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3 More Gift Ideas To Craft For Mom On Mother’s Day

Can’t get enough of these wine bottle craft projects, eh? We can’t either. We’ve got three more ideas to upcycle your wine bottles and gift them to Mom! Last time we shared some ideas about using the top half of your bottles to create a cute planter, and hanging lights

It’s time to use those bottom halves! If you don’t have the bottom half of a wine bottle lying around, that’s alright. Grab an empty (or nearly empty) bottle and cut it – after you finish the contents, of course. If you’re not familiar with cutting a wine bottle in half, check out our guide where we walk you through two easy ways to split a bottle. Once you’re done reading it though, come back so we can get started on our crafts! 

How to Turn an Old Wine Bottle Into A Candle Holder! 

You know Mom’s favorite scents and flavours right? Why don’t you throw them into a candle for her to enjoy, and love? The hardest part of this wine bottle craft is cutting the bottle, but once that’s done, youre ready to roll. 

You’ll need:

  • A wine bottle
  • Some candle wax- pick this up at your local crafts store
  • A wick 
  • Some essential oils 
  • A colour of your choice (optional)
  • Some skewers or popsicle sticks
  • A pot
  • A hot plate

What to do:

Step 1:

Now you don’t have to buy a hot plate, just shimmy on over into the kitchen and use the stove for this project. Cut your bottle first, after this is done, discard the top half, or use it in a different craft project! Next sand down the lip of the bottom half, until it is smooth to avoid getting cut. 

Step 2:

Now you’ll want to create Mom’s special candle recipe! Grab a wick and place it on the bottom of your wine container.

If you’re worried about the wick moving, dip the bottom of the wick in some warmed wax, and then stick it to the bottom of the bottle to adhere it in place. 

Step 3:

Heat the wax in a pot over low heat, until it is completely melted, smooth and clear. Once this is done, you can add a few drops of colouring. This is also when you can add in the essential oils, feel free to pick and choose as you please! 

A simple way to personalize your candle, and make it stand out, is to use a clear bottle half versus a green one, and then grab some flower petals and arrange them on the inside, pressing them against the glass bottle half. 

You can use a drop of water or mod podge to help these petals adhere to the sides of the wine bottle half. Then carefully pour your wax in, avoiding the edges of the wine bottle half  so as not to disrupt your petal arrangement. 

Once your wax is set, the petals will adhere to the wax and the outside of your container will showcase beautiful petals with the bare candle peaking through.

Step 4:

You’ll need more oil than you think, so estimate about 2 teaspoons of oil for every 4 ounces of melted wax. Feel free to adjust this as you see fit. We’ve found some blends you can try out if you’re stuck. 

Some scent ideas to try:

  • Spiced Chai Latte – 3 drops Cardamom, 1 drop Clove, 1 Drop ginger
  • Soothing Citrus – 3 drops each of Lavender, Ylang Ylang, and Wild orange, or 3 drops each of Bergamot, Wild Orange, and Cypress
  • Spring Floral – 3 drops each of Ylang Ylang, and Geranium
  • Autumn Spice – 4 drops of Tangerine and two drops of Black Pepper

Step 5:

Once mixed thoroughly (for a full minute), then pour the wax into the bottom half of your wine bottle. You can now use the skewers and popsicle stick to keep the wicks in place as the wax sets. 

Wait until your candles are fully set to cut off the wicks.

Step 9:

Allow the candles to set for at least 2 days before lighting. So, technically, you can make this for Mom even 2 days before Mother’s day, and you’ll still come off as the favourite, since it’s made from the heart *wink wink*.

But what if Mom’s not a fan of candles?

How To Make A Vase Out Of An Old Wine Bottle! 

A simple but unique idea, and it is super customisable! Grab a bottle or two, and let’s get started. 

You’ll need:

  • A wine bottle
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Some freshly cut flowers
  • 1 tsp bleach
  • Some decor like paint, a doily, twine, foil, dry pressed flower
  • 1 qt water
  • 1 tsp vinegar

What to do:

Step 1:

As always, begin by cutting and sanding your bottle. You can choose to cut your vase wherever you please depending on how large you want your vase to be.

We like to cut it right where the bottle begins to narrow into a neck. That way we have a longer vase to use! 

Step 2:

Once you’ve cut your bottle, you can feel free to customize it for Mom however you want. 

Some ideas to customize Mom’s vase:

  • Paint the inside, and decoupage a coloured doily on the outside. 
  • Decoupage the outside with dried flowers, and paint the inside. 
  • Use a bold colour to paint the inside, then wrap the outside of the vase with twine in sections
  • Leave the vase clear, and accent the wine label with foil. 

And that’s it! Grab a handful of fresh flowers, and put them into your vase, add a ribbon for a final touch and you’re ready to give Mom a bouquet (or two). Our last secret to help you achieve the status of “favourite child” is to use flower food to lengthen the life of your flowers! 

Step 3:

Once you’ve selected your choice of flowers, you’ll need to set them aside, and prep your flower food. Combine the water, bleach, vinegar and sugar, mix well and pour into your vase.

Grab each flower stem one by one, and trim a half-inch off it.

Immediately dunk it into the vase, arranging your flowers as you see fit. After cutting a flower stem, immediately add it to your vase so it’s exposed to the flower food. This is because the stem is more likely to seal VERY quickly if you don’t do this, and the flowers will not be able to hydrate properly.

That’s it, a special bouquet for a special Mom, and one that will last way longer than a week! 

If you’re not a fan of cutting glass bottles, then we have one more craft idea for you. 

How to DIY a Wine Bottle Bird Feeder! 

She’ll enjoy watching little birds fly up to this bird feeder for a bit of grain and seed, and it’s so simple to make too! 

You’ll need :

  • A dremel or drill 
  • Glass cutting bits
  • A hand towel
  • A large enough tub to fully submerge your bottle into
  • Some Heavy copper wire
  • Some Bird seed
  • Decor (Same as previous crafts)

What to do:

This one’s super quick once you get the hang of it! While it may sound even crazier than cutting a bottle, it is simple as long as you do it right! 

In order for this bird feeder to work, you’ll need a small hole about two inches from the base of the bottle to provide access to the seed. You’ll want to aim for at least a third of an inch in diameter. 

Step 1:

Start off by completely filling your bottle with water.

Then fully submerge it in the tub sideways. Lay the towel under the bottle to prevent sliding.

There should be water completely surrounding the bottle. This will equalize forces outside and inside the bottle that will stop the glass from breaking under the pressure of the drill. 

Step 2:

Start with a small drill bit and work your way up to a third of an inch. Slow and steady wins the race!

With your drill bit at an angle, start your drill at your lowest speed, and slowly bring it up vertically against the surface of the bottle.

Keep steady pressure, but let the drill do the heavy lifting. Keep watching closely, as once the drill bit goes through, you’ll want to carefully pull the drill back out, without hitting the other side. 

Repeat with increasingly larger drill bits, until the hole is the desired size. There you go. You made a hole in the glass and we couldn’t be prouder!

Step 3:

Grab the heavy copper wire, and leave about 2 inches of wire before using a pair of pliers to form a tight curl to rest against the bottle, just under the hole you created. The two inches of spare wire will act as a perch for birds to sit on. 

Now holding the curl you formed against the bottom of the bottle, use your hands to wrap the heavy wire around the bottle, making sure to cross the bottom of the bottle, then wrapping around the body two to three times. 

The wire is what will support the bottle as it hangs, but you don’t have to make it snug. Once you get to the neck of the bottle, you can go around it once or twice.

Then make a sharp 90 degree turn towards the top and making a large curl for the bottle to hang from. 

And that’s it, fill it up with bird seed, and it’s ready to be hung!

You can add ornaments to the bottle, by using a lighter copper wire to attach it to the heavy one, or you could foil the bottle – just have fun with it!

Mom’s going to love it anyway, we promise.

We hope you enjoyed our set of wine bottle craft ideas to give to Mom for Mother’s Day. If you’re looking to give Mom a little extra something with your creations, pick up a wine gift from WineCollective! In fact, give her a wine gift, show off your skills and make a fun afternoon out of crafting with Mom – she’ll need the bottles to craft (or drink) either way! 

Mom will get her first box in mid-June, but we’ll give you a printable letter to give to Mom on Mother’s Day along with her craft gift! 

Mother’s Day gift recipients receive:

  • 3 Bottles of wine (all red, all white or mixed)
  • Monthly wine guide including tasting notes, food pairings, and more
  • Access to special member pricing in our online store
  • Sustainable shipping products that are compostable in most Canadian locations
  • For this year only, 3 specially curated recipes for Mom in her first box! 

Gift Her a Wine Education! 

WineCollective is a great choice for Mother’s Day since you are not just gifting wines. Mom will learn about wine from her favorite wine regions, and some that she hasn’t explored yet! 

Now is the perfect time to give Mom the best wine experience possible! Create an unforgettable experience this Mother’s Day! 


Wine Bottle Crafts for Mother’s Day!

What are you getting for Mom this year? Flowers? Or maybe a cute teddy bear? Or perhaps a card? Or… you haven’t thought about it yet? Well, that’s fine! We’ve got the best gift for her! You can give her the gift of wine this Mother’s Day and create an unforgettable experience. Mom will get her first box in mid-June, but we’ll give you a printable letter to give to her on Mother’s Day. 

We’ve also put this guide together for you, in case you wanted to give Mom a little something extra with her letter while she waits! You’ll obviously need your empty wine bottles, and you’ll also need to know how to cut them. If you are familiar with cutting wine bottles for crafts, then you can keep on reading! If you’re looking for some help with cutting wine bottles, and where to begin, be sure to read our guide on cutting wine bottles first! 

Now that you know what to do, let’s get started! 

How To Make A Wine Bottle Planter! (Hanging or Self-Watering)

You’ll need:

  • A wine bottle
  • A bottle cutter 
  • Some potting soil
  • A plant
  • A wick (optional)
  • A cork 
  • Some water
  • A sharp tool like a screwdriver or corkscrew
  • Some macrame cord

What to do:

Step 1:

To begin with, cut your bottle in half – you’ll need the top half of the bottle for this craft. You can save the bottom half to make your planter into a self-watering one. If you plan on making a self-watering planter, you’ll want to make sure that the bottom half is tall enough to support the top half. You’ll be turning the top half upside down and standing it in the bottom half of the wine bottle. If you’re just making the hanging planter, this does not matter, so cut the top half to any size you desire! 

Step 2:

After you have cut the bottle in half, be sure to sand the lips of the halves to remove the sharp edges. 

Step 3:

You’re almost done now! Plug the top of the bottle with the cork again, and turn the top upside down. 

Step 4:

Weave and tie the macrame string around the bottle half, creating a holder, or hanging piece. Depending on how skilled you are, you can do a simple single knot design, or go all the way, and create a fancy macrame hanger with beaded elements and double knots. 

Here is a simple tutorial on how to macrame a wine bottle holder. The only thing to remember is that you will be starting with the narrowest part of the bottle (the neck) and working your way up. 

You should end up with something like this to slip your top half into! 

Step 5:

Once you have your elements ready, you can begin to assemble! 

You can use a jar, or the bottom half of the wine bottle to support your top half, and begin transferring your soil into the top half of the wine bottle.

Ensure the soil is in contact with the cork, and stop about halfway. Then transfer your plant into the soil, and pack additional soil around the plant to secure it. Water it slightly, and you’re ready to slip it into its hanger! 

Voilà! A beautiful planter that can hang by the windows – your plant will receive much-needed sunlight and will also add an elegant touch to your place!

Now you might be wondering, why did we ask you to hang on to the bottom half of the bottle? This is why! If you don’t want to wrap the macrame around the bottle, then before you fill the top half with soil, use a skewer or sharp tool to make a small hole in the cork, then plug the bottle. We chose to use a corkscrew for this. Fill your planter as usual, and sit it in the bottom half. 

Then fill the bottom half of the wine bottle with water so it covers the cork.

And you’re done! Because the cork is porous, and has a hole, it will carry water into the soil and Mom won’t even have to worry about killing her new plant! She just has to remember to change the water once every couple of weeks. 

If you don’t have a cork, you can use the wick instead! Just add a wick or two at the bottom of the planter so it hangs through the neck of the bottle and out and then fill it with soil as usual. The wick will pull the water up through the neck of the bottle and into the soil instead !

If Mom’s not a huge fan of plants, try this second project instead! 

How To Make Wine Bottle Lights!

So she’s not a flower, or plant Mom, eh? That’s fine! Brighten her day, and her home with these cute wine bottle lights! Hang these for some easy and modern wall decor. Or even better, feel free to make multiple of these and use a plank to join and create a larger lighting structure! 

How do you get light into the bottle? Cut it in half of course! Where you choose to split your bottle is your personal choice, but we recommend cutting it at least a third of the way or farther from the neck down so that your lightbulb is contained within the glass. This will add a layer of protection, since lightbulbs can get hot. 

You’ll need:

  • A wine bottle 
  • A cork 
  • A lightbulb with a long cord
  • Some decor such as 
    • Etch cream and stencils 
    • Gold and silver foil 
    • A heavy duty copper wire 
    • Some Mod Podge
  • A sharp tool like a screwdriver or exacto knife

What to do:

Step 1:

Ready to kick off this project? Start by cutting the bottle, sanding it and then come back! 

Step 2:

Next, use your sharp tool to make a hole through the cork. Ensure the hole is as wide as your cord, so it’ll pass through the cork, but not too wide that there’s no grip on the cord.

We simply cut a wedge out of the cork. You don’t want the weight of the bottle to be supported by the lightbulb. The stress of glass-on-glass may cause your bulb to shatter. 

Step 3:

Now you’ll want to unscrew the bulb, to avoid the risk of breaking it during the process.

Then pass the cord through the top of the bottle, the cork, and then plug the bottle with the cork.

Pull or push some cord through the bottle depending on how high or low you want the bulb to sit within the bottle. 

Once you’re happy with the height of the lightbulb, it’s time to customize! 

Step 4:

You can use etching cream on the glass to add a frosted look to the bottle. Or you could make it even fancier by using a stencil to achieve etched patterns on your bottle instead. You could also wrap the outside of the bottle in some copper wire, to give it a rustic look.

Step 5:

Use the gold or silver foil to add some accenting to your bottle, this can be done by applying a thin layer of mod podge where you’d like to foil. Then grab your piece of foil, and stick it onto the mod podge, shiny side up and allow to dry. Once dry, peel your foil and you should have some cool foiling on your bottle. That’s it, when you’re done, just plug it in, and marvel at the pretty light!

If you’re not a fan of cutting bottles, or not too familiar with this process, stick around for our last idea! 

Decoupage That Wine Bottle!

Decoup-what? Yeah, it’s a fancy word. But it’s very similar to the papier mâché art, or collage art you’ve made in school. 

Decoupage means to create art by covering an item in colorful layers of paper. Some people use newspapers, magazines, and even scrapbooks. You could pick up a book of fancy printed paper and use that too! While it may take a little longer, and be a little more tedious, decoupage is a beautiful way to create decor without breaking the bank! 

With a little bit of coordination, and some patience, you could gift Mom a full set of these beautifully covered wine bottles. Think of all the possibilities! 

  • Make lots of small prints of some favourite photos of you and Mom, and use that to decoupage your bottle.
  • Use Mom’s favourite flowers, and press them until dry, and use those along with some paper to cover the bottle. 
  • Create a set that goes with Mom’s interior, so she can display them around the house, the possibilities are endless. 

The best part is you don’t even have to cut the bottle 🙂 

You’ll need:

  • A wine bottle (or bottles)
  • Some Mod Podge 
  • A brush
  • Some paper (or your choice of medium)
  • Decor such as 
    • Foil
    • Dry flowers
    • Twine

What to do:

Step 1:

Start off by rinsing the bottle and drying it out the best you can. Now lay out your medium and if you want a certain layout, figure that out now.

We chose to paint the inside of the bottle, if you will too, follow along! Start by pouring the paint into the wine bottle first.

Rotate the wine bottle, so that it is fully covered with paint inside.

Tip your wine bottle upside down to drain the remaining paint.

Step 2:

Next grab your mod podge and start by covering a third of the bottle from the bottom, and start layering your paper of choice.

Lay your paper, and work your way up, only placing adhesive where you will be covering to avoid the adhesive drying before you cover it with your paper.

Step 3:

Keep working up the bottle until you are satisfied with the way it looks. There really are no rules to this, so feel free to go back in and reapply pieces and cover the bottle to your heart’s content. Just remember to layer mod podge between the paper and bottle.

Step 4:

Once you like how it looks, it’s time to decorate! Use the dried flowers, or foil, or even twine, to add an artistic touch to the wine bottle. Add one more layer of mod podge covering the entire bottle to seal in your artwork. 

You’re done! If you want, you can also cover the whole bottle with some clear varnish to protect it from the elements and use it as porch decor too! 

There you go. Three easy craft ideas to get you started for Mother’s Day! In fact, you could also take these ideas, and craft these together with Mom. Looking for ways to use up the bottom halves of your wine bottles? We’ve got 3 more ways you can craft a beautiful gift for Mom by upcycling your wine bottles! 

If you’re looking for something extra to go with your creations, pick a wine gift by Winecollective this year! After all, Mom’s going to need bottles to work with if she plans on crafting too. 

Mom will get her first box in mid-June, but we’ll give you a printable letter to give to Mom on Mother’s Day along with her craft gift! 

Mother’s Day gift recipients receive:

  • 3 bottles of wine (all red, all white, or mixed)
  • A monthly wine guide including tasting notes, food pairings, and more
  • Access to special member pricing in our online store
  • Sustainable shipping products that are compostable in most Canadian locations
  • 3 Specially curated recipes for Mom in her first box! 

Gift Mom A Wine Education! 

WineCollective is a great Mother’s Day gift idea because you are not just providing Mom with wine to enjoy. She will learn about wine from her favorite wine regions, and some that she hasn’t explored yet! 

Now is the perfect time to give Mom the best wine experience possible! It’s just what she deserves. 


Mother’s Day Craft Ideas: Cutting a Wine Bottle

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about securing your place as the favourite son or daughter of the house. What better way to do that than to put together some gifts for Mom, made from the heart? And as the sneaky wine lover in the house, we challenge you to find a better way to reuse your bottles than to upcycle them for Mom!

Create personal gifts that are from the heart and show Mom you care. Or even better, grab a wine gift for Mom from WineCollective, and you can make these crafts with Mom later! Before you run to look for all those empty wine bottles you stored in your garage, you’re going to need to learn how to cut them in half. Let’s go!

There’s more than one way to cut a wine bottle. While bottle cutting may seem or sound complicated, it just requires some dedication, caution (it is glass after all) and a whole lot of enthusiasm! We’ll teach you two ways of cutting a bottle in half, and you can use the method you prefer to kick off the crafts we have in store for you (more on that later…)

How To Cut A Wine Bottle With String And Fire?

This one’s pure physics, but requires just a few items that you probably already have at home!

You’ll need:

  • A pair of safety gloves
  • A pair of safety glasses
  • String or twine (the thicker, the better)
  • Acetone (or rubbing alcohol)
  • A wine bottle
  • A pair of scissors
  • Sand paper
  • A lighter
  • A tub large enough to submerge your bottle into

What to do:

Step 1:


Ready to start? Fill a tub to the top with ice water. You can add some salt to the ice water to further lower the temperature of the water. The idea behind this method is that the difference in temperatures you expose the wine bottle to, will cause a thermal shock, thus splitting the bottle along the twine.

A sink filled with ice water to split the wine bottle in

Step 2:


Once the tub is ready, take the twine, and wrap it around the bottle. Try to wrap it where you would like the bottle to split. Wrap it around the bottle 4 to 5 times to create a thick ring of twine.

Tying the twine around the wine bottle multiple times to create a thick string.

Tie it snug, and knot it. Now slip the twine off, and soak the twine in the flammable substance (acetone or rubbing alcohol) for 5 to 10 seconds. Or use a dropper bottle to apply acetone or rubbing alcohol directly onto the twine.

Using a dropper to add acetone to the twine

Step 3:


Now carefully slip it back onto the bottle. Hold the wine bottle in one hand by its bottom, and use your other hand to light the twine on fire. Rotate the bottle on its side, slowly turning so that the whole circumference of the bottle in contact with the twine is evenly heated.

Lighting the string on fire

Step 4:


Wait for the fire to go out on its own while you rotate the bottle then dunk it straight into the cold water.

Rotating the wine bottle slowly as the fire heats the area covered in twine

You should hear a crack or snap, as the pressure difference causes the bottle to split into two.
If this didn’t happen, you might want to try making your water colder, by adding more ice and salt, or by lighting the twine up for longer.

The wine bottle separated in the cold ice bath

Step 5:


Once split, place your sandpaper on the table, face the freshly cut lip of the glass bottle against your sandpaper, and rub the lip against the paper until smooth.

Sanding the lip of the wine bottle half so that it is smooth

Voila! Use the two newly separated bottle halves as you see fit, or keep scrolling to try out the ideas we have for you and Mom!


Since wine bottles are all made differently, you may have to repeat these steps before your bottle splits. This method is also not perfect, so you may find your bottle splitting where you did not intend it to from time to time.

If you’re looking to make your bottle halves even more perfect, keep reading!

How To Use A Wine Bottle Cutter?

If you’re looking to make more precise cuts and have fewer bottles to work with this may be the best option.

You’ll need:

  • A pair of safety gloves
  • A pair of safety glasses
  • A bottle cutter
  • A wine bottle
  • Two tubs large enough submerge your wine bottle in*

*You can use one tub to place the bottle in, and use a mason jar of cold water along with a kettle of hot water to pour over the bottle instead.

There are many bottle cutters to choose from, and you can even pick one up from Amazon like this one!

What to do:

Step 1:


Set up your bottle cutter on a counter, and line up your bottle to where you would like to cut it. Some bottle cutters have a lever under the device to adjust the blade. This way you can cut the bottle as you please.

Step 2:


Once you are happy with where your blade will cut through, set up your tubs*. Fill the first one with very hot water, try to use boiling water, but be careful. The second tub should be filled with cold water, you can add some ice and salt to lower the temperature even more.

*We chose to use one tub to position our bottle into, and alternatively poured hot and cold water over the bottle.

Step 3:


Now position the wine bottle within the cutter so the blade is perpendicular to the bottle. Then grip the bottle tightly with both hands, and apply slow and steady pressure as you turn the bottle towards you. You should hear a crunching noise as the blade scores the glass. If not, you might have to reposition the bottle, or press against the blade harder.

Step 4:


As the blade scores the glass, you’ll see a line forming around the bottle, you want to meet these lines end to end. Do not rescore around the bottle again. You only need to do this once. The more you rescore, the more likely the bottle will crack.

Step 5:


Once you have scored your bottle, the process is quite similar to that of thermal shock.

Simply dip your bottle in the hot water for about 10-15 seconds, being sure to submerge the area you have scored. We poured hot and cold water alternatively over the score line.

Then pull the bottle out, and dunk it directly into the cold water for 10-15 seconds.

You should hear the bottle separate or pop in the water. If this doesn’t happen, just repeat the water process again, dipping it into the hot water for 10-15 seconds, and again in the cold.


This method will give you a more precise cut since it creates a weak part in the bottle by scoring it, but if scored too lightly, or unevenly, you might get some uneven cuts. Similar to the last method, sand the lips of the halves until smooth to prevent injury!

There you go!

Now that you know how to cut a wine bottle, you are ready to begin upcycling. There are many ideas out there on how to personalize your bottles. But if you’re looking for cute craft ideas to go with Mom’s wine gift, make her a self-watering planter! If she’s not into plants, make her a handmade candle instead! And if she’s not a fan of candles, that’s okay! Turn your bottle into a bird feeder instead!

At the end of the day, practice makes perfect, and the more bottles you cut, the better you’ll get. So remember all you need to do is be safe, and have fun with it.

Looking for the perfect wine gift to go with your beautiful crafts?

Give Mom A Wine Gift From WineCollective!

Mom will get her first box in mid-June, but we’ll give you a printable letter to give to Mom on Mother’s Day along with her craft gift!

Mother’s Day gift recipients receive:

  • 3 Bottles of wine (all red, all white, or mixed)
  • A monthly wine guide including tasting notes, food pairings, and more
  • Access to special member pricing in our online store
  • Sustainable shipping products that are compostable in most Canadian locations
  • For this year only, 3 specially curated recipes for Mom in her first box!

WineCollective is a great Mother’s Day gift idea because you are not just providing Mom with wine to enjoy. She will learn about wine from her favourite wine regions and some that she hasn’t explored yet! Now is the perfect time to give Mom the best wine experience possible and create an unforgettable experience!


Our Top 6 Tips to Hosting a Party With Wine Tasting, Successfully!

With the holiday season approaching fast, so is the time to get together with friends and family. ‘Tis the season for dinners, lunches, and parties!

We definitely know the feeling of being overwhelmed as you rush around the house to perfect everything at the last minute. Or remembering that you forgot to pick up matching cutlery as your guests arrive.

So, we created this fool-proof guide to hosting a party with wine. We can promise you that following the tips in this guide will help you relax, plan, and even enjoy your party when the time comes. (yes, too good to be true, but trust us!)

Keep reading to find another surprise curated just for you! 

Tip 1: Plan ahead!

Nothing screams not being prepared like not being able to enjoy your own party. As with all aspects of hosting, the more you can prep in advance, the better.
Whether you have a special meal in mind, or are looking for wine pairings to complement it, WineCollective can help you out! We provide pairing suggestions and recipes to guide you every month – you’ll be a wine pairing expert in no time! Just imagine the parties you’ll be hosting…

Tip 2: How much wine will your guests drink?

The general rule of thumb is that a bottle of wine yields 4-5 glasses of wine. Another thing to remember is that about 3 glasses of wine per person is a good serving suggestion.
If you want to ensure each of your guests is getting a fuller glass of wine, aim for approximately 2 bottles of wine for every 3 people at your party.

Tip 3: Glasses, glasses, glasses

Don’t forget about the glasses! Typically you would want to have the correct type of glasses, and enough of them. If you will be serving sparkling wine, don’t forget the flutes! If you will be serving a selection of red and white wines, you could offer a standard glass for both white and red. If you’re feeling fancy, you could go all out and provide a white wine glass, and a red wine glass, but you really don’t have to.

Tip 4: At what temperature should wine be served?

You want to ensure that your wines are at the right temperatures, so that you experience each sip the way it was intended. Not sure about how to serve your wine? WineCollective can also help with that: you can always get serving suggestions, along with ideal temperatures in our monthly guide.

Serve Sparkling Wine Cold

As a general guide though, you’ll want to remember that sparkling wine should be served at around 7°C (45 °F) or below. The cold temperatures will accentuate the carbonation in the wine, providing a perkier experience! For sparkling wine, we recommend chilling it in the fridge for an hour or two until it’s ready to serve.

Serve White Wine Chilled

A regular white wine is best served at 7-10 °C (45- 50 °F). This is slightly warmer than your fridge, to accentuate the aromas, and notes. You can achieve this by pulling the bottle out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before you expect to serve.

Serve Red Wine Cool

Lastly, red wine is best served slightly chilled, at around 15-20 °C (62-68 °F). Serve it too warm and the alcohol will become overpowering, making the wine feel heavy on the palate. Chilling your red wine is easy: just stick it in the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.

Tip 5: From Delicate To Strong

Not sure what order to serve your wines in, or how to pace them? This is a handy rule of thumb: serve white before red, light before heavy, and dry before sweet. This way, you’ll make sure your elegant, delicate whites will not be overpowered by your powerhouse reds. Lastly, when in doubt: go for the bubbly. Sparkling wines don’t just make for a festive aperitif, but are surprisingly versatile – they pair fantastically with a wide variety of dishes.

Tip 6: Variety

Our last tip when hosting a party with wine: make sure you’ve got variety! Different people may like different flavours and profiles, and in an ideal world, you would have several wine choices to ensure you’ve got something that everyone will enjoy. When selecting your wines, you want to make sure you’re picking up varieties that compliment each other, but also some that will provide a contrast for your guests.

This is probably the most challenging part of the whole ordeal—ensuring you’ve got the right “pack” of wines for your night. Don’t sweat it though! The second surprise that WineCollective has to offer is that our experts have gone ahead and curated two special hosting packs, so you don’t have to break a sweat.

Our specially curated hosting packs!

Our Merry Mix pack contains one bubbly, one white wine and two red wines, an all-rounded pack to serve every guest!

Our Revelry Reds pack is an all red wine pack. It contains four bottles of smooth, spicy reds for all your red wine loving guests.

Add either or both to get your party planning started!


Keeping It Fresh: How to Store Wine After Opening

“How long will my wine stay fresh after opening?” This is one of your most frequently asked questions. The answer is not so straightforward – how long your wine will last depends on how you store the bottle, what stopper you use, but also on the type of wine. Let’s break it down.

The Basics: Slowing Oxidation

Have you ever had a glass of wine that tasted flat, like its fruit flavours were muted or completely gone? Chances are, the bottle was opened a few days before and has gone off. Oxygen is a wine’s biggest enemy (closely followed by light and heat), and once the bottle is uncorked, slowing oxidation is key to enjoying your leftover wine a little longer. 

(Tip: At a restaurant or bar, there’s no shame in asking when the bottle was opened!)

Store Opened Bottles in the Fridge

Plug the cork or stopper back in the bottle and store it upright in the refrigerator. Yes, that applies to red wines as well. The cold will slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. Take the bottle of red wine out of the fridge about 1 hour before you intend to drink it again.

Pour Leftover Wine Into Smaller Bottles

The more wine you pour out of the bottle, the higher the oxygen to wine ratio for the remaining liquid (meaning oxidation will occur faster). Pouring leftover wine into half bottles (375 ml) with a stopper is a good trick to reduce the amount of oxygen left in the bottle.

Use a Vacuum Pump

A great way to keep your wines fresh a little longer, is investing in a small vacuum pump, also known as a ‘wine saver’. It’s a simple tool that sucks the air out of the bottle, with a rubber stopper that creates an airtight seal. With such a tool, you will extend the lifespan of your wine by a few days. Newer technologies insert a layer of argon gas which reseals your wine to keep it fresher for even longer. The Coravin allows you to taste a single glass – and keep the rest for further ageing.

Keeping wine fresh

Does the Type of Wine Matter?

Whether a wine is light-bodied, medium-bodied or full-bodied will play a role in how long it’ll stay drinkable. Tannins matter, too. A white wine with a low alcohol content will not remain drinkable as long as a red wine with a higher alcohol content and tannins. Fortified wines (with a higher alcohol content) can stay open for around 28 days when kept in a cool, dark place. Wines with residual sweetness tend to also last longer than dry wines, as the sugar works as a natural preservative.

How to Store Sparkling Wine after Opening

Just stick a teaspoon in the bottle, handle down, and this’ll keep your wine bubbly for days, right? Uhm, no. For some reason, this myth persists rather stubbornly, but it does not work. The only way to keep sparkling wine bubbly for longer is to stick it in the fridge. Carbon dioxide is more soluble in wine at a lower temperature. A sparkling wine stopper seals heavy sparkling wine bottles and keeps pressure inside – but unfortunately it won’t really keep the wine fresh for long – at most until the day after opening.

Is it Safe to Drink Wines that Have Gone Bad?

Wine that is oxidized has an unpleasant taste, but is not dangerous to consume. But please, if you don’t like it, don’t drink it. Life’s too short to drink bad wine!

If you want to continue to learn about wine, join our monthly wine club! You’ll get a curated selection of amazing wines to help you taste, learn and develop your palate, along with access to more amazing wine content. 


Keep It Bottled Up: How to Store Wine

You splurged on a fancy bottle of wine (read: expensive), and just can’t wait to try it this weekend. When you’re about to uncork it, you check the accompanying tasting note: “Cellar for 5-10 years”. What, wait five to ten years? We live in an age of instant gratification, so why should you even bother? Quite simple: because your waiting will be rewarded. Your wine will develop into an even more interesting and precious drink, but only if stored properly. Let us tell you all about how to store wine, and why you should in the first place.

What is Bottle-Ageing Wine?

First, let’s get something straight: that 20-year old obscure Bordeaux you scored at a yard sale? It’s probably way past its prime. The 2005 Chianti your grandpa has been saving for a special occasion? Ditto. Not all wines get better with age. In fact, around 90 percent of wine produced globally is meant to be drunk within 6 weeks to 1 year. The other 10 percent don’t need decades of ageing, but leaving wine in the bottle for a few more years will help integrate its flavours, soften tannins and result in the development of interesting aromas over time. A tiny percentage of wines can age for extended times, and collectors pay big $$$ for such bottles.

How to Store Wine, Properly

Even wines that you intend to drink within the coming weeks or months need proper storage. Oxygen, heat, light and vibrations are wine’s enemies.

Avoid Oxygen

Always place corked bottles horizontally, so that the cork remains in contact with the wine. This prevents the cork from potentially drying out and shrinking – letting oxygen get into contact with wine. 

Avoid Heat

A wine cellar or wine fridge with a constant temperature between 12 and 15 ºC (55-59 ºF) is ideal, but alternatively, look for a relatively cool spot away from heaters. Heat speeds up a wine’s aging process, and can potentially ruin your wine. A study in Italy found that wines stored at room temperature lost colour and antioxidants 4 times faster than properly cellared wines.

Avoid (Artificial) Light

Store your wine in the dark. (Artificial) light can reshuffle the chemical compounds in a wine, resulting in off-flavours.

Avoid Vibrations

Wine also doesn’t like vibrations – they can mess up the chemical composition of the wine, dulling flavours. Heavy traffic, nearby railways or vibrating appliances are bad news for ageing wines. That includes the refrigerator in the kitchen. Not only does your fridge vibrate, the humidity of a fridge is too low. Wine’s ideal humidity level should be 55% to 75% (special wine refrigerators do reach these levels).

What Types of Wines can be Aged?

A good rule of thumb is, the pricier the bottle, the higher its ageing potential. A bottle under $35 is probably not going to benefit from a long period of cellaring. How a wine develops depends on its acidity level, residual sugar, tannins and alcohol. If you don’t find ageing recommendations of your wine on the producer’s website, look for other wine lovers’ suggestions on that particular bottle. 

Want to Start Building Your Cellar?

At WineCollective, we always add ageing recommendations to our wine reviews. If you’re looking to start building your own cellar, we suggest you check out our Premium monthly package. This three-pack includes all the benefits of our other WineCollective packages, with the inclusion of additional premium, cellar-ready wines.

Check out the details of our Premium monthly package.



Cooking With Wine: Our Tips to Ensure a Delicious Meal

Cooking with wine can be intimidating. What wine do you use? At what point do you add it? What type of dishes benefit from a little splash? All these questions can sometimes be enough to push the wine to the back burner – but fear not! 

We’ve gone ahead to create a guide with all the important information you will need to create your next amazing dish with wine.

What Wines can I Cook With?

When picking out what wines you are going to be using for your dish, a good rule of thumb is using wines that you would happily drink. Remember, when using wine to add flavour, most if not all of the alcohol will be cooked out, leaving the flavours in the wine to mingle with your dish. If you don’t like to drink it, you’re probably not going to like eating it! 

When cooking with red wines, use wines that are lower in tannins and that are fruit-forward. These red and dark fruit flavours add depth, but similarly to white wine, the acidity in the wine will also elevate the other flavours in your dish. Try a young red blend, like this one or a young Pinot Nero like this one.

If you’d like to cook with a white wine instead, try to find wines that are dry, bright, and acidic, also known as “crisp” wines. These wines are especially great since they will lend their citrus and green apple notes to your final dish. A Sauvignon Blanc like this one or Pinot Grigio like this one will work great!

Remember, there are a lot of decent wines, at decent prices, and you should save and store your fancier bottles for a special night. Cooking with an expensive bottle of wine is not recommended as the heat will cook out the finer nuances that you’ve paid for, or worked so hard cellaring your wine for. 

What Wines Should I Avoid When Cooking?

For your reds, you’ll want to avoid tannin-heavy wines as these can make your dish bitter and can accentuate that “dry” feeling in your mouth that you can get from these wines.

With your whites, avoid oaked wines, as these can reduce to add bitter and chalky flavours to your dish, which you definitely do not want. 

Most cooking wines that you pass by in the grocery store should probably be left right there on the shelf. While this is not true for all of them, cooking wines are usually filled with a lot of sodium, preservatives and sugars. These can make your final dish overly sweet, salty, and sometimes they can leave your dish tasting metallic. 

How Can I Incorporate my Wine When Cooking?

Red wines are predominantly used to add flavour to a dish while white wines are used to alter or change the flavour of a dish- through their acidity. 

You’ll want to use your red wines in dishes that use meats and proteins like roast beef, or a coq a vin, since the tannins in the wine will bind to the proteins in your dish, mellowing and balancing the flavours out. You can also incorporate red wines into desserts like with poached pears, or a fudge sauce.  

Use white wines in a pasta dish like a white wine pasta sauce. They also work extremely well with seafood dishes like shrimp scampi, or mussels in a white wine broth. The acidity and freshness in the wine complements the fresh seafood and brightens the flavours up. 

When Should I Add my Wine?

When cooking with wine, it is important to remember that the alcohol in the wine has to be cooked off. You don’t want to end up with a boozy dish at the end of the night. 

A good rule of thumb is to add your wine in at the beginning of your dish, and to reduce your total liquid by half, before you are ready to serve. 

This will ensure that the flavours in the wine and your dish mingle and incorporate nicely but it also ensures that most, if not all the alcohol in the wine is cooked out. 

Can I use Leftover Wine to Cook With?

Uncorked wines usually last 3-4 days at most before oxidising and turning into vinegar! If you use leftover wines, ensure they are still drinkable, and not off. An off wine will just sour your dish! 

Storing Your “Cooking” Wine!

So you’ve used your wine in your dish and now want to put it away but don’t know how?

Well, first, since it’s a drinkable wine, drink away! 

If you’re not in the mood to drink it, you’ll want to use a stopper and store it upright in the fridge for upto 4-5 days at most. 

Have fun!

At the end of the day, the best way to cook with wine is to have fun with it, it’s an experience after all. Sip, taste, and savour the flavours, and do what feels right to you. With the tips in this guide, the great wines we’ve suggested, and your brave curiosity, we’re confident that you’ll be cooking great dishes in no time at all! 

At WineCollective, we love wine (obviously)! And we love to share everything that we know about wine with our members. If you enjoyed learning about cooking with wine and want to learn more, taste some amazing exclusive bottles from around the world and develop your taste – or as the wine snobs call it, your palate – then check out our monthly wine subscriptions!