Wine cooler with a difference

Wine cooler with a difference

Thee conventional ice bucket gets challenged by the WICE, a trendy tool that stabilises a wine's temperature without obscuring its label.

When dismantled, the WICE consists of an outer layer of plastic that keeps an ergonomically designed case in place. This ‘case' is filled with liquid and is removable from the chassis for freezing purposes.

 

Once the liquid has frozen the kit is reassembled and a bottle placed, label up, in the holder.

Instructions for the WICE are to place the loose case in a freezer for six to eight hours for up to three hours of use; a guarantee that was duly tested with the chilled contraption lugged from Cape Town to Paternoster for the ultimate test - an outdoor lunch on a warm day.

The trip itself didn't have much effect on the cooler as the WICE's temperature seemed unmarred by the journey in a boot - it consequently also doubled up as an eff ective cooler-box.

That said, this contraption is best viewed as a thermal stabiliser, rather than a cooler, as it won't so much chill your wine as maintain it at a certain set temperature. Therefore, for maximum effectiveness it is recommended that a chilled bottle of wine is used with WICE.

Temperature has a major effect on the taste and smell of wine: serve it too cold and the flavours will be masked, serve it too warm and the wine's alcoholic vapours will be amplified.

What's appealing about the WICE is that, due to the front of the bottle being exposed (with the cold case wrapped around its back), the wine's temperature is levelled close to optimum.

Another attractive feature is that, due to the bottle staying dry, there is no damage to the wine label and, more pleasing, no dripping on the table during pouring.

Above all, it succeeds in its main objectives; showing off the bottle to its best advantage, which is especially gratifying if the wine boasts an eye-catching label.

WICE is distributed by Alpha Communications for R600

Got a gizmo worthy of review? Email Jeanri- Tine van Zyl at jeanri@ramsaymedia.co.za.