Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr. (By Joshua McKerrow - The Capital) 9/27/12 Chances are you have spent the last few days scouring the web or poring over a wine catalog for a perfect gift for the wine enthusiast in your circle. Although there is no shortage of gadgets that preserve wine or make it taste better, they usually end up in the closet after one use. This cottage industry of expensive, useless tools preys on desperate gift buyers. With Thanksgiving behind us, the mad rush to buy gifts has begun. As you head out the door to the mall (or to the computer), we have a few ideas that go beyond the ubiquitous bottle of expensive wine. If you have the money, there is nothing like a beautifully designed carafe to let an aged wine breathe. Even young wines benefit from decanting. A very nice gift would be a Riedel decanter. This Austrian glass designer is the best in the business because the designs are both functional and creative. New this year is Riedel’s Ayam decanter, engineered so that it can hang from the table’s edge.

Not only does it free up space on the holiday table, but it is sure to be a conversation starter. So is the price: $425. As an alternative, consider Riedel’s Veritas Coupe Glass, a throwback to the 1920s, or the Veritas Champagne Glass that would make a great gift for newlyweds or someone with a special reason to celebrate this year. Both cost $69 for a pair of glasses and can be ordered through www.riedelusa.net. Liquor producers step up their packaging for the holiday season – so much so that you don’t even need wrapping paper. If your gift recipient likes Grey Goose vodka, for instance, consider the 2016 limited edition gift pack that for $48 includes a pair of stirrers and olive picks in a handsomely designed box. Wine producers – particularly champagne producers — also dress up their packaging. Moet & Chandon have nice gift options, including the Gold Diamond Suit ($41). Dressed in a clever thermal suit, the champagne will hold a chill for up to 2 hours. And, Cupcake Vineyards has a sweet, low-alcohol sparkling red ($16) that is clad in real chocolate.

Kim Crawford’s excellent sauvignon blanc comes in a limited-edition, gold-clad bottle ($18) just in time for the holidays – it’s as good on the inside as it is on the outside. Corkscrews are great stocking stuffers and useful gifts to bring a party host. You can never have enough of them, right? Languiole is the symbol of design and durability, but it will set you back $200 for a good one. An attractive option is a cork pull designed by Scott Campbell for SAVED wines. Solid brass in construction, it has an intricate design of sigils, which is reflection of Campbell’s tattoo style. Add a bottle of 2013 SAVED ($25) and you have a show-stopping package. Tired of those water spots on your nice Riedel glasses? WineBuff ($18) is a polishing cloth that will brighten them before guests arrive. OK, not everything has to be expensive so here are some items that are cheap and even free: Two apps you can download onto someone’s phone or laptop on Christmas Eve would be free surprises Christmas morning.

Vivino allows you to instantly check out a wine at a restaurant or retail store. Using the camera on your mobile phone, the search engine gives you a rating, average cost, tasting notes and even where to buy a wine. More than 20 million users contribute to the ratings and reviews. Is your friend a wine collector or someone who intends to start a collection? Download CellarMaster, the best system to catalog a collection in a versatile online library. We’ve been using this system for years and there is nothing better to keep track of your wines, record your tasting notes and see how other users rate the same wines. buy wine in londonIt’s free but its creator asks for an annual voluntary donation based on the size of your collection.the best dry red wine We love giving wine books as gifts because they can generate new enthusiasm for wine. best online wine ratings

Some of our books have encouraged trips abroad or got us more interested in a region or country. Pair a book on Spain, for instance, with a couple bottles of Spanish wines. Here a couple of new books that are fascinating reads. “Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California” by Frances Dinkelspiel chronicles the largest wine arson in the world. In 2005 4.5 million bottles of wine valued at more than $250 million were destroyed in a wine cellar near San Francisco. wine and food parisA wine collector who had defrauded his customers was later convicted of the arson.where to buy cheap wine in paris Another book is a sequel to “Sideways,” the book made into a 2004 movie starring Miles and Jack. best wine to cook seafood with

“Vertical: Passion and Pinot on the Oregon Wine Trail” is Rex Pickett’s sequel. Miles is relocating his aging mother to Wisconsin but first passes through Oregon with Jack beside him. Their habits haven’t changed any since their last drunken escapade. Next week we’ll recommend wines that would make impressive gifts.Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it can be stressful and expensive. Getting presents is easy, however buying them is another story. Having enough money to buy gifts is one thing, but finding the right thing is much harder.best type of wine with chocolate Fred & Friends Handlebar is a moustache designed corkscrew and bottle opener. buy french wine in londonThe handle is a high gloss, well crafted aluminum with a stainless steel cork screw. full red wine in the dark night

The Chain Wine Bottle Holder is one of the most eye-catching vino accessories we’ve ever seen! Magic forces collude with this nickel-plated iron chain to create a quite astounding illusion because your bottle appears to be floating in the twisted chain’s vice-like grip. An ideal gift for wine aficionados, lovers of unusual ornaments and refined heavy metal fans (of course they exist), the Chain Wine Bottle Holder is destined to become one of the most talked about items in your home. The Lasso Wine Bottle Holder is crafted from chromed iron metal and then covered with the rope – however, unlike the chain version, this one has a dangly bit of rope that hangs off the end to make it even more magic. Suitable for all standard wine bottles, the Floating Lasso Wine Bottle Holder is guaranteed to cause a stir at any dinner party and will be a huge talking point. It makes the perfect gift for the fun loving vino connoisseur and looks cool in any kitchen or dining room. Take the temperature of your wine and get the most from the taste.

The wine thermometer only need be attached like a belt around the bottle, and within minutes you can read the temperature on the digital display. The thermometer can withstand being dropped and even survive the loving attentions of the youngest in the family, and it fits easily into a drawer, on a tray or on your kitchen shelves, so it’s always there when you need it. Unusual and very expensive gift. You like sipping wine, but sometimes you’re just more comfortable with a mug in your mitt. Well this double-walled do-it-all lets you have it both ways. Elegant wine stem on the inside, manly beer stein on the outside, it’s a glass for all reasons. So pour yourself a nice measure of vino, grab it with gusto, thoughtfully inhale the bouquet, then toss it back. This glass uses the same head and a different base for 4 main glass-specific types of drink: water, cognac, wine, and champagne. Inspired by the flow of liquid, this sculptural wine rack is finished in brushed stainless steel.

Flow is wall mounted and will hold up to eight bottles using a minimum of space. Ever been at a party and wondered how you’ll balance you wine glass, hors d’oeuvres and scintillating conversation all at the same time. Little Fingerfood plate slips onto you finger just like a ring, so now you can hold you snack and your glass in teh same hand, leaving you other hand free for eating, shaking hands, or general gesticulating. They’re certainly conversation starters, too – so eat, drink, and be merry. The Wine Knot is a seven bottle wine rack for six regular sized bottles and one oversized magnum or champagne bottle. The use of two intersected molded plywood components in birch and walnut allows the Wine Knot to live comfortably in the kitchen, living room or den. The special edition IXO Vino comes with a corkscrew attachment and special ‘wine-style’ wooden packaging box. The screwdriver has all the features of the standard IXO but now includes this limited edition attachment, to remove corks.

Beautiful wall wine holders crafted from heavy metal in an antiqued bronze-rust color. A device consists of a bulb shaped container with the glass below. When the amount in the glass decreases, a constant amount is poured from the tank into the glass. Never overflowing from the glass because of air pressure and water pressure. There seems to be a USB everything these days. From a humping dog to sushi to even a severed bloody finger, designers and novelty manufacturers are determined to turn anything into a USB thumb drive. A single ribbon of painted steel is rolled and fastened to create this elegant wine rack. Holds seven wine bottles. “We’re glad that someone has finally caught on to our tendency to treat wine glasses like they’re soup ladles.” When your shelf and cupboard space is limited, storing wine bottles can become an issue. Blomus solves the problem with this super stylish and space-efficient wall-mounted wine bottle holder. Handsomely and durably constructed of stainless steel in a contemporary brushed finish, the vertical rack features eight lined loops that hold bottles securely by the neck in a sideways fashion.

You’ll keep corks moist as you impress friends with the gravity-defying look. Unique and good looking wine rack that covers a good bit of wall space. Perfect for picnics, backyard BBQs, outdoor concerts, or a day at the beach, this SteadySticks wine bottle holder is a great solution to holding your open bottle in place while outdoors. Made of durable stainless steel, this wine bottle holder features a stand that pushes easily into the ground, and spiral cylinder in which to set your bottle in, holding it firmly in place. No more spillage while picnicking, this SteadySticks wine bottle holder makes a fabulous gift. It’s the perfect glass for wine lovers that like quality products, but don’t take themselves, or their wine hobby too seriously. The Glassbulb Light by OOOMS is a lamp shaped like a wineglass. This atmospheric lamp is the perfect lighting for those long romantic evenings accompanied by a nice Bordeaux. The LED’s inside will shine for over 20.000 hours, so that’s around 10 years of romance at night!

If you talk with your hands a lot, you will never have to worry about soaking your date or fellow party guest again. This silicone sling leaves your hands free for all kinds of gestures and activities. By pouring wine with a Soiree, the Soiree creates an intermediary stage where the wine is infused with oxygen and then cascades into your glass. In using the Soiree to aerate your wine, you will notice the subtleties and character of the wine emerge immediately upon entering your glass. Soiree delivers a truly “open” wine just by pouring through it. Inspired by a truly timeless and beloved icon, this adorable wine caddy’s cheeky sock-monkey design places it right at home at any uproarious dinner party, picnic, backyard barbecue, or other casual soiree. The real wool caddy – made from an authentic all-American red-heeled sock slips easily around any standard-size bottle of wine, champagne, sparkling juice, or other favorite beverage, protecting it from damage while lightly insulating its contents between loosely knitted layers.