1 day ago
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Alcohol is an unavoidable part of a festive spread (for more advice on which wines, beers and other drinks I like for each and every occasion, take a look at last week’s Christmas drinks guide), but, sometimes, a drink deserves a place under the tree as well as around it – especially if it’s an easy win for a drinks devotee for whom you need to buy a prezzie.
As I said at this time last year, don’t waste your time and money on fancy-dan wine kit and gadgets: I am speaking for myself here, of course, but a lot of it will ultimately find its way to a kitchen drawer, never to be seen again. I am always running out of corkscrews, however, and the one from St John is iconic and monochrome, or maybe something sleek and silver from Fortnum & Mason, perhaps?
When it comes to gifting wine, it’s a good idea to draw on the crowdpleasers to fit that specific bill. For sparkling wines, crémant is a cost-effective option if you want the delight of fizz but don’t have deep pockets. Champagne, even in a supermarket, teeters around the £50-mark these days, though there are some cute gift boxes out there to warrant the expense: Piper Heidsieck’s fire hydrant case is fun and camp, and there’s no better excuse than Christmas to break out Veuve Cliquot’s puffy bottle holder.
But if buying booze feels like too much of a minefield (drinks aficionados can be exacting types), some good stemware is a nice option, because it’s thoughtful, good-quality stuff can be had at every price point, and it’s a gift that will allow a wine lover to get the most out of wine they already have. To that end, I really, really recommend the stemware from Zara Home: most ready-to-buy fashion homeware sections are all thick glass and style over ergonomics, but much of Zara’s range is chic and purpose-built. Its Bohemia crystal plain glass, for instance, made up my first home set, and is a snip at £4.99 each. With a wide base to swirl your wine and a narrow rim to collect the aromas, it’s a great vessel to enjoy your wine in. You’ll also find matching tumblers and flutes online.
At the crazier end, Maison Balzac makes some truly zany stemware designed with your favourite beverages in mind: blown-glass chillies, for instance, adorn one short tumbler, surely created to house a spicy margarita. And it’s spenny, yes, but the original universal wine glass from Richard Brendon’s collaboration with Jancis Robinson is an excellent luxury option, too. Emphasis on the luxury here – they’re £96 for two – but if anyone is looking to get me anything for Christmas, my housemate has managed to smash two. I’ll also accept gift cards.
Four drinks gifts I’d be happy to get
Piper Heidsieck Code Rouge Gift Set £65.99 Selfridges, 12%. So silly and brilliant: Piper’s classic cuvée in a container shaped like a fire extinguisher.
Whitebox Cocktails Spicy Marg Cracker £12 Whitebox Cocktails, 20.5%. A stocking filler if ever I saw one: two 100ml cans of spicy marg.
The King’s Ginger £32.50 (50cl) Berry Bros & Rudd, 29.9%. I do not like hunting, with which this is associated, but I do like winter walks. Sip this warming gingery liqueur from a flask.
Craft Beer Case £39 (12 x 330ml) The Wine Society, various ABVs. A range of IPAs, lagers and porters for the beer-drinker in your life.
English (US)