You can’t beat a nice glass of wine with a meal, especially when it’s served well and mess free. Whether you’re a sommelier, oenophile, or someone who simply enjoys entertaining, you will find that these wine accessories, all available at The Kitchen and Glass Place, are as much thoughtful gifts as they are conversation pieces.

1. Who hasn’t been annoyed by uncivil bottles that refuse to yield their crumbly cork regardless of how insistently the $5 corkscrew persuades?

First prizewinner of a Geneva International Invention Show award and all the rage in Europe, the Trulever corkscrew harnesses the power of physics so you don’t have to get physical. And we can swell with pride because it was invented here in Canada by Montreal-based kitchen gadget innovators, Trudeau. The vertical-action lever uncorks bottles with minimum effort, and the innovative design works for both left and right-handed people.

2. Decanting removes sediment and brings out the aroma and flavour of mature wines. However, the Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator may render the decanting carafe obsolete.

This item is championed by wineries, fawned over by bloggers, and a standard part of wine tasting in California. Many have claimed that it works better than traditional decanting, the instant gratification factor merely adding to the appeal. The Vinturi taste test is a popular party trick. Pour a sip of wine in a glass, and a sip through the Vinturi Aerator. People will talk about the difference all night.

3. A large, open-mouthed glass makes all the difference when you nose a wine and looks great on the dinner table too. But how often have we found ourselves drinking out of a water glass or an even less desirable vessel because half the glasses in the set were chipped or broken, and replacements were either out of stock or discontinued.

Without a technological breakthrough it would seem impossible to offer a 25-year guarantee on a wineglass. However, Resistech glasses by Canadian innovators Trudeau are indeed guaranteed against chipping and breaking at the stem or plate for an entire quarter century. Made of lead-free, crystal glass and finished with an innovative new method, these glasses make an enduring addition to any household.