Gifts / Wine
The Best Gifts for Wine Lovers in the UK
A great wine gift isn't the most expensive bottle - it's something they reach for every time they open a wine. To find the best gifts for wine lovers in the UK, we compared the glassware, accessories and gift ideas most recommended for wine lovers, drawing on published expert reviews, manufacturer specifications and current UK pricing, to rank the five worth giving. The physical picks run from around £50 to £180, with a gift-card option you can set from as little as £20 - and each pick flags who it suits, who should skip it, and the one thing to check before you buy: do they already own it?
Our top picks
Researched by WATTB
- Published
- 14 September 2026
- Updated
- 14 September 2026
- Last verified
- 14 September 2026
- Sources
- 6 sources
We research and rank options from public data, official information and published reviews. How we research →
Written by
Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page may be affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence our rankings or WATTB Scores. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. How we rank.
How we picked · We ranked these gifts by drawing on official manufacturer and retailer specifications, current indicative UK pricing checked across multiple retailers, and aggregated published reviews and expert buying guides, combined with our editorial assessment of how genuinely useful each is to a wine lover and how well it works as a gift. Read our full method →The top 5 Gifts for Wine Lovers in the UK
- Rank 1Riedel Vinum Wine Glasses (Set of 2)WATTB Pick— Best overallWATTB89/100~£59 (set of 2)
- Rank 2Coravin Pivot Wine Preservation System— Best premium giftWATTB88/100~£180
- Rank 3Le Creuset Lever Corkscrew with Foil Cutter (LM-250)— Best for everyday useWATTB87/100From £85
- Rank 4Naked Wines Gift Card— Best for discoveryWATTB82/100From £20 (you choose the amount)
- Rank 5Audo Copenhagen (Menu) Wine Breather Carafe— Best for big redsWATTB81/100From £50
The WATTB Score is our own research-based editorial assessment out of 100 — not a customer-review average.
How to choose a good gift
What actually makes a gift land for this person — beyond the price tag.
- What might they already own?Matters most
- Keen wine drinkers often have glasses, a corkscrew and perhaps a decanter already. If they do, a varietal they lack, a preservation system or a gift card is less likely to double up than another version of kit they have.
- How do they drink?Matters most
- Someone who pours a glass at a time gets the most from the Coravin Pivot; someone who opens bottles often gets daily use from a lever corkscrew; someone who favours young, tannic reds is the natural fit for the aerating carafe. If most of their wine is screw-cap, a corkscrew adds little.
- Corks or screw caps?Worth weighing
- The Pivot is designed for everyday screw-cap and mid-range wines using its own stopper; corked fine wine needs Coravin's pricier Timeless range. The Le Creuset lever corkscrew, by contrast, only earns its place if they open corked bottles regularly.
- BudgetWorth weighing
- Indicative prices run from about £50 for the Wine Breather carafe and around £59 for a Riedel pair, to from £85 for the Le Creuset corkscrew and about £180 for the Coravin Pivot, whose argon capsules are an ongoing cost. A Naked Wines gift card can be set anywhere from £20 to £500. Prices change frequently, so check before buying.
- Do you know their taste?Minor
- If you are unsure what they drink, a gift card lets them choose; if you know their habits, a physical gift they keep tends to feel more considered.
The picks in depth
Riedel Vinum Wine Glasses (Set of 2)
Why it won
The safest, most-used wine gift there is: proper varietal glasses at around £59 a pair.
Varietal-specific bowls are widely credited with improving how aroma and flavour come through
A brand wine drinkers recognise and value at every level, so it reads as a considered gift
Dishwasher-safe crystal - more forgiving than delicate hand-blown alternatives
Trade-off: Still breakable and thin-stemmed; needs careful handling
Why it ranks here
It ranks first on everyday usefulness and value: varietal-specific bowls from Riedel's original machine-made crystal range, which the maker and many reviewers credit with directing aroma and flow, at around £59 a pair. It leads the Coravin at #2 because it costs roughly a third as much and suits a broader range of wine drinkers, though it does less to change how they drink.
Give it if
- The recipient drinks wine regularly and does not already own good varietal glasses
- You want a considered gift at an indicative £45-£65 for a pair, depending on varietal
Skip it if
- They already own a Riedel set or similar varietal glasses
- They are heavy-handed — these are thin-stemmed and breakable, so a stemless or unbreakable set may suit better
Where it's the better gift
- Roughly a third of the Coravin's indicative price, with no running costs
- Used with any bottle, where the Pivot is designed for its own stopper and everyday screw-cap wines
Where another pick wins
- Does nothing to keep an opened bottle fresh, where the Pivot is designed to let them pour a single glass
- Higher duplication risk — keen drinkers often own glasses already, but are less likely to have bought a Coravin
Closest alternative: Coravin Pivot Wine Preservation System — If they already own good glasses and often stop at a glass or two, the Coravin Pivot is the premium alternative at around £180.
Already owns it? If they already own Riedel or other varietal glasses, a matching pair may overlap — check which varietals they have and choose one they lack, or pick a different gift.
Coravin Pivot Wine Preservation System
Why we recommend it
The standout premium gift - by-the-glass freshness for everyday wines, around £180.
Lets them drink a single glass and keep the rest fresh for weeks - a use no glass or gadget replicates
A genuine 'wouldn't buy themselves' gift and a cheaper entry point than Coravin's Timeless models
Reusable stoppers and simple pour make it easy for a recipient to adopt
Trade-off: Designed for the Pivot stopper rather than corked bottles - corked fine wine needs the dearer Timeless system
Why it ranks here
It is the premium, change-how-they-drink pick: pour through the device while argon fills the headspace, which Coravin says keeps opened wine fresh for up to four weeks, with the device, a capsule, two stoppers and a bottle sleeve included. It sits second mainly on value — around £180, roughly three times the Riedel pair — and because argon capsules are an ongoing cost.
Give it if
- The recipient regularly opens a bottle but only wants a glass or two at a time
- You want a premium gift they are unlikely to have bought themselves
Skip it if
- They mostly drink corked fine wine, which needs Coravin's pricier Timeless range
- They usually finish a bottle in one sitting
Where it's the better gift
- Addresses opened-bottle freshness, which no glass does
- Less likely to duplicate kit they already own than a set of glasses
Where another pick wins
- Roughly three times the Riedel pair's indicative price, plus ongoing capsule costs
- Suited to everyday screw-cap and Pivot-stopper wines rather than every bottle they open
Closest alternative: Riedel Vinum Wine Glasses (Set of 2) — If you want a useful gift at a lower budget with nothing to refill, the Riedel Vinum pair costs around £59.
Already owns it? If they already own a Coravin (Pivot or Timeless), another device may overlap — spare argon capsules or stoppers could be a better top-up; if they do not, overlap is unlikely.
Le Creuset Lever Corkscrew with Foil Cutter (LM-250)
Why we recommend it
A lever corkscrew that opens any cork in one smooth pull - from around £85.
Lever action is engineered to draw even tight or synthetic corks in one downward-and-up motion
10-year guarantee and solid metal build - a genuinely long-lasting gift
Comes gift-boxed with a matching foil cutter
Trade-off: Heavy and bulky for a kitchen drawer
Why it ranks here
It is the everyday-tool pick: a solid-metal, lever-action corkscrew designed to draw natural and synthetic corks in one downward-and-up motion, gift-boxed with a matching foil cutter and backed by a 10-year guarantee. It ranks below the Coravin because it does one job rather than changing how they drink, and from around £85 it is a lot more than a basic waiter's friend.
Give it if
- The recipient opens corked bottles often and still uses a basic waiter's friend
- You want a gift-boxed tool with a 10-year guarantee for cover
Skip it if
- Most of their wine is screw-cap
- They prefer a compact pocket opener — this is heavy and bulky in a drawer
Where it's the better gift
- Useful with any corked bottle, where the Pivot is designed for its own stopper and screw-cap wines
- Around half the Coravin's indicative price, with no running costs
Where another pick wins
- Only opens bottles — it does nothing to keep an opened one fresh
- Adds little if their wine is mostly screw-cap
Closest alternative: Riedel Vinum Wine Glasses (Set of 2) — If they already have a good corkscrew, a Riedel Vinum pair at around £59 is a similarly useful gift for less.
Already owns it? If they already own a lever corkscrew (Le Creuset, Screwpull or similar), another may overlap — check the drawer; if they are covered, glasses or a gift card avoids doubling up.
Naked Wines Gift Card
Why we recommend it
The flexible option when you don't know their taste - they pick the wine.
Lets the recipient pick exactly the wines they like
Backs independent winemakers with a broad, changing range
Flexible amount (£20-£500), delivered instantly by email
Trade-off: Redeeming requires registering card details, and you'll be invited (optionally) to join the paid Angel membership - read the terms
Why it ranks here
It is the flexible, let-them-choose pick: a gift card you set anywhere from £20 to £500, sent as an 8-digit PIN by email and redeemed by the bottle or case against wines from independent winemakers. It ranks below the physical gifts because there is less to unwrap and keep, and because redeeming requires registering card details, with an optional paid Angel membership offered at checkout.
Give it if
- You are not sure what they drink and want them to choose
- You want to set your own budget, including under £50, or need something delivered by email
Skip it if
- You want a physical gift to unwrap
- They dislike account sign-ups or being offered subscription-style memberships
Where it's the better gift
- Avoids duplication entirely, since they choose the wines
- Can start from £20, below any of the physical picks here
Where another pick wins
- Nothing lasting to keep once the wine is drunk
- The redemption process needs care — card registration and an optional paid membership offer
Closest alternative: Coravin Pivot Wine Preservation System — If they seem to have everything but you want a physical gift, the Coravin Pivot is one they are less likely to own already.
Already owns it? Duplication risk is low because they choose the wines; if they are already a Naked Wines customer, it simply adds credit to their account.
Audo Copenhagen (Menu) Wine Breather Carafe
Why we recommend it
Fast, good-looking aeration for young reds - around £50.
Fast aeration for young, tannic reds in a couple of minutes
Two-way pour and a striking design that doubles as a table piece
Easier to pour from and store than a wide traditional decanter
Trade-off: Aeration mainly benefits young big reds, not delicate or aged wines
Why it ranks here
It is the design-led aeration pick: a hand-blown glass carafe with a breather in the neck that the maker says aerates a bottle in roughly two to three minutes, with a two-way pour back into the bottle to serve, from around £50. It sits fifth because its benefit is the narrowest here — fast aeration is mainly aimed at young, tannic reds rather than delicate or aged wines.
Give it if
- The recipient drinks young, tannic reds and likes design-led kit on the table
- You want a gift at around £50 that is easier to pour from and store than a wide traditional decanter
Skip it if
- They favour delicate or aged wines that may not want heavy aeration
- They want something dishwasher-safe — the hand-blown glass needs hand-washing
Where it's the better gift
- The lowest indicative price of the physical picks here
- A striking table piece, where glasses and corkscrews are more everyday
Where another pick wins
- Useful for a narrower range of wines than a pair of glasses, which can be used with most wines they drink
- Hand-wash only, where the Riedel Vinum glasses are dishwasher-safe
Closest alternative: Riedel Vinum Wine Glasses (Set of 2) — If they drink a wider range of wines, a Riedel Vinum pair at around £59 can be used with most bottles they open.
Already owns it? If they already own a decanter or aerator, this may overlap — though its fast, two-way design differs from a traditional decanter; if they have both, glasses or a gift card avoids doubling up.
How to choose
When you want something useful at a mid-range budget
Start with the Riedel Vinum pair at around £59. If they already own varietal glasses, choose a varietal they lack (say Pinot Noir if they mostly have Bordeaux glasses), or switch to the Le Creuset lever corkscrew, from around £85, if they open corked bottles often.
When you want a premium gift they may not buy themselves
The Coravin Pivot, around £180 (£179.99 direct), pours through a Pivot stopper while argon fills the headspace, which Coravin says keeps wine fresh for up to four weeks. It suits someone who drinks a glass at a time — less so someone who mostly drinks corked fine wine or finishes the bottle in one sitting.
When they seem to have everything
A Naked Wines gift card sidesteps duplication by letting them choose wines from independent winemakers, by the bottle or case. Redeeming requires registering an account with card details, and they will be invited to join the optional paid Angel membership, so it is worth mentioning the terms.
When they drink big, young reds
The Audo Copenhagen Wine Breather, from around £50, aerates a bottle in roughly two to three minutes (maker-stated) and pours back into the bottle to serve. It is a narrower gift: fast aeration is mainly aimed at young, tannic reds, and the hand-blown glass needs hand-washing.
How we ranked this list
We ranked these gifts by drawing on official manufacturer and retailer specifications, current indicative UK pricing checked across multiple retailers, and aggregated published reviews and expert buying guides, combined with our editorial assessment of how genuinely useful each is to a wine lover and how well it works as a gift. We have not personally tested, tasted or used these products; prices are indicative and change frequently, so confirm the current figure before you buy.
Prices and availability last checked September 2026; these change, so confirm current details with the provider before buying.
Read our full ranking methodWhy you can trust WATTB
Independent & unbiased
We rank on merit. Commercial links never change which picks make a guide or where they rank.
In-depth research
Official information, specifications and aggregated expert and user reviews — compared, not guessed.
Clear pros & cons
Every pick gets its real advantages and at least one honest trade-off, so you can weigh it.
Transparent sourcing
We show how we rank and the sources behind each guide, and re-check them as things change.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best gift for a wine lover in the UK?
For most people the best gift is a set of good varietal glasses: our top pick, Riedel's Vinum range (around £59 for two), is a near-universal upgrade that a wine lover will actually use every week, and the brand is recognised at every level. If your budget stretches and you want a show-stopper, a Coravin Pivot (around £180) is the standout premium gift - it lets them pour a glass and keep the rest of the bottle fresh for weeks, something no glass can do. The only thing to check first is whether they already own it.
How much should I spend on a gift for a wine lover?
You can give something genuinely useful across a wide range. Around £50 covers an aerating carafe like the Audo/Menu Wine Breather; roughly £59 buys a quality pair of Riedel Vinum glasses; about £85 gets a Le Creuset lever corkscrew that lasts years; and around £180 puts a Coravin Pivot preservation system in reach. A Naked Wines gift card lets you set any amount from £20 up if you want to spend less or keep it flexible. All these figures are indicative and change often, so confirm the current price before buying.
What do you buy a wine lover who already has everything?
Buy an experience or a consumable rather than another gadget. A Coravin Pivot changes how they drink day to day and is unlikely to be something they've bought themselves, while a Naked Wines gift card sidesteps duplication entirely by letting them choose wines - ideally small-producer bottles they might not otherwise try. If they collect glassware, a single varietal of Riedel Vinum they don't yet own (say Pinot Noir if they mostly have Bordeaux glasses) is a safe, thoughtful top-up.
Are Riedel wine glasses worth it as a gift?
For a wine lover, generally yes. Riedel's Vinum glasses use bowl shapes tuned to specific grape varieties, and both the maker and many reviewers credit that design with improving how aroma and flavour come through compared with a generic glass. They're machine-blown lead-free crystal that's dishwasher-safe, so more durable than delicate hand-blown rivals, and at around £59 a pair they feel like a considered gift without the fragility or cost of top-end stemware. The main caveat is duplication - keen wine drinkers often already own a set, so it's worth checking or choosing a varietal they lack.
What the evidence shows
Rankings draw on manufacturer and official specifications (Coravin, Le Creuset, Naked Wines), retailer listings for indicative UK pricing (John Lewis, Black by Design), and published expert buying guidance including Which?, combined with our editorial view of how useful each is to a wine lover and how well it works as a gift. We have not bought, used, tested or tasted these items ourselves; performance claims such as preservation time and aeration speed are maker-stated.
Limitations
- Prices are indicative and change frequently by retailer and varietal — treat them as a guide and check before buying.
- The Coravin four-week preservation figure and the Wine Breather aeration time are manufacturer claims, not independently measured here.
- Gift card and membership terms are set by Naked Wines and may change, so check the current terms.
- The right gift depends on the recipient: what they already own and how they drink matter more than any ranking.
Sources & further reading
6The information and claims in this guide draw on the references below. We check these when a guide is published or updated.
- Official informationPrimary source
Gift Cards at Naked Wines (opens in a new tab) — Naked Wines
Supports: Naked Wines gift card mechanics - choose your amount (£20-£500), no minimum first order, redeem by bottle or case via 8-digit PIN, optional Angel membership
- Product informationPrimary source
Coravin Pivot Wine Preservation System (opens in a new tab) — Coravin UK
Supports: Coravin Pivot price (£179.99), up-to-4-weeks preservation claim, argon gas method and kit contents
- Product informationPrimary source
Metal Lever Corkscrew with Foil Cutter LM-250 (opens in a new tab) — Le Creuset UK
Supports: Le Creuset lever corkscrew spec, matching foil cutter, gift coffret and 10-year guarantee
- Customer & expert reviews
Best gifts for wine lovers (opens in a new tab) — Which?
Supports: Independent expert buying guidance on wine-lover gift categories (glasses, Coravin, decanters)
- Pricing
RIEDEL Vinum Bordeaux Red Wine Glasses, Set of 2 (opens in a new tab) — John Lewis
Supports: Riedel Vinum set-of-2 indicative UK pricing (~£59 Bordeaux), varietal-specific range, dishwasher-safe crystal, 610ml capacity
- Pricing
Audo (Menu) Norm Wine Breather Carafe/Decanter (opens in a new tab) — Black by Design
Supports: Wine Breather carafe indicative UK price (~£50), hand-blown glass, ~3-minute two-way aeration
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