Best Wine Gifts You Can Get Without Santa

Get the best wine gifts on The Wine Siren
Best Wine Gifts from The WIne Siren

There is no Santa Claus.

And other lessons I learned about the winter holidays.  It’s so much better to be an adult. Wine gift giving made easy. Do you remember when you found out there isn’t a Santa Claus?  It’s a light bulb memory for me. I was drinking ice tea with my father. He was barely 27 years old at the time. I was eight. The Beatles were playing in the background. I was on the heels of the worst Christmas ever.  I opened my presents on the sly Christmas tree and knew everything I was going to open. It created the worst Christmas ever. Or so I thought.

Feeling very grown up sipping black iced tea (ewwww), I was confident enough to start discussing Christmas in the middle of summer with my father (I should’ve known that in itself was an omen). Waxing poetic on what I thought would be great gifts for me, I stood there dropping hints as subtly as a torpedo ready to detonate. Hand on my hip, all weight on my left leg I spoke with confidence. “And wouldn’t it be amazing if Santa got the message”.  As I waited for my father’s response, my weight shifting from one foot to the next. My eyes wide open in hope and expectation, he sighed. “Kelly, you do know there is no Santa Claus don’t you?”. My eyes got bigger, maybe even watered a bit. I waited. The Beatles are singing “All You Need is Love” the music blaring. My Dad starts dancing in the kitchen.  Shaking my head, I looked at him. Pleading silently, “Please let him take it back. Please make it not be true.”  That was the day I got sick on basic black iced tea. Never able to drink it again. The memory and experience stayed with me. That hot summer day, listening to The Beatles was truly the worst Christmas memory ever.

Best Wine Gifts You Can Get Without Santa
Santa is whatever you believe. Whether it be a jolly old dude with white fur on his face or. Santa dog not for sale...

It doesn’t matter what your memory of finding out there was no Santa. The reality is we are constantly playing him in so many aspects of our lives. The goal, to create that magical feeling of love within the element of surprise and fascination.  I’m much older now, but I still get excited by great gifts and love to share them with people I care about.

I’ve carefully vetted these gifts and have truly gotten something out of each and every one of them. I hope you do the same. And hurry the hell up if you are still shopping! Time is short.

Aerate wine in a glass, great wine gift from Aura Glass
Aura Glass, fashion forward aerating glass.

Decanting while you relax in a beautifully modern way. Perfect for a wine gifting, the Aura wine glasses. No more endless swirling! Pour a glass of your favorite red and use the spill-resistant glasses to aerate your wine in the glass. No messy pours to clean and single serve is the perfect way to decant for 1 or two people. Comes with a black holder for each glass.  Available here: Aura Glass on Amazon Prime for speedy delivery.

Aura Glass the ultimate in aerating glasses
Decant your wine while you sip.

Party Sips!  The Coravin Wine Preserver is a premium wine gift. Being a video producer and wine writer, I find it difficult to always get the most out of a wine the first time I taste. I love the luxury of being able to return to a bottle without it being compromised.  Coravin has provided me this joy.  Easy to use (read the directions) and efficient for those who prefer to sip at their leisure. You can even bounce between a few bottles open at once. It’s a wine gift they won’t forget. Get it here.

Coravin protects wine while you decide when to sip again.

Travel Wine Bags –  Months ago I received a starter pack from Bee Smart Travel. Honestly, I wasn’t sure these travel wine bags would be worth it. It’s a pretty basic design. Plastic on the exterior, velcro on the bottle to seal it and protect if it leaks in your luggage with a double roll-up closure. So I tested it over the past six months. Two trips to France, one trip to Spain and another to Italy.  Each and every time they performed well.  No leaks. No compromised bottles and the price is right. At just $19.97 this wine gift is a traveler’s delight! Get it here or on Amazon.

Protect your wine bottles when you travel. Inexpensive & effective
Bee Smart Gear, Affordable wine protection

The Ultimate Wine Lovers Wine Gift. Insights on Paso Robles.

How do you get to know a region well? Through the stories about winemakers and vintners.  Learning why someone got into the business of wine is fascinating. A discovery of their winemaking process, what makes them tick, makes the wine taste even better!  This coffee table sized book on Paso Robles is a stunning pictorial on the region. It provides insights on the tastemakers and makes the perfect wine gift for those who love the insights behind the label.  Eloquently written by Paul Hodgins and photographed by Julia Pérez, it’s a visually compelling piece on this important wine region. Get it on Amazon. 

The Winemakers of Paso Robles Coffee Table Book
The Winemakers of Paso Robles

Celebrating 40 years of amazing vintages, a Napa Valley favorite of mine is Raymond Vineyards.  To mark this milestone they’ve created the best of the best. It celebrates five generations of winemakers since 1969.  The elegant Cabernet Sauvignon exemplifies the hard work and tradition the Raymond family has embraced for decades.  Aged in 100% new oak for 19-months this opulent red delivers on taste. Scintillating mouth feel, mocha, rich red fruit and a finish that leaves you wanting more. Ready for gift giving at $40.00. Find it here.

Napa Valley Wine Raymond Vineyards 40th Anniversary 2014 Reserve Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Raymond Vineyards 40th Anniversary 2014 Reserve Selection Cabernet Sauvignon

Because sipping wine should always be convenient. Govino wine glasses are reusable and holiday themed.  We love to use these when playing bocce because you don’t have to worry about spills or breaks. It also fits your hand as good as a glove.  They compliment picnics, evenings at friends or your holiday get together.  Get them here.

Govino Go Anywhere Glasses on The Wine Siren
Govino Go Anywhere Glasses
Govino Holiday glasses holiday themed
Govino goes holiday themed

Traveling to Sonoma & Napa Valley has never been so easy when you have the right guide.  Fodor’s does it again with their Napa & Sonoma guide. Venture into the smaller towns in the area including St. Helena, Healdsburg and Yountville and find out why this region is one of the most magnificent wine regions in the world. From the path less traveled to insiders information on restaurants and wineries you need to visit Napa and Sonoma. Get it here.

Fodor's Napa and Sonoma Guidebook
Best places to visit in Napa & Sonoma

Whether it’s hostess gifts, New Year’s gifts or holiday gifts, each of these has a unique place in the eyes of the gifted.   Now be the Santa in your world!

Recent Post

Kelly Mitchell on Instagram

When great viticulture is an obsession you chose wisely and well. @vitnerd for @lecole41 on sustainability, great viticulture and award winning passion for vines.

WATCH WITH LINK IN BIO: SADIE DRURY - VINEYARD MANAGER
Sadie Drury is a Walla Walla native who has been passionate about agriculture since her first job of picking strawberries at the age of 12. In 2007, Sadie decided to combine her passion for agriculture with her love for wine by attending the Center for Enology and Viticulture at Walla Walla Community College and pursuing a career in viticulture. In 2008, Sadie started an internship at Ciel du Cheval Vineyard where she moved up the ranks to Assistant Vineyard Manager. Sadie joined the North Slope Management team in early 2013 and took over the reins as GM later that year. She currently manages 6 vineyards including the famed Seven Hills Vineyard. Sadie is the current Chair for the Washington State Wine Commission. She is the 2019 Power’s Sabbatical Recipient, the 2020 Washington Winegrowers Erick Hanson Memorial Grower of the Year, and a 2021 Wine Enthusiast 40 Under 40 Tastemaker.

#WashingtonWine #WallaWalla #lecole #Viticulture #sustainable #Sustainability #Vine #winelover #DrinkSustainable #TheWineSiren #SevenHills #wineeducation

https://www.youtube.com/live/PiWKkhnre94
...

From Carcassonne to Montpelier the beauty of @paysdocigpwines shines through. I`ll share more on my newest discoveries when I`m back in the US . ...

The bar @hotelricherdebelleval .... incredible. Have you been?!

#winetravel #winetraveler #thewinesiren #kellymitchell #wine #winelover #ginlover #barsofinstagram #beautifuldestinations #wheretofindme #france #montpellier #justdrinks #cocktailtime
...

Subscribe Today

Best Wine Gifts You Can Get Without Santa

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Contact

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter

Learn about new products, wine travel tips and the latest on wine, food and fab.