The Best Mother's Day Gifts of 2011 for the Mom Who Loves Wine

Wine

The obvious gift choice for moms who love wine is a bottle of wine itself. Every wine drinker appreciates having a new, different wine to try. Wine costs can vary widely, depending on the age of the wine and the variety. Before you shop, determine how much you'd like to spend on wine. By setting your budget in advance, you'll make shopping slightly easier. Next, determine what sort of wine your mom likes to drink. Does she like red or white? Doe she appreciate Chardonnay or Zinfandel? Armed with this information, head to your local wine shop and ask for assistance in choosing a bottle within your price range. Consider wines imported from South Africa or Chile if your budget is tight. These countries are producing beautiful wines at budget prices.

Glasses

If your mom likes to hostess parties where wine is served, consider purchasing an extra set of glasses. Look for wine glasses with no stems. These glasses are becoming quite popular for parties as they are less likely to tip over or break, and your mom will have less mess to clean up. Wine also must be served at the proper temperature. Many manufacturers are developing tabletop chillers that can keep wine cool while dinner is progressing.

Wine Carrier

People who love wine often like to share it at dinner parties and family gatherings. A useful gift for your wine-loving mom is a wine carrier. There are many wine carriers that are thermally treated, so your mom can protect her wine and keep it at the proper temperature as she's driving to her parties. If she often travels to purchase wine from wineries, consider buying her a rolling cooler. This will help protect her wine as she drives between tasting rooms, and the wheels help protect her back as she transports the cooler from car to home. Often, wineries host dinners where local foods are paired with the newest wines on release. Consider signing yourself and your mom up for one of these dinners so you can experience the wine together.

Wine Bottle Opener

Some wine bottles can be particularly challenging to open, especially if they're corked with synthetic corks. Make mom's life easier by buying her a high-tech wine bottle opener. Some varieties use a lever action, reducing the amount of arm power needed to open a bottle. Other varieties use batteries and remove the cork without any need to pull at all. Your mom may appreciate the assistance, and she'll be able to show off her new gizmo to her friends at the next party she holds. Consider buying her decorative corks for her wine. These corks help protect the wine from the air between servings, and come in a variety of styles and shapes.

Wine Magazine

For moms who enjoy learning more about wine, consider purchasing a subscription to a wine magazine. Periodicals such as the "Wine Spectator" allow your mom to learn more about wines, and the ranking system allow her to make good wine purchases to stock up her own cellar. Or, consider enrolling her in a wine club. She'll get regular shipments of wine, and you may be able to split the cost of the gift over several payments. This is a great way to provide her with one gift that keeps reminding her of you.

Wine Refrigerator

If you're looking for a truly spectacular gift, consider buying your mom a dedicated wine refrigerator. These appliances help your mom store her wine on its side, at a perfectly regulated temperature and humidity, which helps the wine age properly. Some models hold just a few bottles of wine, and cost less than $100. Other models hold close to 200 bottles of wine and cost well over $4,000.

Lower Priced Items

If your budget is extremely tight, don't fret. Low-cost gift choices for moms who love wine are easy to come by. For example, consider buying her a sterling silver lapel pin of wine glasses that she can wear to her next wine tasting. Or, there are many t-shirts and sweatshirts embossed with winery logos or sayings about wine. Consider shopping at her favorite winery for low-cost gifts such as golf balls or bottle openers embossed with the winery's logo.