When it comes to hosting parties, I’m an obsessive over-planner. I ninja-slice through my prep hours before, spend sleepless nights deconstructing and reconstructing fantasy charcuterie boards, and frequently end up with far too much time before people arrive — which I spend pacing around convincing myself no one will come. The one thing that I inevitably forget to do, though, is adequately chill the wine. I apparently have a mental block against it, and when people show up — usually a lukewarm bottle in tow — I sheepishly hand them a glass of white or rosé accessorized with an ever-déclassé ice cube. Then I found the Corkcicle, after which a new era of my hosting capabilities was born.
I was introduced to this now-essential by my best friend’s mother, who always has the latest cooking gadget — her collection could rival many a Michelin-starred chef. During a weekend with their family, I noticed that bottles of wine just purchased seemed to be chillingly quaffable soon after, with no freezing involved. The secret, it turned out, was a long icicle-shaped item, stuck in the bottle, with a spout at one end. (The classic model has a cork stopper top, but I like the addition of the spout, as you can leave the Corkcicle in to continue chilling as you pour. And they recently introduced a version known as the Corkcicle One, which also aerates as you pour.) You store the Corkcicle in the freezer, turning the BPA-gel ice cold, then pop the bottle, pour a bit out for tasting purposes, and stick in the frosty accessory. It’ll begin cooling down the wine immediately, chilling from top to bottom, and keeping it icy for up to an hour without watering it down. Unlike the bottle-in-freezer solution, which generally makes for literal ice wine, and an ice bucket, which is a giant mess and takes up too much space, the Corkcicle is minimally invasive on the storage front and insanely easy to use. I’ve found the Corkcicle particularly helpful for picnics and outdoor festivities, where the wine can rapidly go from cheap but refreshing to tepid and vile.
This silicone cork, according to writer Rachel Khong (who found hers at a garage sale), allows her to store wine in the fridge on its side.
Cup of Jo founder Joanna Goddard can’t live without these tumblers. She told us: “Whenever my husband and I drink wine from these glasses at home, I feel like we’re transported to a little bar in Barcelona. They’re charming, light, and just feel good in your hand. They’re versatile for any sort of occasion, too. We always bring them out when friends stop by, and our kids drink water from them, too.”
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