5 Quick Tips for Holiday Wine-Giving

Wine makes a great holiday gift.  Here are some tips to help you out: 

1.  Keep it classy.  

Get a bottle with a nice-looking, classy label on it.  Avoid critters, cartoons or anything that looks too modern.   

2.  For drinking now.  

Make sure the wine can be drunk now and does not require cellaring.  Most people don't have proper wine storage and are likely to drink whatever they have lying around -- like whatever wine you've just given them.

3.  But not too old.  

Older wines can be great, but they are less consistent than younger bottles, and you want to be sure that the wine will be enjoyed.  The exception is for birthday/anniversary gifts where it's nice to find just the right vintage.

4.  Consider the client.  

If you're giving a single bottle to a wine-loving friend, by all means find something adventurous.  If you want to play it safe, almost any wine-lover will appreciate a bottle of Champagne or Burgundy.

5.  When in doubt, buy Bordeaux.  

If you're giving bottles to a bunch of people, probably with varying degrees of wine taste and knowledge, Bordeaux is the way to go.  Everybody appreciates a good bottle of Bordeaux, it looks classy, and when the label is nice and classy they know you've spent some money.

I hope this helps.  Of course, drop by the store and we can help find exactly the right gift for you.

-Jeff