There’s More To Wine Than The Bottle

By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr

Finding the perfect gift for a wine lover can feel like a high-stakes challenge. Sure, you can always splurge on a well-known, highly rated bottle and play it safe—we have some recommendations below. But why not try something more creative?

Our top hostess pick is the Huski wine cooler ($55). It keeps wine chilled without pre-freezing and comes in eye-catching colors. We use these all the time.

Many wineries now offer tasting kits and wine packages that spotlight a range of their wines. Cuvaison, for example, sells four 100 ml sample tubes starting at $45. Its sister label, Brandlin Estate, also has curated collections of its finest vintages.

For plant-based imbibers, Kind of Wines lets you build your own bundle of vegan-certified wines via its website, with most bottles priced around $26.

Auteur’s seasonal box ($169) includes its Sonoma Coast chardonnay, Russian River pinot noir and locally grown Double A Walnuts. (We’ve tried them and it’s a winner.)

Fans of Rombauer can pick up a gift box containing its chardonnay, zinfandel and sauvignon blanc for $130.

For non-drinkers or Dry January participants, look to alcohol-free options. Miguel Torres’s Serena Mode sauvignon blanc and rosé are vegan and alcohol-free at $15 each. Pierre Chavin even makes a $20 sparkling chardonnay to ring in the New Year.

Harry & David put together excellent cheese-meat-wine baskets, but you can also DIY: buy a craft-store basket and fill it with a nice bottle of wine, cheeses, olives and cured meats.

You can never have too many corkscrews, but you can up your game from a $25 waiter’s helper to a more elegant one. A handcrafted Laguiole from France with various wood finishes starts around $300. Electric wine openers begin at about $45.

Instead of a paper bag to haul your wine to a party, give a leather wine tote. IWA offers one-bottle styles for $75 and two-bottle versions for $100.

Authentic collectors may have glassware preferences hard for you to match, so opt for acrylic tumblers for outdoor or boat use—a set of four costs roughly $25.

Otherwise, here are some very luxurious wines to offer:

Chateau Montelena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($200). This Cabernet Sauvignon, punctuated with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, will take a decade to show its depth and opulence fully, but there is much to enjoy now. It has layered fruit that lingers on the palate forever. Youthful black cherry and cassis notes with hints of mint and oak-inspired vanilla and chocolate. Fine tannins. It has been 50 years since this producer’s chardonnay won the 1976 Judgment of Paris—competition that shocked the wine world when it beat many French burgundies in the blind tasting. Since then, Chateau Montelena has introduced new technology to its winemaking. New gizmos, but the same great wine.

Nickel & Nickel John C. Sullenger Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 ($140). This well-respected producer in Oakville is among the best when it comes to making Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is immense with good tannins and ripe black fruit flavors. Hints of cassis and espresso give it breadth and depth.

Moone Tsai Howell Mountain Red Blend 2021 ($170). MaryAnn Tsai helped to craft Beringer’s merlots from Bancroft Ranch before joining her husband Larry on Howell Mountain. This full-bodied blend is 63 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 37 percent Merlot.  It was fermented lot by lot, cold-soaked, macerated on its skins for 20 days, and aged in oak barrels for 18 months. The result is a colossal wine with cherry and blackberry flavors and hints of tobacco leaf, cedar and pepper.

Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2022 ($170). This classic wine debuted in the 1940s, making it one of the most historic and revered reserve cabernets in Napa Valley. There are so many layers of aromas and flavors that it’s hard to describe. Approachable yet age-worthy, it has that signature “Rutherford dust” note to complement cherry, raspberry and cassis flavors and a dash of mint. Floral bouquet with oodles of  violets and spice.

Davis Bynum

Davis Bynum belongs to that pioneering generation of 1970s California wineries that first revealed the state’s winemaking potential. In those days, the rolling landscapes of Napa and Sonoma were dominated by orchards and grazing land. Savvy farmers soon began replacing prune trees and other fruit crops with vineyards, recognizing the superior returns from wine grape cultivation. This era also saw the birth of other enduring labels like Duckhorn, Caymus, and Chateau Montelena.

The winery’s namesake established his label in 1973, releasing the Russian River Valley’s first single-vineyard pinot noir. Bynum became a passionate advocate for this region, championing its ideal conditions for cool-climate varieties. In 2007, Bynum sold to the Klein family, local farmers who also oversee Rodney Strong and the Rowen Wine Company.

We tasted four selections from Davis Bynum, and the following are our impressions.

Davis Bynum Chardonnay Russian River Valley River West Vineyard 2023 ($30). A terrific example of a Russian River Valley chardonnay at a very reasonable price. Tropical fruit aromas and fruit flavors were matched with lemon and baked apple notes. A very pleasant and pleasing Chardonnay.

Davis Bynum Chardonnay Russian River Valley Dutton Ranch Origin 2023 ($70). A very special wine from the fabled Dutton Ranch from vines planted in 1967. A very balanced chardonnay with expressions of baked apple butterscotch and toasty oak in a leaner style reflecting away from big fruit bombs.

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Bacigalupi Vineyard 2023 ($70). This is a very expressive pinot noir with elements of wild cherry raspberry and vanilla. The nose is enticing and amazing!

Davis Bynum Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Rochioli Vineyard 2023 ($85). This classic vineyard produced a wine a bit bigger in style than the Bacigalupi example. Notes of deep cherry and strawberry dominate in another very expressive well-made pinot noir.

Wine picks

Brassfield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($35). A decent value that can stand up to a lot more expensive wines, this remarkable cabernet from the High Valley appellation, his coffee and blackberry aromas with plum and blackberry flavors and a dash of cedar.  Good but approachable tannins.

San Leonardo “Terre” Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT 2021 ($25). Blending cabernet sauvignon, carmenere and merlot, this fresh and generous Italian wine has approachable cherry and raspberry flavors and hints of dried herbs.