By Kara Sweet
Mother Teresa once said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
Most of us are not giving at the Mother Teresa level at Christmastime; however, it is truly a pleasure to give to others. A definite delight is received in choosing a unique present that spreads joy. Seeing someone’s face light up when receiving a gift—no matter how large or small—is a wonderful feeling.
Searching out these special gifts is also a fun treat. Thinking of a friend’s hobbies and interests means thinking of that friend, focusing on someone other than oneself. The thought and meaning of gift giving is just another form of love. And when giving the gift of wine…there is just more love to go around! Whether giving a fun, practical, or serious wine gift, there are many options.
Glasses
All wine lovers need glasses, no matter how serious about wine that person may be. There are so many different types and styles from which to choose, a guideline is helpful.
Fun: Wine glasses are not what they used to be. The clunky, heavy, small-bowled, cheap glasses of the past are no more. Today’s reasonably-priced glasses are actually improved in quality and can be oh so much fun!
From stemless to stemmed, find just the right fun—or funny—glass. Look for one that fits the holiday, fits the personality, or fits the inside joke…so many options are available.
Practical: Every wine drinker needs to have nice “every day” glasses. Every. Single. One. Without exception.
Life is too short to drink wine out of those aforementioned clunky, heavy glasses, especially when quality stemware is so easy to access. Though somewhat pricier than those old glasses, quality stemware is really not so expensive that drinking well every day is out of the question.
Riedel is, perhaps, the most well-known brand. However, several other companies make crystal glasses; Stolze and Schott Zwiesel are two other producers. Look for a large bowl with a thin lip where the wine moves from the glass to the palate. Again, stemmed or stemless is a matter of taste. When in doubt, buy both, though the stemless are more reasonably priced.
Serious: The serious wine enthusiast probably already has a collection of fun and practical glasses that cover almost any sipping occasion. This wine lover needs a gift that goes above and beyond the norm.
Most of the high-end producers have a best-of-the-best stemware line. Riedel has this in its Sommeliers and Sommeliers Black Tie lines. These vessels are all hand-blown and one-of-a-kind. Perfect for swirling, sniffing, and sipping all while showing the highest quality. Yes, the serious wine drinker needs a very serious glass.
Gadgets
Part of the fun of wine is all the gadgets that go with its consumption. Drinking wine is hip, and retailers continue to show just how hip by all the cool “tools” available for use.
Fun: After the opening of each bottle, wine drinkers have a problem: what to do with the cork—if there is one. Throwing the cork away should never be an option! A cork is all that remains of the wine from the bottle. Corks must be saved.
The easiest way to save corks is to toss them into cork holders that comes in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Set a cork cage where it is a natural design piece, and instant wine décor is created. Re-purpose another object as a cork holder, and a one-of-a-kind gift is produced. This is a win-win wine situation!
Practical: One of the biggest complaints many people have of wines—red wines—is that they are too dry, especially for those that aren’t red wine lovers. The biggest way to soften the tannins, the dryness, of wine is to aerate the wine. Contrary to popular belief, just uncorking the bottle actually does little to let the wine “breath” to soften it for drinking.
The best way to aerate a wine is to pour the entire bottle of wine into a decanter. Then the decanter naturally acts as a decorative pitcher for pouring wine. Decanters can be simple or fancy, but the purpose and end result is always the same: a wine that has softened tannins and is ready to pair with food.
Serious: Serious wine drinkers need serious gadgets for their wine collections. Today, one of the most useful devices for wine is the Coravin—for aficionados only. It is for those who have a cellar full of wine and are waiting for the exact time to pop the cork on those special bottles.
However, with the Coravin, there is no need to actually pop the cork on the bottle and force consumption right then and there. The Coravin uses a stainless steel, medical-grade needle to pierce the cork, reaching the wine below. As the wine exits the bottle through the needle, argon gas replaces any oxygen that would enter the bottle and ruin the wine. Once the Coravin needle is removed, the cork instantly closes itself, as it is naturally meant to do. The wine left inside the expensive (or old or special or rare) bottle of wine is left as if it was never touched, ready to be opened normally or with the Coravin again at a later time.
Books
No matter what anyone says, even in today’s world—books are wonderful! Books about wine are even better. There are so many options out there, but learning about wine through reading is a great way to increase appreciation for what one drinks.
Fun: Forget about the stereotype that books about wine must be boring and tedious. Certain books about wine are nothing but pure entertainment. These options are inspired by some childhood favorites; however, these are not for kids!
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert by Richard Betts is a throwback to the great scratch and sniff books and stickers of the good old days. Hardbound and filled with basic information about wine, this is an amusing book for novices.
The Wine Lover’s Coloring Book by Louise Wilson uses the newest adult coloring fad to teach the different wine regions of the world. Great for all wine lovers, the content is actually quite deep, such as learning about the Loire Valley of France. Just stay within the lines, please.
Practical: The rise in popularity of reading via electronic formats stems from their convenience. One small device can carry literally hundreds of books to easily read in any location. The practical wine reading selection is useful for just this reason.
Vines, Wines and other Crimes: The Italian Taste for Short Crime Stories is a collection set in Italy with wine as the major motif. Not only does the Kindle format make this convenient, but the length of the stories (all from different authors) also makes it the practical choice. A selection can be finished in an evening…or while waiting at the doctor’s office.
Readers will be hooked from the beginning of stories such as “Vinno Rosso” by Luciana Scepi, as the first paragraph finds a man dead in pools of blood and wine. “Bitter Cup” by Ugo Mazzotta has a he said-she said opening that sizzles with sexual tension. Practical, yes…and a little bit fun too!
Serious: The unwavering wine lover needs more than something to read for just fun or practicality. This reader needs something of substance, books that tell the rest of the story to teach about obscure regions and producers.
The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil (Second Edition) is one such substantial book. The size and heft is the first clue of the deep content of the book, but a quick glance also shows how much this book can impart. Sections on all the major wine countries of the world, with insets on foods of special interest, let readers feel as if they have been to these places.
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson is another big volume of vast wine knowledge. Also filled with accurate maps, colored photos, and great insight, it is called the “atlas” because it is so all-encompassing. Almost anything anyone would want to know about vino is in this tome.
Wine
Finally, the actual gift of wine. Not glasses for wine, gadgets to enjoy wine, or books about wine…now is time for the drink itself.
Fun: The best part of local wines is sharing those with people who live near and far. Giving a local favorite or a flagship bottle is important to promote the area and its unique qualities.
No winery shows the Black Hills better than Prairie Berry Winery, the establishment leading the wine there. Of course, the flagship wine is Red Ass Rhubarb. Everything about this wine is fun, from the label to the taste. Nothing says the Black Hills more than rhubarb; Red Ass Rhubarb is so unique and so South Dakota.
If fruit-based wine isn’t the direction of fun intended, another great option is sparkling wine made from South Dakota-grown fruit in South Dakota’s first—and only—sparkling house at Belle Joli, Sturgis. Make sure to ask for the “estate grown” sparkling, meaning that the grapes used to make that wine did, indeed, grow in Belle Joli’s vineyards.
Practical: Many wine lovers have a favorite wine, the wine they drink at home or anytime they are just enjoying a casual sip. The wine may be reasonably priced, or it may be expensive. Whichever the case, it is the wine that is the go-to choice at all times. Find out this wine.
Most wine shops will order a case at a time for a customer, even giving the possibility of a discount. Ask at businesses such as Canyon Lake Liquors or Smith’s Liquors in Rapid City; however, any local liquor store would be more than happy to help with this.
Serious: Now that wine can be shipped to the state of South Dakota, a special treat for a true wine fanatic is to seek out wines not available in the area, to discover something new and different the fan can’t usually access.
Research wine clubs. One that imports hard-to-find selections from all over the world is The International Wine of the Month Club. Members can choose any delivery option, from a one-time selection to bottles every month. Each shipment is a wonderful wine surprise, like Christmas any time of the year.
Part of the joy of Christmas is definitely in the giving. Thinking about another person to analyze what that person would like to receive is truly fun; it’s a material representation of a thoughtful process filled with love for someone else. Be twice blessed—give a gift and enjoy seeing someone receive it.
Help spread the joy and love of wine at Christmas…and all year long. Whether a wine gift is fun, practical, or serious, they are all exciting to give…and even better to receive!
(Note: Vines, Wines, and Other Crimes short story collection was provided as a free preview to me.)
Related:
Holidays and Wine: A Perfect Pairing
Legends of the Fall: Grape Harvest in the Black Hills
By Its Cover: Trends in Wine Labeling
Jerry Lohr Brings South Dakota Value to California Wine Making
Sweet Sommelier Summer Vacation: No Whining in Wine Travel
Summer, Summertime! Top Ten Black Hills Patios
Serious Side of South Dakota Wine
Celebrate Yourself! Wine and Chocolate Pairings for Valentine’s Day
