Have you read our January/February issue’s Celebrate article “Sip & Savor”? Robust Wine Bar & Café co-owner and sommelier Stanley Browne and Chef Eric Brenner give SLHL readers insight on how to host a lavish wine tasting soirée. On Thursday, January 19, you’re invited to experience Stanley’s expertise in person at the SLHL Cooking School with Robust Wine Bar & Café. Guests will sample special cuisine by Chef Eric and benefit from Stanley’s vast wine knowledge and education. In anticipation of the tasting, the SLHL staff share our favorite wine-related items, accessories and gadgets. Cheers!
1. Riedel Duck Decanter from Williams-Sonoma. “In our recent ‘Celebrate’ article, Stanley Browne, co-owner and sommelier of Robust Wine Bar & Café, has a wine decanter similar to a Riedel Duck Decanter from Williams-Sonoma. Truly an artist’s take on a chic way to aerate wine, the sculptural design surely makes it a topic of conversation among guests.” – Lauren Schrader, Art Director (Photo courtesy of www.williams-sonoma.com)
2. Founders Standing Wine Opener from Pottery Barn. “My grandparents have a standing wine opener just like this one. It looks vintage and works great if you know how to use it! My cousin and I didn’t know how it worked over the Christmas holiday and shoved the cork all-the-way into the bottle. Oops! My grandpa had to come show us how to open another bottle and it worked! I totally recommend this product if you are an expert wine owner. However, I might want to take a few lessons before I try it again!” – Lauren Morris, Marketing Intern (Photo courtesy of www.potterybarn.com)
3. Rapid Beverage Cooler from World Market. “Bottles of wine don’t tend to have a very long, ahem, shelf life in my house. This makes it rather difficult to keep a stylish wine rack stocked with various vintages, but a vino related tool that would see a lot of use would be this rapid beverage cooler. While I’m personally more of a red wine fan, I would certainly enjoy a glass of crisp, slightly sweet riesling, chilled to perfection in under 10 minutes flat.” – Liz Miller, Assistant Editor (Photo courtesy of www.worldmarket.com)
4. Branch Wall-Mount Wine Rack from Pottery Barn. “On the wall of my college-traditional studio apartment hangs a wine rack. It’s made with an obscure design material, but maybe you’ve heard of it — plastic? The ‘I’ is long, you know. Although I love my homemade, Frankenstein wine rack, I can’t wait to graduate and trade up with grown-up funds. The first addition to my kitchen will be this unique, simple rack to add a touch of class.” – Megan Farokmanesh, Editorial Intern (Photo courtesy of www.potterybarn.com)
5. Vinturi Red Wine Aerator from Sur La Table. ”With the Vinturi Wine Aerator, you can enhance the flavor of a bottle of wine for a smoother finish, all while pouring your guests a glass. Its simplicity makes this tool a must-have for a wine tasting party.” – Melanie Barnes, Editorial Intern (Photo courtesy of www.surlatable.com)
(Photo Courtesy of www.atwestend.com)
