EDMOND —
Time is running out to finish up your Christmas shopping.
For those looking to impress a wine enthusiast, these final days are daunting. Malls and department stores offer little that would please an oenophile, and the staff at Best Buy doesn’t know a thing about wine. The internet, of course, can be overwhelming!
Relax. Wine lovers are easy to please, regardless of your budget. Here are my top picks.
First, consider a wine club. Whether you're shopping for a complete novice or the next Iron Sommelier, everyone appreciates trying new wines.
TastingRoom.com is worth checking out, as it literally brings the tasting room to your living room. Launched three years ago by a tech entrepreneur, the company transfers wine into miniature bottles, allowing consumers to sample a host of wines without having to purchase an entire bottle. Wine club memberships start at $30 per shipment.
If you’re shopping for someone who enjoys wines from Napa Valley, consider the “Bordello Wine Club” from Vintner's Collective, a multi-winery tasting room in downtown Napa. While the club is expensive — the average shipment runs $165 — the collective is home to some of Napa’s most celebrated, small-production winemakers. If you’re shopping for a fan of Oregon Pinot Noir, there’s a similar collective in the Willamette Valley called Carlton Winemakers Studio.
Whatever you do, don’t waste money.
I've never seen the point of a wine stopper,and no wine enthusiast wants a kitschy, hand-painted wine glass. The latest gadgets, too, are typically a waste — cordless rechargeable wine bottle openers always seem more difficult to use than traditional waiter’s tools.
DAVID WHITE, a wine writer, is the founder and editor of Terroirist.com. His columns are housed at Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine (PalatePress.com).
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