2021 Holiday Gift Guide for the Wine Lovers in Your Life

  • Guides
  • by DEVIN PARR
  • on NOVEMBER 12, 2021
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Guides

2021 Holiday Gift Guide for the Wine Lovers in Your Life

By Devin Parr November 12, 2021

There’s already enough to think about during the holidays, like who is hosting Christmas dinner? What stories are going to emerge from the office holiday party? Will it be ham, turkey, or tofurky this year? And just how “ugly” do they really mean when they say “ugly sweater party”?

With that in mind, we have removed the stress from what some feel is the biggest, scariest to-do this season: holiday gift shopping. We’ve searched high and low to compile the perfect round up of gift ideas for everyone on your list. And to make your holiday shopping even easier, our gift guide only features items that can be purchased online, so pour yourself a glass and get clicking.

Are you the kind of person who breaks into a cold sweat when someone mentions how many days there are until Christmas? Panics at the mere mention of “holiday shopping”? Fear not! We have created the most comprehensive holiday gift guide yet, packed with dozens of wine-themed gift ideas for the wine lover, the foodie, mom and dad, and even the pickiest, fussiest, most difficult-to-buy-for people on your list. And the best part? All of these items are available for purchase online. So, refill that wine glass and get shopping.

Your mother taught you to never show up empty-handed to someone else’s house. But instead of that dusty, off-vintage wine that’s probably on round five of the regifting circuit, why not bring one of those holiday gifts that you’d really like to keep for yourself?

  1. Domaine Carneros Merry Cocktail – Domaine Carneros, $170 | This set not only features a bottle of Estate Brut Cuvée, it also includes gorgeous sparkling vintage coupes, a gold-brushed 4-piece bar set and shaker, gold rimming sugar, and a jar of French brandied Cherry Griottines. Sparkling wine cocktails, anyone?
  2. Medlock Ames 2021 Garden Collection Gift Set – Medlock Ames, $150 | This gift set offers all the good things in life – a bottle of 2018 Kate’s & B’s Cabernet Sauvignon, their zippy estate-grown olive oil, and a jar of mixed berry jam all bundled up in a gorgeous Medlock Ames gift box.
  3. Vera Wang PARTY Prosecco – VeraWangParty.com, $24.95 | Set the right tone for any holiday gathering when you show up with a bottle of this bright, fun, and fashion-forward bubbly.

If you’ve got someone on your list with a bad case of wanderlust, keep them grounded, while still indulging their jet-setting tendencies, with these wine-travel-themed gifts.

  1. Napa Valley Framed Map – WineCountry Shop, $75 | A stylish addition to any wine lover’s wall, this detailed map of the famous Napa Valley wine region lays out over 400 wineries and 16 AVAs all printed on premium paper, matted, and framed with a choice of black, white, or natural frame.
  2. Russian River Road Trip Gift Package – Papapietro Perry, $220 | Sip your way through the Russian River Valley and explore what makes this region so celebrated for its pinot noir without ever leaving home. This gift set includes three unique expressions of pinot noir, a wine opener, and some handmade Volo Chocolates.
  3. WineCountry Experiences Gift Card – WineCountry Experiences, any amount | From activities like vineyard horseback rides to walking food tours, and more, this versatile gift lets the recipient choose their own Wine Country adventure.

These folks don’t just have wine bottles sitting in a rack on the counter. They are the ones with temperature- and humidity-controlled home cellars, library wine selections from all over the world, and a wine decanter for every varietal. Treat them to one of these gifts for the true connoisseur.

  1. Classic Champagne Saber – WineCountry Shop, $129.99 | Add a little 19th century French showmanship to your wine service with this stainless steel Champagne saber with a polished wood handle.
  2. Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical Gift Set – Jordan Winery, $486 | Explore how great wines can develop in bottle with this six-wine gift set of Jordan’s iconic cabernet sauvignon. Includes one bottle each from the 2010 – 2015 vintages packaged in a gorgeous wood box.
  3. Pio Cesare 2017 “Barolo Pio” – Wine.com, $85 | Not only is this elegant and age-worthy Barolo an Italian wine drinker’s dream, it is also a commemorative bottling in celebration of this iconic wine family’s 140-year anniversary.

Foodies are some of the best people to have in your life, and not just around Christmas or Hanukkah. Their movie nights include stovetop popped corn with hand-ground mixed spices and browned butter. They make a cheese board look better than an Instagram food stylist. And they’ve spent far too much money trying all the gourmet goodies from Goldbelly. This year, dazzle them with one of these culinary-themed holiday gifts (and hope they share).

  1. Martini & Caviar Gift Set – Hanson of Sonoma Distillery, $200 | Not only does this kit include every foodie’s favorite indulgence – caviar (30 grams of Thomas Keller’s Regiis Ova Caviar, to be precise) – it also includes a bottle of Hanson’s small-batch organic vodka, two engraved stemmed glasses, one jar of Castelvetrano Olives (for those dirty martinis), a mother-of-pearl caviar spoon, a caviar key, and a recipe card.
  2. Infused Oil Trio – Round Pond Estate, $109 | These gourmet olive oils – infused with garlic, rosemary, and lemon pepper – are perfect for drizzling as a final culinary touch, or for dipping a hunk of crusty bread along with your favorite bottle of Round Pond Estate wine.
  3. Churro Fiesta in a Box – San Diablo Artisan Churros, $59.99 | The kid in all of us will love this DIY kit, which comes with nine churro nozzles, San Diablo’s award-winning dry churro mix, cinnamon sugar topper, Dulce de Leche in a reusable filling bottle, and other fun extras.

Whether it’s hiking, camping, picnicking, or just plain adventuring, outdoorsy people love a good excuse to get some fresh air. Now they can do so while also enjoying a tipple or two in style with these great gifts for the outdoor enthusiast in your life.

  1. Landmark Vineyards Picnic Kit – Landmark Vineyards, $125 | A day outdoors doesn’t have to mean a day without wine! This thermoregulated canvas and willow tote holds a bottle of 2019 Overlook Chardonnay and Overlook Pinot Noir, a wine opener, a cheese knife, and a hardwood cutting board for the perfect picnic adventure.
  2. Copper Still Distillery Chocolate Flavored Whisky – Great American Craft Spirits, $39.99 | We can’t think of a better way to warm up after a day of hiking or camping than sitting around the fire sipping some of this decadent whisky infused with pure chocolate nibs from the Dominican Republic. Delicious on its own, or mixed in with a cup of hot cocoa for a double treat.
  3. Boxxle Premium Wine Preserver and Dispenser – Amazon, $98.99 | Liven up your campsite or backyard party with this stylish 3-liter wine dispenser, designed to hold your favorite bag-in-box wine selections for better preservation and proper countertop wine dispensing.

Whether you’re shopping for your mom, your dad, or – gasp! – the in-laws, finding the perfect gift for parents can be stressful. We’ve got you covered with these unique gift ideas for the parents who need a break from the kids, the mom who loves a killer martini, the future father-in-law you are desperate to impress, and all the grown-ups – kids or no kids – in between.

  1. The Perfect Night In – Abbot’s Passage, $120 | Invite your loved one to relax for some good old-fashioned fun with this cozy gift set, featuring handmade Wolfum wooden dominos, an engraved corkscrew, and a bottle of the 2018 Makeshift Red Field Blend.
  2. MotoDoffo 2017 Art Series Four Pack– Doffo Winery, $209 | Impress the wine and moto-enthusiast in your life with this collection of unique wines from Southern California’s Temecula Valley. Each label on this four-pack of wine features a vintage motorcycle hand-painted on a Post-It note by artist Doug Breuninger.
  3. Kastra Elion Greek Martini Gift Basket – Pompei Gift Baskets, $150 | This gift set includes a bottle of the first premium sipping vodka distilled from Greek olives, as well as Dolin Vermouth, Krinos olives, a shaker, stirrer, two martini glasses, and an elegant wooden tray for serving the perfect dirty martini.

Obviously the toughest to shop for, these people force us to really get our creative juices flowing. Lucky for you, we’ve done the juicing for you with these totally unique gift ideas for those impossible recipients.

  1. Covet Pass – Covet Pass, $150 | Turn your gift recipient into the ultimate Wine Country VIP with this first-of-its-kind pass that offers complimentary tastings at select California and Baja wineries, not to mention a ton of other hotel, travel, shopping, and experience perks.
  2. “Rarest of Them All” HāLo Collector Gift Set – Trefethen, $240 | Trefethen’s rarest and most beloved cabernet sauvignon, named after Hailey and Lorenzo Trefethen, elegantly packaged in a branded wooden box is sure to impress even the pickiest gift recipient.
  3. At-Home Wine Blending Kit – Rutherford Hill, $225 | Unleash someone’s inner winemaker with this hands-on wine blending kit, featuring a selection of small-format bottles of Rutherford Hill wines and all the tools to create, bottle, and label a totally custom wine blend.

Keep your friends close and your coworkers closer. This year, skip the paperweights and store-bought chocolates and win over your colleagues with these thoughtfully-curated drinks-themed gifts. Who knows – your boss may even reward you with a holiday bonus… for all your hard work, of course.

  1. Cocktail Smoker Top Smoke Stack Kit – The Crafty Cocktail, $84.99 | Give the gift of creative mixology with this kit that includes everything one needs to add the mysterious smoke topper to a craft cocktail, like any good bartender these days should do.
  2. VIADER 2018 “Black Label” – VIADER, $150 | If looking for a wine gift for your wine lover boss, this bottle delivers. You will win over anyone on or off the job with this opulent Napa Valley blend of estate-grown cabernet sauvignon, syrah, cabernet franc, and malbec.
  3. Vinyl Lovers Gift Set – Tank Garage Winery, $65 | Your hippest coworker will love this throwback gift set, featuring a bottle of Forever Baby Rosé, a vinyl album curated by the Tank Garage team and “inspired by youthful optimism,” and a vinyl record coaster set.

We’ve all got one of these in our lives: The type that loves to lounge, regularly practices self-care rituals, and would much rather spend the night in with a luxurious bottle of wine and a great book than head out on the town. Treat them with these extra cozy gifts this holiday season.

  1. Uma Stewart “go to cocktail” 11-oz Soy Wax Blend Candle – Uma Stewart, $65 | With 90 hours of burn time, this hand-poured candle offers heavy aromas of lime, ginger, and mint, calling to mind the drink that should be sipped alongside it.
  2. Gratsi Bàcaro Wine Glasses & Playing Cards – Gratsi, $25 | A Bàcaro is a casual Italian wine bar where people sip wine and snack, which is exactly what the homebody will want to do with this adorable set… especially if you gift them a box of Gratsi’s Old Country Red for their new house red as well.
  3. Sokol Blosser “Four a Big Celebration” Magnum Gift Set – Sokol Blosser, $250 | No one will have to leave the house with this four-pack of Magnums on-hand, including three vintages of the elegant Dundee Hills Pinot Noir and one of the Rosé (you know, for brunch the next day).

We’ve all found ourselves stuffing stockings with the usual wine stoppers, toys, and other pocket-sized gifts, only to realize we’ve got a long way to go before the stockings are filled. Top them up with these last-minute stocking stuffers and say “That’s a Wrap” to your holiday shopping.

  1. Napa Valley Wine Train Gift Card – Napa Valley Wine Train, any amount | Lifelong memories come in small packages. Passengers journey through vineyards while enjoying gourmet California cuisine and private label wines aboard this restored train made up of early 20th century Pullman cars.
  2. Library Box of Four Assorted Dark Chocolate Bars – Vine to Bar, $34.50 | These chocolate bars are the world’s first dark chocolate made from Chardonnay Marc – freshly-crushed grapes dried and milled – making them the perfect stocking-stuffer for the wine and chocolate-lover in your life.
  3. Purifyou Glass Water Bottle – Purifyou, from $17.97 | Water (and wine) just taste better in glass. You can carry both in these sleek, eco-friendly glass bottles with protective silicone sleeves. A portion of sales also goes toward promoting sustainable living across the planet so you can feel even better about your gift-giving.