Instead of going back to the fridge every 20 minutes
Written: Aug 15 '06
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Pros: Pretty, works for the first two bottles
Cons: Bulky, not good for multiples
The Bottom Line: This is definitely a good method of keeping your wine chilled, more attractive than an ice bath and easier than the fridge for outdoor functions.
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| fishifishi's Full Review: Franmara Green Marble Wine Cooler |
One of the best things about summer, in my opinion, is being able to sit outside in your backyard or a restaurant patio and have a long lunch with your friends, complete with a bottle or two of wine. During these warmer months, white wine is the preferred beverage for my friends and myself, and I see a lot of support on this decision in restaurants all over the city. However, if you are hosting a luncheon, your social time can be spoiled by having to run into the house and get the wine bottle out of the refrigerator to keep up with refills. At most restaurants now, if you order a bottle of chilled wine you are provided with a chiller at the table to help retain the cool temperature of your wine. These are available for purchase for your home as well!
The Basics
The marble wine chiller is, from my experience, easily the most popular method of keeping still, chilled wines cool. Marble easily retains the chill and shares it with whatever it is in contact with. These chillers are just the right size to slide a bottle of wine into, and your wine easily reaps the benefits of the marble's thermodynamics. They run between $25-$40 for purchase, depending on the size, brand and store you purchase from.
Style
The chillers are quite attractive and classy. The design is simple, just a cylinder of marble with a flat bottom and wide opening at the top, about 8" high, and 6" across. They come in three different colors: green marble, black marble, and white marble. All have the classic marble "swirl" appearance. There are also two different sizes available for personal purchase. The taller ones work better for riesling and pinot gris bottles, but most wine bottles would fit with the smaller size. They are a bit heavy, but that's no surprise with marble.
Use
You are instructed to place the chiller in a freezer for at least an hour before use. The marble absorbs the chill and when you are ready to use it, you simply take it out of the freezer and place the bottle inside the chiller. Some people who have used champagne chillers in the past may feel compelled to add water and ice as a bath for the wine bottle, but this is not necessary, and the design really doesn't leave much room to do so. The marble works alone at keeping the wine cold. It lasts for at least two hours, which is the longest I have ever seen anyone need it. This isn't designed to store unopened bottles as a form of cooler, but to keep the current bottle chilled while it is drank. After you are done, you can hand wash the chiller, and then either return it to the freezer or store it until the next use. This chiller does not work well for multiple bottles because the effect of the marble chill can only last for so long, but I have used one chiller for two bottles, over an hour and a half, and not been disappointed with the temperature of my wine.
Stipulations
There are reasons that this product may not be suitable for some people. One is that it will not keep wine ice cold. I prefer chilled wine, not freezing cold, but I know that there are people who like their wine to taste as though it just came out of an ice bath. This chiller will not provide that extreme temperature for your wine. Another problem that people may have is that the chiller is a bit bulky to find room for in the freezer if you have a remotely full freezer. I had to do some serious rearranging (and finish a container of ice cream!) in order to store it.
Overall...
...I would recommend this to people, and give it as a gift. I like the design, and it works perfectly for my personal needs. I accept its faults, and am willing to work around them because they are not that big of an inconvenience for me. The easiest alternative method to overcome these problems is an actual water and ice bath, but these become messy and make my wines too cold. I will take my marble chiller over the bath and definitely before warm wine or continued trips to the fridge.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 30.00
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