Choosing the right gift for someone involves a lot of thinking, like what to buy or how much to spend. And, usually, that confusion goes up by several notches when you choose wine as a gift.

Even if you consider yourself a wine expert, it’s hard to figure out precisely what the recipient likes. After all, wine lovers are a pretty diverse bunch in terms of tastes. The problem further increases if you don’t have much wine knowledge.

And it doesn’t end at that! You are also worried about how to present your gift. Is gifting a bottle of wine proving to be too tricky? Should you consider other options?

We would say you stick to your idea of gifting a fine bottle of wine and read on the tips outlined below to make the right choices.

1. Get to Know About the Tastes of the Recipient

The first thing to know about gifting wines is the taste of the recipient. Consider what pleases their palate the most.

Does he have a sweet tooth? In that case, you should go with a German Riesling or some dessert wine. Is she into dry wines? An Australian Shiraz or a Californian Chardonnay might be the perfect choice for her. Has she been talking about how beautiful Italy is after coming back from Venice? Get a nice bottle of Italian wine.

That wasn’t too hard, right?

If you have no idea about her palate, get to know about it from people close to her, such as her friends or relatives. If all else fails and you’re not too keen on keeping the gift a surprise, ask her directly.

2. Choose the Wine as Per the Time of the Year

Every season is indeed wine season for a true connoisseur, but not every kind of wine goes with every season. Consider it this way: the dishes we have at different times of the year varies, and the wine has to keep up with it.

During winters, wines are usually served at a comparatively warmer temperature. So, deeper reds are the perfect accompaniment to winter stews and roasts. Lighter or sweeter varieties of wine taste best when served cold, making them a refreshing choice for the summer.

Serving the wine at the right temperature also depends on how the wine is stored. For instance, the wine can’t be stored for too long in the regular refrigerators because, ideally, the temperature for storing it is around 70° F. Wines also get affected by vibration, heat, light, and humidity. Keep the bottles in a cool and dark place with 60-68% moisture. Many people have climate controlled wine storage for this reason. Keeping the cork moist is crucial for storing wine for a long time and you can do this by placing the bottles horizontally. 

3. Experiment about Your Choice but Be Careful

It’s not a bad idea to go a bit experimental with your wine choice, even when you are buying it as a gift. 

Say, the recipient lives somewhere out of their native country or state. You can try gifting a wine that belongs to their native region. It’s a great way to make them reminiscence about their homeland.

You can be even more experimental, and gift them something from your native region that you feel they will like. Don’t forget to include a small note that says ‘give this new taste a try!’ It would be wrong to assume that wine lovers are not experimental. This way, you will pique their interest in your gift.  

4. Make It an Assortment of Gifts to Leave an Impression

Making a bottle of fine wine a part of a gift basket is one of the latest trends that’s quickly catching up. After all, the way you present your gift matters and creating a personalized gift basket is a wonderful way of doing that. 

The things you include in the basket depends on the preferences of the recipient, but here are a few ideas to help you out.

Newlyweds: Engrave a wine box with the couple’s name and wedding date. Add monogrammed wine glasses, a picture frame, wine stopper, and wine charms.

Business associates: Fill this gift basket with cheese, crackers, and bottles of wine. You can also include gourmet chocolates or pretzels.

Holiday gifts: Pick out holiday-themed goodies, right from the wine container to the cheese, chocolates, and small gifts that you put in the basket. 

5. Find Out Ways to Show Your Thoughtfulness

Wine is such a popular gift because it gives you multiple ways to showcase your thoughtfulness. You can send your message across beautifully with this elegant gift. A little attention to detail can make your gift stand out amidst all others that the person has received.

For instance, choose a bottle with a date that means something to the recipient. This is a great idea if it’s a gift for some kind of anniversary celebration. You can include glasses with that date printed on them.

For your special someone, get the wine that you had on your first date. You can think of more such ways to make your gift extra-special.

6. Take Help from the Experts to Make the Right Choice

If you are not sure about choosing the right wine even after all of these tips, take help from the experts. Get advice from a wine connoisseur if you are a novice in this department.

The online shops to buy wine can also help you out by giving suggestions on the right kind of wine based on your budget and requirements. They will be more than happy to list out a couple of names.

You can also take help from other friends of yours who have enough wine knowledge. Someone might have heard the recipient talk about her favorite wine, which can be helpful to you.

7. Don’t Limit Yourself to Buying One Bottle

If you are not worried about your budget or are going to buy the gift with a bunch of friends, plan to get more than one bottle. You can choose a few bottles, and get them all in a beautiful gift box.

This is a good way to present the recipient with several options in terms of flavors. It’s also a safer bet than placing all your hopes on one bottle. You can still include other goodies in the gift basket, but those bottles of wine will be the center of attention. 

Once you can understand what she likes among those bottles you gifted her, you can stick to that option from then onwards. If it’s a group of friends or colleagues gifting together, it will be easier to choose because at least one of you will know what she likes.

The Endnote

That’s all you needed to know about gifting wine! Hopefully, selecting the spirit and presenting it as a gift feels a lot easier now. 

Just keep in mind that your gesture and thoughtfulness in giving the gift are going to stand out. Don’t stress over it too much, follow the tips mentioned above and go ahead with your fantastic gift idea. Cheers!