Four wine-centric holiday gift ideas

What do a 3-inch square disk, stemware bling, an international political economist and the mountains of New Mexico have in common? Each of them made my list of top holiday wine gifts this year.

Drip-stop wine pourers: Benjamin Franklin was referring to fire prevention, not wine, when he wrote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” but anyone who has suffered a red wine stain can appreciate his advice. Beyond the myriad generic stain removers on the market, custom wine stain removers advertise in wine and spirits magazines claiming to be specially formulated to eradicate even the most aggressive anthocyanins (the pigment in grape skins). Although some are slightly more effective than old-school remedies (a heavy dose of salt and white wine can do the job), I prefer to avoid stains from the start.

To prevent festive and often clumsy pours from turning into permanent holiday scars on your linen, carpet or furniture, I recommend a simple safety precaution: a wine pourer made of a flexible 3-inch Mylar disk that curls so you can insert it into the mouth of any wine bottle for pouring. The design is simple and elegant, ensuring wine doesn’t drip down the side of your bottle. A set of two retails for just $5, making them a perfect stocking stuffer.

Wine charms: These are personal ID tags that temporarily attach to the base of stemware to differentiate wine glasses in group settings. For decades I’ve ridiculed their form and function. “If it’s so difficult to keep track of the glass you are drinking from that you need to personally accessorize it with what is basically jewelry, then it’s probably time to put down the glass permanently,” I have scoffed.

Lately, I find myself in “Is this my glass or yours?” investigations at dinner parties and, more embarrassingly, home alone with my wife. I admit it, I could use some help. Often “whimsical” (another reason for my previous disdain for them), wine charms are made from anything in any theme you can imagine. One site alone offers more than 7,000 variations, ranging in price from $10 to several hundred dollars per set. My only advice is to select something distinctive that will work with your memory. “Am I the top hat or thimble?” defeats the purpose entirely.

For anyone with a passing interest in both wine and the global economy, I recommend Mike Veseth’s book Wine Wars: The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck and the Revenge of the Terroirists (Rowman & Littlefield, $25). Veseth is an international political economy professor and passionate wine aficionado, but don’t think this tome will cure your insomnia. This is a fascinating, fact-filled and approachable overview of how history, politics, religion, culture and weather influence supply and demand in the ever-changing worldwide wine market. After reading this, you’ll never look at the wine aisle at your supermarket or wholesale store the same way.

It’s always appropriate to honor the past year and embrace the new one with a bit of bubbly. This year I am pleased to present a delicious wine with a surprising provenance at an inconceivable price: Gruet Blanc de Noirs New Mexico NV ($14). Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes grow more than 4,000 feet above sea level, among the highest elevation for wine grapes in the country. Hot days and cold nights, enhanced by fine craftsmanship, result in this smooth, creamy sparkler with rich and yet refreshing expressions of baked apples, cinnamon, yeast and nutmeg. You’ve never tasted a better bottle of sparkling wine at this price, and you might never again. Buy a case (or two, at this price point) and you’ll always be ready to celebrate in 2012.

Derek M. LaVallee, director of public relations and public affairs at Kemp Goldberg Partners and certified wine buff, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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