"The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make."

Riedel makes a dizzying array of glasses for every kind of wine variety in the world. It also has several distinct styles from simple stemless "O" series glasses to huge, formal crystal glasses, that hold up to a entire bottle of wine, that are made only for the very finest of vino.

Two styles that are recommended are the Vinum series, which are machine made and was the first collection exclusively based on quality and reasonable pricing as well as being grape variety specific.

The second is the Sommelier series that are all hand-made by a team of master craftsman in Austria. They are the cream of the crop of Riedel.

Riedel stemware is widely available at varying prices — from $30 for Vinum to $140 for the Sommelier series. You can shop on-line here: www.riedelcanada.ca.

The Vinturi Red Wine Aerator just might be the single most important wine accessory since the corkscrew came along.

This clever tool is designed to decant red wine in the time it takes to pour a glass. It allows red wine to breathe to release its intended flavours and aromas. It makes every red wine taste better by allowing the wine to open up instantly. It can turn a young, tannic wine into a fruity, smooth delight in the time it takes to pour the wine.

For the sweet tooth — Ontario icewine is an extravagant, exciting wine to give someone. It's lush, sweet and giving someone one of these gorgeous half bottles of pure ecstasy says just how much you love them. Here's a couple that available this season.

Reif Estate Vidal Icewine 2007 ($47, Vintages) — Classic icewine made by an impeccable producer of this style of wine. Peach, apricot, honeycomb aromas. It shows perfect integration in the mouth with peach-apricot compote followed by honey and toffee that stays for minutes on the finish.

Ziraldo Riesling Icewine 2007 ($58, Vintages) — Donald Ziraldo's name is synonymous with Canadian icewine. He and partner Karl Kaiser founded Inniskillin, arguably the best producer of icewines in the world. This is Ziraldo's first vintage with his name on it. A nose of pronounced peach, tropical fruits and honey that is more intense if left to open up. The palate is a mix of peach marmalade, apricot and wild honey. An icewine that will deliver even more enjoyment with a bit of cellaring.

A couple of Canadian stars
to choose from

Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2007 ($65, Vintages) — This is about as good as it gets for Chardonnay in Canada. This winery has quickly established itself as the benchmark for quality in terms of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The 2007 vintage is spectacular and this white is a beauty with rich fruits bolstered by perfect oak and spice.

Tawse Laundry Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2007 ($30, Vintages) — Tawse takes special care to craft wines that are hand made and treated gently through the entire process. The resulting wines are stunning and this varietal, Cabernet Franc, is one of the many stars of the vintage. It's loaded with red fruits and mocha spice and a smooth, lush finish.

A couple of special treats
to splurge on...

Opus One 2005 Napa Valley ($300, Vintages) — Yeah, it's $300, but it's Christmas and money is no object, right? If you want the best, this is it in terms of California. A joint project of Baron Phillippe de Rothschild and the late Robert Mondavi, this classic Bordeaux-style red is simply breathtaking and will improve in the bottle for 20 years. Everything you love about red wine is right here in this bottle of wine.

Vice Vodka Icewine ($35 for 500 ml at the LCBO) — This is a potent blend made of icewine from Vineland Estates Winery in Niagara and Canadian-made vodka. It's a like a strong martini (with 22.5% alcohol, more than double that of a typical icewine) with all those wonderful apricot, peach and honey flavours to go with velvety smooth vodka. This is a hot new product in an attractive holiday package just making it to LCBO shelves and an exciting alternative to pure icewine, which can cost over $50 for a half bottle with a fraction of the alcohol.

OK, one gimmicky little wine thing (because it's so cute…) Take one bottle of great wine and add a comfy pair of slippers that look just like golf shoes and you have one funny yet practical gift for dad.

McWilliams is combining its delicious 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, always a tasty Australian treat, with a free pair of plush Callaway golf shoe slippers only for Christmas. The golf-wine set is available at the LCBO only until Christmas and sells for $22.