Your Guide for Wine, Spirits and Beer Gifts

Whether you’re shopping for someone else or need a few ideas to put in your letter to Santa, if the recipient is a fan of wine, spirits or beer, we’d like to offer a few recommendations that make the shopping task fun. While it’s a no-brainer to pick out a bottle of wine, a case of beer or a single-malt scotch, we can give you examples of all three that hit every price point with our piece – Your Guide for Wine, Spirits and Beer Gifts.

Gifts for the Wine Lover

Simple and inexpensive gifts such as holiday bottle stoppers can be had for $7.99 for three and monogrammed stoppers for under $15.00, with individualized corks available on Amazon.com at varying price points. A more personalized approach with 3dlasergifts.com offers a hologram example in which a picture is downloaded and cut into a crystal disk attached to a glass stopper for $49.00.

To cork a partially used wine bottle

We like the Vacu Vin wine saver over letting the unused wine oxidize but prefer the Coravin system for around $300.00. The Vacu Vin manual pump removes a good bit of the air in the bottle and will extend the shelf-life of the wine to about 3 days at a price of $11 plus $6 for 2 extra stoppers.

The Coravin model 3 passion pack replaces the air with inert (and safe) Argon gas and keeps the wine fresh and ready to drink as long as it would have been without being opened. (For a good, cellar-ready red this could be 20 to 50 years, depending on the wine).

To open a bottle

We love the Rabbit electric corkscrew at under $50 or a professional waiter’s tool. Both and plenty of more options are available at Amazon.com or a retailer like TotalWine.com.

To pour a bottle

There are dozens of aerators on the market but we’re going to focus on what to pour the wine into. Stage 1 might be a decanter. This is an elegant and efficient way to serve red wine. Young wines and very old wines will benefit from a little air and a decanter of at least 2 bottle volume (1500ml) will do the trick nicely. You’ll find them from $25.00 to over $300.00 (hand blown, Riedel crystal) on Amazon.com and TotalWine.com.

Glasses too can be had at a wide range of prices. Remember, size (and shape) matters (with wine anyway). White wines are generally served in a smaller, narrower vessel while red wines are offered in a larger more bulbous chalice. Anchor Hocking and Libby make excellent everyday glassware while crystal from Spiegelau or Riedel are the tops for most Sommeliers. Almost all wine glasses will include the varietal (or at least) color of the wine they were meant to serve. Expect to pay anywhere from $5.00 to $50.00 per stem, depending on the size and manufacturer.

To store a bottle

There are wine racks from $21.99 for 8 to 12 bottles to a modular system made from 100% bamboo, holding 72 bottles each, for $79.99. Wall units and larger models are available for as much as you’d like to spend. If you’d like your gift to hold your wine at a constant temperature of 42ºf for whites and 55ºf for reds, then a dual-zone wine fridge can be had for around $180 for a 12 to 18 bottle vessel or up to $4844 for an Allavino double-door behemoth that will keep 610 bottles cellar-fresh.

Wines to Gift

Chardonnay

Rombauer ($45 Carneros), Lloyd ($48 Carneros), Amici ($28 Sonoma), Dom Pascal Les Clos ($99 Chablis Grand Cru), Dom Chenevieres ($48 Chablis 1er Cru).

Pinot Noir

Martin Ray ($25 Sonoma), Belle Glos ($50 Tri-Co Cali), Baldacci ($40 Carneros), Dom Tupinier ($50 Merc 1er Cru), Dom des Perdrix ($190 Echezeaux Grand Cru)

Cabernet

Silver Ghost ($40 Napa), Chappellet Signature ($70 Napa), Austin Hope ($58 Paso Robles), Silver Oak ($80 Alex Valley), Chateau Talbot ($90 St. Julien)

These wines have been listed without regard to vintage as the producers have been consistent in their excellence in the past. The price listed is for the best vintage readily available and is not guaranteed.

Gifts for the Spirit Lover

If your friend or loved one prefers liquor, liqueurs, Eau de vies or anything with a bit more kick, fear not, for the list of favors is long and distinguished. The Home Bar is a mercurial work in progress. From the bottle to the glass, there are many ways to please a loved one.

Bottles to Gift

Scotch Whisky

Dalwhinnie, Oban, Macallan, (Highland $50 to $150 for 12yr and up), Auchentoshan, Bladnoch (Lowland $50 to $80c for 12yr), Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Cragganmore (Speyside $40 to $85 for 12yr. Up to $500 for 25yr), Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Ardbeg (Islay $55 to $400 for 10yr to 25yr or special editions), Royal Salute, Compass Box, Johnnie Walker (Good to Great Blended Scotch $120 to $400+ from JW Blue to Royal S 30)

American Whiskey              

Woodford 2X Oak, Jefferson Ocean, Maker’s Mark Private Barrel, Redemption 9yr Barrel Proof, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, Col E.H. Taylor, Pappy Van Winkle, Angel’s Envy (Kentucky $50 to Market Price if it can be found), George Dickel, Remus Repeal, Driftless Glen, Breckinridge, Jack Daniels Single Barrel (AnyWhere, USA from$45 and up)

Other Spirits

Honestly, there are so many to list. Consult your local liquor store professional or feel free to email us here. We’ll be happy to provide ammunition in your search for the perfect bottle. Be armed with at least an example or preference of the spirit you wish to gift. A lot can be discerned from the recipient’s favorite drink or drinks. Classic and prestigious examples of Vodka, Gin, Rum, Tequila, Brandy and flavored spirits are abundant, available and easy to wrap.

Home Bar Gifts

From the many different types of cocktail glasses to shakers, blenders, stirrers, strainers, ice cube molds, stones, mule mugs, olive picks and books on perfect potions or funny bar jokes, there is no end to the items that can be wrapped and bowed for the home bartender. You can find a huge selection with our affiliate partner: The Home Wet Bar.

Glasses

Martini, Sour, Hi-Ball, Pony, Rocks, or Decanter & Glass sets are readily available from Entry Level to Aficionado status producers and all will please the domestic mixologist. The Glencairn Scotch glass ($33 for 4 at TotalWine) or the double-walled Norlan Whisky glass ($48 for 2 @ Amazon) are 2 examples of highly coveted barware.

Hardware

True, Oggi, and Viski make exceptional offerings of gadgets to compliment a home bar. Tovolo and Corksickle make ice cube molds and cold stones for every known occasion and any conceivable equation.

Gifts for the Beer Lover

The beer lover is a fun one to gift for they appreciate not only form and function but love extra-kitschy as well. When it comes to the Sudster, the crazier the better, the tackier the better received. And they are readily available, just check the internet under “Beer Signs for Bars” or “Crazy Beer Items”. The number of goofy gifts is second only to golf.

On the serious side, glasses are always welcomed and although they come in 20 or so shapes and sizes only 4 are really necessary (only 1 is really necessary and it just needs to hold the beer). If you gift a set of pints, pilsners, IPA or stout (they’re really indiscernible), or mugs or steins (the first is glass the second is ceramic or metal), you’re golden. The company name matters and Spiegelau, Riedel, Libby, and Anchor Hocking, among many others, are quality makers of glassware. Logo glasses are also popular with the malt-o-phile and are bountiful during the holidays.

Other gifts range from the Growler (a portable, refillable keg for craft beer) to home brew kits to home kegerators. These will fit any budget from $20 to over $1000 depending on producer and size.

Final Thoughts

In summary, the only thing limiting your options for the bacchanalian gift this holiday season is your imagination. In addition to Amazon.com some other sites to poke around on are goop.com, markandgraham.com, totalwine.com (and the app), kegworks.com, beveragefactory.com, touchofmodern.com and many more. Be healthy and happy during the season and above all; be safe!

As we always say, your selections are ultimately your own. We want to provide as much information as we can to help you with your purchases with our blog – Your Guide for Wine, Spirits and Beer Gifts. If you don’t see something here you want us to cover, feel free to reach out to us directly through our Contact page or leave a comment below. Cheers!

Bob Hollowell has been exploring the world of wine for almost 40 years and has no plans on slowing down anytime soon! He’s no stranger to the culinary circles and is passionate about teaching other’s the experiences one can receive through food and drink.

Bob is a Certified Sommelier from Court of Master Sommeliers and a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, but most importantly has been in the restaurant and commercial sales (wine, spirits and beer) industry for over 25 years, bringing a wealth of professional knowledge to The 55 Lifestyle and to our readers.