Looking for a great bottle of wine to give as a gift this year? Here with her tips and sips is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com.
Welcome Natalie.
So tell us why wine is a great gift and your first recommendations?
– one size fits all
– doubles are fine
– it’s easy to re-gift
For an extra festive touch, I’d start with sparkling wine such as these two:
Domaine Pelchat Lemaître-Auger La Noce Sparkling Wine
Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Quebec, Canada
Amo Wines Cabernet Franc Sparkling Red
Ontario V.Q.A., Canada
You’ve got some more reasons why wine is a great gift, plus a few more bottles for us.
– it’s easy to return for cash without a receipt
– wine doesn’t have to be cared for like a plant, and it should never be watered
– it’s consumable so it doesn’t create clutter adding to more stuff in your home
I’d recommend these two wines next:
Cupcake Vineyards Light Hearted Chardonnay
California, United States
Drea’s Wine Co. Drea’s Sauvignon Blanc
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada
Those are great suggestions. You also have a few reds for us and some tips on how to decide which wine to give?
– match the wine to the person’s taste, if you know it
If not, I’d suggest a switch-hitter wine like Pinot Noir or Gamay as a red because it’s packed with flavour but not heavy on alcohol, oak or tannin like these two
Longshot Pinot Noir
California, United States
Jean-Ernest Descombes Morgon
Morgon, Beaujolais A.C., France
What if you’re shopping for someone who likes more full-bodied reds?
Santa’s elf has you covered!
Conundrum 10th Anniversary Red 2019
California, United States
Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, United States
What’s good for those of us who have a sweet tooth?
Dow’s Port and Noval Black Reserve will pair perfectly with sugarplums dancing in your head.
Noval Black Reserve Port
Douro D.O.P., Portugal
Dow’s Colheita Tawny Port
Douro D.O.C., Portugal
More Tips
– match the wine to the person’s heritage i.e. Italian amarone
– match the wine to the dinner if you’re a guest
– choose a vintage that celebrates an anniversary for the couple, when they met, a birthday etc
– create a bottle gift set: one to drink now, one to drink next Christmas and one to drink 5 years from now
– create a book and bottle gift set
Otherwise: match the wine to the personality, just for fun!
Posted with permission from CTV.
