Father’s Day is this Sunday, and if you are looking for a memorable gift for the wine-loving dad in your life, think about giving him a present that might last longer than just a bottle of wine.
While it may be one of those “made up” holidays, lumped in with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, created by the greeting card industry: I don’t care. Ever since I joined the ranks of fatherhood all those years ago, I used to look forward to getting ties I would never wear or a pair of colorful socks to be relegated to the far corners of my drawer.
But now that the children are older and I no longer wear ties, I am anticipating wine-themed gifts that might last longer than an actual bottle of wine itself, such as a book about wine, or a wine-related gadget, or maybe even a cool wine experience.
Here’s hoping that they are reading this and taking the hint. And if not, at least these recommendations will keep dear old dad entertained long after the socks are put away.
The James Beard award-winning Wine Folly Magnum Edition: The Master Guide by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack will have you feeling like an expert in no time. From the creators of WineFolly.com, this edition is packed with information for devotees and newbies. It is an easy-to-digest approach to learning about wine, and covers a wide range of topics that will help all wine lovers take their knowledge to the next level. Hardcover available from Amazon for about $20.
Forgot to open and decant that bottle of wine you wanted with dinner? No worries. Pull out the Vinturi aerator, attach it to the bottle, pour the wine into each glass and voilà — you’re ready to go. Its patented swirling action allows just the right amount of oxygen to get in and open up the wine. It comes with a dishwasher safe, no-drip stand and a washable storage pouch. Note that there is an aerator for red wines, as well as one for white wines. Available at Amazon, Sur la Table and specialty wine shops for about $30.
What you pour your wine into really does matter. Having a nice set of glassware or an elegant decanter can add a lot of pleasure to your dad’s wine-drinking enjoyment, both practically and aesthetically. Best of all, it does not have to break the bank. Pick up a set of the new “O” Series wine glass by Reidel. I like the cabernet/merlot glasses since they offer more versatility, but the glassware comes in several styles for different wine varieties. Around $25 for a set of two glasses.
If the dad in your life collects older wines, consider hunting down one of the greatest wine openers I have ever used; The Durand Corkscrew. It’s perfect for opening older bottles of wine with fragile corks. It is a combination of an Ah-So style opener (two long thin blades that slide down opposite sides of the cork) and a traditional worm. Between them, they reliably work together to grab the cork, and remove it intact. It is not cheap. But if you are opening a priceless old wine, it is well worth it to have an intact cork come out of that cherished bottle. Available online at www.thedurand.com for $125.
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