Wine and Cheese Please!

Double Iron Wine Rack
For a unique twist on a wine rack, check out these handcrafted single- and double-bottle iron racks created by Louisville artist Craig Kaviar.  The swirls of natural metal hold the bottles upside-down, and fasten to the wall.  Wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, each is about 30 inches long, and the rack that holds two bottles is eight to nine inches wide.  John Johnson, owner of The Wine Rack on Frankfort Avenue, says these functional works of art are one of a kind, simultaneously rustic and elegant.  The double rack sells for $95, and the single sells for $45.



Maker's Mark Plate/Server
If you like your bourbon with a smile, you're probably a fan of Loretto, Kentucky's own Maker's Mark, with its trademark red wax sealed top.  If a Maker's Mark bottle were a cheese plate, it would be--the Maker's Mark "bottle" tray, available at A Taste of Kentucky in the Village Square Shopping Center in Middletown, at Mall St. Matthews, and in the Aegon building downtown.  According to the Maker's Mark web site (www.makersmarkgiftshop.com), original Maker's bottles are melted flat, and the tops are dipped in the famous red wax to create a clear glass tray, complete with paper label on the inside.  A cheese knife is attached to the bottle neck with black jute, and a hanger at the top is handy for display when this unique serving piece is not in use.  It sells for $41.



Fleur-de-Lis Wine Stopper
Cap your open wine bottles with the symbol of our city.  A three-and-a-half-inch aluminum fleur- de-lis accents a one-and-a-half-inch cork stopper.  At six dollars each at Red Tree on East Market Street, you'll want to bring home more than one for your next wine and cheese event.




Chrome Wine Opener - "The Metropolis"
Fritz Lang's 1927 classic film, Metropolis, features a futuristic city, and the "Metropolis" wine opener at Gemelli Wine and Spirits in Chenoweth Plaza on Brownsboro Road is designed in similar sleek, art deco style.  The handsomely boxed set includes a foil cutter, a cork pull that twists or can be manipulated with a one-handled lever, and a chrome stopper to cap any remaining wine.  Oenophilia is the manufacturer, and the set sells for $22.



Yeoward Wine Carafes
These handmade glass wine carafes are distinguished by their beautifully simplistic design that perfectly blends form and function. They are both fun and practical. Deeply engraved wine labels designate Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Chardonnay or Cabernet. Perfect for the kitchen, dining room or terrace, the carafes will invite your friends to enjoy your hospitality and favorite wines in relaxed style. $177 each, at Dolfinger's, 4600 Shelbyville Road, in Shelbyville Road Plaza.