Wine
For the love of wine
How to take care of your wine
Show your wine the love it deserves by providing it with the right conditions to thrive. From a wine cabinet to the best glassware, you can take your wine enjoyment to new heights!
Wine has always been a delicious tug of war between art and science. Before science had advanced sufficiently to explain its inputs properly, wine was a form of artistry that verged on the magical.
Today, science’s role in turning juice into wine is clear; also clear are the environmental forces that influence the gradual changes that occur as wine slowly evolves to become a bottle of liquid treasure.
The maturation of wine occurs at a snail’s pace, with some wines remaining in stasis for years before evolving to reveal their true character. This pace cannot be sped up, and is best serviced by removing the things that could prematurely advance maturation and upset the fine balance needed to create harmony. Wine’s enemies are temperature, vibration, humidity and light.
Creating an environment where all four of these influences can be controlled and stabilised is paramount and when it comes to doing that in Australia, heat, and the sharp fluctuation of it, needs to be first on the agenda.
Cabinet = Assured Security
In Australia, where serious fluctuations of temperature occur daily, a wine cabinet is your best alternative to an underground cellar.
When it comes to choosing, think about what you need versus what you want. Is your cabinet mostly for reds, do you need temperature zones? How often will you be opening your cabinet? What about bottle sizes and configurations? Putting thought into your needs can really help you navigate the range of possibilities.
Liebherr is a German-based heavyweight that design cabinets that go the extra mile. Among their innovations, Liebherr’s engineers mount compressors on ‘isolation blocks’ to ensure movement is minimised and double tinted and triple glazed glass is used to prevent harmful light.
For over 20 years, Vintec been focussed on the total experience of cellaring. Vintec owners can join the Vintec Club, where they get exclusive access to content, invitations to tastings and events, special pricing and access to OENO, Vintec’s virtual cellar management app.
Fisher & Paykel have worked extensively to produce a range of cabinets that can stand alone or integrate into an overall kitchen design to create a wine, art, kitchen showcase. Built as columns, they join with similarly designed refrigerators and freezers with a stylishly flush fit.
Beyond the Bottle
When the liquid leaves the bottle, having a glass that accentuates and lifts the aromatics of the variety is critical to getting the most out of your wine. Some folk have specific glasses for specific purposes, some have well thought out ‘all-rounders’ that suit all.
Schott Zwiesel’s range of glasses are more than up to any vinous task, and they apply Titanium throughout the construction process to create incredibly durable results.
Plumm is an Australian company that is focussed on bringing the restaurant experience into the home by developing the shapes and styles of their glasses in collaboration with leading Australian Sommeliers.
When it comes to taking care of your glassware, Smeg has built a ‘Planetary’ wash system that generates more vertical, angular and horizontal wash coverage to ensure more of your glass gets washed.
If you’re looking to extend the life of your wine, Coravin has come to the party with an innovative use of Argon gas that allows you to extract a single pour from a bottle without exposing the remaining liquid to oxygen, ensuring that the remaining liquid stays fresh, even in Sparkling and Champagne!