2020 Gift Guide
Table of Content
These pans span cooking technology—from open-fire all the way to induction cooktops. Few gourmet kitchen instruments are built to withstand the wild like these American-made stainless steel blades. The G10 handles, made from fiberglass and resin materials, are pleasantly light and nearly indestructible in the face of extreme heat and moisture.
If your hosts are kind enough to let you stay over, you can double down on the gift by making everyone some scrambled eggs for breakfast. There is video proof of me deftly completing a puzzle at a mere 18 months old. Of course, not everyone is a puzzle enthusiast, but those who are can vouch for the fact that if you gift them one, it will not end up in the closet unsolved.
Animated 3-D Map Video: Understanding Washington Wines
If they enjoy whiskey and cigars, we've got you covered there, too. There's a present for everyone, and many items can be personalized for that extra special touch. In a recent blog on WineSpectator.com, senior editor James Laube's "Blind Is Best if You Must Assess," Laube says that tasting wines blind is one of the most educational ways to taste wine. "Anyone can conclude that a $100 wine is more expensive than the $25 wine by looking at the price tag," Laube writes. Some people have even mistaken red wines for whites and vice versa when served at the same temperatures using these tricky but nevertheless elegant stems. Pick up a set of these fun wineglasses for the adventurous wine lover on your list.
Say goodbye to that conventional decanter and instead turn to a high-quality version that embraces functionality and form. Glass expert Riedel’s O decanter offers a slanted lip to facilitate a clean, precise pour. The minimalist design and modest size, as well as the punt at the bottom, make it user-friendly, fitting easily in your hand. While your “special occasion” decanter takes up space on the shelf, this will quickly become your everyday go-to for decanting everything from a prized bottle to your pre-dinner sipper.—A.N. Wine lovers are a particular bunch, and can be tough to shop for if wine accoutrements are the order of the holiday. Most enophiles already have a preferred corkscrew, decanter, wineglass, etc., so the gift of an everyday tool may just accrue dust.
Wine Gifts
It looks beautiful on the tabletop, sparks curiosity among guests about what they are drinking, and at the end of the night if there is still some wine left, all you have to do is push the neck down and place the vessel in the fridge. What if you could recreate the wine bar experience in the comfort of your own home? The Coravin Model Six Wine Preservation System lets you do that in style. Known and loved throughout the wine industry, this genius combination of design and technology is the secret behind some of the world’s best wine-by-the-glass programs.
The coffee in this subscription is so smooth and complex, even latte lovers will like it black. Fans of the retro style will like the Vivianna cheese board and knife from Scandinavia-inspired cookware designer Dansk. A replica of Swedish jeweler Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe's elegant 1988 design, this version is beautiful and well-priced, with a steel blade. As I have been recently finding out, there are some spectacular wines under 100 bucks. No matter how much wine this guy has or what his wine budget is, he will be the first to tell you that price is not always indicative of quality.
Gift Guide
For each wrapping style above, you can add a decorative accent such as greenery or a bow to the bottleneck along with one of these four holiday tags. This sophisticated version combines the see-what-you’re-shaking theatricality of a glass Boston shaker with a classic strainer-shaker’s ease of use. The crystal has a pleasing weight, and it doesn’t get icy like a metal shaker, so it’s easy on the hands. Though Waterford says it’s designed for rum cocktails, I’ve never known a shaker to discriminate.
It’s capacious enough to hold 12 cans or several bottles of wine, with external pouches for water bottles or a Bluetooth speaker, supporting a perfect day at the beach or by the lake. Available in pink, black, blue and a navy camo pattern, there’s an option to suit anyone on your gift list. There are even courses for wine professionals such as ABCs of Wine Sales and Service. Perhaps even more important than understanding where a wine is coming from is knowing how to accurately describe it. The aroma wheel is a must-have for wine lovers who are just starting to stick their nose into the world of wine. For the wine guy or girl who really wants to let people know what smells, there are even Aroma Wheel T-shirts ($28).
Brewing Up Great Gifts
She also brought me a 1995 Latour as a wedding gift, so I've found a winner. Bright and forward, the 2016 Talbott Vineyards Kali Hart Chardonnay is 100 percent estate-grown from the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County. A vanilla and brioche bouquet accentuates the palate, flourishing with flavors of bose pear, pineapple, and melon, leading to a soft, clean finish with mineral and hard spice notes. This new legend of Sleepy Hollow shines brightly day or night with prosperous, concentrated flavors and intense character from this illustrious vineyard.
This bold wine has blueberry and blackberry flavors and is balanced with a toasty oak aroma and satisfying level of acidity. Bear Flag Zinfandel’s rich bouquet and finish is sure to please the palates and warm the hearts of all who partake. For a simple yet polished style that complements any bottle, select the wrapping paper design of your choice to create a band that allows your recipients to be delighted when they unwrap to reveal the label. Try this with the understated 2016 Talbott Vineyards Kali Hart Chardonnay.
However, I have a wealthy wine aficionado for my annual gift exchange, and have no clue about what to get him. My limit is $100, but it can be cheaper, as I can figure out other things to pair with the gift. I love getting wine as a gift and, like others, I really don't care what it is we will eventually drink it or cook with it or both. However, a lot of people have told me they won't buy wine for me because they know how "particular" I am.
Give your family, friends and clients access to the world’s best wines with Wine Access e-Gift Cards. The best part is that you can add multiple recipients on a single order page, making it easy to knock out all of your gift giving in one place. Those of us who’ve always loved Irish whiskey are celebrating the spirit’s sustained renaissance, spurred by a flowering of single malt, single pot still and cask-finished versions.
No matter how experienced, knowledgeable and set in their ways, however, the true wine aficionado knows there is always more to learn. This year, delight them with gifts that they'll turn to again and again in the never-ending pursuit of vinous enlightenment. Know someone who prefers to serve wines decanted, needs to preserve unfinished bottles, or just likes to have their guests taste blind?
A few years ago, a friend gave me a wine funnel with a little mesh screen to catch any sediment I’ve missed, and a series of perforations at the bottom, which pushes the wine into a tulip-shaped spray. It’s a nice way to quickly aerate younger, more rustic wines, and although it’s a little gimmicky, I find myself using it more than I’d expected. Join today and get immediate access to this article, and to our entire database of more than 400,000 wine ratings. It only takes moments—but it will help you drink better all year long.
The 2016 Bear Flag Zinfandel embodies the rugged independent spirit of early California settlers who rebelled against tyranny and fought for independence in 1846 and inspired the Golden State’s motto, “Eureka! ” Bear Flag celebrates forward thinking individuals prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. Sourced primarily from Sonoma County’s distinguished Dry Creek Valley, the wine is complex with a pinch of spice, vanilla, and dark fruit elegance. Full-bodied yet supple, Bear Flag stands tall as its namesake and is well-structured with an All-American backbone.
Modeling maps from winemaking regions around the world, these puzzles are both a challenge and a chance to expand your wine knowledge. These, made from wood sourced in Martha’s Vineyard, are of impeccable quality. Each bowl starts from whole trees that undergo a long process of milling, roughing, drying and finishing.
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