Father’s Day Gift Guide: Best Gifts For Wine Lovers

There is a great glass for enjoying every wine, and you'll find them in varietal specific lineups ... [+] like the Vintners Collection from Simon Pearce glass blowers.

If your Dad or Father in-law loves wine, your Father's Day gift shopping just got simple. But don't actually give him a bottle, that's probably what you do every time you visit for dinner, and on top of that, many wine drinkers are pretty particular. Even the finest bottle is a one-time gift, gone the minute it is enjoyed. I prefer to give a gift that keeps on giving, something a wine lover can use over and over for years. Like these products, each of which I have personally tested or experienced and approved.

The Farfalli Wine Key works great, lasts a lifetime and comes in different woods, horn and even ... [+] carbon fiber finishes.

Farfalli Prestige Wine Key: When I want to give a culinary gift I immediately think of the singularly gorgeous and very functional products from New West Knife Works, the Jackson, Wyoming-based artisans specializing in very high-quality kitchen blades with one of a kind wood and resin handles that shout "I need to have that!" While New West makes some bar tools for cocktails and slicing limes, they carry just one wine gadget, but it's a doozy - and it comes in an array of styles. The Farfalli Prestige Wine Key is everything you want in the classic corkscrew type known as "the waiter's friend," and there's a reason why staff and sommeliers at fine restaurants around the world go with this style - because it's simple, elegant and it works. But some work better than others, and it's time to toss that plastic bodied souvenir from the wine country tasting room trip a few years back for something more substantial and more beautiful. Something Dad will have forever. The Farfalli has the key differentiator you want, a double hinged design in the lever mechanism giving you additional leverage with two positions that help pull even the tightest cork out straight instead of bending or breaking. The spirals on the screw itself have gently rounded edges to avoid the tearing from sharp angles on cheaper models, and it's got a sharp foil cutting blade. But the key to this key is the handle, which comes in four types of wood, including olive, and two types of horn (all $99), as well as sleek modern black carbon fiber. ($159)

The new Walden decanter from luxury glassblower Simon Pearce is designed to roll gently on the ... [+] table, aerating wine while putting on a show.

Walden Decanter: If Simon Pearce is good enough for our highest-ranking diplomats, it should be good enough for Dad, even if he's not an Ambassador. It's the glassware used by U.S. Embassies around the globe for entertaining, in part because every single piece is hand blown here in this country. But it is also the very best in its class, heavy duty glassware that is also art, yet withstands the test of time, and I have pieces I’ve been using for over 20 years. It is especially good for gifts, because Simon Pearce is to glassblowing what Tiffany is to jewelry, a high-end product that comes in an instantly recognizable box and bow and widens the eyes of the recipient even before they find out what is inside. In that sense any gift from Simon Pearce is a great choice, but The Walden is the company's newest decanter, just released this spring (2023). It is designed to roll gently but safely on the tabletop in a soft circular motion, aerating the wine inside it. This puts on a show for guests while improving the taste of wines that benefit from decanting. ($175)

This wine carrier protects, insulates, contains and is equally perfect for checked luggage or ... [+] picnics.

Vinarmour: There are a lot of ways to transport wine, but this is the classiest - and in many ways the safest. Yes, the Scottish waxed cotton shell with fine leather trim looks fancy, but it's hardly delicate, and this luxurious exterior hides the part of the carrier that puts the armor in Vinarmour. There are four layers to the protective inside shell, including Poron XRD foam that absorbs 90% of impact energy (if dropped for example), a Kevlar and Dyneema Composite fabric layer that stop punctures from broken glass should you somehow break the bottle (it will take an effort), and the same material used in high quality water bladders forms a waterproof lining that contains any leakage. Recycled fleece adds impressive thermal protection to keep the wine from being damaged when traveling in heat, as well as to keep cooled wines chilly for picnics or road trips. The heavy-duty screw on plastic cap closes it securely for both waterproofness and insulation, and thermal testing has shown the Vinarmour insulates better than the classic neoprene wine carriers people use to keep wine cool.

The flagship bottle carrier is more a piece of fine luggage than mere padding, but it folds up to a fraction of its size when empty, and is equally good for picnics or BYOB restaurants as putting in checked luggage when bringing home a collectible or fond memory of a great trip to wine country. The Vinarmour Travel Wine Carrier is $299, and the patina of the 18-ounce waxed cotton twill, made by Halley Stevensons Baltic Mill in Dundee, Scotland will just get better looking over time. The Vinarmour Bundle adds a matching waxed cotton and leather shoulder strap ($360). The Vinarmour Wine Tote Bag holds either two wine carriers or three bottles, with a foldable leather insert to protect them against clanging ($200). Finally, the Carrier Tote Bundle combines the tote bag and regular wine carrier, plus shoulder strap ($580).

This compact cellar holds 16 bottles at two different temperatures in a compact space - perfect for ... [+] countertops.

Cuisinart 16-Bottle Private Reserve Wine Cellar: Cuisinart is one of the most respected names in home kitchen appliances, and it's no surprise that their home wine cellar impresses in its price and size class. While many small home wine cellars are cheaply made, just dorm fridges dressed up with a glass door, this one packs in two different thermostats and cooling zones just like the big fancy models do, but in a compact space. This slim-line cellar is designed to fit on the countertop, but it can go almost anywhere, from under a counter to a garage or closest. Wherever Dad puts it, he’ll get the benefits of modern technology with a sophisticated look and user-friendly convenience. It has contoured racks that hold regular (750ml) or magnum sized bottles (1.5l) equally well, up to 16 normal bottles. The dual-zone cooling lets Dad keep champagne colder on one side, or red and white each at the perfect temperature. The thermoelectric cooling system forgoes compressors, which saves space and runs quietly, while it has easy to read LED display, soft interior lighting and triple pane glass doors for energy efficiency. Touchscreen controls on each outer door let you select dual zone cooling at two different temperatures from 39°F to 68°F. It's hard to go wrong giving this because it will fit somewhere and come in handy in almost every home. ($500 with free shipping)

The Coravin system lets you pour fine wine by the glass while keeping the rest of the bottle intact ... [+] for long term storage. This couple also has the Coravin Sparkling system for champagne, left.

Coravin Wine Preservation System: Coravin re-invented the way we can enjoy fine wines by the glass, and many better restaurants use the devices to serve collectible wines that otherwise could not be poured individually because once opened, they had to finish the whole bottle quickly. Coravin refills the empty space in the bottle with argon gas, then seals it, so you can pour a glass and the wine remaining will be just like you never cracked it, whether your next glass in a week, a month or a year. This is truly a gift for the wine connoisseur, someone who has those older or special bottles he is afraid to open.

The best bet for gifting is the Timeless Six package ($329), which allows you to preserve six different screw top bottles at a time, and unlimited corked bottles. It includes the main Coravin device, six screw caps , argon canisters, a carry case and the aerator attachment which aerates wine as you pour it if you want. There is also a Timeless Three that's less pricey, with three screw caps ($229). Coravin has even less expensive models for "everyday" wines that protect for up to four weeks, but if you are giving a gift, give the gift of Timeless. If Dad happens to be a big fan of champagne and sparkling wine, they also make a special Coravin Sparkling system that handles up to two bottles at once. ($399)

Sometimes you want to drink wine outdoors. This is how to do it best.

Camelbak Insulated Stainless Steel Wine Tumblers & Bottle: Does Dad have a backyard? Father's Day is the kickoff to summer, and summer means outdoor entertaining. For many people that also means leaving glass safely in the house to avoid breakage on the lawn or by the pool. There are few better solutions for safely enjoying wine outside than these do-it-all vessels from hydration leader Camelbak. The tumblers are bowl shaped like the most popular stemless glassware to handle all kinds of wines. The double walled, vacuum insulation keeps chilled wines chilly and prevents cellar temp reds from heating up, even in the Dog Days of summer. The non-slip silicon pad on the bottom helps keep it from getting knocked over, and there's a secure lid with three way sip adjustment for when things get active, like a raucous game of cornhole by the grill. Unlike many similar styles, these are dishwasher safe, but they also clean up so easily by hand that outside you can just pour in some water, swirl and dump when switching from white to red. The BPA, BPS and BPF free 18/8 stainless construction keeps the wine tasting like it should, and the Horizon Wine Tumblers hold a generous 12 ounces and come in a multitude of colors ($25), while the matching Horizon Wine Bottle ($22.50) holds a full 750ml bottle. It keeps chilled wine chilly for more than a full day, and lets you do a picnic or hiking lunch lighter and safer, with no breakage. Shipping is free on all of these, and they can be customized with text, pictures or monograms through the Camelbak site for a truly special gift.

This unique wine glass has a 3D model of Oregon wine country inside it.

Union Wine Co. Glass: If this was a spirits lovers’ gift guide, I’d instantly point you to North Drinkware, a company that has revolutionized rocks glasses by forming them with detailed 3D recreations of dozens of iconic mountain ranges around the world, rising from the inside bottom of the glass. I have a set of Grand Teton tumblers and every time we have guests over they ooh and ahh and marvel at them. But they only make one wine model (so far), and the Union Wine Co. glass is it. North is Oregon based, and so is Amity Vineyards, one of the very first producers to embrace the local terroir and make exceptional pinot noir here. So, they designed this glass in partnership with Amity Vineyards’ parent, Union Wine Co., featuring a 3D scene of the Willamette Valley, Mt. Hood and Amity vineyards sculptured into the base. The 6-ounce glass is smaller and more wine friendly than their whisky models, but just as cool and distinctly one-of-a-kind. ($49)

Simon Pearce's Vintner Collection has different glasses for different types of wine.

Simon Pearce Vintner Collection Glasses: As the wine industry became more scientific, companies began making glasses specifically designed to enhance the enjoyment of certain varietals, with different shapes for pinot noir, big cabs, and so on. World class glassblower Simon Pearce (described in detail in the first entry above), whose products are entirely handmade, one at a time, took this approach with its Vintners Collection, when glass designers traveled to California wine country four years ago to consult with leading vintners on what makes a great glass. The results use a pulled stem technique to produce a thinner, lighter stem than they previously employed, and a bowl shape more angular and typical of a Sommelier tasting glass. The bowls are also thinner, leaving more interior volume in the same size glass, allowing more air to circulate, with each bowl shaped to ideally pass the wine into your mouth, hitting different parts of the tongue, which actually matters. The Vintner Collection glassware includes all-purpose red and white wine glasses; a tulip ideal for Sauvignon Blanc; a Bordeaux glass for big reds including Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah; a flute for sparklers; and a coupe that can be for cocktails, spritzes or bubbly in the style of the great Gatsby. ($85 each)

This is the Pinot Noir glass from Riedel's varietal-specific Veloce line.

Riedel Veloce Tasting Set: Founded in 1756, this 300-year-old family-owned European crystal company pioneered the concept of varietal-specific stemware and is probably the best-known fine wine glass company in the world. The newest Veloce line offers eight grape-specific glass shapes, and the great news for this kind of light, thin, stemware is that they are dishwasher safe, a big plus. They are also relatively affordable for fine glassware, with most shapes sold in 2-packs for $79. For gifting I recommend the Veloce Tasting Set, which comes with four different glasses, the Cabernet (big reds), Pinot Noir (softer reds), Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and runs $158.