2024-11-20 20:07:00
Those who don’t think of wine only as something that somehow belongs to invitations and celebrations will inevitably want to dedicate more time to it. Maybe to have a memory of particularly good bottles. Or understand in a playful way why you can also make white wine from red grapes. Or to understand what winemakers actually do throughout the year. What offers are there?
Boxes for collecting caps
Many people don’t have the courage to simply throw the caps in the trash. Understandable, because each one is naturally unique. There are also differences in size and color depending on how long the open bottle has been sitting around. And of course cork brandy, with which the winemakers give this piece of cork oak bark their personal touch. Instead of shoving this reminiscence of a good bottle into the back corner of the kitchen cupboard, you should face the situation: if you don’t want to part with the loose corks, then stand by them and give them a home! The Corkbox Company set itself the task of producing one. The caps are simply thrown into elegant oiled wooden boxes and can then be admired behind a window. The coverings, available in four different colors but which all leave the wood grain visible, have a very decorative character and are suitable as an eye-catcher in the open living and dining room. By the way, the caps in the display cases, available in 250 or 750 caps, don’t stay locked forever. You can open them and literally pull out particularly beautiful memories.
thecorkbox.co, from 65 euros
Weinpuzzle
Puzzles are back in fashion during the Corona period. As they walked and calmly looked for the next stone, many people realized that mindfulness was not an invention of the last decade. And also from a mnemonic point of view, focusing on both the details and the big picture has a lot to offer: who doesn’t remember almost every detail of a multifaceted picture that they have put together piece by piece over many hours of work? free time?
Water & Wines puzzles adopt this idea. Anyone who has pieced together the thousand parts of France, including the wine regions and associated grape varieties, will not easily forget where Tannat or Roussanne are grown. Individual aromas – such as cherries in Cabernet Franc – are also presented visually without overloading the puzzle. Those who already know a lot will feel successful because they will be able to put the puzzle together faster. And if you need directions, in the package you will find a poster with an image of the solution. The puzzles cover a number of classic wine countries and some famous regions, such as Champagne or California.
Weinwissen App
If you want to check out and expand your wine knowledge while waiting for the train or during a commercial break, you’ll find entertainment options on your smartphone. The mobile wine “Wine Trainer” app asks about 50 questions for free, but for a little money you can significantly fill your plate. The user experience isn’t particularly sophisticated, but if you’re happy to be asked, for example, what Moulin-à-Vent’s most important grape variety is, you’ll get the answer and a geographic classification on the map. You can then click to delete the question or mark it for repeating later.
The “VinoQuiz” app is a little more sophisticated and sometimes asks for fun facts, such as whether it is true that the first recommended vintage of wine dates back to 121 BC (did you know that?). But there are also less crazy questions, for example about an incompletely displayed label that should be assigned to a winery. The free app is in English and can be used with different difficulty levels, from Basic encore Torture.
The “Cork Dork” app is actually intended for exam preparation. But if you’re ambitious, the app will test you too. The “Quiz” section is not only about what you have learned somehow but also about the knowledge you have gained because the time factor plays an important role. For example, it takes 19 seconds to assign five grape varieties to five specific growing regions or five synonymous names for grapes. In the free version, five countries and fortified wines are unlocked, the rest can be pre-ordered.
Wine quiz
If you prefer jigsaw puzzles together and appreciate the tactile appeal of cardboard quiz cards, “The Wine Quiz: 66 Questions About Grape Juice” might be just the thing for you. One question, three answers to choose from and the lively hypotheses and discussions begin. The addition “all about grape juice” means that it is not just about growing areas, grape varieties and types of production. So you should not only know whether Chablis is a grape variety, but also in which Spanish wine region the literary character Don Quixote fought against windmills. On the back of most cards there is not only the letter of the correct answer, but also useful information that contains the solution.
“The Wine Quiz”, published by Ars Vivendi, approx. 15 euros
Digital cellar manager
“Courage and stupidity are not far away.” With these words, even if in English, you are welcomed into the digital strategy game “Hundred Days”. Strong words that you can obviously classify if you already know in broad terms what it is about: that is, managing a “small abandoned winery”, as the game developer says, and putting it back into operation. The idea sounds fantastic because it promises to deal with a multitude of decisions that you may not have imagined having to make during winemaking. And that these can still have far-reaching consequences in terms of quantity of wine, style or image of the company. On the one hand, the name “Cento Giorni” makes it clear that it is not always there and is based on the average period of time between the flowering of the vines and the harvest. The fact that the virtual winery is in Italy is something that all users will soon get used to. Several operating languages are available, including German.
Whether it is due to programming or the lack of skills of those who tested it: in any case it was not possible to produce virtual wine from virtual grapes. Perhaps those who have more experience with digital strategy games will be able to use the application, available for PC and mobile devices. But with the app you would have to use a tablet. Successful winemaking fails on the smaller smartphone screen because you can hardly see anything.
Games with broken arms: “One Hundred Days” as App approx. 7 euros
What skills can players develop while playing “D Thousand Small Things”?
D Thousand Small Things.” In this game, players take on the role of a digital cellar manager, where they must make decisions about which wines to buy, how to store them, and when to sell. It’s an engaging way to learn about wine management while developing your strategy skills. Players get to experience the complexities of curating a perfect wine collection while navigating challenges such as market fluctuations and customer preferences.
This game not only offers an immersive experience but also serves as a fun way to deepen your understanding of wine types, storage practices, and market strategies. Ideal for wine enthusiasts looking to expand their knowledge in a playful manner, it provides a unique blend of learning and entertainment.
Availability & Price: Details on where to buy or download “Hundred Thousand Small Things” can vary, but it is typically available on major gaming platforms. Pricing may depend on the platform but generally falls within the range of 20 to 30 euros.
whether you prefer physical games, mobile apps, or beautiful wine-related decor, there are plenty of engaging options to enhance your wine appreciation experience. From collecting corks in stylish boxes to diving deep into the world of wine knowledge with apps and puzzles, you can explore every aspect of this rich culture in your own unique way.