Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator: A Review

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The Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator: A Review of a great Wine gadget!. Have you seen those funny looking Wine Aerators and wondered what they were all about?

We have been told by a many friends, family and fellow wine lovers that to get the full effect from a wine, you should make sure that the wine has had enough air. This makes sense on some level, as wine has been corked up in the bottle for who knows how many years.

vinturi_essential_wine_aerator

But the science behind how much “air” to give a glass of wine was a mystery to us before we got the Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator. This  cool wine gadget allows you to open up a bottle of wine, pour a glass throught the Aerator and then TaDa! The wine is fully “aired” and ready to drink.

No more waiting, no more guessing if the wine has been open long enough…before you get to drink! (OK seriously, who really wants to open a bottle of wine and then wait for an hour… or longer….grrrr… )

The real benefit? This Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator kinda “smooths” out some of the Trader Joe’s $3.99 wines… right from the first glass… yum!

In fact when we first bought this Aerator, we did an little taste -test where we opened up a bottle of red wine and poured a glass the regular way, and then poured a second glass using the Aerator. We were pleasantly surprised to actually taste a difference between the two glasses.  Without the aerator, the wine was dryer and lacked the full taste that eventually showed up later on that evening. The glass that we passed through the aerator: the wine was smooth and the flavors were more intense right from the first sip.

Here is a link if you want to read more about the Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator.  It would make a great gift for a friend and/or yourself…

What do you think?  Do you have a Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator? Share below or on Facebook ~Thanks!

Charles Shaw (2 Buck Chuck) Merlot 2009

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Hello Everyone;

As you all know I love a good red.

Merlot is considered one of the standards when it comes to red wine. But to be honest I was becoming a little burned out on Merlots. As a result I have not been buying them. But as I said a reader and friend bought me two red and this was one of them and boy I’m glad she did.

The 2 Buck Chuck Merlot 2009 is a reminder of all of the reasons Merlots are a staple in red wine world.   Charles Shaw’s Merlot does not try to be anything other than a Merlot.

From the moment I opened this bottle and took my first sip I was reminded of all of the reasons that I use to love Merlots. This Merlot’s complexity is subtle yet consistent, the berry and cherry flavors are a perfect marriage, and I found it hard to resist once it was open.

No it is true, just look closely at my picture…yes that is right! I barely managed to get a picture before the bottle was completely empty. (Don’t worry I did not drink it all in the same day).

This wine paired nicely with rice and sautéed vegetables. Yet this wine would complement any meat dish and would be awesome with salmon.

Cheers,

Are you a Merlot drinker? What is your favorite food to pair with Merlot?

Charles Shaw (2 Buck Chuck) Chardonnay 2009

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Hello Everyone;

The next 2 Buck Chuck I chose to review was the Chardonnay.

When the weather is hot, like it has been in KC this summer, it is nice to chill out with a chilled glass of white wine. Although I am not typically a white wine drinker after a day of working in my neglected yard I was look for a refreshing glass of wine to chill-out with. If you are looking for the same then the Charles Shaw’s Chardonnay 2009 is a great choice.

This wine is a nice buttery Chardonnay that will be pleasing to the novice wine drinker; as well as satisfy the seasoned wine drinker’s taste buds. The 2 Buck Chuck Chardonnay is smooth through and through.

The Chardonnay paired very nicely with garlic shrimp with vegetables. I would venture to guess that this Chardonnay would pair well with any fish, chicken, or pork dish.

Cheers,

Are you a Chardonnay drinker? If so how does the 2 Buck Chardonnay compare in your opinion?

Charles Shaw (2 Buck Chuck) Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

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Salute Everyone;

Due to popular demand, I have decided to review all of Trader Joe’s varieties of Charles Shaw wines. It also helped that a friend, & a Living Trader Joe’s reader, bought me two,  2 Buck Chuck reds as a housewarming gift.

Even though it is still warm outside – the TV show Castle is on and although there is no logical explanation I crave reds when it is a Castle night.

So enough banter… let’s get to it.

Charles Shaw’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 is great Cabernet especially for $2.99. The 2 Buck Chuck Cabernet Sauvignon offers a rich berry (heavy on the blackberry) flavor. The wine starts off smooth and ends smooth; which would make it a great choice with almost anything and a wonderful choice for a party. I did give it plenty of breathing time so you might want to do the same.

I enjoyed this wine with balsamic pork, sauté zucchini, and a baked potato. It was such a great hit that I poured another (small) glass to sip during the show.

*A dessert note: A container of Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt & Turbinado sugar was opened during the show and I can tell you this was also a perfect pairing.

Now to find the willpower not to pour another small glass…

Cheers,

Delaina