Vaccuum Pump

B240 from Emporium Wine Cellar

Wines that stay opened, even with the cork shoved back in and stuck in the fridge, rapidly deteriorate and lose their flavor in a day or two. That’s where this handy (and cheap!) gadget comes in. Stick one of the rubber corks into the bottle, fit the pump over it and pump away until it feels nice and tight. Now your opened bottle may last up to a week without compromising too much of its initial flavor.

Thermometer

B1,850 from Emporium

Most red wines that suggest serving at room temperature mean European room temperature, not mid-April Bangkok room temperature. Even white wine, which you should serve a great deal cooler than red, won’t reveal as much of its aroma and flavor if it’s too cold. Following the suggested temperature of individual wines greatly enhances your enjoyment, and this very sexy thermometer will also make you look super knowledgeable.

Aerator

B480 from Wine Connection

This cute, funnel-like, rustic aerator goes over your glass or a decanter before you pour in the wine. The many holes increase the surface area of the wine that comes into contact with the air, thus speeding up the breathing process. Many wines will need a bit more breathing than this supplies, but it should work nicely with full-bodied red grapes that are meant to be drunk immediately. Don’t try this with decades-old, super delicate wines, though.

Carafe

B1,600 from Wine Loft

You’ve seen these at Italian restaurants. Carafes are a nice, slick way of serving your wine, particularly if the color is especially beautiful (or if you bought a super cheapo bottle and don’t want anyone seeing the label). Incidentally, the process of pouring your wine out of a bottle and into the carafe will air it out a bit, too.

Decanter

B900 from Wine Connection

If you need some more intensive breathing action for your wine, opt for a wide-bottomed decanter instead of a carafe, especially if the wine you’re drinking has some sediment. The wide base will not only collect the sediment and let it settle to the bottom and not into your wine glass, it will expose more of the wine to the air. Do let the wine sit for about 15 minutes after decanting it to allow everything to settle, though.

Decanting Pourer

B3,990 from Emporium

This is probably only appropriate for when you’re having a party and want to look extra clever. But what it does is avoid that dribble at the end of your pour (that a waiter would stop with a twist of his wrist and a wipe of the towel). And this fancy one from Menu has an in-built mini-aerator, too!

Foil Cutter

B290 from Emporium Wine Cellar

Seems simple enough to peel off the tough foil casing that covers your wine bottle’s cork, especially with that little toenail-shaped blade at the end of your wine opener. And yet many a finger has been disfigured trying to hack through to the cork. Use this instead

Champagne Stopper

B1,180 from Emporium

Your stoppers and wine pumps won’t work on the slightly different bottle neck and higher pressure of Champagne bottles, so if you are bubbles fan then invest in this little gizmo. It won’t prevent oxidization, but it will stop your Champagne from going flat if you’re planning to nurse it over all afternoon.

6-Bottle Wine Rack

B390 from Index Living Mall

Your wine bottles should be stored horizontally, not vertically. If you’re not ready to invest in one of those fancy wine fridges that keeps them at the correct temperature and humidity, make the first step with this cheap, efficient wine rack that stacks nicely to save you space. Just keep it away from direct sunlight and changing temperatures.

Wine Glass

B269 from Index Living Mall

If you’re not experienced enough yet to have a different-shaped glass for every type of wine out there, you should still avoid silly cut glass ones. Stemless ones may be very chic but holding the bowl warms up the wine faster than normal. If you’re too poor for Riedel, get a dozen of these simple, generic tulip-shaped glasses from Rona.

How to Care for Your Wine Glasses

1. Do not wash your glasses with detergent or special glass cleaner. Use only warm water.
2. Drain them on a towel, away from your other dishes.
3. The idea is to keep the glass as clear and shiny as possible, for accurate appraisal of the wine. Don’t use normal kitchen paper towels to dry them as this will lead to scratches. Try micro-fiber towels.
4. If you want to be super fancy, hold your glasses over some steam (from a boiling kettle, maybe). It’ll add an extra shine.

Essentials

Emporium Wine Cellar 5/F, Emporium, Sukhumvit Soi 24, 02-269-1000
Index Living Mall 2/F, 78/1 Sukhumvit Soi 63 (corner of Soi 6), 02-714-8300
Wine Connection G/F, Sivadon Building, Soi Convent, Silom Rd., 02-234-0388
Wine Loft Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02-260-0027