Wine Xpert » Wine Gifts

Wine and Country Gift Basket

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:39:49 +0000

When you are stumped on a gift idea you might try a wine and country gift basket. This gift is one that can be easily personalized.

Your basket can have instructions to take the couple on a quiet romance filled picnic in a secluded spot in the country. A wine and country gift basket makes a unique wedding present, as well as a shower gift. The wine and country gift basket is perfect for an anniversary gift and it is especially nice for an engagement gift. The basket can be filled with personal items that both might enjoy including wine accessories, spa products and romance food such as fruit, cheese and bread. Receiving a gift is so much fun but receiving a handmade and thought inspired gift basket gives it that extra special touch.

Unique

Before you start putting your wine and country gift basket together make sure to find out what kind of wine your couple likes to drink. Maybe they both are red wine drinkers; in that case there is no need for a bottle of white. If they are wine connoisseurs you will have to switch your basket to a copy of the fine wine gift baskets you see at wineries. But if you stay to the middle of the road for wine choice you should do very well in taste and budget. Choose a basket size that fits into your budget.

Remember, if you get a very large basket, you have to fill it up. Fruit, cheese, pate and gourmet crackers or bread are always a good choice to be included in a wine and country gift basket. Adding homemade products such as cookies, jams and pickles helps to create a wonderful wine and country gift basket, as does wooden cheese boards and interesting wine corks. By adding a few wine accessories such as cork openers, wine glasses and wine glass charms and a pretty quilt to sit on during their picnic will round out your wine and country gift basket perfectly.

There are endless possibilities to create a country theme with your wine basket. Adding the romantic touch with flowers and candles makes a nice statement. You could also add aromatic bubble baths, oils and soaps to make your wine and country gift basket unique. Taking time to know the likes and dislikes of the couple and time to think out the contents of your basket will always make your wine and country gift basket a success in the end.

Gift Certificates for Wine

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:34:21 +0000

One of the best and most unique gifts that you can get for that special person in your life is gift certificates for wine. Whether you choose to go with the wine basket gift certificates, wine tasting gift certificates, wine and cheese gift certificates or another, this is a gift that always goes over well and which is sure to please.

The Selection

Let’s start first off with the wine basket gift certificates when you are trying to choose gift certificates for wine. These are great and probably the most extravagant gift certificates for wine that you can get.

The basic wine gift basket will include bottles of wine, some cheese, some wine accessories and so on. And, depending on the amount of money that you spend on the gift certificate, they will have a wide selection to choose from.

Then for gift certificates for wine there are also the wine tasting gift certificates. These are more fun, and offer the receiver the opportunity to go to a professional wine tasting where they will get to sample the most delectable wines from all around the world.

This is probably the best type of wine gift certificate to give to a couple, because then they will get to go and experience the wine tasting together. This is always a lot of fun and definitely romantic and a great way to spend a night out together.

The wine and cheese gift certificates are a bit more basic, but not plain at all. In regard to what they actually do, they will allow the receiver to go and spend the specified amount of money on wine and cheese at the store that you purchased the gift certificate from, and so again they really get to choose exactly what they want which is important and which means that they are sure to be pleased.

Gift certificates for wine are definitely terrific gifts and a great way to show someone in your life just how much you care. They are also able to take the certificate back if they do not drink or just would like another type of gift, so they can get the money and really do anything with it that they want.

Just make sure when you are choosing the gift certificate you take their likes and dislikes into consideration. Think about the person that you are buying for so you know that you are getting the best wine certificate for them.

Wine Gourmet Gift Basket

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:20:47 +0000

By definition a “gourmet” is a person who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation the subtleties of food and drink. A wine gourmet gift basket can consist solely of wines or can be a combination of food, wine, and chocolates.

Varieties of Baskets

Typically a gourmet gift basket is assembled around a theme. For instance, you might have a favorite winery and wish to highlight their wines by presenting several selections of their finest wines.

Gourmet gift baskets are often created around regional wines such as, California wines, or Ohio wines; French or Spanish wines. In which case, they may include specialty items from the region: gourmet cheeses, chocolates, local jams and jellies, distinctive vinegars, etc. All add to the holistic experience of the regional wine gourmet gift basket.

Baskets are also assembled around an ethnic dinner theme. For example, a very popular wine gourmet gift basket is the Italian gift basket, which includes generous sampling of the Italian wines, Italian cheeses, pasta, sauces, olives, vinegars, chocolates and desserts. Gourmet dinner baskets can be found in a wide variety of ethnicities.

Where to find Them

Shopping for a gourmet wine gift basket can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. If you’re in a hurry take a look at some wine magazines in the local library, all have wonderful recommendations and ratings for reputable dealers. Or, spend a little time on-line. In the 21st century, you can buy the most amazing gifts on line. And don’t think that because the word “gourmet” is in the title it means that you have to drop a lot of money, there are tons of discount wine gift baskets to be had on line. Only you will know they have been discounted.

If shopping is part of the joy of gift giving, then by all means stop by your local wineries and gourmet shops. Most quality retailers have a wide variety of wine gourmet gift baskets in graduated prices ranges.

Or Make a Basket Yourself

Create your own wine gourmet gift basket. It is as simple as one, two, three. First acquire your basket. Baskets are easily found at craft and fabric stores. But a basket doesn’t actually have to be a basket—it can be a hatbox, a large flower pot, anything that will serve as a suitable and functional container will work.

Second, select the wine. If you know your recipient’s favorite wines, the choice is a no-brainer, but if you are not sure, then choose a red wine and a sparkling wine or a white wine and a sparkling wine, or splurge and include all three.Third, add chocolates, cheese, breads, and fruit. Wrap with clear or colorful cellophane; add a bow, and you’ve created the wine gourmet gift basket. Doesn’t it feel good?

Wine Bottle Gift Wrap

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:16:19 +0000

There are so many fantastic wine bottle accessories that you can choose from, including wine bottle gift wrap. Wine bottle gift wrap is important if you want class up the gift even more, for instance say if you are giving it at your wedding or for a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary.

It is important that you use the gift wrap the right way. You should lay the wine bottle down on top of the bottle gift wrap, and then start to wrap it by folding one of the sides over the bottle. Use a bit of tape to stick this part of the wine bottle gift wrap to the bottle and then start to roll the wine bottle gently to the other side of the wrap, so you are wrapping it tightly around the bottle.

Use tape as needed as you are making your way around with the gift wrap, ensuring that there are no pieces hanging out clumsily. You really want everything to be tight and pulled together, to end up with the best results.

You may also want to top it off with a bit of ribbon or a bow, to make it fun and to add to the overall look. There are also various other accessories and decorations that you can choose from to use here. you don’t want to overdo it but you do want to make sure that it is decorated well and looks nice to present to the person you are giving it to, this is what really matters is the overall look.

There also professional wine bottle wrappers who you can take the wine to and who will wrap and decorate the bottle for you as you desire. This will of course cost you a bit of money but will be well worth it if you want the gift to look as elegant and professional as possible.

Where to Shop

If you are shopping for wine bottle gift wrap there are some terrific retailers that offer this and other wine bottle accessories and which you will want to check out. Just make sure that you take a bit of time to shop around so that you can find the best quality gift wrap for the best price. There may also be a particular type of gift wrap that you are looking for and which you may only be able to find in certain stores. The wine bottle wedding gift is always popular so if you are looking for a great gift to give at your wedding this is one that you will definitely want to consider.

Wine And Country Gifts

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:47:32 +0000

Not everyone who loves wine decorates their home in country style, but those who do will appreciate many of the wine and country gifts available. These types of gifts can be a combination of items to include wine, wine accessories and snacks that typically go well with wine all wrapped together in a basket in a country motif. Traditionally, many people would prefer some cheese with their wine, but there are many types of snacks that can be equally enjoyable.

There are many occasions where wine and country gifts make the perfect offering. They can be used as housewarming presents as well as gifts when invited over to someone’s home to mark a special occasion. Obviously, holidays are an ideal time to offer wine and country gifts and with so many sources for them available, the options are virtually limitless. Finding the gifts that meet the likes of the recipient should not be a problem but if they become too difficult to find there are many outlets that allow buyers to put together their own basket.

If the recipient has allergies to certain food products, for example, ordering wine and country gifts without that item included would be a step in the right direction of improving the relationship. Most wine related gifts will offer a variety of wines that can be included in any basket that is put together for the occasion and many offer substitutions.

Including Food In Baskets Is Optional

Not all of the wine and country gifts have to include food, although many recipients appreciate the snacks they include. For a wide assortment of gifts, consider offering gifts that include a small rack to hold all of the bottles, typically three, that are included in many of the wine and country gifts.

Another option is to put together a basket of some of the more popular wine and country gifts, including a corkscrew, glasses, napkins and coasters so that the recipient has everything they need when they open the gift to begin serving the wine it includes. Those receiving such wine and country gifts will most likely appreciate the opportunity to try new flavors or wineries from which the gifts originate and most likely will return the favor when it is their turn to give.

Being mindful of the like and dislikes of the recipient is recommended as when a person receives a type of wine in which they have no interest, their appreciation will be far less than anticipated.

Wine Accessory Gift Set

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:46:14 +0000

Wine is one of the most widely loved beverages in the world. It is not only delicious but also enjoyable to drink. It is also a great way to relax and unwind at the end of the day. There are so many different types and ages of wine to choose from, and everyone as a personal preference. Whether you are a wine enthusiast yourself or you have a loved one who is, you should learn more about the wine gift sets that are available.

The process of finding the best wine accessory gift set really does not have to be all that difficult, and you just have to know how to go about it in the right way. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is thinking that there is nothing to buying a wine accessory gift set, and that you can just go out and buy the first one you see, but this is really the wrong move.

If you want to find the right wine accessory gift set for the person and occasion that you are buying for, you are going to need to put some thought and consideration in here. Also, make sure that the gift is going to go over well and please the person who will be receiving it.

Know What Your Options Are

Whether you are looking for a wine companion gift set or wine bottle gift set, you are going to need to learn about what the different companies are that offer wine accessory gift set selections. To do this, the first thing you will want to do is go into your local winery and speak to a representative there. They will be able to talk more to you about the different wine accessories that are out there, and where you can go for gift sets.

You want to find a company that allows you to have your wine accessory gift set customized, so if there are certain things that you would like included or omitted from the gift set you will be able to do so. This is important because there may be things in the gift set that the person already has or that you would like to trade with one you know they would enjoy better. These gift sets range from being very small and casual, perfect for a basic gift, to being so extravagant that you can give them as a wedding or anniversary gift.

White Wine Gift Basket

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:30:30 +0000

It’s another friend’s birthday and you have to decide on another clever birthday gift. Something personal and unusual will normally fit the occasion. Trying to come up with something clever should not be so difficult. Wine is always a good choice. Men usually prefer red wine and women prefer white wine. Since this friend is a woman something in white might be perfect. In fact, a white wine gift basket would make a beautiful gift.

The basket can be filled not only with bottles of white wine, but other personal items that she might enjoy including wine accessories and possibly spa products. Receiving gifts is so much fun and making gift baskets can be just as much fun if the job doesn’t get too complicated. Many white wine drinkers will say that a white wine gift basket is the perfect gift. Since 98% of the people on the planet enjoy drinking wine then the odds are good that giving a white wine gift basket as your gift will help to create a very happy birthday.

A Fun Basket

Before you start putting your basket together make sure she likes to drink white wine and then go shopping for your basket from there. Choose a basket size that fits into your budget. Fruit, cheese, pate and gourmet crackers or bread are always a good choice to be included in a white wine gift basket. Adding some homemade products or flours to create homemade products can turn your white wine gift basket into a wine and country gift basket. There are endless possibilities if you want to go with the country and wine theme.

There are many items that can complement a white wine gift basket especially if the recipient is a woman. Nice smelling bubble baths, oils and soaps are always a nice addition to a white wine gift basket. Pretty wine corks and cheese trays and automatic cork openers to help the weaker of the sexes open her bottles of white wine always make a big hit. A gift certificate to a romantic restaurant is always a nice touch for one of these baskets as well. Taking some time to discover what your recipient likes and dislikes are and planning your basket in advance will give you assured success.

Last, but not least is choosing the correct and good tasting wine. If she is a wine connoisseur than your white wine gift basket has to be a very good bottle or bottles of white. If wine is not your area of expertise, then visit a local winery and do some taste testing. This is always a pleasant experience and by the end of the day your white wine gift basket will be full.

Wine Tasting Gift Certificate

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:29:12 +0000

There are so many different occasions that we need to buy gifts for – Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. It can be difficult to keep up and to come up with unique and creative ideas that we know are going to be loved. If you are looking for a fun gift that is going to go over well no matter what the event, a wine tasting gift certificate will be a great choice.

What it Offers

If you give a wine tasting gift certificate, the receiver is able to go to a winery and taste the different wines from all around the world. This is an experience that anyone would enjoy regardless of their age, unless of course they don’t like to drink alcohol but then you would know that anyway.

Vineyard in Bordeaux - Photo by Samuel Rosa

There are so many different choices when you get a wine tasting gift certificate. You can choose the amount of money that you want the certificate to be worth, the winery you want them to go to, what types of wines will be tasted, and so on, so you can really decide how casual or extravagant you want to make the gift.

Finding Them

Gift certificates for wine are easy to find as long as you know where the right places are to look. Anyone interested in finding a wine tasting gift certificate should start off at their local wineries. They should have at least a remotely decent selection of these certificates and if not they will definitely be able to inform you as to where you can go to get what you need.

The Internet will be a terrific resource for finding a wine tasting gift certificate, and in just a matter of minutes you will be able to browse through hundreds of different sites that offer you the gift certificates you are looking for. Just make sure that you take a bit of time to shop around so that you can get the best value because obviously the prices are going to vary from one company to another.

The most important thing is that you are getting a great gift that the person is going to love and which offers them such versatility. There are many other wine gifts that you can purchase as well remember, and for the wine lover there are some terrific ideas that are sure to please so make sure you check out what is out there.

Wine and Cheese Gift Basket

Jennifer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 13:25:19 +0000

Perhaps the most satisfying gift basket to give or receive is the wine and cheese gift basket. Wine and cheese are primal; they connect us to the chain of human history, the web of our humanity, and the veils of our future. They fit together like hands in prayer. And when paired well, they teeter on the edge of divinity.

Wine is the centerpiece of the wine and cheese gift basket and a favorite of all the wine gourmet gift baskets. It sets the sensory stage for the epicurean experience. So always choose the wine first. Although there are an infinite number of wine and cheese pairings, enough to fill volumes. Let’s look at some sample pairings for a white, a red, and a dessert wine.

White Wine

Sauvignon Blanc is a tangy, fresh white wine with flavor hints of gooseberry and grass and is an excellent choice as the centerpiece for a wine and cheese gift basket. For this basket choose a goat cheese, a sheep cheese, and a cow cheese for a well-rounded experience.

Buche de Chevre is a fabulous goat cheese with a sharp and tangy flavor near the rind that becomes rich and creamy near the center. Pecorino Toscano is a 40-day old sheep cheese. Known for its complex flavors of grass, wild flowers, and Tuscan herbs. It is a wonderful counterpoint to the goat cheese.

Fontina Vail d’Aosta is alpine cow cheese that boasts a fruity and slightly grassy flavor.

Complete your wine and cheese gift basket with some gourmet crackers and a couple of wine glasses and you’re done.

Red Wine

For your red wine and cheese gift basket, Port wine, is a good choice. Port is a fortified wine that divides into two broad categories: ruby ports and tawny ports. Ruby ports are known for their intense red fruit and berry flavors while tawny ports distinction comes from the nutty, caramel, and butterscotch flavors.

Pairing well with both types of port wines are the following four cheeses: Cabrales is a sharp and tangy Spanish blue cheese, mature sharp cheddar, Blue Stilton – an excellent English cheese, and Agour Ossau-Iraty a magnificent sheep cheese from the Pyrenees.

Add some wine glass charms, a couple of glasses, crackers, and maybe two linen napkins and you have an amazing red wine and cheese gift basket.

Dessert Wine

Champagne forms the centerpiece of a celebratory wine and cheese gift basket. Set the mood for celebration by adding these fine cheeses: French Brie is one of the oldest and most celebrated of all the French cheeses. Vintage Irish Cheddar is a must. It has a rich round flavor and smooth texture. Chaource is a decadent cheese from the Champagne region of France. It has a rich and creamy flavor and slight mushroomy scent.

Be sure to add some noise makers or party favors to this celebratory gift basket. Finding wine and cheese pairings can become a life’s passion. Some many wines, so very many cheeses, so little time – the journey begins.

Wine Bottle Gift Boxes

Jennifer — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:25:41 +0000

Shopping online is definitely one of the very best things that you can do because you get access to such a wide variety of products. This means that you can always get the most for your money, whether you are shopping for clothing or wine bottle gift boxes. Many people use the Internet to shop for wine bottle gift boxes, and find exactly what they need.

If you are looking for wine bottle gift boxes, wine bottle gift wrap or any other wine gift, you are going to find a wonderful selection online. But, there are a few places in particular that you are going to want to check out before you make a definite decision.

The Wine Barrel

One of the best companies online you can go through for wine bottle gift boxes is The Wine Barrel. They are a Canadian-based company that offers a wide and comprehensive selection of wine gifts of all sorts. Whether you are looking for a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, or just to celebrate, you will find anything you are looking for here. They also have very affordable prices which is important because often times you will find that when you are shopping for wine gifts the prices are quite high.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

Anyone who has shopped online for wine gifts before has surely heard of the Gourmet Gift Baskets Company. They feature not only wine gifts but gift baskets for every occasion in the book, including anniversary, baby, birthday, congratulations, corporate, get well, graduation, housewarming, just because, love and romance, thank you and sympathy. They feature a great selection of wine bottle gift boxes that you can choose from and their shipping and delivery is quick and efficient so you know that you will always receive your items in the shortest amount of time.

These are just two of the many different companies online that you can shop at for gift boxes and wine gifts of all sorts, so make sure that you take a bit of time to see what is out there. Maybe there is a particular type of wine bottle gift box that you are looking for which only certain stores will offer, or need a super speedy delivery – figure out what it is that you need and that you want and take the time to make sure that you find a company that is going to offer you all of this.