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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Holiday Wine Gifting Tips from Goose

GUEST COLUMN by Peter Goossens Greetings fellow wine lovers! Today I’d like to give you some tips on wine giving. Wine is the perfect gift for almost any occasion: it is classy, tasteful, easy to find, very portable and takes no time to gift wrap. There is no product on the market that I know that will give you a bigger bang for your buck, and unlike another pepper and salt shaker set, one can never have too much wine in the home. The following tips should help you with your quest to find the perfect wine gift. 1. Wine fits any budget The current availability of wines from all over the world, as well as outstanding US wines, makes it easy to find great wines in every possible price range. A decent wine that will impress the recipient can be found for as little as $20. Don’t shy away from South American, Australian or South African wines. These “new world” regions produce some of the best buys out there. 2. Don’t go overboard If you know the gift recipient’s wine taste, by all means, find a wine or vineyard that you know they enjoy drinking. More often than not though, you will barely know more than the fact that the recipient likes wine. Don’t go overboard: there is no guarantee that if you personally like big and bold wines, so will they. In this case, a middle of the road bottle might be a wise choice. Along the same lines, don’t discriminate against sweet or semi-sweet wines. In my experience, there is always somebody in the family who likes and enjoys them! 3. Dare to be different seek the romance As I have stated before, to me, wine is fermented grape juice + romance. A large part of the romance is the story behind the wine not just the story of the vineyard that produced the wine, but also your own personal story of where you found the wine, and why you thought it was the perfect gift for the recipient. Many times, the story of the vineyard will be more unique and charming if you stick to the small- and medium-sized family-owned boutique vineyards. Large format bottles often make you stand out from the crowd, but be warned: don’t forego quality for quantity, otherwise you will just end up with a large bottle of “cheap” wine. 4. Make it meaningful With thousands of choices on the market, you might be in luck and find something that has particular meaning to the recipient. What does this mean? For instance, the wine might be from a region they were born in or used to live in; a wine label might relate to their hobby or to a special memory you share. You might choose a wine from a local vineyard or a bottle from a specific year with special meaning to the recipient. 5. What about the boss? If you know the boss enjoys a nice glass of wine, then it is the perfect gift. Be aware, though, that spending your whole budget on one bottle might not result in the recognition you are seeking. More expensive wines often have a much longer shelf life and will keep for several years so by the time your boss opens your bottle and figures out what a wine genius you are, he might no longer be your boss! Consider spreading your budget out over a couple of bottles that are ready for consumption now, so you receive the kudos you deserve immediately. 6. You can’t go wrong with Champagne Nothing is more festive than a sparkling wine. There are many choices available in a variety of price ranges. Around the holidays, in particular, many sparkling wines and Champagnes come in beautiful packaging, making the gift even more impressive. 7. Seek the help of a professional (That’s why we’re here!) Don’t be afraid to go to a real wine store. Give the trained wine professionals as much information as you have about the person that you are gifting. The wine store wants to send you on your way with a wine that will make the recipient happy. After all, they want you as a repeat customer. Taking all this into consideration, I believe you will be able to find an appropriate wine gift for more than half of the people on your list. Plus, this one-stop-shopping will leave you with just a little more time to enjoy a glass of your own special vintage. Peter Goossens is the Founder of the Loose Goose Wine Festival and the Loose Goose Wine Society. He can be reached at 661-799-WINE or via email at [email protected].

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