Archive for the ‘Wine Gifts’ Category
We’ve hit the week mark until Christmas is finally here and if you’re starting to get desperate for a present for the wine lover in your life, here are some suggestions that should be a hit when opened up on the 25th (or whenever you do your gift exchange).
Stemware
Yes, most of us have an abundance of glasses, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t like new ones, especially if they’re unique. One of my favorite gifts was several years ago my brother-in-law and his wife gave my wife and I a set of glasses that I liked so much that I went out and bought more of them so that I’d have a set of eight. The wine lover in your life probably has a good set of regular red and white glasses, but maybe some nice stemless glasses, or some champagne flutes, or even an interesting decanter.
Wine
This doesn’t have to be an expensive bottle of wine, and probably shouldn’t be to be honest. What it does need to be though is special – something memorable. For example, some years back for my Father I bought him a bottle of Portugese wine (his family is from Portugal) that was imported into the small town just outside of Boston where he grew up. The wine was good enough, only cost me about $20, and he loved the significance of both where the wine originated from and where it was brought in through.
So a few weeks ago Wine Country Gift Baskets reached out to me about reviewing one of their gift baskets. I hesitated for a moment before responding, not because I wasn’t interested, but because I honestly had no idea how to go about reviewing something like a wine gift basket. In the end I replied that I was like to review one of their baskets, and I’m really glad I did.
Maybe it’s just me, but my initial reaction to the thought of wine gift baskets was something akin to how most people react when presented with a Rose’ – they see pink wine and instantly think of cheap white zinfandel. I’ve only been exposed to a few wine gift baskets in the past, and they were, honestly, kinda cheap. Because of this, I was impressed when the Steeplechase gift basket showed up.
I’d had a bit of an idea of what to expect ahead of time thanks to a link sent to me showing which gift basket was being sent my way, but there’s something about a semi-stock image on a website that doesn’t always do the real thing justice. The packaging was both visually appealing and practical – instead of a true basket, the entire package was cradled in a metal tub with some scroll work on it that, quite frankly, my wife and I plan to reuse.
The wine and all the foods were arranged in a way that made them easy to see, but also kept them in place. All in all it was a great packaging and it looked high quality, which I think is half the way to actually being high quality.
There are a lot of different ways to share your love of wine with the special people in your life, such as dinners, wine of the month clubs, or trips to vineyards. However, one way to show your family in friends that you appreciate wine, and that you know they do too, is to send them a wine gift basket.
A Great Alternative
While a fan of wine of the month clubs, a wine gift basket serves as a nice alternative for those looking for a wine gift without a recurring monthly cost. Also, many gift baskets feature food such as chocolate or cheese that has been specially selected to pair with the wine in the basket, great for the recipient as it gives them to enjoy with the wine that they know will pair well with it.
A Nice Introduction
For your friends that are just getting into wine, there are many inexpensive options out there to introduce them to new wines while avoiding either you or them having to invest heavily in a trip to the wine store, a vineyard, or signing up for the more elaborate wine of the month clubs, which can be very pricey.
Something for Everybody
While there are certainly wine gift baskets that reach a price tag of more than $150, there are just as many quality baskets that can be had for under $40. No matter what your price range is for gift giving, you can find a wine gift basket to suit your pocketbook.
Always in Season
Wine is always in season, and is a great gift for any season. Birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day – it’s all a great reason to give the gift of wine. If the person you’re giving it too appreciates wine, it won’t really matter what the holiday is, of even if there is a holiday.
No matter your reason for sending it, a wine gift basket is a great way to let the people in your life know that you appreciate your shared love of wine. There are plenty of great places to get a basket to fit your budget, so why not go show somebody that you’re thinking of them?
