Christmas Gift Ideas: Our Wine Selection

It’s not always easy to find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season. Wine or a wine-related item—sure, that seems like a no-brainer—but it might remind you of those bad bottles you bought in a rush at the local supermarket.

To help you avoid this disaster, Les Grappes has selected several unique and fun items and will guide you in choosing the perfect wine for the lucky recipient.

Wine holds a very special place in human culture, which surely explains the incredible array of wine-related accessories out there—and, let’s be honest, not all of them are in the best taste or particularly useful.

One of the all-time classics is the wine decanter; whether used to decant an aged wine or aerate a young one, it’s an essential item. Nordic design has inspired glassmakers, resulting in beautiful, practical, sleek, and modern decanters that are sure to be a hit.

There are many books about wine at Christmas.

So we’ve selected two lovely books published in 2017:

A self-published comic book in a limited edition titled *Of Love and Fresh Water*. The protagonist is a connoisseur of wine. He uses his knowledge of the character of each vintage he owns as a strategy for winning over women. This gives rise to a series of stories drawn from the parallels between tasting these wines and the sensuality shared with each of these women. This parallel stems from both the vocabulary and the evocative power of wine. A truly beautiful work, full of finesse and suggestion while remaining playful—enough to make you wish for plenty of love and fresh water for your loved ones. The two authors and self-publishers have just opened their online store.

As you may know, we have published our own book through Milan Éditions (Bayard Group).

For us, drinking wine is above all about savoring the fruit of nature, crafted by a winemaker and their team. We set out to meet these men and women who inspire us. Following these long conversations, filled with stories and insights, we created portraits of them to capture the joy and richness of these shared moments. The 80 portraits are beautifully illustrated by London-based artist Sam Brewster. This book is also highly engaging, offering a comprehensive overview of terroirs and winemaking techniques. It pairs perfectly with one of the vintages from the winemakers who have supported us since our inception.

To ensure your gift bottle of wine remains a lasting keepsake even after it’s been enjoyed, these fun little kits let you turn the cork into a decorative item. The French company Monkey Business sells these corkers, and the kits can be hung from the neck of the bottle.

When it comes to wine, the key is to choose the right bottle for the person.

Try to recall the kind of wine they like; first, the type: red, white, rosé, or sparkling; then the style: fruity and smooth, spicy and full-bodied, refined and elegant; or even the production method: organic, biodynamic, or sustainable farming. Finally, to personalize the bottle, you can choose a wine from their home region or from a place where they love to spend their vacations. It’s also important to make sure your loved one can store the wine properly if you choose a wine meant for aging. And if this short guide doesn’t help much, don’t worry—the Les Grappes team will provide personalized advice online or on our Christmas shop page.

Come on, no time to waste—get your gifts!