Wine Lover's Gift Guide

Christmas, Hanukkah, Holidays, In Season, Winter
on November 25, 2014
Wine Lover's Gift Guide
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How do you know your friend is a wine lover? Here are some hints: He won’t picnic without Sauvignon blanc; she orders Merlot at a sports bar, and you’re accustomed to hearing about varietal characteristics and tasting notes in between sips. Ranging from stocking-ready corkscrews to luxurious jaunts in the Sonoma countryside, your lush of a pal will surely love the following Relish-approved tools and wine themed goodies.

For the Ice Bucket Adverse

The Rabbit Wine Chilling Carafe
Price: $50

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

There are plenty of ice-bucket-free ways to chill wine and countless companies claiming their contraptions chill the best. But the Rabbit Wine Chilling Carafe from Metrokane is a favorite of ours for its attractive design, chilling abilities and ease of use. The stainless steel chamber is hollowed out so you can fill it to the brim with ice—meaning you don’t need to freeze any part of the chiller hours before use, a major plus. Made from a durable lead-free crystal, the carafe can hold a full 750 ml bottle of wine.

 

For the Outdoorsy Wino

govino Wine Glasses
Price: $15

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

If you know someone who prefers inebriating in the great outdoors (even if it’s just on the patio), govino’s Wine Glass will quickly become a vessel of choice. Classier than a plastic cup, but casual enough to stuff in a picnic basket, these glasses are shatterproof and made from a food-safe, BPA-free polymer. These make great gifts that won’t break the budget.

 

For the Rebel Wino

Uproot Wines Carnivore’s Delight
Price: $95

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

We know it sounds far fetched, but high-quality wine pairs surprisingly well with artisan beef jerky. That’s why Napa Valley’s Uproot Wines is offering one of our favorite wine packages this season. Three varieties of the MSG, preservative and artificial ingredient free Field Trip Jerky is matched with Uproot’s innovative Cabernet Sauvignon. The cab, like all of Uproot’s wines, sports a creative label that indicates the key tasting notes: raspberry and blackberry with the complexity of dark chocolate and tobacco following. Uproot describes the wine as “a great main course, followed by rich dessert and a Cuban cigar.” Only thing that could improve on that combination? You guessed it—jerky.

 

For the Spa Lover (That Only Goes for the Complimentary Wine)

The Grapeseed Company’s Harvest Crust Syrah Wine Bar and Whipped Grapeseed and Shea Body Butter
Price: Wine Bar $9, Body Butter $14

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

Chances are you’ve never imagined creating suds from Syrah and Pinot. Luckily, the folks at The Grapeseed Company did. Their stocking-ready Harvest Crush Syrah Wine Soap and Pinot Dreams Whipped Body Butter are lusciously layered with aromas of lavender and crushed grapes. Antioxidant-rich white tea, grapes and organic local wine are key ingredients in both products and each leave the skin both rejuvenated and perfumed.

 

For Your Sweetheart

Californian Wine Region Vacation with CIA Boot Camp

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

Go all out for the wine-lover you care for most by giving an all-expenses paid trip to the romantic California wine regions of Napa Valley, St. Helena, Sonoma and Calistoga. Boasting one of the best wine regions in the world, the picturesque hills and vineyards make Northern California by far one of our favorite foodie destinations. If you can splurge for the best of the best, book a stay at the luxurious Harvest Inn, dine at the famed Bottega and Solbar at Solage Resort restaurants, then sign up for a bootcamp at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

 

For the Corking Inept

The Vertical Rabbit 
Price: $50

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

Opening wine is about to get a whole lot easier for your cork-breaking buddy. The Vertical Rabbit from Metrokane, a reworking of their classic, larger model, clasps the top of wine bottles and pulls corks with just a lift of a lever. When we tested, the process was so seamless and simple we doubted the cork had actually pulled—it had.

 

For the Chocoholic

Theo Chocolate Pairing Kit
Price: $20

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com
Perfect for a girls’ night in or sweet post-dinner activity, this fun chocolate pairing kit from Theo Chocolate contains four chocolate bars and an educational tasting guide. Our favorite chocolate was the bar featuring fig, fennel and almond dark chocolate, which pairs gloriously with full bodied red wines (note: wine is not included in the kit). And here’s an interesting fact about Theo: It was the first organic and fair trade bean-to-bar chocolate factory to open in North America. So it’s a company you can feel proud to stand behind.

 

For an Exact Sipper

Waring Wine Chiller/Warmer Single Bottle Wine Chiller
Price: $130

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

Did you know that different wines demand to be served at different temperatures? Reaching those exact degrees can be pretty challenging with only a refrigerator or a ice bucket. That’s where the Waring Single Bottle Wine Chiller comes in. Just large enough to hold a single bottle, this sleek chiller has a library of preset temperatures for 33 varieties of wine. Though not designed to chill your wine in a hurry (it took four and a half hours to take our 72F champagne to 45F), the accuracy is what connoisseurs will get excited about.

 

For the Menu-Maker

Uncommon Goods Wine Pairing Towels
Price: $28

Wine Lover's Gift Guide | Relish.com

A fun and informative gift, these wine towels tell you everything you need to know about pairing wine with food. A towel designed specifically for white and another for red comes in the kit—and in a glance your loved one will know Malbec is excellent paired with lamb, and Muscat and beef make a less-than-ideal match.

 

Still not sure what to buy? Check out our additional guides below.

Holiday Gifts for the Culinary Globetrotter

Holiday Gifts for the Culinary Globetrotter | Relish.com

 

Relish 2014 Holiday Gift Guide

Relish 2014 Holiday Gift Guide | Relish.com

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2013 Holiday Gift Guides (Hey, a year later and they are still great gifts!)

Relish Gift Guides