Sadly, there aren't enough wine based ones, so I've decided to post my own
I would first like to say that an empty two liter soda bottle is your friend! I use it for everything, from soaking bottles to get the labels off (more on that later), mixing laundry liquids, you name it!
My favorite use is to chill wine quickly. Seriously, just cut the top off an empty two liter soda bottle (save and use as a funnel), rinse it out, add ice, salt, and cold water, and in about six minutes you've got perfectly chilled wine! The salt reduces the freezing point of the water, and blah blah blah, it just works. Try it!
Sometimes I buy a bottle of wine, but have to work the next day, or only want a small glass of wine, and I can't finish it, or know that I won't be able to finish it the next day. Go to your local mega wine store, and buy yourself some super cheap little half bottles the 375 ml ones, with screw tops (or Stelvins if you're nerdy). It doesn't matter what kind, you don't care what's *in* the bottles, you just want the bottles. Take them home, rinse them out (they're top rack dishwasher safe, just remove the label first or you'll be picking bits of paper out of random food for weeks!) and use them to store your wine longer! Ever seen/heard about those little canisters of gas that people use to preserve their wine, or those big tanks of gas wineries use for winemaking? It's the same principle in both, use a neutral gas that doesn't impart flavors, but that is heavier than oxygen, to displace all oxygen in a bottle, tank, whatever. You're going to be doing the same thing, only using wine to displace the oxygen! Stick your (clean and newly sanitized thanks to the dishwasher) half bottle in the sink (for easier cleanup), and using a funnel, pour the rest of the wine all the way up to the top, you want it to overflow a little bit. Little is the key word, don't waste good wine, that's a party foul! Screw your top back on and ta-da! *Jazz Hands!* You've got wine that will keep for four or five days!!!
We sell these label remover things at my store. Well, I don't sell them, but we have them for sale. I don't see the point in charging people for what amounts to a very large piece of packing tape! I'd much rather use one of two methods, and save my money for some yummy wines!!
The first method is ridiculously easy, and works best on Old World labels, and is always my default first step in the label removing process. Since it's so simple, and I'm easily amused, I like to call this the Monsoon Method. Take your handy soda bottle, the targeted wine bottle, and find yourself a sink. Turn the water on (and if you live with me, let the water run for ten minutes until it actually gets hot) and pour a little hot water in the bottom of the soda bottle, then pop the wine bottle inside the soda bottle, and proceed to fill both of them up past the label, making sure the water is as hot as possible. The water inside the wine bottle with anchor it, and also helps to soften the glue. I'm lazy and normally let this sit overnight, but if you're impatient, you can check it in about fifteen minutes. Use your thumbnail to gently peel up the corner, if it starts to come up freely, just wait, it'll be floating in no time. It really doesn't get much easier than that!!
If your label is shouting "Viva La Resistance", it's time to show that label what happens to those who don't obey your command. I like to call this the Oven Method. (what? no one said YOU had to call it that!) Preheat your oven to 200 degrees and, once ready, pop the offending bottles into the oven, LABEL SIDE UP (otherwise you'll get scorch marks, which is desirable in a steak, or even grilled veggies, but not a label), and let those damned bottles feel the heat of your fury for about ten minutes. I like to check them around six minutes, that's usually when some of the cheaper glues start to soften. Lay a towel down on your counter, grab the bottle from the oven, and using one of those razor blades you get out of a box cutter, or one of those little paint scrapers you get from the hardware store for when you're a sloppy painter, use it to GENTLY scrape the label off the bottle. I like to start in one corner, and go slow, if the label isn't coming off easily, just pop it back into the oven for some more fury. It's best to save up a counter full of bottles for this task, although you might get accused of being "Some kind of wine connoisseur".
That's all I've got for now, I'll post more later! If you've got any other hints and tricks, feel free to leave them in the comments!
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