When it comes to wine, most beginners neglect getting the proper tools.

But the right tools can transform your wine drinking experience. They can make drinking, storing, and enjoying wine easier. And these helpful wine tools, aren’t expensive either.

So, let’s dive into 7 proven, affordable wine tools every wine beginner should own.

wine glass and mug for drinking - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — A glass means it’s thinking time, a mug means it’s drinking time.

A Dedicated Wine Glass Can Put You In The Right Frame Of Mind

Don’t get me wrong, you can drink out of anything. But having a dedicated wine glass changes your drinking experience.

When I pulled out my special glass to drink a delicious bottle of wine, it put me in the right frame of mind to drink with purpose, instead of just getting a buzz. I would taste and take a few wine notes in my wine journal. When I didn’t have my glass, I’d go through the motions, and I wouldn’t learn anything.

Your dedicated glass can be a signal that it’s time to learn instead of time to party.

decanter - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — A chemistry glass is a perfect replacement for a fancy, expensive decanter

Decant Your Wine In A Cheap Chemistry Flask To Enhance The Aromas

Here’s why you need a decanter.

To get air into the wine to show off its aromas and flavors
To remove sediment from the wine so its not gritty on your teeth

The coolest (in my opinion), cheapest option is using an 1000mL Erlenmeyer Flask. For around $9 USD, your wine can look like it’s out of the laboratory. Also, you can tell how much you’ve drank thanks to the measurement markings on the glass side.

Try decanting your next bottle of wine to see if it improves with the extra air.

great wine opener - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — Quit fighting bottles. Get a wine opener that makes the hardest part about drinking easier.

A Great Wine Opener Makes Popping Bottles Easy

You’re going to need something to crack bottles without a fuss.

If you have an old, flimsy wine opener lying around, it’s time for an upgrade. I’m a huge fan of the Hi Coup Wine Opener. It has a double stop, which is great for pesky corks, and a sharp blade to help remove foil.

With a great wine opener, you can easily open bottles and get to the fun part: drinking.

chiller vs ice bucket - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — A wine chiller is like an ice bucket without all the wetness.

A Wine Chiller Keeps Your Wine At The Ideal Temperature

Keeping your wine at the right temperature is crucial to wine enjoyment.

When wine is too hot or too cold, it changes the way you experience it. A wine chiller sleeve helps you keep your wine at the desired temperature. And since it’s an insulated sleeve, there’s no soggy, wet labels like an ice bucket.

Wine chillers sleeves are small and easily store in your freezer to help you chill your wine quickly.

champagne stopper - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — Spoons don’t work! Spend a couple bucks and buy a champagne stopper.

Unlike A Spoon, A Champagne Stopper Will Keep The Bubbles in Your Bottle

Finishing Champagne is rarely a problem. But what happens when you crack an extra bottle of bubbles and you don’t want to pour it out?

A champagne stopper is a lifesaver, and it works—unlike a spoon. In fact, once you use a stopper, you’ll wonder how you lived life without it. It just closes on top of the bottle, and it keeps the bubbles around for a few extra days.

For a couple bucks, you can save your bubbles and enjoy them for a bit longer.

journal - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — ABJ. Always. Be. Journaling.

A Wine Journal Helps Your Remember What You Drank and When

Hint, hint. Can you tell this is important yet?

Like a dedicated wine glass, your wine journal is another reminder that it’s time to taste and think about wine.

Even if you do nothing more than keep track of what you’re drinking and where, you’re going to improve your memory about the wine.

So grab a legal pad or your notes app on your phone and start writing about the wines you’re drinking.

vaccuvin - wine blueprint - illustrations.png — A wine pump helps keep your wine fresher for longer

A Wine Pump Locks In Flavors So You Can Enjoy Wine For Days

A Vacu Vin Wine Saver can keep your wine fresh for a few more days.

It’s inexpensive, but it’s so valuable for when you’re tasting wines. This handy little pump and stopper pull the air out of the wine bottle to protect it. A cork will let more air in and out of the bottle making the aromas and flavors dissipate faster.

You don’t need to bother with the more expensive stuff, because at the small price tag this vacuum wine pump outperforms so many other systems.

Free Run Juice

*free-run juice is a wine term for the grape juice that comes from their own weight prior to pressing. These are weekly tidbits that came out from my own wine reading.

Wine Scandal Alert: Ponzi Scheme

A British duo scammed nearly a $100MM from wine investors based in the US.

The fine wine game is full of opportunity for a cons. Another great reason to learn about wine and keep your spending habits low. 😄

What Happens When You Pretend To Be A Wine Snob

There is an an inherent danger in acting like a know-it-all. But this is also how I feel any time I try to pronounce any French wine words.

Ready to commit to wine learning?

Increase your wine confidence one weekly newsletter at a time.

New issue comes out every Friday

Unsubscribe at any time.