Shopping for your favorite wine lover and don't know where to begin? No need to be intimidated by knowing all the wine lingo — we're here to help decipher what's on the wish list of even the most discerning wine connoisseur (or the friend who likes to "rosé all day").
From curated wine collections to tools to serve wine to creative ways to serve wine's BFF, charcuterie, we've got you covered with some seriously ingenious gifts for the wino in your life. We've even consulted a couple of experts on the subject: Denver, Colorado-based sommelier Maia Parish, and Matt Harmon, owner of Harmony Wine in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Parish leans toward the practical when buying gifts for wine drinkers. "Go for function and design," she says.
Harmon aims to take the stress away from gift giving and dissolve preconceived notions about who "should" drink wine. "When drinking wine, there's no right or wrong way to do it," he says on his company's site. "Do you have a mouth and a glass? Cool."
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Best wines to gift
One Stop Wine Shop FRE Alcohol-Removed Sparkling Brut
"I’m bringing a few bottles of this 'alcohol-removed' wine brand to Friendsgiving this weekend for some of my sober-curious friends," says senior SEO editor Jess Bender, who got sent some bottles from a friend who works in public relations. "The concept for this is quite cool — they instill traditional winemaking into their process, but they add a step to remove the alcohol from the final product while allowing the subtle, delicate notes you usually get from your favorite vino to stay intact."
Vino Shipper 2023 La Crescent
"I believe my mom has visited most of the wineries residing in Long Island’s underrated wine region, so she has developed strong opinions on where to visit and — more importantly — what to drink," says Bender. "She discovered Suhru Wines last summer and immediately signed me up for their wine club. This bottle, a light-bodied white with citrusy notes of grapefruit and limoncello, quickly became a staple in my apartment."
Beringer 2020 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
According to the brand, you'll taste notes of boysenberries, strawberry preserves among other earthy ingredients with every sip of this wine.
Primal Chillable Red Trio
"This is on my short list of items I’d like to be gifted for my next apartment move (which, hopefully, is several years from now)," says Bender. "I love light, fruity, funky natural reds, so this curation is pretty perfect for my palate."
Best food gifts for wine lovers
Bamboo Cheese Board and Knife Set
This gift isn't strictly food, but it provides fodder for what to serve and how to serve it. From Chef Elle Simone Scott of America's Test Kitchen and SheChef, a book with a wealth of information on designing graze boards —and to go along with it, the ultimate cheese board and knife set.
"I'm obsessed with cheese boards and board cookbooks," says Parish. "Chef Elle Simone Scott has a book called 'Boards: Stylish Spread for Casual Gatherings' that has an array of stylish conversation-starting boards with wine-friendly menus. I would also invest in a deluxe cheese board like this one — it has compartments!"
Tsar Nicoulai Thermal Gift Bag Set
What pairs better with bubbles than caviar? California-based Tsar Nicoulai Estate is the home of sustainably raised, hand-harvested, single-fish American sturgeon caviar. This thermal gift bag set includes four two-ounce whitefish roe infused with beet and saffron, Hawaiian ginger, wasabi and truffle.
Also included: Bellwether Farms crème fraîche, a package of blini and a gleaming mother-of-pearl spoon.
Williams Sonoma French Cheese & Savory Hamper
A known haven for gourmands, Williams Sonoma has numerous hampers to suit any budget and taste. This one features a selection of French cheeses made in styles that represent the region, whether creamy or hard, nutty or buttery. Also included: honey from a small farm, pâté, crackers and elegance — just add wine.
Boarderie Classic Cheese and Charcuterie Board
"A lot of planning goes into my mom’s winery trips — she has to curate the right mix of destinations, what we’re drinking at each stop and — perhaps most importantly for our stamina — what we’re eating to pair best with each bottle of wine," says Bender. "I grabbed one of these boards for one of our more recent trips to the North Fork of Long Island and it was a major hit with my family. It came with a fun mix of soft and hard cheeses, two types of salami and out-of-the-box accroutements that I’ve never seen in a classic charcuterie spread."
Best wine glasses to gift
Corkcicle Classic Stemless Insulated Wine Tumbler
The Corkcicle Tumbler, well-known at tailgates and backyard barbecues, features triple insulation that keeps wine at the perfect temperature (and cold for up to 9 hours), stainless steel construction, a non-slip silicone bottom and easy-grip flat sides. It's the ideal stemless wine glass for casual settings.
Not only does this basic tumbler come in an assortment of colors, from Pastel Pink to Leopard Print, but the brand has also done collabs with artists like Gray Malin and Rifle Paper Co., as well as companies like Disney and Marvel. You can even get your tumbler personalized with your name or initials.
Nude Mirage Champagne Glasses
Perfect for prime entertaining, these modern champagne glasses have a sleek, tapered curvature that makes them stand out amongst the sea of bubbly. While they may look delicate from afar, one Shop TODAY associate editor mentioned how sturdy and lightweight they feel in your hand.
Zweisel Glas Tritan Crystal All Purpose Wine Glass
German glassware company Zweisel Glas is one of the world's best-known makers of wine glasses and is consistently recommended by sommeliers as an affordable, yet quality, stemware option. The company has been making glassware since 1872, so they must be doing something right.
This set of four wine glasses is perfect for anyone, whether they're need of an elegant option that's also suitable for everyday use, or they're just starting out on their wine education journey and need the perfect glass for tasting a wide range of wines.
Tiffany & Co. Wine Glasses
"These wine glasses are my go-to wedding gift for couples," says associate editor, Allie Wise. "They come in a pretty blue box with a card, so you don’t have to worry about paying extra for packaging/etc. They are also super durable so the lovebirds will have these for years to come!"
Estelle Colored Champagne Coupe Stemware
The colorful handblown glass created for Estelle Colored Glass was inspired by founder Stephanie Summerson Hall's grandmother Estelle's love of colorful glass pieces and playing hostess. These heirloom-quality glasses are wonderful for celebrations, but the iridescent collection, in particular, is beautiful any time of year.
"If you're shopping for a wine lover, update their stemware. Trust me, they always need stemware," says Parish. "I love the stemware from Estelle Colored Glass. The handblown glass stemware is described as 'jewels for your table' and comes in various colors. I am partial to the Forest Green and the new iridescent colors."
Best wine gadgets and wine tools to gift
Dreamfarm Champop
"For those who love to pop champagne, this little gadget lets you do so safely and easily," says associate partnerships editor, Lauren Witonsky. "Just put this on top of a bottle, twist and the cork gets caught in the little metal latch. If you’re celebrating outside, however, you can move the metal latch down to let it fly. This is the perfect addition to your gift recipient’s favorite bottle of champagne, or the perfect stocking stuffer on its own."
Corkcicle Air Wine Bottle Chiller
Don’t you hate it when you’re ready to chill, but your wine … isn’t? The Corkcicle Air Wine Chiller brings your wine to the ideal temperature within minutes. Just insert the icicle-shaped tool into the bottle and pour — it even features an aerator for optimal enjoyment.
Oster Cordless Electric Wine Opener
"Another great gift would be an electric wine opener," says Harmon. "It makes getting to the wine they love much easier!"
This cordless electric wine bottle opener by Oster fits the bill: It removes the cork from the bottle with a push of a button. This opener also ensures no broken corks or wasting time with a corkscrew — the process is done for you in seconds.
Le Chateau Wine Decanter
The purpose of a wine decanter is to aerate the wine (i.e., expose the wine to air), letting it “breathe” and opening the flavor notes of the wine and softening tannins. While you’re optimizing the wine’s flavor by aerating, this classy decanter from Le Chateau also looks fabulous as part of a tablescape or entertaining setup.
“Wine decanters are always a fantastic gift for wine lovers,” says Harmon. “You can also find a unique decanter that looks awesome and [that] they will love.”
The Le Chateau Wine Decanter is made of handblown, lead-free crystal, holds a 750 mL bottle of wine and has a slanted pour spout to eliminate drips and spills.
Ullo Wine Purifier
Some winemakers use sulfites and other preservatives to preserve freshness and stabilize the wine, but many wine drinkers claim they cause headaches and other adverse reactions. The Ullo Wine Purifier sits on top of a glass or decanter and removes pesky sulfites as the wine is poured through it, leaving nothing but flavor.
Alessi Alessandro M. Corkscrew
"I was gifted this quick-change corkscrew a couple of years ago," says Bender. "It’s a bit splurgy, but it makes uncorking a bottle as easy as it can get, speaking as somebody who has accidentally dropped multiple into really high-end bottles in the past after minutes of struggling. The design — a portrait inspired by the designer himself — is also quite cute!"
Best wine accessories to gift
Traveler Wine Glass Charms
Setting down your glass at a party only to not know which glass is yours is the worst, but these wine charms come to the rescue, fastening onto the stem of the glass so you’ll know whose is whose.
This set of 16 unique travel-themed charms with landmarks from around the globe are not only cute, they’re also conversation-starters: Choose from the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Colosseum and more.
Tirrinia Insulated Wine Tote Carrier
Don't let those loose bottles clink around on the way to your next BYOB gathering. This insulated two-bottle wine carrier protects wine from the elements (and each other) with its durable, travel-friendly design that includes a padded divider and leak-proof interior.
Add to this gift by including a pair of special bottles the recipient will enjoy.
Mark & Graham Wood and Marble Wine Chiller
When you want to chill a bottle of wine (or keep it cold) stylishly, look no further than this handcrafted, polished marble monogrammed marble wine chiller. It’s made from imported marble with an acacia wood base, and the monogram is laser-engraved. The chiller makes a lovely gift for the wine drinker that already has the basics.
Vintage View W Series Wine Rack 3
If the wino in your life needs a good way to store their growing collection, look no further than Vintage View, whose wine storage systems are creative and innovative. This rack is 3 feet tall, stores nine bottles label-forward, and it can be stacked with couplers to store even more wine (up to three bottles deep). Their modular designs make creating your custom wine cellar attainable.
Ivation 24-Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler
Need a place to store white, rosé and sparkling wines that's attractive yet effective? This Ivation wine refrigerator is available at an affordable price point and won't hog all the space in your apartment kitchen.
It has a sleek black finish and features a UV-resistant glass door with a security lock, removable racks and a 24-bottle capacity. The temperature range is from 41 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for any white or sparkling wine but also for ready-to-drink red wines.
Unique gifts for wine lovers
James Suckling Teaches Wine Appreciation MasterClass
If reading about wine is a little dry, a series of classes with acclaimed wine critic James Suckling will walk through tasting techniques, how to identify and articulate different aromas and flavors, how to store bottles and more. A MasterClass subscription also allows the recipient to choose from a range of other classes.
Gabba Goods Shower Wine Glass Holder with Speaker
This whimsical accessory is the thing your wine-loving friend never knew they needed. It's like someone said, "Let's drink wine in the shower!" and someone else said, "Let's listen to music while we're drinking wine in the shower!" and a third person said, "Let's add a microphone so we can tipsy-dial our friends from the shower!"
Whether you want soothing spa sounds or feel the urge to blast your walk-up song, you can do it while drinking wine in the shower or bathtub. This hilarious gift may just get more use than you think.
Firstleaf Wine Subscription
"I love this model for a subscription because it really gets better and better," says editor Vivien Moon. "It learns what you like and caters to your wants which is really smart to me. I have tried the wines and was really impressed with the way it worked and how well it catered to my personal wine preference. This makes for a great gift for both the expert and the newbie."
How we chose
Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We also use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect present everyone on your list including cozy gifts, gifts under $50, gifts for husbands, cool gifts and gift baskets.
