Updated November 24, 2020
It’s that time of year again, when you start panicking about all those perfect, personal gifts you have to buy. My advice? Keep it simple. And if you’ve got wine lovers on your list, I’ve got you covered! Here are my top wine gifts for the holidays—or just because!
Obviously, this list is by no means exhaustive, it just presents a few tried, tested and true items that I have enjoyed or that have enhanced my appreciation of wine recently. So in no particular order, here are a few holiday wine gift recommendations:
Sparkling wine
Bubbly is a must-have wine gift for the holidays. Whether you’re having people over or bringing a hostess gift, sparkling wine is always a safe bet. Here are two options:
1. Nova 7 by Benjamin Bridge ($24.95)
I discovered this sparkling wine during our East Coast road trip, and have had the pleasure of tasting it a few times since, and every time it catches me by surprise. It’s a beautiful salmon colour, with rose petals, anjou pear, pink grapefruit and lychee on the nose. On the palate, it is like wine candy: honeydew melon, candy apple, lychee, candied pineapple and elderflower, with some residual sugarThe total amount of sugar that remains in a wine once fermentation is complete (generally expressed as grams per litre). Often abbreviated as RS.. And this will change depending on what you pair with it. We had it with chicken and shrimp stir-fry the other night, and it was pretty darned tasty! It would also make an excellent apéritif to get you salivating before a meal.
Nova 7 with stir-fry, but this wine goes with just about anything
This wine has almost disappeared from Vintages, as it does every year. It’s also available at select SAQ stores for those of you in Quebec. But the good news is that Benjamin Bridge offers online shopping and free shipping across Canada on orders over $100 (which, believe me, is easy to do).
Also available in cans!
2. Astoria Fanò Asolo Prosecco ($18.95 at the SAQ)
I recently attended a tasting of a variety of sparkling wines.
Just a few bottles of bubbly
Of these, the Astoria was my favourite prosecco of the day. As you may recall from my bubbly post from a while back, prosecco is made using a different method than champagne. Rather than the second fermentationThe process by which yeasts convert the natural sugars in grapes to alcohol, thereby producing wine! happening directly in the bottle, it is done in pressurized tanks. This is called the charmat method. It makes for a slightly fruitier bubbly than champagne or cava, and is always popular served as an apéritif with finger foods.
This prosecco comes in a beautiful bottle, so the aesthetics are appealing to even the non-wine drinker. Plus, it tastes great, with flavours of lemon, brioche, apricot and white flower and refreshing effervescence. What’s not to like!
This particular bottle is only available at the SAQ, but if you are outside of Quebec, check out Lifford for ordering options on consignment.
Wine accessory gifts
Sometimes it is not appropriate to buy wine for people. Pregnant ladies, for one. Also, apparently some workplaces have policies straight-up forbidding wine on site! Sometimes you have to learn these things the hard way.
That’s where wine accessories can be excellent alternatives. Here are a few that I use on a regular basis and can no longer live without.
Vacu vin wine saver
The Vacu Vin has changed my life. Before, I would actually menu plan based on what wine I had open. Now with the Vacu vin, I can pump all the air out of open wines and extend the life of a bottle for an extra three or four days before the flavours start to go funny and it becomes cooking wine. Not only that, it is super easy to use. I figured it out the very first try! Pretty much everyone in my family is getting this wine gift for Christmas.
L’Atelier du Vin Champagne Bubbles Bottle Chilling Sleeve
There are lots of ways to chill a bottle of wine, but the chilling sleeve is one of my favourites, if only for its versatility. I have been known to not plan my dinner wine ahead of time and commonly come home after work with a wine that requires chilling as quickly as possible. I throw it in the freezer while I cook, then when it’s time to eat, I bring out my secret weapon. You guessed it: the sleeve. It’s got fancy gel packs in it that stay cold for hours after being in the freezer. What I love about it is that you don’t have to worry about running back to the fridge for refills, or messing around with ice buckets (seriously, who keeps that much ice in their freezer??). You just stick the bottle in the sleeve and leave it on the table so your guests can simply serve themselves. The one I have, pictured above, is sadly no longer available. But if you’re looking for another option that’s nice and shiny, here you go:
Wine charms
A classic wine gift for the hostess with mostest on your list to ensure no one steals your glass at the next wine and cheese.
10 Piece Beach Themed Wine Charm Set
Bonus idea: local wine gifts
The holidays are the perfect time to support local businesses. Many local wineries offer holiday deals on mixed cases of their most popular wines and will deliver right to your door, so buy a case or two, then distribute the bottles among those on your list! Click on the button below to see a list of Ontario wineries with holiday promotions. If you need help deciding, leave a comment below and we’ll chat!
And remember—be sure to take some time for yourself this crazy holiday season. And if one of the wine gifts above struck your fancy, after making it through this year, you deserve to treat yourself!
Happy holidays and happy wining!
*Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that if you click on them and end up purchasing something, I may get a small kickback to help offset the costs of maintaining this blog. It’s never too early to start your holiday shopping (hint hint). That said, if you can find these items at a store near you, please buy local!
Sparkling wine feels Christmas-y too. Good idea. I may pick up a bottle for Feng…
If he likes his sparkling on the sweeter side, go for the Nova 7. If he prefers it on the drier side, try a cava from Spain. Somewhere in between? Prosecco is a happy medium. Joyeuses Fêtes!