Keep Wine Gifts On Hand

I have a gift concealment – just a little something for those last-minute gifts and the always ready almost no preparation thank you gift. You probably have one too. Yours might include, gift soaps, stationery, books — mine contains wine. It’s the perfect gift because it is always ready, it is consumable, it improves with age, it is gender neutral and – probably the most important quality – it is personal. To be sure that I’m always ready I keep between six and eight bottles of wine on hand, along with wine gift bags, and tags.

Which Wines to Give

Giving a perfectly suitable wine doesn’t require being a wine devotee or a sommelier. The key is to know a few key things about wines. For my wine gift concealment, I have a white, a red, and a blush.

White wines

If it comes to white wine gifts, I choose a Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Riesling. Chardonnays are universally popular, and depending on the winery itself, may have a hint of butter, melon or citrus. If you would like to have a slightly more acidic taste and an insinuation of apples, pears, and grass, a good Sauvignon Blanc is almost second to none as a wine gift. My personal favorite is a Riesling which is exactly halfway between sweet and acidic.

Red wines

Gifts of red wine can range from Merlots to Shiraz. A Merlot, Zinfandel, or a Pinot Noir are my usual suspects. What I like about Merlots is that they are very smooth with an intimation of herbs and berries. Zinfandels, on the other hand, are hearty and are the ideal wine gift for that person who loves pasta and pizza. If it comes to red wines you can’t do wrong by choosing the Pinot Noir as a wine gift. Most Pinot Noirs have flavor undertones of tea leaves, plums, or cherries.

Blushes or Rosè

A good Rosè or Blush completes my wine gift concealment. Blushes are very popular and have reputation of going with just about anything. So no decent wine gift stash would be complete without them. Blushes are festive and light and feel almost as celebratory as sparkling wines.

If the situation occurs that the guy next door fixes my lawn mower and refuses payment, or when I had no time to get present for a friend’s birthday, or the neighbor’s dog dies and I want to offer my condolences, I go to my gift stash, pick out an appropriate bottle of wine, a wine gift bag, and a gift tag and I am ready to go.

Beside the fact that wine is a great last minute gift there are other items which can be added to round up the gift basket. This can be accomplished by adding the recipients favorite cheeses, breads, and maybe even chocolates. Putting together a wine gift basket for a special occasion is nearly as satisfying for the giver as the receiver – even more so, if they offer to share. So just in case you like to keep a few gifts on hand for the unexpected occasions in life, a wine gift is almost second to none.