it, wine tasting is a subjective experience.  We all have different palates when it comes to food, music, movies, and entertainment, and we're certainly not built alike when it comes to enjoying wine.  Confessing you dislike a 92 point wine is no crime, and it does not label you a philistine.  It’s important...

Here’s a fast and easy chicken recipe that’s perfect for a quick, healthy meal in!  You’ll need: 2 to 4 boneless chicken breasts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 4 cloves of finely-chopped garlic (minced garlic will also do), 2 tablespoons of corn starch, 1/2 cup dry white wine (your choice), and the juice of a freshly-squeezed lemon. Wash your boneless...

The delicious, first-class 2007 Forefront Cabernet Sauvignon pours out a regal, dark purple.  With a powerful nose consisting of aromas including blueberries, raspberries, slight truffle, leather, and light vegetable notes, this scintillating wine pleases before it is even sipped.  On the tongue, it certainly demands attention, too!  Surprisingly well-balanced for such a young Cabernet, it is mouth-watering, rich, and meaty...

If you've seen the film Grumpier Old Men, what was your reaction when Walter Matthau introduced Sophia Loren to wine in a box?  While boxed wines used to be cheap and über sweet White Zins (or fruit-flavored abominations!), today there are some boxed wines that are pretty decent.  I've been pleasantly surprised by a few at recent tastings, those...

“Do you decant Port?” is a question that often arises in whispered tones.  Though literature on the subject of decanting this special wine is extensive, most folks aren’t aware of it, and those who are are often scared off by the seeming complexity and effort such decanting--and timing-- entails. The other night I enjoyed a fantastic glass of Dow's Late...

Here’s a spectacular, summertime recipe for slow cookers & Crock Pots--an alternative to firing up the grill on a hot day. With just a few minutes of prep time (followed by 8 hours simmering in a slow cooker) you can prepare a delicious mix of red wine and flavorful ribs that seem to melt in your mouth! All you need...

Recently, we recommended serving a Cabernet with steak and butter-rich foods, partly because of the wine’s tannins.  But what are tannins, actually? Tannins are polyphenolic compounds naturally found in plants that bind to proteins and other organic compounds.  In other words,  they are naturally found in the skins, stems, and leaves of grapes, and they are attracted to proteins, like...

It sometimes happens that we get fantastic wine recommendations we just have to pass along, and here are two by Natalie Maclean, the creator of the useful app Nat Decants we reviewed in May.  In a recent a e-mail, Natalie suggested we try the 2010 Sileni Estates Sauvignon Blanc Selection, and the 2009 Perrin Les Cornuds Vinsobres.  Here’s what Natalie...

Several of Vintage Cellars' products are ETL-certified (see our Education Center article about ETL for more information about the certification), but three of the new Monterey WineKeeper products are our first WineKeeper Wine Preservers & Dispensers to be tested and approved by Intertek's Electrical Testing Labs! Feel confident that our Monterey 4-Bottle ETL WineKeeper, Monterey 8-Bottle ETL WineKeeper, and Monterey...

For those of us working hard to incorporate more veggies in our diets, here’s a fun recipe that uses a variety of tasty produce as well as your favorite dry, red wine.  Think veggies and reds don’t mix?  Think again!  Here’s what you need: 1 potato chopped into cubes (each about 1”) 1 carrot, chopped 1 onion (white), chopped 2...

When was the last time you ran a moistened finger along the rim of a crystal wine glass, making it sing?  Perhaps, after reading this post, you’ll give it a try tonight! Concerts of “glass music” produced by this same technique used to be all the rage in Europe.  There were even performers, like the blind Marianne Kirchgessner, with entire...