Its that time of the year again. And I’m writing this post, well honestly, for my husband as a hint (no lingerie or robotic sweepers this year, honey.) Here’s what I’m hoping for under my tree this year.
I discovered these guys at the at the Oakland Temescal Farmer’s Market. Their chocolates are incredible and they have a number of wine-based truffles to die for. With a tag line of “What is your VICE?” how can you not love them? Try the Blackbird (dark chocolate ganache infused with merlot.) Or my favorite bar, the Fig + Anise (69% dark chocolate bar adorned with dried figs and anise seeds.) Available Sundays at the Oakland Temescal Farmer’s Market or online. $5-$56.
I have to agree with the OXO website when it claims that the OXO SteeL Wine Stopper/Pourer Combination is ‘the perfect two-in-one gift for anyone from the wine connoisseur to the casual entertainer.’ The incredible looking brushed stainless steel Stopper/Pourer Combination is so simple: Push the soft lever down and the bottle is sealed for short-term storage. Lift the lever up and the seal is opened for drip-free pouring. As an added benefit, wine is also aerated while it is poured out of the wide spout. Widely available also online at OXO. $9.99.
I’m always forgetting what day it is so the Food For Thought calendar serves as both a functional gifty as well as an aesthetic one. In case you’re wondering, July is my favorite. Available at Etsy.com . $10.
Although I resisted wanting William-Sonoma’s Wine Label Removers, I just can’t help coveting these memory aids. So easy to use: just remove the backing paper from each piece of laminate using the convenient side tab, rub over the wine label, taking special care at the corners, and gently peel it off just peel off the face of a label for placement in your wine journal or scrapbook (or if you’re like me my desk drawer). Available in sets of 20 at William-Sonoma. $19.95.
There are times when you just want to crack open a good bottle and hang. These recycled windshield stemless wine glasses are just the ticket. As an added bonus for the eco-minded, they are handmade in Colombia out of recycled glass from old car windows. From the website: “Sturdy and strong, the thick glass has a slight green hue from the tint originally added to lessen the sun’s glare. Beautiful and interesting, these stemless wine glasses are an uncommon take on a stylish design. Each is one of a kind and will vary.” Available at UncommonGoods.com. $22 for a set of two.
Dean & Deluca’s Cult Wine Club is the next best thing to living in Napa. Sign on to receive ‘a minimum of three ultra-exclusive wines’ every quarter. As an added bonus, you get to attend the Cult Club’s exclusive annual Napa Lifestyle Event for members only. Available through Dean & Deluca. $1000.
VineCrowd 
Ah the stemless glasses. Everything else about your site is great, good tips, but the stemless glasses. meh. They sort of fall into the Jonathan Franzen camp. You either love them, and think they give you plenty of Freedom Franzen style, or you hate them .. and think they are as wanky as his book. And I am in the latter camp.
The stem on wineglasses somehow gives elegance to a wine glass, even after it is has had grubby fingers all over it asking for refills.
P.S. I am also one of those folks who hates jam jars as glasses, likes a candle or two on the dinner table even for family meal to cover all flaws, and you guessed it, has just finished a marathon slog through Freedom for tomorrow night’s book club.