12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 9: Wine Clothes

I don't know who can possibly dislike wine t-shirts because some of them are just plain hilarious.  This is a perfect gift for college friends or "old-timers" who like a good laugh.  Just make sure you get the right size! 

Cafe Press features lots of custom made clothing, which is always a favorite site for me to visit when I need to find something for my brothers or girlfriends.  In fact, I've actually received gifts from here as well.  Fun, thrifty, and creative - these gifts let the ones you love know just how well you know them.

Here's one that I own that features viticulture (the study of growing grapes) - $25 at Cafe Press

Know someone studying enology?  Here's some options also found at Cafe Press:

Female t-shirt: $29

Enologist Sweatshirt - $33

Men's Fitted Organic Cotton t-Shirt - $29

Know someone that likes a little extra wine humor?  Below are some options also found at Cafe Press... besides nothing in life should be so serious that you can't laugh at it, right?

Wine Apron - $28 to $30 (Can't you picture your silly dad wearing this while bar-b-qing?)

Standard t-Shirt (available in multiple colors) - $27

What Every Wife is Thinking... :) - $23

Another one of my favorites... ok... I own this one, too - $25

How True - I bet some foodies out there would like this - $25

Oh yeah - wine clothes for babies!  There's a bunch of these on Cafe Press, but I think this one is cute :) - $17

I think this is a great "man" t-shirt especially in the charcoal color, but then again, it'd probably also be good for someone you know that is a klutz... ;) - $27

There are so many more options available - multiple colors, shapes, sizes, shirt styles, etc.  Even things like polos, mugs, posters, pins, etc.  A gift for everyone!  And Cafe Press has nice shipping packaging - a bonus!

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 8: Oil and Vinegar Carafes

This is a great gift for foodies and oenophiles alike: an oil and vinegar glass jar.  There are so many places to find these - Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Macy's, Target, and your local tasting rooms.  They are all over the Napa Valley!  I just contemplated a $10 carafe at Sutter Home Winery where the vinegar was in a grape-like shape:

The carafe keeps the oil and vinegar separate while in storage.  The two spouts allow you to pour each separately and mix to your liking.  We like to pour some oil and vinegar into little bowls and then dip some bread into it.  It makes for a very classic date night: oil and vinegar, dipping bread, some cheese, and a fine bottle of wine, a good movie = instant romance.  ;)

Oil and vinegar carafes are fun, food friendly, and make the perfect (healthy choice) salad dressing combination for salads.  They are also great for mixing up oil and vinegar bread dips with some spices like you see in classy restaurants.  Plus, it makes a great kitchen decoration.  I recommend filling balsamic vinegar and olive oil... but that's just me.  :)

This is SO fun - perfect for all those foodies out there!

How... interesting!

This would be good for all those chemists out there.  :)

All photos from Google Images

Wine News: A glass a day keeps the doctor away? Consumers believe wine can be good for your health

This Press Release came through one of my industry emails.  I thought I would share with all my readers:

Health experts have long touted the health benefits of antioxidant-rich red wine and recent research even suggests that light wine consumption (1–2 glasses a week) is no longer off limits for pregnant women. This holiday season consumers are sure to be lifting their glasses without guilt as Mintel research found that 85% of imbibers believe drinking wine in moderation can be good for your overall health.

Additionally, 87% of wine drinkers believe red wine in moderation can be good for your heart, compared to the almost half (44%) who believe the same about white wine. Furthermore, 74% of wine drinkers agree with the statement that drinking wine in moderation is better for your health than drinking beer in moderation.

“Wine, especially red wine, has always enjoyed a healthy halo due to the suggested benefits of antioxidants,” said Garima Goel Lal, Senior Analyst at Mintel. “Consumer belief that wine can be good for your overall health boosts wine ratings compared to beer and spirits, and aligns with the consumer trend toward eating and drinking healthily.”

Consumers are also more likely to drink wine during the holiday season. Sixty-six percent of wine drinkers say they frequently drink wine on holidays and special occasions at home, compared to 22% who say they frequently drink wine at bars and 18% who say they drink wine at restaurants without a meal.

Mintel research also uncovered how customers choose their wine. Fifty-nine percent of wine drinkers say they stick to the type they know or like (Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, etc.), while 26% say they decide after an in-store sampling. Meanwhile, 35% say their decision is based mainly on price.

You can read the article at: Mintel.com Press Release

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 7: The Electric Cork Screw

Using these was always a fun show when I worked in a tasting room.  People love to be entertained by a simple gadget that opens a bottle of wine.  (Has anyone tried to open a bottle of wine recently?  Sometimes it can be quite challenging!)  Anyway - I love these things.  They are great "man" gifts as they have the "gizmo/trinket" effect written all over them.  All of these models have the proper shape that should allow someone to easily open a bottle of wine whether it's bottled with a real cork or synthetic.

Wine Enthusiast Electric Blue Push-Button Corkscrew ($30)

Stainless Steel Version ($40)

Oster Electric Wine Bottle Opener at Amazon.com ($15)

Ozeri Nouveaux Electric Wine Opener with Removable Foil Cutter in Black, Silver, or Red ($20) at Amazon.com

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 6: The Cork Board

Here's a gift for all those wine drinkers out there...  Whenever a favorite bottle is opened, someone always wants to keep the cork, but what do you do with them?  The solution - paste them to a cork board!  Not only will your wine memories live on, but you'll have a fun way of sticking notes up on the wall!  Here are some options from wineenthusiast.com, but don't stop there... There are plenty of places to find cork boards.  Try your local winery tasting room, Target, WalMart, and Amazon.com.

Common Cork Board ($25)

Cork Trivet Set ($20)

Oval Wine Cork Trivet Set ($30)

Round Wine Cork Board Kit ($35)

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 5: Wine Erasing Spray

Another wonderful gift for company or social parties, especially if you know several winos are going to be attending.  Who doesn't spill wine on themselves?  And why is it always red wine that is spilled on a light colored shirt?  The solution: Wine Away!  This is a simple, thoughtful, incredibly useful gift for all your red wine drinking friends, and it's particularly easy to find.  Many tasting rooms carry this spray, so pick up a bottle during your next visit to your local winery!  (Make sure to sample and buy some wine, too.  After all - it's the holiday season!  And who knows?  You might be surprised and find something tasty to enjoy on Christmas day.)

Found at Wineaway.com

If you are putting together a small gift for a company party, I suggest including a cork screw, foil cutter, a bottle stopper, and Wine Away.  Put it in a nice gift bag, and you have yourself a useful holiday present.  Want to knock it up a notch?  Add a classy bottle of wine.  Don't worry about the variety and who will like it.  Pick something universal like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's sure to make someone's holiday cheerful and bright.  Cheers! 

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 4: Decanters

A decanter is a fun gift for all those oenophiles!  A decanter is used for those serious red wines (aka Cabernet Sauvignons and other Bordeaux varietals).  The wine is poured from the bottle into the decanter.  The pouring allows you to minimize the amount of sediment that may appear at the bottom of the bottle, especially for older, unfiltered red wines.  Additionally, the decanter enhances the surface area of the wine to interact with oxygen; this oxygen exposure alters the wine's taste, flavor, and aroma.  "Johnny Depp" gave me a decanter for our first Christmas together, and I have to admit, it was quite a special present to receive.  Definitely thoughtful and classic - this gift is sure to impress.

Vino Wine Decanter ($29) at Pottery Barn - A classic style

Riedel Merlot Decanter

Riedel Syrah Decanter

Riedel Vinum Swirl Decanter

(All 3 found at Bed Bath and Beyond and are about $40 each)

Visual Wine Decanter ($30) at wineenthusiast.com

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 3: Foil Cutters

One of all time favorite wine gifts was a foil cutter.  (I even remember who bought it for me and which Christmas I received it.  It's that good.)  I know what you're thinking - how simple and dull!  But you are mistaken, my friend!  This little gizmo allows me to avoid all possibilities of cutting myself on foil or the cork screw to get those capsules off of wine bottles.  Sure, it's not as aesthetic as using the actual cork screw to cut around the rim of the bottle, and get the cork out of the bottle the way a sommelier does, but let me tell you - it makes opening a bottle of wine that much easier!  

And it's thrifty!  It's the perfect gift to add for a co-worker, company gift exchange (complemented with a cork screw and wine stopper), or your wino friends out there.  Trust me - I enjoy it and recommend highly!

Many foil cutters can be found at your local winery or wine gift shop.  If you have trouble finding some, here are some online selections:

This is the one I have - Found at Amazon.com for $6

Wine Enthusiast Vineyard Foil Cutter - $10 at Kohls

Brushed Chrome Six Disc Blade Foil Cutter - $14 at Amazon.com

Two-Blade Foil Cutters - $8.40 at wineopeners.com

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 2: Flip Flop Wine Coasters

I see a lot of these in the tasting rooms throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys.  I've seen lots of people buy them and it's a perfect gift for a mom, grandmother, aunt, or girlfriend that loves wine!  (Hint, hint to all those men out there.)  Most sets of 4 run at about $20, but sometimes you can buy individuals at about $6 per flip flop.  It's also a great gift for all those beach and flip flop lovers out there.  When you don't want a glass of wine, add a margarita or martini glass and it still acts like the coaster it was meant to be!

Glasses sit in the flip flop as so:

You can find these flip flops at tasting rooms (like I said, I've seen them all over the place) or online at Perpetual Kid and Amazon.com.  Here are some of my favorites:

This last pair is found at The Bling Thing

12 Days of Christmas Wine Gifts - Day 1: Champagne Glasses

What better way to start out "the first day of Christmas (wine) gifts" then to start with Champagne glasses!  Why do I love this gift?  Because you can never have too many Champagne glasses - they are always needed at every special occasion, Champagne/sparkling wine pairs well with everything, and they don't require much storage space!  I've selected a few for everyone's budget:

Set of 2 Mangold Champagne Glasses at Target ($15) - what a great modern shape!

A classic shape - Set of 4 Libbey Vina Flutes at Target ($17) - and a set of 4 is the perfect number!

Modern and fun, but not for your wine connoisseur (the stem is too short for Champagne glasses) - come in a set of 2 for $20 at Target and Amazon.com

For those that like an obscure shape - found at Amazon.com (Several different styles of this version can be found there, and have many different price points for all budgets)

I like this classical look made to match all the old China - set of 4 is $30 at Amazon.com

This is different, by Riedel which makes fairly good quality glass - however, again, this shape allows warming of the Champagne when you hold it, which may not be preferred, but is definitely unique (set of 2 is $25 at Amazon.com)

Classy and simple, by Riedel - Set of 4 is $49.95 at Amazon.com - Great stemware for those serious wine drinkers

These are just crazy, but I love them! Set of 2 Inside-Out Champagne Glasses is $40 at Amazon.com

For those friends who love an artistic edge - set of 4 is $40 at Amazon.com