We regularly reach out to stylish individuals with unique, discerning tastes to share the products they truly love owning. Explore more about these cool individuals here.
We regularly reach out to stylish individuals with unique, discerning tastes to share the products they truly love owning. Explore more about these cool individuals here.
Wine buckets and chillers are essential for entertaining in the warmer months. The most effective wine chillers and buckets work well both outdoors and inside, maintaining your wine at the ideal temperature for extended durations. To ensure your whites and Champagnes cool adequately, start the chilling process at least 30 minutes prior to serving.
When selecting a wine chiller or bucket, consider the materials and functionalities that will most efficiently cool your beverages. Stainless steel offers longevity, superior insulation, and ease of cleaning, though it tends to show fingerprints. Ceramic options exude elegance but can be hefty and delicate. Plastic models are affordable and light but the quality can be inconsistent. Marble provides a naturally cool surface and sustains chilly temperatures effectively.
I consulted with event planners, restaurant staff, sommeliers, and experienced hosts to gather their recommendations on wine bags, sleeves, chillers, and buckets. For those interested in additional options for keeping your wine cool, we also offer a guide to the best wine coolers and refrigerators.
This fashionable bag is endorsed by Chloe Grigri, the proprietor of the Good King Tavern in Philadelphia, who finds it perfect for BYOB occasions. Its compact size fits small spaces and is easy to carry. “These are popular in France as they are not too bulky and manage condensation well,” she comments. Grigri suggests filling the bag with ice to maintain optimal chillness, though she cautions, “Finish the wine before the ice melts.”
Matt Whitney, a wine director at Sunny’s in Miami, shares his technique for using the wine bag. “Place the bottle inside before adding lots of ice and a little water,” he instructs. “This prevents the bottle from resting unevenly on hard ice, ensuring stability and coolness.” Whitney prefers this simple, portable, and easy-to-clean system for casual gatherings, contrasting with the elegant wine buckets used in Sunny’s dining room.
According to William Eccleston, wine director at Panorama Wine Bar, these plastic wine bags are affordable, durable, compact, and easy to transport. While visiting St. Martin, he noticed their use in cafés and luxury resorts, where they were filled with ice and premium dry rosé bottles. Appreciating their practicality and style, Eccleston introduced a similar, branded ice wine bag at Panorama to efficiently use space on diners’ tables. He keeps these gel-lined bags in the freezer, using them to cool bottles of red wine from room temperature to cellar temperature within approximately 20 minutes.
If you find yourself an impromptu host and need wine chilled quickly, this Vacu Vin sleeve chills a bottle in 15 minutes, no messy ice bath needed. Just keep the sleeve in the freezer ahead of time for at least six hours, then take it out and put the wine bottle in it. CEO of The Hue Society and frequent traveling sommelier Tahiirah Habibi says the wine chiller sleeve has revolutionized her on-the-go wine experience: “Its portability, freezing speed, and elegant bottle look changed the game.” Habibi was originally drawn to its minimalist design and appreciates how well it adapted to her work style.
This CB2 Levanto marble wine chiller is a dramatic display piece. Nicole Cole, CEO and principal designer at Vestige Home, constantly seeks out unique accessories and natural materials and recommends this one because “the footed base on this particular chiller is a real standout feature. I love that it adds height to your tablescape and a more casual, earthy element through the perfectly imperfect stone,” Cole says.
D’Onna Stubblefield also loves this chiller, which fits in just as well at Bloomsday in Philadelphia, where she is a beverage director, as in her home. “I’ve used my chiller for other items like fresh-cut flowers or to store kitchen utensils,” she says. “Even when I’m not chilling my wine, it still makes for a very beautiful addition to my kitchen.”
This Crate & Barrel wine chiller has a classic look and feel that can work with any kitchen style. Like Stubblefield, Wine Convo Generator author Chasity Cooper also uses her marble wine chiller as a vase and even a utensil holder. Cooper likes wine chillers that are functional and ornamental and won’t break the bank. This one doesn’t take up a lot of space and prevents pesky bottle rings that chilled bottles can leave behind on a table, and “it blends in well with other appliances and décor.”
Tablecraft’s heavy-duty marble wine chiller eliminates the need for ice, chills very quickly, and stays cold for a long time. General manager Lawrence Gardner uses this at The Prime Rib in Philadelphia to provide guests with an elegant fine-dining experience. “Guests want to feel like they are dining in luxury, so marble is an important material to have throughout the restaurant, including countertops, tables, and bar tops, and, in this case, our wine cooler,” says Gardner.
Jordanne Pascual-Cancel, wine and service manager at New York restaurant Principe, appreciates the Wine Enthusiast bucket for its durability and ease of cleaning. It comes equipped with a table attachment that secures the wine bucket, conserves valuable table space, and prevents condensation from dripping onto the table. She advises submerging a wine bottle in a mix of ice and cold water immediately after opening it to ensure more even cooling and to prevent the bottle from tipping over,” shares Pascual-Cancel.
Cookbook author and restaurant consultant Nicole A. Taylor opts for a yellow plastic and vinyl bucket during small gatherings as it negates the need for frequent trips to the mini-fridge. It’s well-insulated with a secure top, metal knob and handle, and maintains ice cold for three to five hours. “The vibrant design and color enhance the playful decor of my vacation home in Athens, Georgia, and I have one in my Bed-Stuy apartment as well,” Taylor mentions.
This shatterproof resin material wine tub, designed to mimic alabaster with its pearly white and subtle swirls, is not only sleek but also has practical handling with its cutout features and can hold up to eight bottles. Mural City Cellars co-owner Francesca Galarus uses the lightweight tub for serving numerous guests nightly, needing to change the bottles frequently but the ice only once per shift. “It’s perfect for private-event tastings and farmer’s market setups,” she comments.
This Yeti wine chiller isn’t just practical for outdoor enthusiasts; wine experts also appreciate its extra-durable features. The stainless-steel double-wall insulation maintains a consistent temperature, the robust structure prevents damage, and the non-slip silicone base allows placement on various surfaces (rocks, sand, dirt, grass, etc.) without concern for tipping. “It holds temperature better than any other on the market that I have seen,” Terence Lewis, the beverage director at Safran Turney Hospitality, remarks. “This will hold a slightly chilled red as opposed to a cooler with ice that will actively chill the red further.”
Yeti products are recognized for their durability, attracting committed fans like Liz Einhorn, founder and CEO of Experience Threee, who has been a customer for over ten years. This wine chiller has become her preferred choice for BYOB dining in Philadelphia. She even selects wines based on their fitting in this chiller. It is compact, sturdy, and leak-proof. “I also love to give it as a gift. You can customize the exterior, and it’s something people will actually use and appreciate,” Einhorn states.
Event producer Tini Cochran from Tini Inc. recommends the Togosa, which not only keeps wine and cocktails chilled but also can enliven your tablescapes or enhance service by facilitating guests’ easy access to their drinks. She often employs this dual-purpose wine chiller and pitcher in Texas and New Orleans, where she notes, “it keeps the drinks cold and my stuff dry,” despite intense heat waves and condensation. The Togosa, with triple insulation like a thermos, retains temperatures for up to 48 hours (simply pre-chill your bottle), includes a lockable lid to secure a wine bottle while serving, and comes with a leakproof strainer attachment for portable drinks holding up to 49 ounces of liquid. “The fun colors enhance different décor styles, but it’s my secret weapon for keeping the wine ice cold before serving in glasses at my park dinners or beach outings, rather than using a bulky cooler.”
Alex Cahanap, founder and creative director of Citrine Tablescapes, favors this stainless-steel Society6 wine chiller, particularly because it doubles as both a wine chiller and décor at her BYOB dinner parties and events. She admires the distinctive wraparound designs created by independent artists and the chiller’s ability to maintain wine cool for hours (she places the wine chiller in the freezer for about 30 minutes before use). “They are the epitome of marrying practicality with a splash of artistic flair,” she comments.
This Champagne cooler from Couzon presents a more refined option for those who frequently host gatherings, also serving as an ideal gift for special occasions. It accommodates the largest of Champagne bottles, white wine bottles, and ample ice. Rebecca Hopkins, a wine marketer and the founder of A Balanced Glass, came across this cooler at a social event where magnums of wine were being served. According to Hopkins, its 18/10 stainless-steel composition and double-wall insulation signify superior construction quality, ensuring excellent temperature maintenance and reduced table condensation. For any remaining moisture, she suggests, “Place a service napkin or a felt coaster underneath the bucket to absorb condensation and safeguard the table surface.”
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