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For each wrapping style above, you can add a decorative accent such as greenery or a bow to the bottleneck along with one of these four holiday tags. This sophisticated version combines the see-what-you’re-shaking theatricality of a glass Boston shaker with a classic strainer-shaker’s ease of use. The crystal has a pleasing weight, and it doesn’t get icy like a metal shaker, so it’s easy on the hands. Though Waterford says it’s designed for rum cocktails, I’ve never known a shaker to discriminate.
If your hosts are kind enough to let you stay over, you can double down on the gift by making everyone some scrambled eggs for breakfast. There is video proof of me deftly completing a puzzle at a mere 18 months old. Of course, not everyone is a puzzle enthusiast, but those who are can vouch for the fact that if you gift them one, it will not end up in the closet unsolved.
Cheers & New Year’s: A Holiday Wine Quiz
I credit my colleague Aaron Romano for discovering Real Good Fish after we’d watched a documentary on the fishing industry, which left us troubled about how to enjoy seafood responsibly. This company ships sustainably sourced, wild-caught, seasonal seafood to your favorite pescatarians . It’s completely customizable and flexible, and you can even order add-ons, from salmon burgers to locally raised and butchered meats.
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.
Gifts and New Products
It’s capacious enough to hold 12 cans or several bottles of wine, with external pouches for water bottles or a Bluetooth speaker, supporting a perfect day at the beach or by the lake. Available in pink, black, blue and a navy camo pattern, there’s an option to suit anyone on your gift list. There are even courses for wine professionals such as ABCs of Wine Sales and Service. Perhaps even more important than understanding where a wine is coming from is knowing how to accurately describe it. The aroma wheel is a must-have for wine lovers who are just starting to stick their nose into the world of wine. For the wine guy or girl who really wants to let people know what smells, there are even Aroma Wheel T-shirts ($28).
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.
Gift Guide: Editors’ Favorite Wine Accessories
Say goodbye to that conventional decanter and instead turn to a high-quality version that embraces functionality and form. Glass expert Riedel’s O decanter offers a slanted lip to facilitate a clean, precise pour. The minimalist design and modest size, as well as the punt at the bottom, make it user-friendly, fitting easily in your hand. While your “special occasion” decanter takes up space on the shelf, this will quickly become your everyday go-to for decanting everything from a prized bottle to your pre-dinner sipper.—A.N. Wine lovers are a particular bunch, and can be tough to shop for if wine accoutrements are the order of the holiday. Most enophiles already have a preferred corkscrew, decanter, wineglass, etc., so the gift of an everyday tool may just accrue dust.
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.
Wine IQ
I like this one, which is stylish yet sturdy enough for heavy use. Designed with smaller citrus in mind, it’s perfect for squeezing a big batch of Key limes, and the shallower bowl makes it difficult to oversqueeze—a bartending sin that can result in bitter juice. I was on assignment when a vintner turned me on to Dick Taylor Chocolate, and since then the brown butter nibs and sea salt bar has become the epitome of chocolate nirvana to me. It started with discovering the Burlap & Barrel Wild Mountain Cumin, which I can only describe as life-changing, in that it dramatically upped my cooking repertoire. Since then, I’ve replaced nearly all of my spices with Burlap & Barrel versions, and joined and gifted its spice club. Membership includes pre-releases of new spices, new harvests of best-sellers, special food products, recipes and more.
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.
If they enjoy whiskey and cigars, we've got you covered there, too. There's a present for everyone, and many items can be personalized for that extra special touch. In a recent blog on WineSpectator.com, senior editor James Laube's "Blind Is Best if You Must Assess," Laube says that tasting wines blind is one of the most educational ways to taste wine. "Anyone can conclude that a $100 wine is more expensive than the $25 wine by looking at the price tag," Laube writes. Some people have even mistaken red wines for whites and vice versa when served at the same temperatures using these tricky but nevertheless elegant stems. Pick up a set of these fun wineglasses for the adventurous wine lover on your list.
This bold wine has blueberry and blackberry flavors and is balanced with a toasty oak aroma and satisfying level of acidity. Bear Flag Zinfandel’s rich bouquet and finish is sure to please the palates and warm the hearts of all who partake. For a simple yet polished style that complements any bottle, select the wrapping paper design of your choice to create a band that allows your recipients to be delighted when they unwrap to reveal the label. Try this with the understated 2016 Talbott Vineyards Kali Hart Chardonnay.
Love receiving wine as a gift, but enjoy giving it even more when it's something symbolic/significant. Just helped my brother-in-law source a 1990 Heitz Martha's as a gift from him to a friend for their 25th anniversary next week. I love the look in their eyes when they "get" the tie-in of the vintage to the year of their birth, marriage, etc. My wife's family knows I like wine, and occasionally I will get a bottle in the family Christmas exchange. But I have to cringe every time I unwrap one, as more often than not, its something I'm probably not going to drink, like a bottle of strawberry wine from someplace in Ohio, or a semi-sweet Chambourcin from the Finger Lakes.
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