Six unusual Christmas gifts for the wine lover in your life

You would think buying gifts for oenophiles would be easy, but their discerning palates make finding the right present a nightmare. There’s only so many glasses you can own, and can you ever truly be sure they’ll like the bottle you pick?

Last week, we brought you a gift guide for the beer geek in your life.

Now, we’ve scoured the web to find the best off-beat presents for winelovers, from a jigsaw puzzle to a DIY masterclass kit.

Click through for our pick of the best…

The educational one

Perfect for the wine-lover who is just about to start working their way up through the WSET qualifications, wine writer Rebecca Gibb has just launched her own jigsaw puzzle company (what, you haven’t?). So far there are two puzzles in the portfolio; a Scotch version and a Bordeaux.

This 500-piece puzzle of Bordeaux is the perfect way for wine lovers to navigate the historic wine region. The recipient will be able to get to grips with the area’s numerous appellations and sub-regions, perhaps over a glass or two of claret to really get in the spirit.

Price: £17.99

Where to find it: Available from www.bamboozled.games, Etsy, The Wine Society and The Whisky Exchange.

The stylish one

Riedel has presented a new edition of its classic mamba decanter with a complex design just in-time for xmas, featuring delicate curves and a streak of black and white which charts your wine’s journey to the glass. The decanters are handcrafted, and mouth blown in the medieval Austrian town of Kufstein.

Price: £395.00

Where to find it: Riedel’s website.

The one for self-made sommeliers 

Does your friend want to share their love of a glass of vino with others, but they don’t know where to begin? This wine-tasting gift set, which includes an aerator, two pourers, a thermometer and eight glasses with their own distinct seals, will help them focus their ideas and get started. Who knows, next year they might be giving you a voucher for their masterclass!

Price: £21.79

Where to find it: Amazon.

The staycation

(Photo: Hush Heath)

You know what they say about never watching how sausages are made? The opposite is true of wine.

In-case you’ve been living under a rock over the past year, English wine is A Thing now, and as sales of fizz, rosés and even reds from the UK are starting to pick up, estate owners are stepping up their hospitality and tourism offerings to cash in on the burgeoning market.

Kentish producer Hush Heath unveiled its new winery and tasting rooms in August this year. In addition to a considerable expansion of the winery itself, the development includes a new shop, a 200-seater tasting room and an upstairs terrace bar.

The estate runs guided tours of the full estate including its idyllic vineyard area and brand-spanking new winery, as well as tutored tastings. Is you oenophile friend a dyed-in-the-wool Champagne drinker? Why not book them a place on a winery tour to see if you can change their minds.

Price: Winery tours start from £20 per person, with a full estate tour and tutored tasting coming in at £25

Where to find it: See Hush Heath’s website for more details.

The deceptively useful one

Trade shows are the lifeblood of the wine trade, but they take some getting used to. One of the first obstacles to overcome is juggling all those flyers, brochures, business cards and your wine glass at the same time.

Enter the wine sling. The unsung hero of the industry, this snazzy little strap-on holder will let you keep your hands free for important things like shaking hands and pointing at the next bottle you’d like to sample.

Price: A steal at £6.66

Where to find it: Amazon

The one for fizz lovers

Wine cocktails, particularly those made with champagne or vermouth, have been tipped as a big trend for 2019. If your oenophile friend has a soft spot for sparkling, why not give them the gift of knowledge and the power to create their own fizz-based serves at home?

Price: £9.18 for the hardback version.

Where to find it: Amazon