When it comes to finding the perfect gift for the white wine-lover in your life, there are plenty of options to suit any number of occasions and budgets.
Do Your Research
The obvious option is, of course, simply to give a bottle of good white wine that you know happens to be a particular favourite of the lucky recipient.
Do a little prior research – without being too obvious, ask about favourite styles of wine, favourite regions etc and make mental notes about suitable bottles. Speak to in-store experts at your local wine store to find the best bottle in your budget range that suits the person’s taste in white wine. If the recipient happens to have mentioned a bottle that they tried once abroad, loved, but have never found again, do some research and, if budget permits, have the bottle shipped over – the personal touch is bound to be appreciated!
Special Occasion Bottles
Depending on the occasion, a bottle of champagne or good cava can make an excellent gift. Particularly for landmark birthdays such as a 21st, a good bottle of bubbly will be welcomed with open arms by any white wine enthusiast.
Again, enquire as to the recipient’s taste – do they prefer dry or semi-dry? White or rose? Do they have a preferred brand of champagne? If a big birthday is approaching it may seem a little obvious to start digging around for information about taste in champagne, so it may be better to ask friends or family members instead.
Not all champagnes are created equal, so do some research into which bottles represent good value for money – some lesser-known champagnes may have picked up a string of awards, for example, while they’re likely to come in without the designer price tag of famous name bubblies like Bollinger and Cristal.
Champers also makes a great gift for an engagement party, although is not such a great choice as a wedding gift, as weddings are usually already swimming in the stuff.
Gift Baskets
If you want to make the gift a little more special, you might want to consider a personalised gift basket. Many good wine stores and luxury goods stores, (as well as online companies), specialise in wine gift boxes and you can usually pick and choose the contents to suit your budget and the lucky individual’s tastes.
Typically, a gift basket might contain one or two bottles of white wine, together with thoughtful extras such as wine glasses and chocolates. If the person you are buying for is also fond of a good cheese, you might want to consider a gift box that includes a favourite cheese and a white wine that nicely complements it.
Specialist wine stores should be able to offer advice on pairing food and wine. If the gift is a romantic one, a gift box containing champagne, roses and chocolates will earn many brownie points and is a foolproof option for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary.
While the easy option may be just to pluck out an attractive gift box and have it sent to the individual, if you really want the white wine lover to appreciate their gift it pays to take a more personalised approach. Make sure the wine is one that the recipient enjoys and take the time to compose a personalised message on the accompanying card. Gift boxes don’t have to cost a fortune and a well-chosen box combining a favourite bottle with personally-chosen extras is worth more than a flashy option that does not take into account the recipient’s personal taste.
White Wine ‘Accessories’
Another nice option is to present the white wine enthusiast with the ‘tools of the trade’. Crystal wine glasses make wonderful gifts and (assuming no breakages occur!) will provide a lifetime of pleasant wine-drinking experiences. A cute corkscrew is another good option and there are some nice ones out there. A key brand to look for is the Italian kitchenware specialist Alessi, whose striking designs in everything from egg cups to kitchen roll holders have ensured that every fashionable kitchen has at least one Alessi item. Their distinctive corkscrew designs include glass and chrome models fashioned to look like a chap in a fetching bowler hat and other attention-grabbing designs guaranteed to make bottle-opening a real talking point.
There’s no right or wrong when it comes to buying gifts for white wine lovers – just make sure you do your research and your gift is sure to be appreciated!
Image by Swanksalot.
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Another great, and slightly different, gift idea for a wine lover is a wine tasting experience day. These days vary, depending on which one you choose, but often consist of a tour of a vineyard with tasting session or just an introductory session to wine tasting. See http://www.experiencemad.co.uk/Food-and-Wine/ for details.