Who hasn’t been on an airplane without leafing through the
pages of Sky Mall? It was easily found 12 inches from your
knees in the seat pocket in front of you, featuring a huge variety of products
ranging from home decorating to dog pampering to colorful rain boots.
It was reported last week that Sky Mall has filed for bankruptcy.
Three of the largest airlines in the U.S. (Delta, US Air and American)
all ended their distribution contracts with the publisher last fall. What a pity.
One of the long term advertisers in Sky Mall has been the California
Wine Club. “We were in it pretty
much since it launched” says California Wine Club General Manager, Gerri Lin
Baker. She recalls that when they
started it was during the time that the seat back in front of you was equipped
with a built-in telephone specifically with the intention of placing an order
from the Sky Mall catalogue. Operators were standing by! Now that's what I call a business model.
I enjoyed checking out Sky Mall even if my reaction to some of the doodads was for
amusement. Since my occupation and
vocation focuses on wine and travel these days, I thought this might be an
appropriate time to give some attention to the wine-related accessories that
graced the pages of this catalogue during its many years of spanning the globe
with millions of travelers from all over the world.
ENJOY THE DELICIOUS FLAVOR OF 10 YEARS OF AGING IN JUST A
FEW SECONDS
Vintage Express Wine
Aging Accelerator
Extremely powerful Neodymium magnets realign particles in
beverages. So wine in a glass shows
noticeable improvement in just a few minutes.
The longer a beverage remains in the Vintage Express, the greater the
effect. $59.99
Vintage Express Rack
This five bottle rack transforms inexpensive red and white
wines in premium vintages. Powerful
magnets are built in. No moving parts,
no batteries required and no additives needed.
$99.99
HAND BLOWN, EASY CLEANING, DISH WASHER SAFE AERATING WINE
GLASS
The Aerating Wine
Glass by Chevalier
Simply pour into the aerating cell. The shower effect is laboratory proven to
aerate your wine, enhancing its bouquet of flavors and aromas. $19.95
The Eve Decanter by
Riedel
The sensuous, serpentine curves of Riedel’s lead crystal,
mouth blown Eve decanter are not only seductive but functional. Eve is a decanter that also speaks- it emits
a sound akin to the gurgle of a King Cobra as the wine makes its trip through
the curvaceous swirl of glass. Exactly what does the “gurgle of a King Cobra”
sound like? You can find out for $445.95
The Beer Machine Brew
master
We all know it takes a lot of beer to make wine. This machine
will make 28-12 oz servings per batch.
You get one beer mix, CO2 capsules, plus Bottling Kit. I had my first homemade brew when I was in
England back in the 1970s. I hope the
process has improved since then. $120.00
BREATHE
TASTEFUL LIFE INTO YOUNG WINES
Magic Coaster
Flair Hair Visor
If you are a guy who enjoys wine touring and tasting on a sunny day and you are bald, the Flair Hair Visor could be just for you. The visor with a built-in ‘doo is a great
gift idea for the man who has everything.
Machine wash; air dry. $19.99
The hair visor and the dog pal are a stretch as a wine accoutrement but I couldn't resist. It's just a reminder of one of the many flavors of Sky Mall. Almost all of the businesses that were promoting themselves in the catalogue are still in business.
Salute! Sky Mall....we enjoyed your company up in the air.
Salute! Sky Mall....we enjoyed your company up in the air.
