bltd

What’s better than a nice glass of wine? One that’s been opened up and allowed to breathe. Yeah, that’s right, I’m admitting it, I aerate my wine. If you’re not already smirking at my inane talk regarding a subject I know little about, you might be interested to know that this decanter is designed for aerating wine, and pairs nicely with any of iittala’s wine glasses, if you have them.
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At the risk of sounding like a pretentious wino, when you travel with wine, you want it to make sure it arrives unharmed. And when that wine is, say, a little expensive (why else would you travel with it) you’d do well to invest $4 in making sure it’s protected. This durable vinyl WineSkin has a double closure and an interior bubble pack that acts as an insulating shock absorber. It’s meant for one-time use (thumbs down), but it is recyclable (thumbs up), so you can hopefully shed any residual guilt from your conspicuous consumption.
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These aren’t the first Animal Wine Stoppers you’ve seen featured on BLTD, but these are perhaps the funniest. You could probably recreate these with a small saw, some glue and a little elbow grease (and plastic animals and simple wine stoppers), but for those of you less DIY, these are available for $30 from designboom shop.
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If you have Aurélien Barbry’s cork wine stoppers from Normann Copenhagen, you might want to add these other accoutrements to your bar area. Similarly matched to the stoppers, the pieces are made from cork, which give a natural warmth to an otherwise bland sea of stainless steel options.

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Knight and Queen bottle stops? Yes, please. Add these to your list of perfect stocking stuffers.

Designer : David Weeks
Made of wood and cork.
Measurements : H 3.5″ x Dia 1″

From our archives (originally published December 1, 2008), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

I think as far as wine decanters go, this one is incredibly elegant…might be the perfect gift for a wine lover.

Add a little simplicity and elegance to entertaining with our Wine Decanter with Oak Stopper. The simple design makes this decanter chic and modern – a must-have for any wine and spirits connoisseur. Comes gift boxed.

67 oz., Glass, Oak.

Maybe some of these animals tend to lean towards the ‘slightly creepy’ category, but nevertheless, I’d say they could be a perfect smallish gift this holiday season. Just be sure to get the recipient’s birth year (which could prove difficult) and then match it to the correct animal of the Chinese Zodiac (find their sign here).

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‘Winebreather’ sounds like some sort of derogatory name you’d call an oenophile, but, in fact, it’s the name of this decanter. Place the decanter mouth-to-mouth with a wine bottle, flip it, and then watch as the wine washes down the sides of the decanter, partially aerating it. I’m not sure if it would qualify as a magic trick, but there is something nice about watching wine slowly move from bottle to decanter, sort of like an hourglass.

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I love these new Wine Cork stoppers designed by Aurélien Barbry. The Wine Pourer (right) is pretty clever too, as its top ensures a proper seal. With more and more wineries choosing screw tops over cork stoppers, these will at least keep some of that traditional feel alive.

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Apart of Stelton’s Cylinda-Line, this cocktail shaker is a sight for sore eyes, and I’m not talking about the promise of future cocktails. Clean lines, no frills, it’s amazing that something so very simple and sleek is sooo incredibly expensive. Unfortunately, as is often the case, sometimes less is very definitely more.

Designer: Arne Jacobsen
8.6 in x 3.3 dia.

While this upside down decanter is quite expensive, it would be terribly fun to use. Inspired by the stories of “Alice in Wonderland”, it magnifies and distorts the things seen through it. Chances are that it would be partly used as a decanter and partly a display object, because why in the world would anyone hide something like this in the cabinet?

Hand made in borosilicate glass.
Available as a numbered sequential edition.

If this had title no description, would you know what it was? I would guess an art-ish object of some sort. It’s almost always a delight when an object has beauty apart from its function.

“this wave shaped polished piece of steel is used to pour wine over for aeration in to a decanter. the beautiful wine waterfall enhances the aromas.”

Artist/designer: l’atelier du vin
Materials: stainless steel.
10″ l x 6″ w

Pieter Stockmans brings a touch of modernity to your favorite Old World Champagnes with this sleek porcelain cooler. And when not in use as a cooler, maybe it could work as a vase for billowing tulips or lacecap hydrangeas.

Designer: Pieter Stockmans
Manufacturer: Studio Pieter Stockmans
12.6 x 9.4 inches

This double-walled bucket will keep your bubbly ice-cold inside without condensation on the outside. Plus, it’s on sale, which is always nice.

-Double-walled construction
-Matte finish stainless steel
-Avoid abrasive cleaners

Whoa, talk about a steal of a deal. Snap this 6-piece wine set up as a thoughtful gift for that friend or family member that loves playing host, or maybe for yourself if you plan on throwing some holiday get-togethers. If you or the giftee prefer something of the stronger sort, consider the 5-piece shot glass set or 4-piece martini set.

6-piece set: four 9 oz.; 4″H wine glasses, one 52 oz.; 3.75″dia.x16.25″H decanter and one 3.5″dia.x3.75″H funnel.