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WINE COUNTRY NEWS | WINE COUNTRY THIS WEEKWine Gadgets Galore Available at Wine HardwareThese days just loving wine isn’t enough. To really get the most outof your wine purchases, you need to aerate, preserve and pamperthose precious bottles. Luckily, the Wine Hardware stores in Sonoma,St. Helena, Walnut Creek and South San Francisco have all the latestand greatest gadgets to complete your wine paraphernalia collection.Most wines can use the “refinement” that comes with allowing airto soften the tannins, and with the use of some new and amazingdevices, the task of aerating can be accomplished nearly instantly.One of the most popular is the Vinturi, a handy little number thatis simple to use and very effective. Billed by its manufacturer asproviding “all the taste, none of the wait,” the Vinturi does the workof a decanter in a matter of seconds. You simply hold the deviceover a glass, pour the wine through it and the Vinturi draws in andmixes the perfect amount of air needed to allow the wine the“breathe” in the blink of an eye. No swirling required. Another interestingaeration tool is the BevWizard. As Elliot MacKay, Wine Hardware’smarketing vice president says, “It makes a two buck chuckinto a ten buck chuck.” With everyone watching their bucks thesedays, this is a wine tool that is seeing a lot of use. The design utilizesmagnets encased in a plastic pouring spout that provide a highintensitymagnetic field that softens tannins and gives even inexpensivewine that silky mouth feel that you get with more priceyvintages. There are many other aeration devices, including a versionfrom Italy called Centellino, as well as the Soiree and the Decantus,just to name a few. All are effective means of insuring that even yourbargain purchases will provide you with a smooth, rich glass ofwine.But suppose that you’ve enjoyed a glass or two of properly aeratedwine and wish to save the rest for later. Wine Hardware has a numberof fabulous new preservation tools that will keep your wines sealedand safe for days, weeks or even months. The Wine Shield is one ofthe newest devices on the market today, offering an inexpensive andyet highly effective way to preserve your opened bottles. This simpleand yet ingenious product will keep wine fresh for up to five days.The uncomplicated beauty of the Wine Shield is amazing. Just slipone of these little plastic discs into your wine bottle and it will floaton top of the wine, creating a barrier between the wine and the airspace in the bottle. At only $6.95 for a pack of ten discs, it is also oneof the less expensive wine preservation tools on the market today. Fora more long lasting preservation system, Wine Saver Pro is a fivebottle, closed Argon wine dispensing system that provides a naturalArgon barrier against oxidation that can last for months.A couple more handy innovations are portable ice buckets, like theKoolVino and the IceBag. These reusable bags are perfect for keepingyour wines chilled when picnicking, at parties or poolside.These and other wonderful new products are great ways in whichto enhance your enjoyment of your wine purchases and make excellentpresents for the oenophile on your holiday gift list.To check out these products or to find a Wine Hardware near you,visit www.winehardware.com.2 for 1 on Any Tastingincluding the Single Vineyard tastingSAVE UP TO $25“Best Boutique Winery& Local Winemaker”two years in a row2867 St. Helena North, St. Helena707-265-5000www.stclement.com18www.WineCountryThisWeek.com