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There are a lot of logistics to consider if you want to bring your favorite bottle of wine to the beach. First, if it’s a wine that you’ll want to drink very, very cold, you’ll probably have to throw it in the freezer (yes, freezer) the night before so that as you transport it to the beach the next day, it’ll slowly thaw out to the perfect temperature once you’ve reached the shore. This undoubtedly causes some sort of damage to the wine, but unless you have a large cooler, a car, and a bag of ice (can you tell I live in a city?), it’s the only way to enjoy a refreshingly cold wine at the beach or the park on a blisteringly hot summer day. (You also have to remember to pack a wine key, which I’m guilty of forgetting to do.) And of course, after all this planning, once you’re finally on the sand or grass and you start sipping away, you’ll find that you only have about five, at most ten, minutes before the temperature of your wine starts reaching that horrible lukewarm zone.
Drinking wine outside the home shouldn’t involve so much tedious planning and so little pay-off. That’s why we’ve found the brands that will keep your wine cold no matter where you go this summer – or how hot it gets.
The One With Triple Insulation: BrüMate’s Winesulator
Credit: Khiara Ortiz
I recently used BrüMate’s gorgeous Rainbow Titanium Winesulator (on sale, $20.99) to bring a bottle of chilled red wine to a birthday party at a park. I had left the wine in my refrigerator for a few hours before pouring the entire bottle into the Winesulator (using the leak-proof funnel included with my order) and heading off to the gathering. Everyone was overwhelmed not just by the beautiful design of the bottle, but also by how cold the wine was. It was as if we’d just pulled the bottle out of the fridge at home. This surprise was repeated over and over again over the course of the next three or four hours, along with exclamations about how incredible it was that the wine was staying just as cold as it’d tasted at the beginning of the party.
BrüMate was founded by Dylan Jacob when he was twenty-one years old because he wanted to create a better drinking experience. The brand uses triple-insulated stainless steel—part of its patented BevGuard technology—to ensure that whatever beverage you’re drinking stays as cold (or hot) as it was on the first sip for up to twenty-four hours. These products are easy to clean (only requiring a bit of soap, some hot water, and vigorous shaking) and don’t leak or produce condensation. My only warning? The Winesulator may upstage the birthday guest of honor.
The One That Looks Cool, Too: Corkcicle’s Eola Bucket Cooler Bag
Credit: @redsunsurf
On a separate occasion, I was headed to the beach and wanted to bring more than one bottle of chilled wine without breaking my back. That’s where the Corkcicle’s Eola Bucket Cooler ($159.95) comes in. Its padded straps make carrying three bottles of wine and the ice that keeps them cold an easy and comfortable experience, and a chic one, too! Not only is the Eola functional, its design feels modern and elegant, and its vegan leather or neoprene come in several different colors. The interior is made from food-safe material that’s very easy to wipe clean, and a rear pocket is incredibly convenient for sunglasses, wallets, and whatever else you’re carrying. The Eola makes staying cool look even cooler.
The One That’ll Keep Your Bubbles Chilled: Vinglacé’s Wine Chiller
Credit: @thevinglace
Don’t worry. I didn’t forget about champagne. While a cooler that requires pre-opening your bottle might not be the best option if you’re trying to be fancy or celebratory on-the-go, Vinglacé’s portable wine and champagne chiller ($89.95) keeps your bubbles in their original bottle. Currently available in twelve colors, this chiller features double-walled stainless steel and vacuum insulation that can keep your bottle cold for hours. All but the copper and stainless steel chillers can be customized with laser-engraved lettering, which makes them great for gifts, and a portion of the proceeds from each sale goes to breast cancer research. Drinking wine at just the right temperature has never felt so good.
With the help of these brands, bringing wine to your next outdoor summer gathering, or solo decompression time, doesn’t have to be a clumsy production that ends in drinking a warm, unpalatable beverage. And because I personally witnessed the intrigue provoked while toting around each of these products, I know they’d make the perfect gift for any occasion.
