Corkscrew Chronicles: Gifts and accessories for wine lovers

For gift recipients for the holidays, I like to find quality wine in gift boxes or paired with accessories. Another option is to put personalized gifts together with the help of a specialty retailer. Here are some gifts and accessories everyone who loves wine can use: Wine selections: Investigate the types of wines your recipients enjoy, then shop to see what is available. Allocated and unique selections are always appropriate. Just remember that retailers favor regular patrons when selling these items. Your gift can be one bottle, a selection of one varietal/style from various origins and producers or a selection of different varietals. Remember that all-Ohio wine selections can be memorable for their quality. Simply work within your budget and be distinct. Many champagne and sparkling wine houses offer gift boxes this time of year with some packaging two sparkling glasses with a bottle of wine. Dessert wines can be special taste experiences. Ohio's Ice Wines are world-class. Cockburn's Vintage Reserve Porto ($20) is now available in a gift box with two glasses, and is perfect for a leisurely evening with cheese and crackers in front of the fireplace. Corkscrews: The Screwpull brand of corkscrews with Teflon coated worms are simple and effective and start around $17. For the lover of mature wines an Ah-So can usually enable crumbly corks to be extracted in one piece and are very reasonably priced. Wine aerators: To induce oxygen into young and full-bodied wines revealing their aromas and flavors. The Soirree Home in Bottle Aerator ($20) is strengthened glass and fits in the bottle neck, only aerating the wine poured. Glassware: Look for thin, clear crystal with cut rims for the maximum wine experience enjoyment. Don't forget crystal flute champagne and dessert wine sets, which even the most ardent wine lovers often need. I recommend the brands of Riedel, Schott Zwiesel and Villeroy & Boch. Specialty foods: Three Tipsy Cats — a local company making small batch wine and cocktail-inspired jellies. Use them as condiments or entrée ingredients. They will be at the Strongsville Recreation Center from 10am to 3pm on Dec. 19. You may also contact them through Facebook for local delivery/pickup. Size/price: 8 ounces/$10. Coravin wine preserver: The Coravin ($200) is a tool that uses a needle to draw out wine through the cork, replacing it with inert gas to maintain the wine's integrity (the cork reseals once the needle is withdrawn). It allows the exploration of premium wines a taste or glass at a time, preserving the bottle's quality for its normal lifespan. Go to www.Coravin.com for more information and pricing on the different Coravin formats. The Silvador Wine Preserver ($15) effectively preserves wine. It is a canister of food-grade Argon (Ohio-filled) with a self-contained nozzle to protect wine with the most effective winemaking gas after opening a bottle. It is a marvelous tool to enjoy a fine wine over a number of days or even longer without it suffering negative effects of oxidation. Books: Ohio's Vinifera grape pioneer, Arnie Esterer, sadly passed away at vintage time this year. "Magic in a Bottle: The Untold Story of Arnie Esterer and Markko Vineyard" by Ohioan Clifford Annis ($20) is his story and details the founding and prestigious rise of Markko in a very enjoyable and informative way. Look for books by Jancis Robinson MW, Hugh Johnson MW, Oz Clarke MW, Kevin Zraly ("Windows on the World Complete Wine Course"), Mary Ewing-Mulligan MW ("Wine for Dummies") or Madeline Puckett (Winefolly.com). All of these authors write in a fascinating way, while conveying a lot of important wine information. Happy holiday gift-giving to all! Gary Twining is a certified wine educator who worked 34 years in the wholesale fine wine industry. Email him at winingwithtwining@hotmail.com.