Wine Accessory Feature: VinniBag

Wine makes a great souvenir. What better way to relive a fantastic moment of your vacation, right? But transporting wine back in your luggage? Not so fun. Between carry-on restrictions and rough baggage handlers, you might find yourself walking away from that special bottle. No one wants their wine confiscated from a carry-on, or worse – broken inside their checked luggage.

Well, fear not, intrepid traveler! VinniBag is here to help. Inflatable and reusable, this nifty invention is guaranteed to keep your wine unharmed by impact. So, pack up your wine and tuck it into your checked luggage without a worry! The product has been fully inspected and meets all airline guidelines. It’s also great for transporting other fragile items. MSNBC featured VinniBag in a recent article and has received lots of great responses.

So, go ahead and buy that amazing Sangiovese! It’ll be in perfect condition when you get home. But we don’t recommend taking home the spaghetti carbonara you had with it. Even a VinniBag can’t help you there.

VinniBag is available for purchase at Bon Vivant for $24.99.

Wines for Easter Dinner

We love Easter candy. Maybe a little bit too much. But we love wine even more, and so we think it's just as important to celebrate the day with a delicious bottle of wine as it is to eat many, many chocolate eggs. Whether you're making ham, lamb, or poultry, there are a number of wines that pair beautifully with traditional Easter foods.

Rose wines are great with ham and poultry dishes. Characterized by soft berry flavors, these wines are light, delicate, and refreshing. And their pink color is certainly appropriate!

If lamb is on the menu, try a bold Syrah. With flavors of black cherry, cassis, and peppery notes, Syrahs stand up well to the gaminess and richness of lamb. They're also great with a nice cut of beef.

With the beautiful weather this weekend, maybe you're thinking about firing up the grill. Malbecs are sensational with grilled foods. Characterized by aggressive flavors of plum and blackberry with a smooth and long finish, these wines are great with the smoky, bold flavors of barbecue. Malbecs are also great with many cuts of pork.

Making chicken or turkey? Roses would be a great option again. A citrusy, light sauvignon blanc or a crisp, creamy chardonnay would also be delicious.

And with all the sweets going around, don't forget that dessert wines are a great celebratory treat, too!

Whatever is on the menu, make sure the wine is just as special as the meal and your company! We'd be happy to suggest some great ones for you. Happy Easter!