Still wondering what to give your favorite wine lover? Most likely they have enough cocktail napkins, aerators, wine stoppers, and charms. And that same bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon you give? It’s time to switch it up with ideas from this year’s holiday gift guide. You’ll be able to ramp up your wine game and be that Santa who places under the tree a gift not only useful, but appreciated…no gift receipts needed!
To be honest, I love giving (and receiving) an interesting book or a lovely bottle of wine both of which may expand my wine knowledge in various ways. A book that entices me to read it from cover to cover thanks to a good story or an incredible amount of useful information, or encourages me to learn more about a subject after the final chapter is always a welcome addition to my collection. Likewise, a bottle of wine from a new-to-me region or produced from an unusual variety of grape will not be saved, but poured and enjoyed…while reading that book!
The following gifts (all sent as samples, except for Hungry for Wine which I purchased) will be a welcome surprise for any fortunate wine lover this holiday, guaranteed to be the most tasteful of seasons! Cheers!
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine
Written by one of my favorite people, Madeline Puckette, and Justin Hammach, this easy to digest book is a go-to choice for any wine newbie or seasoned aficionado who would like an easily understood reference tool. Chock full of colorful infographics, twenty detailed maps, and charts as well as narratives clearly written without pretention, you’ll consider this book a quick resource covering the fundamentals of wine, its various styles, and the wine regions of the world. As I wrote in a previous article, “Madeline and Justin have made wine knowledge accessible without intimidation. Interesting and entertaining, Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine must be in your hand…the one that is not already holding the wine glass!” Cost is $25.
The Wine Bible, Second Edition
I was thrilled to receive the Wine Bible, Second Edition, from inspiring speaker and knowledgeable author, Karen MacNeil…and have already gifted a good friend with another copy! With its interesting, entertaining prose that considers wine (“it is one of the last true things” in MacNeil’s words), and how it is truly enmeshed with culture, history, food, and art, this is a book you can easily read from beginning to end or in bits and pieces.
You’ll learn from interesting sidebars (Piedmont’s Other Treasure: White Truffles), relevant sections (10 Questions All Wine Drinkers Ask), detailed tasting notes, wine suggestions, and more. Peruse The Wine Bible when you are ready to travel to your favorite wine destination, when you are searching for a special bottle to purchase, or when you would simply love to read a fascinating book. Cost is $24.99.
Hungry for Wine
How many books have you read that address hiking in Patagonia, apartheid in South Africa, the Greek economic crisis, the marketing business in Turkey, and wine? Hungry for Wine by Forbes.com wine columnist Cathy Huygue is an interesting read to satisfy the most eclectic of palates. Each of the twelve chapters stands alone; you can read from beginning to end or flip from Chapter One (How to Live Your Wine Life with No Regrets) to Chapter Four (How to Catch a Rabbit, and What that Says about Who Harvests Your Grapes) to Chapter Ten (How to Wander through a Cemetery of Wine) and back to Chapter Three (How to Live the “Wine Lifestyle” Anywhere). Tasting notes of one bottle of wine that reflect a unique story are offered at the end of each chapter. What I love about Huygue’s book is that the words reflect her curious, personal experiences with wine. As she writes in the introduction, “There’s a trajectory to the stories collected in this book about how to see the world through the lens of a wine glass.” Cost is $24.99.
Tasting Wine and Cheese
The lovely photography and clearly written explanations in Tasting Wine and Cheese: An Insider’s Guide to Mastering the Principles of Pairing will encourage you to plan a party as soon as possible or at the very least, open your favorite bottle of wine and savor the perfect cheese! Author Adam Centamore guides us through the often challenging task of flavor pairing by helping us understand the elements of cheese and wine as they relate to our own unique palate preferences. Centamore, a Maitre d’Fromage, teaches at Formaggio Kitchen, a “world-reknowned cheese importer featuring artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, and condiments from Europe and the United States.”
This reference book explores the fundamentals of enjoying a variety of unique and familiar cheeses with white, red, sparkling, and dessert wines. Whether the wine lovers on your list would love to expand their knowledge or host a party (you’ll be the first guest!), Tasting Wine and Cheese will be a much loved gift! Cost is $24.99.
Thirsty Dragon
The intriguing story of the traditional Bordeaux wine industry and the lust on the part of the Chinese for their wines is told by Suzanne Mustacich, a brilliant storyteller who also knows her facts. Challenge, intrigue, greed, deceit, and surprise are found on each thrilling page. You’ll learned the history regarding the financial disaster in Bordeaux, how the powers that be in China rescued the industry, and the backstory behind the business corruption and cultural misunderstanding between both. China and Bordeaux have had a huge impact on each other…Thirsty Dragon explains how and why. Pour yourself a hearty glass of wine and settle in for an exciting, thought provoking book. Cost is $32.
Global Wine Cellars
Impressed with the wines I received from the Global Wine Cellars’ “Global Discovery Club”, you will be, too. Six bottles of high quality, boutique wines, two red and four white, are shipped quarterly for a total of twenty four bottles a year…they are guaranteed to broaden any wine lover’s palate.
I received a snappy New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, an oaky, buttery Chardonnay from California, an easy drinking, modern style Chianti from Tuscany, a spicy, luscious Zinfandel from California, a rich Cabernet from the Maipo Valley in Chile, and a bold, intense Pinotrois from Mendocino, all delicious and lovely with a variety of foods.
A detailed wine booklet explaining the stories of the winemakers and vineyards behind each wine accompanies each shipment. Cost is $365 for the year and includes shipping…basically, the cost is about $90 per quarter and an average price of $15 per bottle. Your lucky wine lover will garner much more enjoyment with a subscription to Global Wine Cellars than a gym membership!
Happy shopping! ~ Cindy
