Wine accessories are important components of wine appreciation. Accessories such as wine glasses, wine openers, wine chillers and wine decanters are some common ones. Wine is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grapes or grape juice. ... A decanter is a vessel used for holding the results of decantation where the liquid from another vessel is poured into the decanter and the liquid with sediment is left in the original vessel. ...

Wine glasses

Wine glasses are the most essential wine accessory, yet their nature is often overlooked. The most common question asked regarding wine glasses is: "Does it make a difference what kind of glass you drink the wine from?" The answer is "Yes".

Materials Wine glasses made of fused or cut glass will often interfere with the flavor of the wine, as well as creating a rough, thick lip, from which it is not as pleasurable to drink. Blown glass results in a better vessel, with a thinner lip, and is usually acceptable for casual wine drinkers. High quality wine glasses are made of crystal, which is porous and helps to aerate the wine. For the most enjoyable wine-drinking experience, only crystal stemware should be used.

Shapes The shape of the glass is also very important, as it concentrates the aroma (or bouquet) to emphasise the varietal's characteristic. The shape of the glass also directs the wine itself into the best area of the mouth for the varietal. Except for the wine connoisseur, wine glasses can be divided into two types: red wine glasses and white wine glasses. Glasses for red wine are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, which gives the wine a chance to breathe. Since most reds are meant to be consumed at room temperature, the wider bowl also allows the wine to cool more quickly after hand contact has warmed it. White wine glasses are generally narrower, although not as narrow as champagne flutes, with somewhat straight or tulip-shaped sides. The narrowness of the white wine glass allows the chilled wine to retain its temperature for two reasons. 1) The reduced surface area of the glass (in comparison to red wine glasses) means less air circulating around the glass and warming the wine. 2) The smaller bowl of the glass means less contact between the hand and the glass, and so body heat does not transfer as easily to the wine.

Glass shapes specific to certain wine varieties include: Beaujolais Bordeaux Burgundy Chardonnay

Wine Opener

The wine opener will generally be considered an essential rather than an optional accessory. There are many different inceptions of the wine opener ranging from the simple corkscrew to complicated carbon dioxide driven openers. The most popular is the wine key or "waiter's friend" which resembles a pocket knife and has a small blade for cutting foil and a screw with a bottle brace.

Wine coolers

Wine coolers are helpful for enthusiasts who enjoy having wine served chilled throughout dinner; especially in locations where temperatures are relatively high. Wine coolers are more appropriate for white, rose or sparkling wines which are usually served chilled.

Wine decanters

Wine decanters are important when serving older vintages which are more likely to accumulate sediment in the process of aging. Decanting has the added benefit of aerating the wine, helping it to maximise the surface area, thereby introducing more oxygen which improves the bouquet and taste.

Different types of decanters should be used for different varieties of wine. Port, in particular, should be decanted in a vessel with a wide, flat bottom.