I’ve worked in drinks industry for 24 years — these are best gifts for wine buffs

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Shopping for a wine buff is treacherous territory, I should know, I am one.

And while I always appreciate the thought behind a present and the money lavished on it, not all drinks gifts are created equally.

Through the years, I’ve ripped off the Father Christmas-covered wrapping paper only to find the good, the bad and the downright weird inside; from wine aerators and whisky stones, to novelty items like a decanter shaped like a male appendage.

But think about it, if you’re a drinks lover, you’re intentional about the subject – maybe you collect wine or whisky, you spend money on it, research it, read columns on the subject (ahem) and are generally pretty serious about the whole thing.

As such, no wine buff should ever be made to suffer the ‘gift’ of a t-shirt with ‘save water, drink wine’ scrawled across the front, or even worse, ‘corks are for quitters’. Please tell me none of you have those…

What drinks enthusiasts want under the tree, aside from interesting drinks, is anything that’s going to further their education or pique their interest. It could be a book, an experience, or a bit of kit to feed the geek in them.

Don’t bother with glassware, unless you know what they already have, or bottles from complex regions like Bordeaux or Burgundy, unless you want to remortgage.

If you’re struggling to work out what to buy for the drinks lover in your life, allow me to help. After working in the drinks industry for 24 years, I’ve learned a thing or two.

So here are my top 10 gift ideas for someone who loves wine as much as I do…

Fresh n’ Preserve, £49.99, Peugeot, Saveurs.com

Peugeot also makes food and drink-related items, who knew? And what’s better than a fizz-related item for Christmas, including a bottle cooler and dual-action pump that preserves anything that’s left over? Ditch the teaspoon in the bottle, it’s time for the real deal.

2026 Wine Wisdom Desk Calendar, £11.99, Waterstones

Full of the coolest wine facts, figures and titbits on every page. From how to pronounce grape names, explaining national wine days, clarifying which wine glass you should use, the list is endless. Produced by Amanda Selby from Drink With Me, a wine educator with 20 year’s experience.

Champagne Bollinger 007 Limited-Edition in gift pack, £55, Amazon

This collaboration is a movie/wine buff’s dream come true. It marks the four-decade-long partnership between the Bond franchise and the famous bubbly. This champers inside happens to be rich, red apple-skinned and delicious. Go on, you only live once…or twice.

A Lifetime Membership to The Wine Society, £40 (includes £20 off their first order)

This is the gold-standard wine club for budding wine buffs, or indeed, established ones. They plunge their profits back into the business, so the lucky recipient will have access to well-priced, great quality wines. Plus, there’s special access to wine tastings and exclusive in-bond selections.

Clementine & Juniper Mulling Syrup, Fortnum & Mason, £19.95

The Swiss Army Knife of the mulling world, from one of the fanciest stores in England. This alcohol-free syrup combines zingy clementine and cranberry with the earthy tones of clove and juniper. Just mix 5 parts wine, cider or apple juice to 1 part mulling syrup, gently heat in a pan and serve.  

The Tasting Studio, Grape Fundamentals Wine Pack & Course, £89 (or £49 without the wines)

This cracking online wine course covers nine of the world’s most important grape varieties. You’ll have access to a private YouTube channel with videos that can be rewatched to your heart’s content. Either order the package with the wine samples, or just watch along and absorb.

Limited Edition Portobello Road X All Things Butter Gin, £33, Ocado

This isn’t like drinking liquid Lurpak, it’s Portobello Road Gin redistilled with 10 blocks of All Things Butter, Organic Salted Butter. The butter gives the gin a decadent creamy texture and a discreet saltiness which will tickle a drinks enthusiast like me.

Savour: a guide to tasting and exploring whiskies of the world, Kristiane Westray, £11, Amazon

Engaging whisky expert, Kristiane Westray, has written a practical guide to all things whisk(e)y. She introduces us to distilleries in Australia, Finland, Mexico, South Africa, Japan and of course, Scotland. Some lucky person will be tasting and sounding like a whisky pro in no time.

Perrier Jouët Grand Brut Champagne limited-edition gift set, £52, Amazon

Aside from a bottle of the fresh and floral Grand Brut, you get two hand-painted Champagne glasses, adorned with their signature art nouveau Japanese anemone flower. I don’t normally recommend buying glassware for others (unless specifically requested), but these are pretty special.

Wine: Everything You Need to Know, Olly Smith, £12.99 (£4 off), Amazon

You’ll have witnessed Olly’s infectious enthusiasm for wine on Saturday Kitchen. Now you can have him in the form of an informative, bright orange, wine compendium. This guide covers everything from the basics to ‘try before you die’ bottles. A top gift by a gifted wine communicator.

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