Snacks, Champagne and More Last-Minute (and Local!) Gifts!

Snacks, Champagne and More Last-Minute (and Local!) Gifts!

Bottaio Wine Shop at Coppa Osteria (photo by Rebecca Wright Photography)

KNOW THE WAY to a foodie’s heart? Consumables. The clock is ticking to wrap up gifting, and these yummy food and wine ideas might save the day!


Madame Zero Champagne

Madame Zero

Houstonian Matthew Massey’s Champagne Madame Zéro, known for its low sugar content, crafts rosé Champagne, blanc de blancs, and 2013 Grand Vintage “Millie,” as well as gift sets. The single gift set comes embossed in a black lacquered gift box holding extra aged premier cru blanc de blancs or rosé encased in velvet. Check out all the other Champagne options and consider yourself prepared for New Year’s Eve!

Montrose Cheese & Wine

Montrose Cheese & Wine

Peruse the food and wine gifts online, or stop by the adorable shop to place a custom order, a cheese and charcuterie box, or the Champagne and Caviar set. Or snag a monthly wine club subscription with two options: its “Scooby Snack” ($75 monthly) includes three selected bottles and a half-pound of seasonal cheese. The “Advanced Course” ($175 monthly) includes six bottles and 2.5 pounds of artisan cheese. Membership perks include five percent off all dine-in.

Aperture Wine Membership

Aperture Winery

Aperture Cellars is a newish winery and tasting room in charming Healdsburg, Calif., from notable winemaker Jesse Katz and investor Jim Crane, a local Houston icon. Katz is the son of famous photographer Andy Katz, and Crane, as most know, is a businessman who owns Potente Restaurant and the Houston Astros. Gift a Wine Collective membership for boutique wines delivered to your doorstep — think luxurious chenin blanc, Bordeaux red blend, and several cabernets — plus perks like member pricing, complimentary estate tastings, and more. Getting away to the must-see winery is always a treat!

Repour Wine Stopper

Repour wine stopper

What looks like a bottle stopper is the only wine preservation product on the market using oxygen absorption to eliminate the oxygen in an opened bottle of wine. The packet inside the bottle stopper holds a proprietary iron-based blend. A reaction occurs between the iron and the oxygen inside the bottle to continuously remove the oxygen from the bottle and the wine. Not only is it easy and useful, but it’s also a steal at $2.50 per stopper!

Schott Zwiesel Wine Glasses

Schott Zwiesel Wine Glasses

For an all-purpose wine glass that looks modern but is dishwasher safe, here’s an excellent choice for a red and white wine glass. Always exquisite are the delicate wine glasses from the 300-year-old family run company Riedel. The latest includes the Winewings collection with a flat bottom design and glass waves crafted for different varietals made to enhance aromas and wine flavors.

Brennan's Pralines

Brennan's pralines gift box

That wonderful praline that you receive gratis after your meal at Brennan’s of Houston can be ordered online and shipped nationwide. These world class pralines come in a decorative box that will be great for any gift. Gift boxes are carefully packed with 12 handmade pralines ($24.99 plus shipping).

Yeti Wine Chiller

White and red wine drinkers need this nifty bottle cooler that keeps wine at the right temp, only losing a few degrees per hour. A no brainer!

Hope Farms and Recipe for Success

Culinary Adventure

Recipe for Success Foundation is offering natural bath products and food-inspired gifts for everyone on your list. Whether it be fresh vegetables and herbs to cook with, or beautiful flowers, you can gift mindful and local. Let’s Cook! includes Hope Farms signature chambray blue apron and Cook the Harvest gift certificate for one cooking class. Hope Farms Culinary Adventure features a Taste of Hope Farms produce presentation, a gift certificate for Cook the Harvest Class, and signature apron. Check out options and purchase here.

Bottaio Wine Shop at Coppa Osteria

Bottaio at Coppa Osteria

How perfect: a petite wine shop inside an Italian joint. This newcomer tucked away in Coppa Osteria in Rice Village, stocks wines from small boutique vineyards – mostly biodynamic, natural, or organic. Wines are priced below the restaurant wine list, and you can peruse the selections online and call ahead for pick-up.

Milk Mustache

We couldn’t leave without something sweet. This cute shop from Mom-turned-baker-entrepreneur Tracy Jones touts giant, soft, gooey goodness right in time for the indulgent season. You can’t miss with dreamy flavors like Campfire Bliss with melted marshmallow center, Nutella Dream, and red velvet filled with cream cheese. Pick up a box or ship nationwide.

Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

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