21 gift ideas for the wine lover in your life
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Gifting wine is no easy fête. If the wine lover on your list is serious about what they drink, chances are their cellar is already full of bottles they adore. And while wine subscription services keep popping up on the market, if you're really eager to gift bottles, gift certificates to their local bottle shop (many of which now have their own wine club programs, too!) make perfect gifts.
As a certified wine geek who's often cynical about whether wine gadgets are really necessary, these are some of the best gifts I know any wine lover will actually use—from $8 accessories to items to indulge with, there's something here for everyone.
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1. For rosé and white wine drinkers: Wine chillers
As temperature makes a big impact on the taste of the wine, if the sipper on your gift list prefers a chill, consider these cooling devices. Chillers are also extremely helpful for patio and front-porch sipping during the warmer months of the year. The newly launched VoChill is designed specifically to cradle your glass (in my testing, it kept the wine 20 degrees cooler over a two-hour time period than a glass of wine left sitting in the glass on its own). Or keep the entire bottle chilled with the Vacu Vin Rapid Cooler instead.
2. For red wine drinkers: Stylish decanters
Decanters are one of those wine accessories that it doesn’t matter which one you get. Whether it’s a beautifully designed hand-crafted crystal piece of art like these new pop-of-color varieties from renowned glassmaker Riedel, or a glass flask reminiscent of what you'd find in a scientific lab, any decanter will open a wine's aromas and flavors while smoothing those harsh tannins.
3. For sparkling wine sippers: Riedel Max Champagne flutes
Wine geeks prefer to pass over traditional flutes for glasses with a wider bowl because flutes promote too many bubbles and less flavor. However, when I tried these stunning stems, I loved how they maintained the sparkler's structure and brought out the floral and fruit nuances in my favorite Champagne. The glass is even wide enough for those, who like me, enjoy their nose in the glass. The extra-long thin stem heightens any celebration, whether toasting the New Year, an anniversary, or elevating a Sunday-night curled-up-on-the-couch routine.
4. For anyone who can't finish the bottle: Coravin Model Three
Year after year, the Coravin remains one of the most sought after wine gifts because it prevents the wine from spoiling weeks, even months after the first pour. The innovative wine opener, which is used by top sommeliers and found in many high-end wine bars and restaurants, extracts wine using a hollow needle so the cork is never removed. Coravin is just as great for oenophiles who enjoy tasting from multiple different wines per night, or your best friend who complains they can never finish a bottle before to go bad.
Get the Coravin Model Three from Amazon for $149.95
5. For those who fumble with corks: A cordless wine opener
If your favorite wine drinker always disappears when it's time to uncork the bottle, consider an electric wine opener. The Oster Cordless was a huge hit among our readers during Amazon Prime Day (on the retailer's site, it boasts a 4.4-star rating among a whopping 16,500 reviews). Or for an upgrade, consider the Wine Enthusiast model that includes a preserver, dispenser and aerator.
Get the Oster Cordless Electric Bottle Opener from Target for $19.99
Get the Electric Blue Omega 6-Piece Set from Wine Enthusiast for $149
6. For curious wine drinkers: Books
Passionate winos are just as interested in the intellectual aspects of winemaking as they are in the taste. It's a subject matter where you discover, the more you know, the more you actually don’t know. That’s why wine books make the perfect gift: Whether it’s for a novice, someone curious about the latest wine trend, or a seasoned wine professional studying for the master sommelier exam, these books will help them on their journeys.
Get Champagne (Book and Map Set) by Peter Liem from Amazon for $46.69
Get The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson from Amazon for $46.82
7. For those who miss wine-country travel: Somm TV
Let your favorite vineyard hopper visit the historic Trimbach vineyards in Alsace, France, from their living room! Somm TV is the only streaming service dedicated to wine. With shows that teach wine tasting and history, profile winemakers and sommeliers, and provide stunning scenery, the creators of the popular "Somm" documentary series launched the service based on their trio (and counting) of original docs. But the service also includes wine flicks like "Bottle Shock" and "A Year In Burgundy," and extends into the food world ("Delicacy" explores the world of Santa Barbara's sea urchins). In a year when traveling to famed vineyards and wineries is nearly impossible, these shows are the perfect virtual getaway. (And psst, if they're missing a streaming device, pick up a Google Chromecast, Reviewed's favorite budget pick, or go big with one of our best picks for Roku TVs).
8. For those who want their own piece of wine country: Wine Barrel Bracelets
It's been a devastating year in Napa Valley and the surrounding California wine regions. After the pandemic prevented many of us from traveling to its wineries, horrific fires have scorched historic properties. As the resilient winemakers and community start to rebuild, consider supporting this Napa-based small business, which brings wine-country aesthetic to anyone. These bangles are made from reclaimed wine barrels and give the wearer a piece of the legendary winemaking process.
Get the Olive and Poppy Wine Barrel Bracelet Gift Set at Wine Enthusiast for $79.95
9. For candy-loving wine lovers: Sugarfina Rosé Bears
Who doesn’t want to casually sip Rosé in between work Zoom meetings? That’s what makes these Sugarfina gummy bears so wonderful. The small amount of wine in each bear is just enough to remind you of an afternoon of poolside sipping without making you feel tipsy.
10. For the traveler, recycler or organizer: Reisenthel Bottlebag
These super-durable nine-bottle collapsible and reusable fabric bags were recently recommended to me by a friend, and I'm so thankful he did! The bags are wonderful for organizing stray bottles, carrying empties to the recycler, or lugging special bottles on a weekend getaway. For the ultimate gift, take the bag to your favorite local wine shop and fill it up with their favorite bottles.
Get the Reisenthel Bottlebag from Amazon for $20.99
11. For those who host at-home happy hours: Mercury Row Aguila Bar Cart
The modern design of this bar cart will blend in seamlessly with anyone's decor, and help keep all the bar essentials organized in once place when it's time for happy hour. One of the most beloved carts on Wayfair with nearly 1,200 reviews, we love that it includes a hanging rack for your wine glasses and another rack to cradle a few bottles.
Get the Mercury Row Aguila Bar Cart from Wayfair for $184.99
12. For wine-drinking campers, hikers, and those on-the-go: Hydro Flask Wine Bottle
The company behind one of Reviewed’s favorite water bottles, the Hydro Flask, also makes an insulated container specifically for wine. The 25-ounce Hyrdo Flask Wine Bottle is designed to fit a full bottle of vino. Wine geeks will appreciate its double-insulation stainless steel that holds the wine’s temperature steady until it’s ready to pour.
Get the Hydro Flask Wine Bottle at Amazon for $44.95
13. For stocking stuffers: Silicone bottle stoppers
The easiest way to recork your wine bottle is to use these silicone bottle stoppers. I've used the Rabbit beverage stoppers and the OXO expanding stoppers for a few years now because they both securely prevent any oxygen from seeping into the bottle. I also love that these stoppers don't add too much extra height to the bottle, so they'll still sit neatly on my refrigerator door.
Get the OXO Steel Expanding Wine Stoppers from Amazon for $9.99
Get a set of 4 Rabbit Beverage Stoppers from Amazon for $7.20
14. For every wine drinker: Wine Enthusiast 24-Bottle Wine Cooler
Here at Reviewed, we've been testing wine fridges to find the best recommendation, but even though we're not quite done, this new 24-bottle cooler from Wine Enthusiast has piqued our interest because of the creative way it combines traditional wine racks with room for a few standing bottles.
Get the 24-Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler with Upright Bottle Storage from Wine Enthusiast for $349
15. For wine collectors who drink aged wine: Durand Corkscrew
If the wine lover in your life has an impressive cellar and prefers drinking decades-old wine, consider the one tool that’s a must-have for carefully extracting old corks from the bottle. The Durand combines a traditional corkscrew with a device called an Ah-So, which supports the sides of the cork as you carefully pull it out. The Durand's price more than makes up for it the first time you pull out a disintegrating cork that doesn’t crumble and fall into that rare bottle worth twice as much (or possibly more!) as the gadget itself.
Get the Durand Corkscrew from Amazon for $186.51
16. For diligent tasting-note takers: Moleskin Wine Journal
Tasting notes are a key part of many oenophiles' world. And while there are many online apps like Delectable and Vivino which let wine lovers keep track of their wines via mobile apps, there's something about keeping a personal journal that feels a bit more intimate to the hobby. The Moleskine Wine Journal isn't just a burgundy-colored version of their beloved notebooks, it's specifically designed to help keep tasting notes well organized.
Get the Moleskine Wine Journal from Amazon for $31.44
17. For those who wish they could live in a wine cellar: LAFCO's 'Wine Room' candle
It’s no secret that aromatics wafting out of a wine glass can drive a wine lover's passion. So why not give them that experience, even when it may not be the optimal time to sip a glass. I've been lighting this LAFCO New York's “Wine Room” candle in my living room throughout the year, as its combination of black pomegranate, cherry, and oak really are reminiscent of an elegant Pinot Noir.
Get the LAFCO New York Wine Room Candle from Amazon for $61
18. For sentimental wine lovers: Lighted Wine Bottle Cork Catcher
Corks are small tangible mementos of fabulous bottles, or fabulous nights sharing bottles with someone special. That's what makes cork catchers, like this one in the shape of a wine bottle, such a fun gift to give. Once full, the cage offers reminders of all those special times.
Get the Lighted Wine Bottle Cork Catcher from Wine Enthusiast for $49.95
19. For entertainers: Vagnbys Wine Tower
This is a decanter, aerator, server and centerpiece all in one! And while it's easy to argue all decanters will aerate and serve, this well-designed wine tower may be just what we need in a new socially-distant world of entertaining. Pushing up the nozzle, which aerates as it pours, releases the wine into any-sized glass and adds a slightly safer barrier than passing around an open bottle. The Vagnbys Wine Tower holds a full bottle of wine with plenty of space left inside for it to decant properly.
Get the Vagnbys Wine Tower from Ethan + Ashe for $180
20. For those who snack while they sip: Charcuterie Boards
The gift of a serving board is always helpful so there's a civilized place for all those important nibbles: whether it's a well-organized board like this one from the quirky-gift site Uncommon Goods or one that can double as a centerpiece for your dining room table, like this acacia wood and gray-marble board from Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams.
21. For formaggio fans: Murray's Cheese
No pairing is more iconic than wine and cheese. Munching on that dairy goodness while sipping wine isn’t just delicious, it’s sustenance to soak up the alcohol. But whether it’s an aged Gruyere, a fresh Chevre, or a stinky blue, pairing selections can get complicated. Let the experts at one of the most famous fromageries in New York City do the choosing for you in gifts curated for red and white wine lovers.
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This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 21 best wine gifts 2020—Gift ideas for the wine lover in your life
