WINE NOTES:

All I want for Christmas is… Buying a gift for a wine aficianado has just got easier with these great ideas.

what to give the wine lover

This time of year, I always have to fight the urge to whack the person who cheerfully announces that “there’s only X more weekends until Christmas!”. Finding the right gift for each person can be tricky and the shopping days soon disappear. However, we wine-lovers are surely among the easiest of all to buy for. In the unlikely event you do happen to be stumped for ideas for the wine aficionado in your life, these suggestions may help.

A BOOK There are many great books about wine. Andrew Jefford, Hugh Johnson or Jancis Robinson are ever-reliable authors, or perhaps try a specialist wine magazine subscription. Local winemaker Kevin Judd of Greywacke is also a seriously talented photographer – keep an eye out for his stunning publications.

GLASSWARE Plenty of scope for all budgets and tastes here. Expect to pay around $15 per stem for a good-quality glass, such as those from Spiegelau, Riedel and Schott Zwiesel. Look for thin glass, a slender stem and a tulip-shaped bowl to maximise aroma and flavour. Variety-specific glasses widen the choice. A glass decanter is another nice idea – there are beautifully stylish options that would make an elegant addition to the Christmas table.

WINE! An obvious choice but, truly, you can’t go wrong with a well-chosen bottle. A favourite is always welcome but we wine-lovers also enjoy trying something new. If you’re not sure what to buy, visit a wine store for advice.

AND MORE... Screwcaps haven’t entirely replaced corks, so a corkscrew makes a perfect Secret Santa gift. What about coasters, a bottle cooler or tote bag, reusable bottle stoppers or some quirky wine glass identity tags? If you want to spend a bit more, food and wine festival tickets, winery tour weekends, a wine bottle and glasses picnic pack, or a gift hamper of wine and food would be well received. In this age of global online shopping, an internet search will throw up all sorts of ideas. Happy shopping!