26 November 2007 by Sandy Hemphill
Gifts for Wine Lovers
The holiday gift-giving season is rapidly approaching and there’s no doubt you have a wine lover or two on your gift list. Or perhaps you are the wine lover on someone else’s gift list and they’re hinting for suggestions. The suggestions offered here are intended to make the shopping as much fun as the wine.
The most straightforward gifts for wine lovers start with a bottle of wine. Slip it into one of the many decorative gift bags available and you’re all set to go.
To spruce up the gift a bit, collect goodies for a Wine Basket
Gifts for wine lovers who thirst for knowledge might include books and CDs about wine and its selection and serving. For an extra special treat, enroll your giftee in a class or seminar on wine appreciation. These are often presented as weekend or evening classes at local community colleges or culinary schools, wine shops, and wineries.
Got a high-tech wine lover on your list? There is a seemingly endless array of new-fangled gadgets and devices that make opening a wine bottle
Some people make lists and keep records. Lots of records. Even records about wine they’ve enjoyed. If you’ve got one of these types on your list, consider a wine journal
This journal can be a diary-like book where they can record their own impressions and experiences as they enjoy working their way through the world of wine. Or it can be more like a photo album where labels can be added instead of, or along with, photos. Include cards that are designed to record information such as what the wine was, when and where it was enjoyed, and with whom. Include room for a rating system and tasting notes. This will become an outstanding reference but will also evoke fond memories each time a page is reviewed.
An electric wine bottle chiller
If you know someone who is always trying new things in the kitchen, gift this wine lover with a winemaking kit
Sometimes the most obvious gifts for wine lovers are the most appreciated. Every wine lover is delighted to receive a new set of matching wine glasses
And for special occasion giving, consider a case of a wine that is expected to age to perfection over the next decade or so. Make a game of it. Here’s how:
Make a dozen tasting cards and insert one in each slot of the case alongside each bottle. Design the tasting cards to include the same information mentioned above. Encourage the giftee to open only one bottle each year, preferably on the same date. Anniversaries or birthdays are excellent moments. By comparing tasting notes from year to year, you’ll be recording the nuances of the aging process and will be amazed at how the flavor, bouquet, and color of the wine changes over time. This is an exceptional way to learn to appreciate wine to the very fullest extent.
Whatever gifts for wine lovers you choose, be assured that they will be treasured. Wine is fun and meant to be enjoyed, not fretted over. Just like the holidays themselves.