Merry Christmas
You know that I have to do this but I have to. It’s an unwritten rule that every writer must do a Christmas gift list......
If you have drawn the name of a wine lover for Christmas, allow me to give you some ideas.
1) wine well this is a no brainer but fraught with danger. Give a white lover a red and you could be expelled from Christmas dinner. Give a big red lover a Grand Cru Alsatian and you will just get a puzzled look and a mumbled thanks. Try to not get too far from their comfort zone. I mean really close. If they like Yellow Tail....well get them a real wine. But you’re eukered as a real wine has taste so well ...don’t bother.
Try a better bottle of the type they like or something similar. Big Reds..well try a local Meritage or maybe Bird Dog from Sanson. Or maybe to give them a mind**** get them a bottle of D’Angelo Pinot Noir. That will mess them up as they will go “oh a Pinot..isn’t that nice (oi a foofoo wine)” then when they open that monster...hahaha!!!!! jokes on them. For white wine drinkers it is easier. There doesn’t seem the snobbery so I may suggest one of the local oaked Chardonnays.
Actually a better choice would be bubbly and if you want to give a good one get some Mastronardi...its fabulous and it will surprise them and make you look like a connoisseur.
2) gadgets if you are buying for a guy go for a gadget. We just love em...
corkscrews- I may have too many, but there are some really cool ones. You can get antique reproductions that have all kinds of moving parts and brushes, brass ..nice..or that one that looks like a torture device
bottle sealers- you get a pump and some nifty caps with valves....multi parts valves pumps....what else do you need, I never seem to need to recork a bottle but someone may
cooling sleeves- give the joy of advanced thermodynamics to you friends and allow them to keep their white wine cool. There are many styles and I find that yes they do work well. Not a great present but one that they will find useful
thermometers- a wine bottle thermometer does nothing for me...don’t give it
drip rings- I was given one a while ago and soon lost it...I found it again and do find it useful....when I can find it.
3) books here is a good idea. A nice wine book makes it look like you really care about your friend’s hobby or it can actually try to help your friend if they drink Yellow Penguin....think of it as a kind of intervention
4) glasses this one is another good one. Buy some expensive glasses and then every time you go to the home.....check the glasses to see if they are used or if one is broken. This will give you loads of guilt ammunition and if used properly can get you banned from both gift giving and the family...both good things to me.
Well there you go. I’ve given you my best advise. Have a Merry Christmas!!!!
