As a continuation and follow up to the preceding article, “Essential Wine Accessories,” it is important to discuss some other fun and no so essential accessories for those looking to expand their wine on drinking experience.

Wine pourers are mostly made from clear plastic and fit into the neck of a bottle of wine. The pouring surface is designed to prevent dripping when pouring, for those with an unsteady hand or have had a glass or two already, by returning any excess wine back to the bottle. This can be very handy for those trying to prevent red wine stains on furniture and carpets that are not already red in color!

Decanters allow red wine to breathe, enhancing flavor and bouquet. Created from glass or crystal, decanters have a narrow neck, which leads to a very wide base. This wide base allows more wine to come in contact with the air, letting it breathe before drinking. Decanters are not a necessity but are a very practical addition for those interested in enhancing the flavor of their red wine.

A bottle tote is also a great accessory to have when going out on a picnic or to bring a cold bottle of wine with you to a dinner party. They can be made from a variety of thermal materials including neoprene (the same material diving wetsuits are made from), which keep a bottle cool for hours, something handy if you are going to be out and don’t want that nice chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to warm up before you have had a chance to drink it.

How many times have you been at a dinner party and have had to juggle your plate and glass, having to find a place to set your wine down so you can take a bite of something? Mingling plates are the perfect solution for those dinner or cocktail parties when a third hand is essential. With a slot and hole on the side of the plate, a wine glass stem can be inserted so that the glass is resting on the side of the plate. This leaves your hand free to eat without needing set your glass down.

A personal favorite not so essential accessory is a wine chiller or wine refrigerator. Wine chillers can come in a variety of colors, finishes and capacities to fit your desires. Available in a variety of sizes and many small enough to fit on or under a kitchen counter, most have gauges, which allow you to set the chilling temperature according to the type of wine being chilled. That way if you are using your wine refrigerator to store and chill red wine (because red wine should best be served at a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit), the temperature can be adjusted so that bottles are not chilled as if they were white!

The list of wine accessories can appear to be endless. While nowhere near all of them have been touched upon, hopefully this article was helpful in deciding which not so essential wine accessories are more essential than others.