Unique Wine Glasses: Stemware With a Story in the Stem

The best unique wine glasses are the ones that say something about the person receiving them: a well-made glass with a stem built from an object they love or work with. Start with the basics of any good gift glass, then add the story.

Quick picks

• A surgeon or OR team member: OrthoVitre, stainless steel surgical screw stems. Wine $85, martini or champagne $75 a pair.
• An angler: AnglerVitre, a real fishing lure in the stem, $89 a pair.
• A gearhead or mechanic: MotoVitre, an authentic spark plug, $89 a pair.
• An archer or bowhunter: ArcherVitre, a real arrow with its fletching, $109 a pair.
• Someone who just likes a good pour: pick by drink first, using the checklist below.

What to look for in any good gift glass

Before the story, the glass has to be good to drink from. Four plain checks apply to any wine glass you plan to give, ours or anyone else's.

• The bowl suits the drink. A wine glass has room for the wine to breathe. A martini glass is wide and shallow. A champagne glass is narrower. Match the glass to what the person actually pours.
• A stem keeps warm hands off the wine. Holding the stem means fingers stay away from the bowl, so the drink stays as cool or as warm as it was poured. It also keeps fingerprints off the glass.
• Weight and balance in the hand. If you can, hold the glass before you buy. It should feel steady, neither top-heavy nor so light that it feels fragile.
• Care. Find out whether it is dishwasher safe. Many good glasses are hand wash only, and the recipient should know before the first dinner party.

Stemware with a story in the stem

Most unusual wine glasses are unusual in shape or color. Another way to make a glass worth giving is to change what the stem is made of. The stem becomes a real object from the recipient's own world: a tool they use, a piece of gear they carry, something they have handled for years.

That is what we make. Each set is two crystal glasses, sold gift-ready, with free shipping on U.S. orders. The idea is recognition. The person looks at the stem and knows right away that you noticed what they do.

OrthoVitre: a surgical screw in the stem

OrthoVitre glasses have a stainless steel orthopaedic surgical screw for a stem. It is the kind of hardware an orthopedic surgeon places in a patient. The line was founded by an orthopedic surgeon. It suits surgeons, residents and the people they work beside in the OR, and it works as a retirement, graduation or Match Day gift.

A set of two wine glasses is $85. A set of martini glasses or champagne glasses is $75. The Trio Bundle, all three sets for six glasses, is $211. The wine glass holds 540 ml. Browse the OrthoVitre collection. If you are shopping for a surgeon, our page on the gift orthopaedic surgeons actually want goes deeper.

AnglerVitre: a real fishing lure

AnglerVitre puts a real fishing lure in the stem. You choose the lure color: green, pink, purple or yellow. It suits someone whose phone is full of photos of fish and whose garage has a tackle box in it. Each set of two is $89, in wine, martini or champagne. See the AnglerVitre collection.

MotoVitre: an authentic spark plug

MotoVitre uses an authentic spark plug as the stem. It is for the mechanic, the restorer, the person who knows what a cold plug looks like and has opinions about it. Each set of two is $89, in wine, martini or champagne. See the MotoVitre collection.

ArcherVitre: a real arrow, fletching and all

ArcherVitre runs a real arrow through the stem, fletching included, in red or green. The red option has orange-and-white vanes. It is for archers and bowhunters, people who have spent years working on form and keep their equipment in order. Each set of two is $109. See the ArcherVitre collection.

Wine, martini or champagne: which to choose

Choose by what the person actually drinks, not by what looks best on a shelf.

• Wine glasses are the safe default. If you do not know their habits, or they drink red and white both, start here. It is the pick for wine gifts for men who already own plenty of tumblers and beer mugs.
• Martini glasses suit a cocktail drinker. The wide bowl shows off the stem well, which makes a martini glass gift set the most visible choice for a bar cart or display shelf.
• Champagne glasses make a good celebration gift: an anniversary, a retirement, a new job. A champagne glass gift set also gets used for toasts at New Year's.

If the budget allows and you cannot decide, the OrthoVitre Trio covers all three.

Caring for them

These glasses are hand wash only and are not dishwasher safe. Hand washing crystal is simple.

• Use warm water and a mild soap. Avoid very hot water.
• Hold the glass by the bowl while you wash, not by the stem.
• Rinse well and dry with a lint-free cloth.
• Let the glass rest on a towel, not in a crowded sink.

Where to go from here

If you are still working out the right gift, our guides on gifts for men who have everything and gifts for a dad who has everything cover other kinds of presents too. For unique gifts for wine lovers beyond the glass, our gift guide collects the whole range in one place. Order by December 15 for delivery before Christmas.

Questions people ask

Are these glasses sold individually?

No. Every set is two glasses, so there is one for the recipient and one for whoever they share a toast with.

Are they dishwasher safe?

No. They are hand wash only. Warm water, mild soap and a lint-free cloth is all they need.

Do they arrive ready to give?

Yes. Orders arrive gift-ready, and shipping is free on all U.S. orders.

What is the last day to order for Christmas?

Order by December 15 for delivery before Christmas.

Browse every line in the gift guide, or go straight to a collection: OrthoVitre, AnglerVitre, MotoVitre or ArcherVitre.