Why not give Dad some smart looking whisky glasses or a box of 6 stylish beer glasses. Maybe he’s a fan of noting down his favourite wines and grape types so what’s more suitable than the ever popular Wine Journal. We have a seemingly everlasting selection of other wine accessories suitable for your old man from pourers to funnels to aerators to coolers.

Maybe Mum could be treated to a fancy cheese board or some long fluted champagne glasses. Even better might be some modern handmade lifestyle martini / cocktail glasses produced by world re-known manufacture LSA International. You’d really impress your Mum when she un-wraps a beautiful Decanter or a stainless steel wine cooler for her favourite White Wine.

Whatever you happen to choose for your loved ones this Christmas, we hope it is as enjoyable as ever. Everyone at Wineware is wishing you a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year, Happy Christmas.

December is a month that tends to see a lot of celebration and parties because not only do we celebrate Christmas, but we also welcome in the New Year. New Year’s Eve Parties are thrown, up and down the country as well as throughout the day across the world globally due to time differences. Champagne is typically drunk on the stroke of midnight as it’s seen as the celebration drink of choice, (well that and Cava!). Party poppers are ‘popped’ and drinks are spilt and Auld Lang Syne is sung (not very) tunefully. If you’re holding a New Year’s Eve party then I congratulate you now. You’ll not only have a banging headache to deal with but you’ll most certainly have a house to clean up too!

Champagne is always a tricky bottle to open if you’ve not got the necessary skills or technique and the last thing you want or need is to spill it all over the carpet! Well now help is at hand as we’ve got a few products that can definitely impress your friends and hopefully keep most of the bubbly drinkable.

The Champagne Opener is a very simple device; essentially it’s an all in one clamp style system that allows you to remove the foil, the wire, and the cork in just a few seconds. It also has a great safety feature that keeps the cork firmly by your side, rather than allowing it to go shooting off across the room and smacking into someone’s head!

VacuVin’s Champagne Saver is designed to keep the champagnes bubbles and minimise the oxidation process. Once the saver is locked onto the bottle, the handle opens to allow perfect, non-drip pouring and closes to keep the champagne fresh. The Saver fits most Champagne bottles and is a must have for any champagne drinker.

Our large and varied selection of Champagne Glasses starts from as little as £2.90 a stem. Most champagne glasses are available singly or either in boxes of 2 or 6, depending on the manufacture and range of glass. Whether it’s the traditional flute style or the modern twist of champagne saucer, we’ve got plenty to choose from and you can really impress your friends.

Finally, no party is complete without the VacuVin Glass Markers. There’s nothing worse than putting your glass down at a party, go to pick it up again and it’s gone, totally disappeared! To prevent this from occurring, simple place a unique glass marker character onto your glass, bottle or can and then you know exactly which one is yours! We’ve got 4 different packs to choose from with 12 characters in each so there’s very rarely any crossing over. The only downside is that they’ll probably stick around longer than most guests!

Of course we’ve all seen bottle collars before, scrappy bits of card held on by a piece of elastic or a piece of paper which fastens on ok but the text is still barely visible to the naked eye. Well, this printed booklet does away with that; as the name suggests, they can fit a whole Little Book onto every bottle and as it folds out to many times its original size you’re not confined by space meaning your message can be read easily, kept, and referred to again and again.

Discover Chilean Wine with a Walking Holiday in Chile

We prefer the more intimate, active holidays that give the space and time to walk through a wine region, drinking in the atmosphere and sampling the local food as well as tasting the wines.   This approach is nowhere better rewarded than in Chile.    It’s said that when God finished making the world, he put all the bits he had left over – mountains, lakes, spectacular waterfalls, meadows, deserts, glaciers – into Chile.   It is one of the world’s great producers of wines and the ideal location for walking holidays as you only have to go a very short distance to experience dramatic changes in scenery and climate. Chile was never affected by the 19th century phylloxera epidemic which cut swathes through European vineyards. As a result, it kept its precious old growth vines introduced by the Spanish colonists of the 16th century.

Chile is a country blessed with a unique geography.  It’s long and thin with the high Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west and a climate moderated by the cool Humbolt Current rising up from Antarctica. There’s a huge diversity in soils and climates in the relatively short distance from east to west and the character of a Chilean wine is mainly influenced by its proximity to the Andes or the Pacific rather than the terroir’s distance north or south in the country.  Chile offers ideal conditions for a very broad range of grape varieties including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling Viognier, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Carmenere varietal (a rich red) is unique to Chile.

Chile Holidays will introduce you to a superb range of wine and Chilean cuisine, famed for the diversity of its seafood thanks to 4,270 km of coastline.  Typical  mainland Chilean dishes include Empanada de Pino, a type of pastie filled with diced meat, onions, olive, raisins and hard-boiled egg or Pastel de Choclo, a typical Chilean summer dish similar to shepherd’s pie made from ground corn and meat, chopped onions small pieces of chicken, olives and  raisins.  Curanto en Hoyo is a typical dish from the south of Chile prepared by heating fish, seafood, potatoes, meat and bread over red hot rocks then wrapping in big leaves and burying in the ground so that it slowly cooks over a number of hours.

Teeth in red wine

So what does White wine actually do to teeth?

It should be pointed out that the erosion of teeth by wine is the result of extensive wine use that would also lead to damaged liver and all sorts of other problems. The typical wine drinker who sips a glass of wine at dinner or with their evening meal should not be ‘scared off’ by the tooth decay headlines, remember 100 year old women in Italy swear that wine was the secret of their longevity.

Close up of white teeth

White wine stains teeth:

I think that anyone who has drank a few glasses of Red would agree that, yes, it does. But have you ever thought how? “Red wine, unlike white, contains a highly-pigmented substance known as chromogen,” explained Dr. Wolff of the New York University College of Dentistry, they goes on to explain that “The acids in wine create rough spots and grooves that enable chemicals in other beverages that cause staining, such as coffee and tea, to penetrate deeper into the tooth”.

Notice that Dr Wolff said wine and not simply White wine, all wine has the ability to cause dental erosion, only Red wine has the added ability to show this on your teeth.

woman brushing her teeth

How can you stop this erosion?

1) Alkaline mouthwashes are highly recommended
2) Proper brushing of your teeth with a soft tooth brush is encouraged.
3) Drinking with food is also a good idea as acidic food starts a natural reaction called tooth remineralisation—a salivary function that’s helps restore the teeth’s balance.
4) To help the remineralisation work, wait 30 mins after eating before brushing your teeth.
5) Cheese can also help as it contains calcium in a high concentration

I hope this is helped a little towards taking away the fear factor of White wine.

Think I need a drink after all that

Each month, we publish via the blog our Top 10 best selling online products, it’s a good way to show how popular some of products are and it always brings up a few surprises! Unfortunately I haven’t done one of these Top 10 blogs for a while, as to be honest, I had forgotten I used to do them!

The number one product of the month is the very popular glass markers from VacuVin. I can’t believe how many of these little gems we sell! It’s such a good and very simple idea; they are effective and do exactly what they say! The packaging is smart and slick and with 3 different theme choices (Party People, Christmas Crowd and Creepy Creatures) you can’t go wrong!

So below is a list from 1-10 (1 being the most popular product) of our best selling wine accessories for September 2009.

1. VacuVin Glass Markers Party People (6211)

2. The Glencairn Official Whisky Glass (GC6)

3. Wine Bottle Neck Tags Card x 100 (7022)

4. Wineware Cleaning Glass Cloth (GLASS-CLOTH)

5. Wine Glass Storage Box, 24 Cell, With Lid 190mm High (5005)

6. Wine Bottle Travel Bag (7130)

7. Eisch Decanter Cleaning Balls (943/1)

8. Wine Decanter Cleaning Brush (7230)

9. Black Plastic Standard Spittoon (3273)

10. Leather Bond Wine Log (7015)

Don’t forget, FREE Delivery on all orders over £50.00! (Excludes Traditional Wine Racks)

This years Fathers Day (21st June 2009) falls the day before the start of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, so instead of getting him a ticket for the opening days play, how about some wine related gifts!?

Here in the Wineware office, we’ve compiled a list of our Top 10 Fathers Day ideas ranging from brandy glasses to wooden wine racks to wine quizzes!

Below is the list of 10 great products of which we’re sure your Dad will enjoy!

1 – Quadro Square Whisky Decanter (4160)

A classic that that adds character to any kitchen or living room, but also won’t look out of place on a piece of bedroom furniture such as bedside tables or dressers.

Height: 260mm
Capacity: 0.75L

24% Lead Crystal, Machine Made in Italy.

Price: £39.95

2 – The Glencairn Official Whisky Two Glass Set (GC2)

In the long and illustrious history of whisky, there has never been a single definitive glass that the Whisky World could call its own.

The time and effort put into all this development was rewarded in 2006 when the Glencairn Glasses won The Queen’s Award for Innovation.

The Glencairn Two Glass Whisky set is supplied in an attractive blue box with blue silk style material inlay.

Height: 114mm
Capacity: 17cl

Lead Free Crystal

Price per twin set: £12.95

3 – Modularack Wine Rack 36 (MOD36)

The Modularack 36 stores 36 bottles of wine in 4 x 9 formation. Modularack Pine Wine Racks are imported from Australia exclusively by ourselves and are the most versatile and easily assembled racking system available. Manufactured from plantation grown Australian pine, a unique hardwood that will not dent, turn yellow or fade. Whether you are storing 10,000 bottles or only a dozen, Modularacks are ideal!

No tools required – pieces simply fit together / All sizes available in Natural Pine or Dark Stain.

This product is exclusive to Wineware in the UK

Price: £60.71

4 – World Wine Challenge (WWC)

The World Wine Challenge CD for the PC makes it fun to test your knowledge and learn more about fine wines. Spin the globe to land on one of the World’s great wine regions and field challenging questions about its wines.

Price: £12.95

5 – Riedel Vinum Two Glass Malt Whisky Set (6416/80)

Height: 115mm 4 1/2″
Capacity: 200ccm 7 oz

Machine Made, Lead Crystal

Recommended for: Single Malt Whisky, Whisky.

Price per box of 2: £34.90

6 – Decanter 9 Bottle Wine Rack (DC/BH9)

Made from stainless steel with a satin finish and wood trim, this wine rack can store up to 9 bottles. When not in use simply twist to fold away for easy storage.

Height: 280mm
Width: 330mm

Price: £12.99

7 – Wine Quiz (LDV810333)

The Quiz du Vin (Wine Quiz) has been produced with the help of wine experts.

Its aim is to make you practically unbeatable in all aspects of wine knowledge, and therefore totally fascinating in society.

It will also be especially useful to increase the pleasure you will derive from tasting and sharing good wines.

The better you know the world of wine, the better you will be able to appreciate and discuss wine.
Scoring sheets included.

Price: £23.50

8 – Leather Bound Wine Log (7015)

Wine Log, Cellar Book, Tasting Journal

Wine Tasting Basics, A simple guide for accessing wine. Includes a glossary of over 300 tasting terms, a wine cellar guide and wine temperature serving information. Organise and catalogue fine wines for greater value and enjoyment. With the thousands of wines available, you need a place to keep notes on the interesting wines you taste. The journal is Hardback with a black cover and gold embossing.

Price: £14.75

9 – Clef Du Vin Pocket Model, Elegance Collection (7027)

Works in the same way as the Professional model but the Elegance model has wooden decoration on the handle. Comes in a wooden box with full instructions.

Price: £79.00

10 – Wine Tasting Set (WTS)

This set includes:
- Blind Tasting Covers (Pack of 10) (4003) / RRP: £19.95
Pack contains 10 individually numbered, woven cloth Blind Tasting bottle covers, each with a velcro strap.

- ISO Tasting Wine Glasses Box of 6 (5102) / RRP: £19.00
This size tasting glass is the generally recognized size for wine tasting courses.

Height: 155mm 6 1/8″
Capacity: 21.5 cl 7 1/4 fl oz size
Rim Diameter: 46mm 1 3/4″

- 10 x Slow Pourers (4205/6) / RRP: £2.60
Stopper part placed in neck literally slows down the rate of flow from the bottle. Ideal at busy tastings in reducing over pouring. This model fits most screwcaps. Cap fits on stopper when not in use (but is not designed to prevent spillage if bottle is laid on side, in fridge for example).

- Wine Spittoon (3273) / RRP: £12.50

Price: £48.65

As ever, we are looking at increasing the quantity and quality of new and existing wine related products we provide. We will be looking far and wide to offer the best wine accessories possible!

The latest products we are now offering are Hand Made Oak Wine Cabinets. Beautifully crafted in the UK, our Wine Cabinets would look great in any lounge or dining area. They are available in different shapes and sizes, ranging from 12 bottles to 50 bottles. Unfortunately you cannot currently purchase these online, but you can however over the phone. We hope this will change within the coming weeks. We have also been looking at another interesting range of wine glasses that we will be introducing as soon as we can.

Finally, representatives from Wineware R & A will be attending the Spring Fair International 09 at the NEC on Wednesday 4th February.

Click here for more information about our Hand Made Wine Cabinets.

Well we haven’t exactly opened an overseas Wineware shop! Customers are now able to purchase products online and have them shipped overseas (from UK) to a country of their choice with ease, no quotes involved anymore! Gone are the days of countless emails requesting products to be shipped abroad and for prices for delivery.

The new system is now up and running so our overseas customers can enjoy the vast amount of Wine Accessories available at Wineware. Therefore customers in Denmark can now purchase a Corkscrew, Australians can buy our Wine Decanters and Wine Bottle Neck Tags can be shipped to Malta!

Either the Royal Mail or Parcelforce, depending on the size and weights of the goods, dispatches products that are being sent overseas.

We may be able to help in respect of the supply of Schott Zwiesel, Riedel Glassware, Dartington, Nachtmann and Screwpull as most ranges of these companies are either kept constantly in stock by ourselves, (if in stock and ordered before 12:00 noon Monday to Friday we usually dispatch the same day). Or are generally easily obtainable at relatively short notice. 

Whilst we cannot unfortunately help with current financial issues we may be able to assist with new purchases and the supp and delivery of such products.