Apart from Geoffrey off the Fresh Prince, butlers aren't half as funny as they used to be. And we should know, because the last guy to work at Firebox Manor didn't even have the decency to make backhanded witticisms when pouring our wine.

Thankfully Bottle Buddy does, and that's why we think wine aficionados will adore this side-splitting server. A truly upper-crust drinking companion, Bottle Buddy is an ingenious electronic fellow who grabs your bottle by the neck and comes out with increasingly droll one-liners as the vino flows.

Listen to the phrases by clicking on the links below:

• "Are you taking me to another bottle?"
  MP3 (36KB)
• "Very, very, drunk!"
  MP3 (36KB)
• "Oh we're not alone!"
  MP3 (26KB)
• "Join the party!"
  MP3 (16KB)


• ...and many more!

Electronic gadgetry inside Bottle Buddy gauges how far gone you are by the tipping angle of the bottle. And clever internal sensors let Bottle Buddy know when you've poured one or two glasses, so he'll have a quality quip to match any drinking scenario. This sloshed suit even knows if you've cracked open a new bottle. Best of all, the silly sot slurs his words as the bottle empties. And even though he looks like an over-enthused and under-dressed Amish man, Bottle Buddy speaks in an amusing Arthur at his drunkest drawl. I say!

It goes without saying that Bottle Buddy is a great gift for wine lovers, but we suppose you could stick him on a similarly sized bottle of soda pop. Then again, anyone who requires a drinking partner when downing lemonade needs help, not a Bottle Buddy. We reckon Bottle Buddy will brighten up any wine drinking session, from solo sipping to full-on soiree. And if anyone asks where all the merlot's gone, just say the butler did it. 'Urp!