The holidays are upon us bubbly lovers, so you know what that means…
Time for another fabulous edition of The Bubbleista’s “THE ULTIMATE CHAMPAGNE LOVERS GIFT GUIDE!”
Created by your favorite champagne super fan, enthusiast, aficionado, and educator—yours truly, of course—I am bestowing upon the world my 3rd edition gift list of the most spectacular gifts for those who absolutely adore all things bubbly!
And, as per usual, my gift list definitely lives up to its name as “the ultimate” if I do say so myself. As someone whose daily, regular, normal lifestyle revolves around bubbly, who better to constantly on the hunt for the newest, most effervescent sips, tips, ideas, experiences, and acoutrements that there are to be discovered on the planet?
All of the items on the list are things that I have already picked-up, have tried, plan to get, or that I am seriously coveting, so you know that every single thing on my list is a solid #BubbleistaApproved selection—you can always count on The Bubbleista to bring you the most distinctive, chicest, “fun-est,” champagne-centric picks that are sure to delight, entice, and enchant!
And in case you already have all of your Christmas shopping done (you overachiever, you) the good things is that this list can be used year-round for any occasion that calls for bestowing a gift upon those enamored with tall things bubbly. Uhm, hello Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, Boxing Day, Random Acts of Kindness Day, I want you To Be Happy Day (that’s actually a thing), etc.
And don’t forget to spread the bubbly love–forward, repost, tweet, and share this post on Instagram and Facebook with others that you know love champagne too!!
Soooo, without further adieu—and as has become a tradition with this annual post:
On your{shopping} marks…
Get {your credit cards}set…
Aaannnnddddd…GO!!!
1.) Bollinger Limited Edition Brut Rose: $150.00
In October of this year Bolligner released an exclusive, one-of a kind, “Special Limited Edition” 2006 Vintage Rose’ made from 9 exceptional Grand and Premier crus. Comprised of 72% pinot noir and 28% Chardonnay, the champagne was aged for 10 years—yep, ten whole years!—in the Bollinger caves, and is said to be a “mind-blowing expression of the 2006 vintage.”
You had to know that I’ve already picked up a bottle for myself, and I cannot wait to have said mind blown!
2.) Peter Liem Champagne Book: $60.00
Those who adore all things champagne will absolutely be enthralled with getting the chance to delve into this book! Written by champagne professional, enthusiast, and educator extraordinaire Peter Liem, “Champagne” is an intimate and in-depth look at the wines, producers, and the region itself. Described as having “enough facts, stories, details, and historical anecdotes here to keep anyone engaged,” this book is definitely one to add to you permanent library. And check out the cool map of the region that’s included!
3.) Kate Spade Champagne bucket handbag: $358.00
Why wear your heart on your sleeve when you can wear The “Finer Things Champagne Bucket Crossbody” across your shoulder instead? Kate Spade is known to have a special penchant for creating bubbly inspired handbags, jewelry, and trinkets, but this glittery, cheeky, chic, champagne bucket shaped handbag with a champagne bottle peeking out of the top may just be her best bubbly creation yet! The top of the bucket unsnaps to reveal a circular space perfect for dropping in your essentials. A fun handbag that’s perfect for a night out on the town sipping bubbly!
4.) Champagne riddling rack: $460.00
The seriously champagne obsessed will have a collection of bottles at their fingertips to pop open at a moment’s notice, so why not give them some proper—and super stylish—storage for it in the form of riddling racks?
What is a riddling rack you say? You always ask the best questions, my dears. A riddling rack is a traditional French device used in the champagne making process that holds the champagne bottles at a very precise 45 degree angle, which is crucial in helping to create those gorgeous bubbles we all adore so much.
The always chic purveyor of fine items, 1stdibs, currently has 6 of these amazing small antique oak champagne riddling racks on hand that were made during the early 20th century in France. They each have room for 30 bottles and are perfect for organizing your champagne treasures. If you’re looking to store more bottles and have a bit more in your budget to spend, 1stdibs also has a vintage rack that hold 120 bottles for $1,160.00.
Of course there are other ways to store your bubbly but if it’s good enough for champagne makers it’s good enough for us too, yes?
5.) Lafco Luxury Champagne candle: $65.00
Last year’s Volume II of the Ultimate Champagne Lovers Gift Guide included a luxury champagne-scented bar of soap by Lafco, and this year the company is back with the complementing candle called “Champagne Penthouse.” Billed as being “hand poured in the USA with up to a 90 hour burn time and delivered in a handblown art glass vessel” the listed fragrance profile on the candle is amazing: “sparkling grapefruit, Tuscan lemon and ginger are gently calmed by rose, neroli and verbena.”
Don’t those ingredients sound like a lush champagne cocktail in wax form? *gears start turning*
If you’re looking for a similarly luxuriously smelling candle that’s just a little easier on the pocketbook, I also adore the Prosecco Rose by Voluspa for $30.00–it’s one of my fave “go-to” candles.
6.) Neiman Marcus + Armand de Brignac Champagne Adventure: $150,000.00
Sooooo…how do you feel about taking a first-class flight with 3 of your besties to Paris where you’re then escorted to an exquisite French hotel for a 12-course dinner; then the next day you and your crew and whisked away in a private car where to the Champagne region to “meet with the 13th-generation winegrowing family” behind the eponymous champagne? While you’re there you’ll also sample the wines, tour the vineyards, visit the cellars, and then–wait for it–be taken for an aerial tour of the region via helicopter.
And all of that marvelous-ness is just the beginnings of this spectacular trip which ends with having 60 bottles of Ace of Spades champagne delivered to you when you return home. Are you sufficiently intrigued yet? If not you might be dead inside.
But I digress.
Billed as the gift for “for the bubbliest personality you know” *ahem, cough, cough, me* I could not be more blown away by this fantasy trip brought to you by the purveyor of over the top luxury gifts, Neiman Marcus. The retailer has an uncanny knack for tapping into the most fanciful notions imaginable to create fantasy experiences , and this one will knock the socks off of any champagne lover.
Anybody got a spare $149,000.00 they’re willing to gift to me for Christmas?
7.) Puiforcat Sommelier Champagne Glasses: $830.00/pair
Designed to elevate the wine tasting experience, these luxury, handmade, mouth blown glasses from France make for an absolutely beautiful way to sip your champagne! And the design of them is perfection as well: the angular lines culminate in an equally elegant gold base to rest the glasses in.
Just how chic can you get?!
8.) Banana Republic Champagne flute earrings & Charm necklace: $18.00 & $38.00
For those who like to adore themselves with jewelry as much as they like to drink champagne, Banana Republic has got you covered. Perfect for wearing during the holidays–and year-round to show your faithful love for the bubbly stuff–these fab flute earrings and complementing necklace with a flute and champagne bottle will have the champagne obsessed sparkling just as much as their fave bubbly elixir.
9.) Champagne Lanson Music Box: $60.00(+)
If you are {or the champagne lover in your life is} anything like me, there are times where we imagine that we hear music when we drink a particularly beautiful glass of champagne. Well apparently Champagne Lanson was, *ahem* “in tune” with this phenomena and decided to help us out by making us hear actual music when we sip! Here’s how it works: “the unique gifting case allows a smartphone to be docked in the top lid, enabling an amplified sound when music is played from the device, transforming the Lanson Music Box into a makeshift speaker.”
Of course, a bottle of Lanson’s gorgeous Black Label, White Label, or Brut Rosé champagne comes along with the speaker. Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “the sound of music,” don’t you think?
Now here’s the tricky part: right now the speaker is only available in France at the Charles de Gaulle airport and in Sydney, AU through www.danmurphys.com.au. But don’t fret–you know if and when it hits the States I’ll be sure to tell you about it!
10.) Dylan’s Candy Bar Strawberry & Champagne Dark Chocolate Bar: $9.00
Proving that peanut butter and chocolate aren’t the only “two great things that taste great together,” the sweets-obsessed genuises behind Dylan’s Candy Bar have figured out how to pair the flavors of chocolate covered strawberries and champagne into one delectable bite: “Sweet strawberry pieces and crisp notes of champagne garnish an elegant blend of dark chocolate” in this rich, luxuriously delicious, high-end Belgian chocolate bar.
11.) Bubbly Sparkling Wine Making kit: $70.00
Brooklyn Brew Shop wants you to know that their effervescent beverage making skills extend beyond beer–enter the “Sparkling Wine Kit” where you’ll find bottles, corks and enough ingredients to make 5 bottles of sparkling wine right in your own kitchen.
It’s your chance to make some of the “strawberry champagne” that Bruno Mars seems to like so much. {wink}
12.) “Pop Fizz Clink” bottle toppers: $10.00
Want to add a little extra fun to you fizz? Then pick up a few of the cute gold bottle toppers that are perfect for entertaining, gifting, or just lovingly adorning your fabulous bottles of champagne. No need to worry either because it fits any standard size wine bottle.