Holiday Shopping For Wine Lovers

By Tom Marquardt And Patrick Darr   

With the holiday quickly approaching, we imagine many of you are searching for a unique gift for dad or anyone else in the family who enjoys wine. Perhaps you are troubled buying a wine he may not enjoy – the same dilemma you face when selecting a tie – but you don’t know the hobby well enough to imagine an alternative.

We’re here to help.

There are a ton of simple gifts that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Take, for instance, a corkscrew. We prefer the waiter’s helper design that resembles a folding knife. But there are electric corkscrews and lever styles that do the job with a little flourish.  If a person has a lot of aged wines in his cellar, the ideal corkscrew we recommend is The Durand ($135).  Shaped like ah so, but a lot better, The Durand almost guarantees that an old cork will emerge intact. A simple folding corkscrew ranges in cost from $8 to $40.

For Yeti fans there are several gifts to consider. We love our 10-oz. Rambler tumblers ($25) that keep wine chilled on even the hottest days. But this year we have our eyes on Rambler wine chiller ($70), which is double-walled like the Yeti water bottles and can keep wine cool for hours.  It’s attractive and fits most bottles – including most champagne.  Alas, you have to put it in a refrigerator before using.

Crate & Barrel has an alternative Rapid Beverage Chiller ($105) that it says will cool a bottle to 50 degrees in less than five minutes.

Preserving wine for several days isn’t much of an issue for us, but someone who wants only a glass of wine a day may want to consider a device to make it last.  Coravin makes very expensive wine preservation systems, but an inexpensive VacuVin ($15) can do the job.  It’s a great stocking stuffer too.

We constantly shuffle wine from our houses to another. We have several bags that can tote two bottles or as many as six. Instead of using a grocery bag, consider something dressier yet functional.  Freshore has a two-bottle bag with a strap for $43; David King & Co has an even nicer one for $84.

Books are a great idea.  If your dad or friend is planning a trip to a foreign wine region – or if you want to drop a hint! — there is a book for you.  Or if you want something general, consider Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson’s “World Atlas of Wine” ($65), a definitive tome that covers every wine region for both experts and novices. We have two editions of it and refer to them often.

You may get a laugh giving dad “Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine” by Mark Oldman. The paperback ($28) is aimed for novices who want to learn more about wine and laugh at the process.

“The Wines of Burgundy” by Clive Coates ($45) will be a great first step in planning a trip to one of France’s most beautiful wine regions. Or if Italy is the destination, consider “Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy” by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch ($23). Add to that a bottle of silky smooth 2018 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino ($100) — Wine Spectator’s “Wine of the Year” – or Argiano’s 2020 Rosso di Montalcino ($38)  and you have one very nice gift that will earn kudos.

If you’re in a philanthropic mood, a portion of proceeds from a three-bottle collection of Far Niente wines will go to the V Foundation, an organization dedicated to cancer research.  The $351 collection includes Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel and Dolce. Or the proceeds of J. Lohr’s Carol’s Cabernet Sauvignon go to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

A nice bottle of wine is always appreciated. Here are some reasonably priced bottles of wine that would make well-received gifts:

Textbook Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2021 ($27). This textbook cabernet sauvignon hits all the right notes: approachable, generous raspberry and black cherry flavors, medium body and a versatile quaff to pair with pasta, burgers, and grilled meats.

McPrice Myers High on the Hog 2021 ($25).  Wines from this Paso Robles producer continue to get routine 90-plus scores from the Wine Advocate.  They deliver a lot for the money. This one is a blend of grenache, petite sirah, syrah, zinfandel, mourvedre, malbec and lagrein – whew!  Jammy strawberry and sweet plums with hints of licorice and herbs.

Lange Twins Thirty-Eight Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($32). While most producers are releasing their 2021 cabernets, Lange Twins gave some extra bottle age before putting it on the shelf. The result is a round wine with forward black cherry and plum notes with a hint of spice. It hails from the Jahant AVA in Lodi.

Kirkton Estate The Triton Shiraz 2021 ($25).  This is an excellent buy from Australia’s Hunter Valley. Rich in style with dark berry fruit, currants and a healthy dose of chocolate.  Simply delicious.

Obsidian Ridge Estate-Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($38).  This is a perennial favorite of ours because it is chock full of dark fruit, dense and complex for the price.

Franciscan Estate California Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($15).  A good value even if it is a far cry from the old Franciscan cabs made decades ago, this is a delicious wine with sweet and savory dark fruit accented by mocha and vanilla notes.

The Mill Keeper Cabernet Sauvignon California ($26). This multi-vintage cabernet sauvignon from the Gamble Family is a stunner for the price. Soft and textural, it shows off the best each vintage has to offer: black cherry notes with hints of vanilla and oak. Easy to drink, it is inspired by the first mill keepers of the 1800s.

The Paring Red Blend 2019 ($25).  This is an excellent blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot.  Soft tannins and forward black fruit flavors.

Wine picks

Mount Veeder Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay 2021 ($50).  Ripe apple and tropical fruit aromas with a pineapple flavor and a hint of vanilla. A great companion to fowl or fish.

San Salvatore Elea Paestum-Greco IGP 2018 ($35).  This white greco from Italy’s Campania region is fermented mostly in stainless steel tanks which maintain its fresh appeal.  Round and supple pear fruit and citrus notes.

Halter Ranch Syrah 2020 ($55).  This round and delicious syrah from Paso Robles’ Adelaida District shows off varietal blackberry flavors with a hint of chocolate and spice.