The Vinous 2023
Holiday Gift Guide

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | NOVEMBER 29, 2023

It’s that season again. With the holidays fast approaching, it's time to find that perfect gift for the wine lovers in your life. This year’s Vinous Holiday Gift Guide features a number of great ideas to make the holidays one to remember.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701276817176-Vinous+Gift+Guide_Cover.png">Wine writers seem to have been especially prolific of late.
Two thousand twenty-three saw the release of several exceptional books that are
well deserving of attention. Many of them are written by members of our team. I
make no claims to be unbiased with regard to those books, but I have seen some
of these essentially go from idea to finished concept and hope to provide some
added insight. Writing a book is an incredibly hard task that requires
sustained, focused effort over a prolonged period. My comments of these books&nbsp;are not meant to
be critiques but rather intended to give readers an idea of what they can
expect.<a target="_blank" href="https://jonbonne.com/the-new-french-wine/">Jon
Bonné – The New French Wine</a>Jon Bonné is one of our generation’s brightest and most
articulate wine writers. Bonné spent eight years researching and writing The
New French Wine, one of the most important books on French wine published
in recent times. Attractively packed in a sleek blue box, The New French
Wine is really two books. The first volume, entitled The Narrative,
explores the current state of France with a deep dive into topics that include
the role of appellations, the increased focus on sustainable farming practices
in all its different versions and the evolution of winemaking styles over the
last several decades. The second volume, The Producers, takes a look at
key figures within each region. Some regions get the deluxe treatment. The
Champagne chapter is outstanding. Bordeaux, on the other hand, is addressed
very briefly. Some very important people and estates that laid the groundwork
for today’s trends, especially with regard to farming, are left out or
discussed only briefly in passing. These include Anne-Claude Leflaive, Lalou Bize-Leroy
and Château Latour. This is a book in which the author’s personal preferences
are strong and clear. That’s not a bad thing, but I do wish those choices were
explained more clearly. Regardless, The New French Wine is a
tour-de-force in writing and a career-defining achievement for Jon Bonné. (<a target="_blank" href="https://jonbonne.com/the-new-french-wine/">$77</a>).<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520385931/vintage-crime">Rebecca Gibb MW
– Vintage Crime: A Short History of Wine Fraud</a>Rebecca Gibb MW’s new book Vintage Crime: A Short History
of Wine Fraud takes an in-depth look at some of the more important frauds
in the world of wine. As such, it is a refreshing change from most other books
on the market in that there is no discussion of vintages, wineries or
sustainable farming, but rather a focus on some shady characters and the crimes
they committed. Vintage Crime will appeal to the hardcore wine lover who
wants to learn more about these dubious episodes in history, but its focus on
crimes of notable daring also makes the book appealing to those who might have
more of a passing interest in wine. Rebecca is donating a portion of her book
royalties towards finding a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, an especially
severe version of MD that her son suffers from. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520385931/vintage-crime">$30</a>).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701372240198-Vinous+Gift+Guide_RG+Book2.jpg"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-World-in-a-Wineglass/Ray-Isle/9781982182786">Ray
Isle – The World in a Wine Glass</a> Ray Isle is the Executive Wine Editor at Food &amp; Wine
and one of the most down-to-earth, affable wine people I know. His book is
written in the same disarming tone, a voice that is at once informal but also
authoritative. In The World in a Wine Glass, Isle traces wine back to
its origins and the land and pivots to an in-depth look at sustainability and
other related topics. Most of the book is organized into regional profiles and
then key producers within those regions. Isle makes a point of writing about
wineries he has personally visited. There’s also a strong focus on value, which
means many reference-point estates are not in this book. I don’t see that as an
issue at all. If anything, it is very consistent with the overall, clearly
stated mission. I find the Champagne section very light, especially considering
the region is a hotbed of activity in the field of sustainability and has many
wineries that meet Isle’s criteria for inclusion. The California chapter, on
the other hand, is more engaging, especially as it includes both benchmarks and
niche wineries that many readers will surely be happy to discover. Those are
minor quibbles, though. This is a terrific book. Most importantly, given
Isle’s platform at Food &amp; Wine and distribution through a major
publisher, The World in a Wine Glass has the real potential to elevate
the level of discourse around wine in the United States. That would be a
tremendous achievement. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-World-in-a-Wineglass/Ray-Isle/9781982182786">$50</a>).<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/the-complete-bordeaux-vintage-guide-by-neal-martin/9781787139800">Neal
Martin – The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide</a>



























I doubt there are many people in the world who have tasted
and drunk more fine, older Bordeaux than Neal Martin. Years ago, I remember
Neal mentioning a Bordeaux vintage chart he was working on. It had
extensive summaries of each of the growing seasons, stretching all the way back
to the 1800s. Each time we talked about it, the concept was more fully formed.
I saw one or two early versions. Then, one night over dinner in Pomerol, I saw
close to the final version, fully designed. The transformation was remarkable. The
Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide takes the reader on a trip through time,
passing through dozens of Bordeaux vintages, the great, the average and those
that are nearly forgotten. An anecdote on a historical event,&nbsp;a significant piece
of music and a movie made that year&nbsp;accompany each vintage, all delivered with Neal’s mix of deep
expertise and wit. It’s a book that is both a reference and just fun to read
through. My main criticism is that Neal and I have completely opposite tastes
in music, but there is nothing to be done about that. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/bookfinder/book/the-complete-bordeaux-vintage-guide-by-neal-martin/9781787139800">$28</a>).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701372281885-Vinous+Gift+Guide_BOOKS.jpg"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.rarewineco.com/offers/masnaghetti-barolo-mga-vol-i-3rd-ed-web-campaign/">Alessandro
Masnaghetti – Barolo MGA Volume 1, Third Edition</a> It’s hard to believe Barolo MGA, Alessandro Masnaghetti’s
groundbreaking Barolo book, is already in its third edition. Over the last
decade or so, Alessandro Masnaghetti has completely redefined scholarship
around Barolo and other important Italian wines with a series of books that
will one day be regarded as historically significant watershed moments for
Italian wine. In this Third Edition of Barolo MGA Volume 1, Masnaghetti
provides numerous updates on his reference-point maps, harvest dates by vintage
and vineyard and years of production for wines from historical sites. His
chapter on Monforte d'Alba, for example, is required reading as it captures so much
cultural info that has gradually been lost with the incorporation of what were
once many separate vineyards into large MGAs. English translations, which
were at times awkward in the past, have been given a major upgrade by a new team. Masnaghetti’s books always assume a fair amount of existing
knowledge, so they are not the best option for consumers who are just starting
to get into Barolo. But for those who want to know all the details, down to the
smallest piece of information, there is simply no better source. Masnaghetti’s
books are THE reference point, even among winemakers and owners who I see refer
to them often. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rarewineco.com/offers/masnaghetti-barolo-mga-vol-i-3rd-ed-web-campaign/">$95</a>).<a target="_blank" href="https://thedurand.com/">The Durand Corkscrew</a>

The Durand Corkscrew remains a must-have tool for anyone who
enjoys drinking older wines. Gone are the days of losing a crumbling old cork
into a bottle and then having to scurry around to salvage the wine. Two blades
work alongside a conventional corkscrew to easily extract even the most
fragile, brittle corks. Quite simply, the Durand is an essential tool for the
serious wine lover and collector. It’s a gift that is sure to be appreciated
and enjoyed. (<a target="_blank" href="https://thedurand.com/">$135</a>).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701276842776-Vinous+Gift+Guide_Durand.jpg"><a target="_blank" href="https://glas.vin/products/universal">Glas.vin
Universal Glass</a> 

Designed in New York City, the Glas.vin Universal Glass has
quickly become a staple at my home and the Vinous office. It is also our glass of
choice for Vinous events. Glas.vin offers all the benefits of today’s high-end,
handblown glasses – most notably sleek lines and thin glass – but with pricing
that is much more accessible than its peers. (<a target="_blank" href="https://glas.vin/products/universal">$79/two glass set</a>).

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.riedel.com/en-us/shop/vinum/new-world-pinot-noir-641600016">Riedel
Vinum New World Pinot Noir Glass</a>

Riedel makes a wide range of glasses to suit pretty much
every need. The Vinum New World Pinot Noir Glass is one of my favorites. It’s
visually attractive, light and very nicely balanced. The New World Pinot Noir
Glass is terrific for Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. I also use it for Pinot
Noir-based and Rosé Champagnes, an idea I picked up years ago from Richard Geoffroy,
longtime former Chef de Caves at Dom Pérignon. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.riedel.com/en-us/shop/vinum/new-world-pinot-noir-641600016">$79/two
glass set</a>).

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rarewineco.com/offers/conterno-sensory-glass/">Conterno
Sensory Glass</a>

As if making world-class wines was not enough, Barolo
producer Roberto Conterno and his son, Gabriele, designed the Sensory Glass a
few years ago. The Sensory Glass opens a new dimension to tasting and allows
the full character of each wine to emerge fully. It is especially well-suited
to fine wines. If the Sensory Glass has a drawback, it is that it will expose
even the smallest flaws in wine. I have a set at my house and one at my
parents’ house. The Sensory Glass is expensive, but it is worth it. It’s a terrific
choice for the wine lover who has it all. Or almost all. (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rarewineco.com/offers/conterno-sensory-glass/">$175/two glass
set</a>).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701276874590-Vinous+Gift+Guide_Sensory+Glass.jpg"><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/statics/maps">Vinous
California Vineyard Maps</a> 

Vinous Vineyard Maps will make fine gift for anyone who
loves California wines. Our narrative maps, printed front and back, show
vineyards in unprecedented detail, with in-depth historical backgrounds and
descriptions of key sites. Vinous Maps result from numerous visits, extensive
first-hand research and countless hours spent in the vineyards. These maps are
the ultimate reference for anyone who wants to explore this fascinating and
diverse regions of California. In 2023, we have four new maps: Sta. Rita Hills
and Coombsville are First Editions, while Howell Mountain and St. Helena &amp; Conn
Valley have been updated in Second Editions.<a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/products/vinousmapstaritahills">Sta. Rita Hills Vineyards Map ($30/folded map)</a>

<a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/products/vinousmaps">Coombsville Vineyards Map ($30/folded map)</a><a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/products/vinousmaps">Howell Mountian Vineyards Map - Second Edition ($30/folded)</a><a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/products/vinousmaps">St. Helena &amp; Conn Valley Vineyards Map - Second Edition ($30/folded)</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/statics/maps">Explore All Vinous Maps</a><a target="_blank" href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701294148949-Vinous+Gift+Guide_Sta.+Rita+Hills+MapFINAL.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1701294148949-Vinous+Gift+Guide_Sta.+Rita+Hills+MapFINAL.jpg"></a>Champagne Stoppers

Few things are more frustrating around the holidays than
figuring out what to do with that extra bit of leftover Champagne you want to
keep until the next day. Champagne stoppers are essential to have around the
house. Grab a few for loved ones, and maybe some for yourself too.

<a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/subscriptions#consumer">Vinous Classic Gift
Subscription</a>

Give the gift of (wine) knowledge this holiday season with a
Classic subscription to Vinous. Our team of critics spends months of the year
on the road to bring Vinous readers the most up-to-date and in-depth insight
into the world's major wine regions. Just as Vinous is the go-to destination
for wine enthusiasts around the world, a Vinous gift subscription can make it
become so for the wine lover in your life. A Classic subscription gives full
access to the Vinous website and the apps, where you can look up reviews on the
go. Give the gift of Vinous, and we will extend your subscription by three
months (offer ends January 5th, 2024). Note: the gift subscription email
is sent immediately to the recipient. You can send the email to yourself to get
the gift link that you can pass on whenever you like. (<a target="_blank" href="https://billing.vinous.com/subscriptions#consumer">$140</a>).© 2023, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-vinous-2022-holiday-gift-guide-nov-2022">The Vinous 2022 Holiday Gift Guide</a>, Antonio Galloni, November 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-vinous-2021-holiday-gift-guide-dec-2021">The Vinous 2021 Holiday Gift Guide</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2021 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vinous.com/articles/the-vinous-2019-holiday-gift-guide-dec-2019">The Vinous 2019 Holiday Gift Guide</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2019 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/the-vinous-2018-holiday-gift-guide-dec-2018">The Vinous 2018 Holiday Gift Guide</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2018 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-holiday-gift-guide-2015-dec-2015">The Vinous 2015 Holiday Gift Guide</a>, Antonio Galloni, December 2015&nbsp;

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