Inexpensive Gift Ideas For The Winos In Your Life

It's the last day of Hanukkah and we're deep into procrastinator season for Christmas shopping. Still
stumped on what to get that wine lover on your list?  Here is a handful of ideas that are sure to bring a smile to your favorite wino's lips:

Double-Hinged Corkscrew/Wine Key
There are hundreds of these on the market and you can spend a lot if you want to, but the important  thing to look for is a teflon-coated worm.  The worm is the squiggly piece that you work into the cork, and teflon coating makes it slide into the meat of the cork more easily - much more easily - and more quickly.  That translates into less force/trauma going into the cork, decreasing the likelihood of damaging the cork - a real risk when the wine is older.  At a reasonable $16, this handsome one in rosewood won't break the bank, either.

Wide-bodied Decanter
Functional and beautiful, a wide-bodied decanter is a staple in our home.  Features to look for: a wide, flat bottom for stability and a clean (sharp, not rounded) lip for less dripping.  Don't spend more than $25 as these tend to chip and stain easily over time.  I usually find them for around $10 at Marshall's or TJ Maxx.

Expensive Soave
Don't let that header fool you - the most expensive Soave bottle you'll find will likely be under $20.  What you get for that, however, is bottled Italian magic.  The quality of Soave bottlings just keeps getting better and better, offering subtle perfumed aromatics, brilliant minerality and acid, and a friendly texture that wraps the wine in a companionable embrace.  Two names to look for: Pieropan Soave Classico and Tenuta Santa Maria's Lepia bottling.

Tawny Port
If good wine holds the possibility of discovering something wonderful in a glass, good port holds the promise of the comforting experience of contentment. There's a huge range of the stuff out there, but you need not - in fact, you shouldn't - spend a ton on young vintage port.  Instead, give the gift of a tawny, which you'll find for around $20 and is enjoyable right now.  Feel the need to splurge?  Upgrade to a 10 year tawny, which will be in the neighborhood of $35 and is worth every penny.  bonus: it'll keep for a couple of weeks after opening, so can be enjoyed in moderation over several evenings.

Chablis
Chardonnay was first made famous in Burgundy and for good reason. Though finer Chablis often runs north of $80, there is a universe of more modestly priced options that will give even the most experienced drinker happy pause. One such example is the 2016 Domaine Bernard Defaix, which was the best $20 I spent on wine all year.

Real Pinot
Real pinot noir is translucent in the glass, and channels its energy through intricate acidty into multi-dimensional layers of complexity, sometimes in mind-bending fashion.  It neither drums its message nor leaves the drinker beleaguered from potency.  Sounds like a unicorn, eh?  A couple of examples include a smashing $14 value from the widely available French producer Louis Latour, the 2015 Pinot Noir Domaine de Valmoissine. A higher end option is the J Wilkes Santa Rita Hills ($30.)

Xinomavro
Never heard of this Greek grape? I hadn't either until recently. But whoa. Though light on density, it's bright with saline acidity and bountiful flavors.  Unlike any other wine your wine lover has ever had, this will light up a dinner table with adventure and discovery.  One to look for: Thymiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro from the Naousa region.

Big Red
Finally, no gift giving list would be complete without a hefty red. For exquisite drinking pleasure that overdelivers on price, consider a Lirac. Sitting across the river from Chateauneuf du Pape, it shares many characteristics with its neighbor, but does not enjoy the same notoriety (or premium.)  These reds can be supple, lighter expressions, or serious, deep, profound wines.  For something in the middle, Domaine Lafond's Roc-Epine Lirac will set you back around $20.