Wine Lover's Holiday Gift Guide
Whether you're looking to splurge or save, the editors of Wine Enthusiast present out-of-the-box wine-, spirits- and food-related ideas for the 2011 holiday season.
Published on Oct 11, 2011By Wine Enthusiast Editors
Save
Fusion Triumph Stemware ($59.95 for a set of two) Made from European crystal fused with magnesium, these varietal-specific glasses are the most break-resistant in the world. The oversized bowls ensure generous aromas and flavors.
Winerd Board Game ($35) By combining wine trivia and blind tasting, players can flaunt their vinous knowledge, or lack thereof, in this entertaining board game.
Yankee Candle Wine Collection ($17.99 each) Bring the aromas of the vineyard home with candles in scents like Napa Valley Sun, Grapevine & Oak and Vineyard (with aromas of Merlot, Cabernet and Zinfandel wines). Each comes in a stemless wineglass-shaped holder.
Kahlua Cinnamon Spice ($20) Ideal for cold-weather cocktails, this new release was inspired by Mexican café de olla and has cinnamon, brown sugar and coffee notes.
Splurge
Krug Flânerie ($200) This chic Champagne cooler has the look of a designer bag—keeping the enclosed bottle of bubbly (Krug Grande Cuvée) at a chill 50ºF, ensuring a portable party.
Riedel Mamba Decanter ($415) This striking, serpentine decanter is free form and mouth blown, so no two are alike. Wine aerates faster in the crystal coil than traditional decanters
Edo Kiriko Saké Glasses ($137 each) These colorful, intricately etched saké glasses are hand blown, lending them a delicate feel.
Newton The Element Chiller and Coaster Set ($400) Renowned clay artist Michael Wisner designed this white wine chiller and coaster set out of local clay for the eco-friendly winery Newton Vineyard in Napa, California. Only 100 sets were produced.
Sip
Taylor Fladgate 20-Year-Old Tawny Port ($54.99) With its rich dried fruit and spiced nut flavors, this classic fortified wine is sure to spread holiday cheer while warming away winter’s chill.
Essential Bar Tool Rollup Kit ($39.95) This black neoprene roll-up pouch features nine must-have tools for at-home bartenders. Tools include a bottle opener,
strainer, tongs, stirrer, muddler, double jigger, bar knife, measured liquid pourer and corkscrew.
The Clicker ($25.99) No man cave is complete without this toy—a universal TV remote and beer bottle opener in one. Available in blue and red.
Traveling Bitters Set ($19.99, the-bitter-truth.com) Five 20-ml bottles of bitters (including Creole, orange and celery flavors), packaged in a playful, vintage-style tin, ensure sweet success for cocktail makers on the go.Brix ($25.99) This “chocolate for wine” gift set contains four 4-ounce bars of chocolate, complete with tasting notes and wine pairing suggestions.
Whiskey Iced Ginger Cookies ($34/dozen) These ginger cookies contain whiskey-infused cherries and are drizzled with a shot of whiskey icing. A Black and Tan version is also available for beer lovers.
Meyer Natural Angus Steaks ($99.95) Fine restaurants like FIGA in Maine and The Oak Room in New York serve these certified humane, antibiotic- and hormone-free steaks to red wine lovers. A variety of gift packs are available for under $100; the steaks arrive in a cooler with a personalized note.
Virgin and Aged Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars
(prices vary) First-crush olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Pure and natural, in vivid flavors both classic and exotic: cinnamon pear, jalapeño, dark chocolate, chipotle…even butter.Stocking Stuffers
Six small gifts to fill up stockings this holiday season.
Rate That Wine Pad ($6.95) With a built-in coaster and amusing wine tasting notes like “lean and sinewy” and “same color as box,” this wine-rating note pad doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Pocket Posh Wine Journal ($7.99) This bright, portable journal contains fun facts for budding oenophiles, and plenty of space for jotting down wine notes.
100 Stiff Drinks Vouchers ($6) These comical drink vouchers ensure that the next round is on you.
Glassware Care ($19.95) This set of three brushes was designed for hard-to-reach places in decanters and stemware. Foam “bristles” make cleaning less of a chore.
DeVine Lip Shimmers Wine Lip Glosses ($9.99) Available in shades of rosé (pink), Bordeaux (plum), and Merlot (red), DeVine lip shimmers have a light wine scent enriched with grapeseed oil.
Hangover Recovery Kit ($12.99) Guaranteed to get a few laughs, if not to cure an actual hangover, this cheeky tin offers a 16-page remedy booklet, healing bandages and other amusing trifles for the day after.
Here are more gifts perfect for a wine, beer and spirits lover:
Mionetto’s Prosecco Brut Magnum ($24): This Prosecco bottling will impress with its sparkle and size (equivalent to two full-size bottles), and the price is right. A large gift box makes it a pleasing party gift.
Chandon Étoile Brut Wine and Pointy Snout Caviar Pack ($150): Bubbly and caviar is a classic combination for discerning drinkers. This gorgeous gift box features a bottle of sparkling along with 50 grams of white sturgeon caviar from Pointy Snout (available November 1-December 31).
Cooler Cleanse ($174): Cofounded by Salma Hayek, this three-day, all-natural juice-cleansing system will help you slim down after all your holiday partying.
Puiforcat Champagne Daggers ($650 each): These handcrafted silver daggers are part of the Puiforcat Champagne collection, epitomizing elegance with crystal bowls hand blown at the Cristalleries de Saint-Louis glass workshop.
Clive Christian No.1 Gift Set ($1,040.00): Looking for luxury in a bottle? The most expensive perfume in the world, this perfume house now known as Clive Christian was honored by Queen Victoria more than a century ago, and incorporates rare ingredients from across the (former) British Empire. Clive Christian perfumes are available at Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Branché’s Silk Charmeuse Pillow Covers ($55): Made from high-quality silk, this sleek pillow case is packed with 18 amino acids and copper, reducing fine lines and creases in the skin. A model secret.
SoHo Bar Glasses ($49.95 for a set of two): These solid rocks glasses feature a 1½-inch base of European crystal and a handsome crosshatch pattern—perfect for the Scotch lover.
Don Julio 70 Añejo Claro ($70): Celebrating the 70th anniversary of Don Julio Gonzalez’s foray into Tequila making, this special release is aged 18 months in American white-oak barrels and twice-filtered, resulting in a crystalclear Tequila.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label ($200): This high-end Scotch has a new signature look, mirroring the original 19th-century bottle design. Complimentary, personalized engraving removes the need for sending a card.
Mandarine Napoléon ($36.99): Drink like an em peror with this mandarin-accented liqueur, a blend of 10-year-old Cognacs and macerated mandarins, first bottled in 1892 for Napoléon Bonaparte.
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