Which wine is best to gift?

All products and services presented are independently selected by Forbes Shopping contributors and editors. When you make a purchase through the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Learn more A bottle of wine is the perfect gift for almost any occasion. It's a great last-minute purchase, no doubt, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't think about the wine you buy.

There are more than 10,000 varieties of wine grapes in the world and when you walk into your local wine store you can feel that there are 10,000 different bottles of wine in front of you. A good way to narrow down your choice is to think about the occasion you're buying for, or thinking about the gift recipient's preferences. Most diners bring their own bottle of wine, but everyone may be left unopened, as the host likely planned their wine to accompany the meal they are serving. Help your wine stand out from the crowd by attaching a note that says: “For your winery” or “I hope you enjoy it later.”.

However, if you choose a flexible wine that works with many different dishes (i.e. A white that is not excessively dry or a red that is not too heavy), there is a chance that your wine will be the one that everyone at the table will enjoy. If you give wine for a birthday or a wedding, it has to be special. Weddings, in particular, require a luxury wine that you probably wouldn't buy for yourself, such as the fizz from one of the big champagne houses or a rare and prestigious red.

As a general rule, spend at least what it costs newlyweds to welcome you on their big day. Price is not necessarily a factor when buying a bottle of wine for the beginning collector. Germany's white Rieslings are still undervalued, but they get incredibly complex as they age. Choose a red wine from Chinon, Bourgueil or Saumur-Champigny in the Loire Valley, such as Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses.

He is the Wine Director of the renowned Ne Timeas Restaurant Group and a wine consultant for other of the best restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wine can be a good gift for a newlywed couple, as a housewarming gift, for the hostess at a dinner party, or for your boss. Whether you're hanging out by the pool, going to a picnic, or enjoying a pleasant afternoon on the patio, Corkcicle's triple insulated wine glasses with spill-resistant lids will be the mug your gift will want to drink. So does it really work? We tested the wine drops and found that they effectively reduced sulfites, and our tests didn't experience any headaches after using them.

For the wine lover who knows they're in it for the long haul, a wine subscription is probably the best gift they'll ever receive. Use your imagination when buying wine for someone who is willing to think and drink beyond Cabernet Sauvignon (the most planted wine grape in the world) and Chardonnay (the most popular wine in the U. The modern wave-style bottle rack fits easily on the kitchen counter or next to a cupboard, and can be placed vertically or horizontally. If this sounds like a familiar scenario to you, do your friend a favor and give them a high-quality electric wine bottle opener like the Secura.

Simply pack the durable canvas bag with wine and cheese for the perfect picnic in a park with a friend or loved one. If you want to buy wine as a gift, choose a mid-range to high-end bottle so you don't end up giving something that tastes cheap and makes you look bad. Any wine drinker who also likes to stay organized will love a bottle rack to stack and store their favorite bottles. They retained three percent of the wine and fermented it in barrels with native yeasts, which gives a more complex wine.

After growing The Prisoner's collection to several other bold and delicious labels, such as the burgundy style Papillon, which shows the worn and tattooed knuckles of a beloved local grower, Phinney sold The Prisoner to Constellation Brands, which distributes some of the best-known labels of spirits, beer and wine. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc is a consistently solid wine with each vintage and is an excellent alternative to many of the best-known white wines in the U.S. UU. I originally found this in Napa, learning about the maverick Dave Phinney through a small local wine store, where the owners loved Phinney's bold extraction and praised the label.

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