Pop, Preserve and Pour: Wine Gifting for the Fall

Gifts for the wine lover in your life, including you!

I’ve often thought that, like mothers and fathers have their own holidays, wine drinkers should have one, too. OK, there is National Wine Day on May 25, but that conflicts with too many competing events—the aforementioned parents plus all those grads and June brides. If I were in charge of things, we’d observe a national day of drinking and “gifting” (why, yes, I did just verb a noun! Oh, I did it again!) in early fall to celebrate harvest and the hard-working producers that are really the frontline workers of their industry. Recognizing their contribution to our liquid enjoyment is the least we wine lovers can do, right?

So, in the spirit of my make-believe wine holiday, here are a few gifts to help you and your giftees (did I just make that word up?) pop that cork and start drinking.

POPPING + PRESERVING

Legacy by Cork Pops. Claiming to be the fastest, easiest way to open a bottle of wine, this smart accessory also removes that pesky foil. If you can’t manage the more pro-styled Coravin, this is a good-looking alternative with a black matte finish that’s sleeker than a lot of assisted openers and doesn’t scream “gadget.” Because nothing says amateur like a battery-operated wine opener that lights up and whines.

The Legacy uses a low-pressure inert gas cartridge to pop the cork from the bottle. Insert the needle straight down through the cork and once in, a press of the button and a gentle pull up releases the cork. It’s comes with an easily replaceable cartridge that will open approximately 60 bottles of wine and four foil cutters on the base. $30

Coravin Pivot. The wine preservation lauded by the pros now has a more immediate, understandable version in the Pivot. It takes a bit of a scientist to grasp the concept of the original Coravin, with its needle and gas intervention (inventor Greg Lambrecht, studied nuclear and mechanical engineering before turning his attention to medical-device development): Coravin uses argon gas to replace the oxygen in an opened bottle, preserving freshness for weeks (if not months, depending on the wine). If this is too much of a science lesson, check out the tutorials online. This system also features an aeration attachment—just in case you’re not the type to wait for your wine to open (or you’re drinking really young or really old wines). What you don’t drink can stay drinkably fresh in the bottle for up to four weeks. Includes the device in black, teal, grey or coral; an aerator, two proprietary stoppers, two argon gas capsules. 30-day trial. $129 on site / $99 on amazon.com

SWIRLING & SIPPING

Flavor First wine glasses. Made by Oneida in partnership with wine expert and author Karen MacNeil (The Wine Bible), these glasses makes a nifty gift for the wine lover in your life who wants a little help. The set of six includes two each designed to enhance aromas and flavors of sparkling wine, whites and reds. But moreover, the glasses are helpfully and tastefully etched with descriptors for the novice: Crisp & Fresh is recommended for sparkling wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Grigio); Creamy & Silky is designed with Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rich Rosé, Red Pinot Noir, Chianti and Shiraz in mind; and Bold & Powerful glass is for big, rich Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, Bordeaux, Zinfandel, Malbec, Barolo and big Syrahs.

I tried them out in two tastings with a group of friends who love wine but are not wine knowledgeable (they do not spit!) I assigned a Flavor First glass and a regular glass to each of the three couples so they could share and compare. I also tasted from a matching set so I could track their observations or encourage them to experience the nuances of wine they might not otherwise notice. Overall, we all thought the Flavor First glasses enhanced the aromas of the wines, producing more pronounced notes, especially in the Crisp & Fresh and the Creamy & Silky glasses. I detected this to be especially so with wines that had more savory or botanic notes, like herbs or garrigue. It was debatable if those two glasses helped deliver more flavor, but the change in flavor profile was definitely noticeable with the Bold & Powerful glass, presumably because the larger bowl allowed more aeration. It’s likely your novice drinker friends won’t parse tasting the way the pros do, and will appreciate having the right glass for the right wine. The stems are $12.50 each or $59.99 for a set of six.

DRINKING & CHILLING

Vinglacé. Of all the many drink-chilling vessels—tumblers, glasses, carafes, etc.— Vinglacé gets best in show for presentation. Sleek and modern, the stainless glasses are elegant enough for an outdoor dinner party and the wine bottle chillers can take their place on the table inside or out. Double-walled stainless and vacuum insulated, they do a good job keeping the chill on your wine—about 45 minutes (I discovered by chance because rarely do I actually have wine in my glass for that long) and a couple of hours for the bottle chiller. The wine glasses and tumblers have glass inserts and BPA-free plastic, spill-proof lids with an opening for sipping—keep the entire thing in the freezer. Eleven colors to choose from, including a couple of fun metallic options. There’s a set made especially for sparkling wine. Separately, they’re a little pricey ($29.95 for the flutes; $34.96 for the glasses and tumblers and $89.95 for the bottle chiller), but the gift set of the bottle chiller and two glasses is a good deal at $125. Put it on your list for next summer’s hostess gift, a housewarming or shower gift. Vinglacé donates a portion of sales to breast cancer research.