Wine tastings are an excellent way to experience local culture, and have fun with your friends and family. Whether you're touring Sonoma Valley, the Tuscan countryside, or a town near you, wineries offer a chance to discover the nuances of the wine in each region, and to purchase bottles of wine as a unique souvenir to enjoy when you get home.
Wine tastings aren't just for wineries, though – you can hold one in your own backyard. Outdoor wine tasting parties are a great way to get your friends and family together to enjoy some good food and good wine, and have a lot of fun in the process. You don't have to be a wine connoisseur to hold a wine tasting party – E-how offers a great
guide to throwing a wine tasting party. In addition to this, you'll need the right
wine cooler for your bottles of wine. Choosing a wine cooler for your outdoor wine tasting is easy:
Keep bottles of white and blush wine chilled using an insulated wine cooler. Simply refrigerate the bottles first, and when it's nearly time for the party to start, pack them in the cooler and bring them outside. You can use either a single wine cooler, a double wine cooler, or even a four bottle insulated wine carrier.
Bottles of red wine should be kept at room temperature or warmer. If it's a bit chilly outside, you'll need an insulated wine tote to keep your wine at the right temperature. Wine coolers, totes, and carriers all perform the same function: they keep the bottle of wine at a stable temperature. If the bottles start out cold, they'll stay cold, and if they start out warm, they'll stay warm.
If you're attending an outdoor wine tasting at someone else's house and you're bringing wine along with you, a wine carrier is a great choice. Don't hold up the party by chilling the wine you bring once you get there – make sure it stays cool in an insulated wine carrier. Some wine coolers, such as the
Estate Riviera Deluxe Wine Tote, even come with a corkscrew, cloth napkins, a decorative bottle stopper, and glasses! They're practically an all-in-one wine tasting kit.
Make sure the wine cooler you choose is good quality – the weight of wine bottles makes heavy duty straps a necessity. You wouldn't want your wine cooler to rip open on the way, sending the bottles crashing to the floor! Look for brands with a good reputation, such as Picnic at Ascot, Picnic Time or Optima.
If you're really serious about your outdoor wine tastings, you may want to invest in a
deluxe wine trolley – this kind of wine cooler comes fully equipped with interior dividers holding up to six bottles, and has wheels on the bottom.