Third Annual Holiday Gift Guide for Winelovers!

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE (Jump to pages):

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By Hope S. Philbrick

It’s the holiday season again, and whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, you know the drill: time to make your list and check it twice. Our Third Annual Gift Guide can help you get started. We don’t know who’s on your list, so we came up with 25 categories of gifts to match the recipient’s interests. Whether you’re a big spender or a penny pincher, our gift ideas go beyond the traditional to help you astonish the ones you love. Choose thoughtfully and you’ll be the toast of the season.

1. For The Connoisseur

Don’t overlook the obvious. Any wine lover appreciates the gift of wine, whether it’s something new to try, a rare vintage, a cult wine, or a longtime favorite. And lucky for you, there’s bound to be something worth quaffing in any price range. Depending on the state in which your intended recipient lives, you may be able to order personalized gifts of fine wines for direct shipment through The Connoisseur, where award-winning wines can be adorned with a label bearing your personal message (one-bottle gifts start at $21). Visit www.giftsofwine.com for details. Or how about sending your favorite wine aficionado a California wine adventure? Starting at $41.95 (including shipping) The California Wine Club will send the gift of wine from some of California’s best, small, boutique wineries. Choose from a single shipment, which includes two bottles of wine, to a once-a-month club membership, or anywhere in between. Lucky recipients also will receive the club’s wine magazine Uncorked. Contact them at (800) 777-4443 or visit www.cawineclub.com.

Shipping is not an option? You can always visit a wine shop (you may want to start by choosing one that’s featured in this magazine) and select a bottle of wine to hand-deliver. Or in Atlanta, Especially for You, (404) 766-3465, will deliver a wine and flower basket (with glasses) to that special someone.

Beyond the bottle, a Penfolds fan might appreciate The Rewards of Patience: A Definitive Guide to Cellaring and Enjoying Penfolds Wines, Fifth Edition ($39.95). This book helps identify the drinking peak of over 370 wines in the Penfolds collection. It offers comprehensive tasting notes and commentaries from five leading wine journalists, plus a winery history, founder biographies and more (www.penfolds.com or (800) 255-9966).

It’s tacky to swig straight from the bottle, so for goodness’ sake be sure your wine lover has some glasses. Riedel “O” Series Wine Glasses offer a convenient stemless design that easily fits into dishwashers, picnic baskets, mini-bars or cabinets. These range from $9.95-$12.50 each at The Cook’s Warehouse (www.cookswarehouse.com or (800) 499-0996). Or try Arnolfo Di Cambio’s Calice Tecnico Glasses. The universal design for reds features a unique “in curve” to create a physical obstacle to the wine swirling in. The claim is that this optimizes the mix of air into wine, greatly enhancing bouquet. At OwenLawrence, www.owenlawrence.com or (404) 869-7360

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE (Jump to pages):

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