A Roadmap for Thoughtful Wine Gifts Wine Spectator
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A few years ago, a friend gave me a wine funnel with a little mesh screen to catch any sediment I’ve missed, and a series of perforations at the bottom, which pushes the wine into a tulip-shaped spray. It’s a nice way to quickly aerate younger, more rustic wines, and although it’s a little gimmicky, I find myself using it more than I’d expected. Join today and get immediate access to this article, and to our entire database of more than 400,000 wine ratings. It only takes moments—but it will help you drink better all year long.
The key to carrying the perfect Swiss Army knife is choosing only the tools you really need. This year’s limited edition holds special appeal for both blade aficionados and wine lovers. In addition to the corkscrew, it showcases a sizable main blade in strikingly patterned Damasteel and a skeleton blade for handling sticky cheeses. Featuring a luxurious matte-finished pear wood handle, this comes in a transparent gift box to flaunt its beauty. Do you get frustrated when you can’t quite get the last pour out of your traditional, wide- and flat-based decanter? Tired of looking like a rookie when the decanter’s flat top causes you to dribble wine onto your tabletop?
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Shout outs to my in-laws, Miami Atty and Emilio who have given me the best wines as presents. It’s a little copper disc on a stick (mine’s actually attached to a pretty, and infinitely more useful, Laguiole corkscrew), which, is purported to “age” the wine in your glass, at a rate of one year per second. I’ve tried it a number of times, and all I can suggest is that it’s complete bunk. Even if all it is supposed to do is oxidize the wine, it doesn’t seem to do much except make everyone else at the table enjoy a laugh at your expense. Denise Mueller is a St. Louis–based certified sommelier and certified specialist of wine.
A throwback to styles once worn by vineyard workers, this bag is ideal for carrying a range of goodies, from cold beverages to foraged mushrooms. Cute and compact, this set made by Sur La Table is carved from olive wood. As a plus, the pieces come in an olive wood box with cutouts for storage, so they don’t get lost and separated in the silverware drawer. My mom is obsessed with ordering from New York restaurants through Goldbelly and others. This summer, she came across these seasoned salts from Momofuku. They are a game-changer; I now use them exclusively to season my eggs in the morning.
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While growing up in his family’s wine business, California vintner Pete Seghesio’s favorite annual occasion was sausage-making day. When the winery was sold in 2011, Seghesio and his wife, Cathy, turned their attention to becoming excellent salumi producers. They also sell a wooden guillotine slicer to achieve paper-thin slices of their Journeyman salumi.
The bowl boasts a wingspan of 5 inches, and when put to the test, it holds a remarkable 32 ounces—more than a standard wine bottle. All that capacity gives you plenty of swirl space, but it could also easily be unwieldy in a lesser glass. Somehow the Zalto is graceful whether there’s an ounce or a bottle’s worth of wine in it, despite having one of the slimmest stems I’ve encountered. As the name suggests, this version is recommended for Burgundy, but a glass like this elevates wines from many regions. You can try accepted Burgundy alternatives like Barolo or Etna reds from Italy, but you might also enjoy using it to sip vintage Champagne or a gran reserva Rioja.—A.N.
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Fashioned in a variety of vivid colorways, these blades are also easy to spot if dropped. If you only choose one to gift, pick the JH Hunter/Forager ($269), whose 4-inch blade can tackle camp chores like carving a tent stake and still fillet a fish. Wine Spectator's team of editors taste over 35,000 wines a year.... Not even certified Masters of Wine are likely able to pinpoint every wine appellation on the globe. I exchange wine with my brother for christmas every year and always look forward to it. The 2016 William Hill Estate Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay shares notes of apple, pear, tropical fruits, and lemon balanced with coconut and baking spices, leading to a finish worthy of a celebratory toast.
In truth, I'd much rather get wime for myself, since I know what I like. One thing that irritates me to no end is wine-related gifts that are of absolutely cheesy fashion (I actually had someone give me a poster once that said "a meal without wine is called breakfast"). As much as he loved the 2010 cab, he didn't buy any because he was a little down on his luck at the time.
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The coffee in this subscription is so smooth and complex, even latte lovers will like it black. Fans of the retro style will like the Vivianna cheese board and knife from Scandinavia-inspired cookware designer Dansk. A replica of Swedish jeweler Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe's elegant 1988 design, this version is beautiful and well-priced, with a steel blade. As I have been recently finding out, there are some spectacular wines under 100 bucks. No matter how much wine this guy has or what his wine budget is, he will be the first to tell you that price is not always indicative of quality.
Modeling maps from winemaking regions around the world, these puzzles are both a challenge and a chance to expand your wine knowledge. These, made from wood sourced in Martha’s Vineyard, are of impeccable quality. Each bowl starts from whole trees that undergo a long process of milling, roughing, drying and finishing.
Wine Spectator's Owen Dugan reviews gifts for wine lovers, from coasters to Champagne sabers. This holiday season, delight your friends and family with thoughtful, handpicked gifts of fine wines. Bigger isn’t always better, but these hand-blown, Austria-made glasses are awfully impressive.
The company offers other bitters and also makes stylish barware, tonic syrups and more. It falls in that category of gifts that the host can either choose to present or save for themselves to enjoy later. I’ve given these as thank-you gifts throughout the year as well, and they are always a hit.
These nonalcoholic sets are especially fun for comparing flavors, and you’ll definitely get bonus points if your host has kids. Le Creuset’s stoneware carafe adds a flash of rustic chic to any kitchen. We like the red cerise version best, but it’s available in tones like Marseille blue, hibiscus pink and Creuset's signature eye-catching flame orange. Man, I sure wish that WS would come out with a list of good wine gifts... Wine Spectator's team of editors taste over 35,000 wines a year. Working within their regional specializations, each taster assesses the wines in controlled blind tastings.
Pour a sip or a glass from virtually any bottle without removing the cork, ensuring that the remaining wine will be perfectly preserved for weeks, months or even years. Whenever you make your way back to the bottle, the next glass will be just as amazing as the first. With Coravin, your wine rack becomes your personal tasting menu. Made from 100% recycled materials, this clever bag keeps drinks cold on the go, and upon arrival can transform into a soft-sided ice bucket for convenient self-service.
She owns the Mid-American School of Wine and the wine course PreSomm, with wine books and wine courses available atPreSomm.com. Portugal is home to a wide range of notable wines that sometimes don’t get the attention they deserve. Complimenting the bravado of Bear Flag, the 2015 MacMurray Estate Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a masterful blend with soft, round, delicate flavors. The offering is sourced primarily from four of MacMurry’s Russian River Valley Vineyards. Choose from this curated list of top-rated wines below to match the palate of each person on your list.
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