Six reasons why a bottle of wine as a gift is just brilliant

Some people (like me) at Christmas are afraid of what to choose as gifts, and they keep putting off the decision until it’s too late.

It’s really hard to choose the “right” gift, especially when you have to give it to someone you don’t know too well, such as your colleague, your boss, or a friend’s girlfriend.

But I’d like to tell you something confidentially: I’ve discovered over the last few years that there’s a gift for all situations; a gift that always works: wine.

The following are the reasons why I came to the conclusion that giving wine as a gift is a fantastic idea.

Handmade sweater with rein deers and Christmas trees? No thanks.

It’s practically never left on the shelf to collect dust

Ever notice how she never wears that “fantastic” sweater you gave to her as a gift? Well, that’s when you start going paranoid because you gave her the “wrong” gift.

Oh, I can’t count the number of times I let my grandmother down!

On the other hand with wine you’re sure to be successful: this product is easily consumed and it’s quite rare to meet someone who NEVER drinks it – or who doesn’t have friends who drink it.

During festivities (like Christmas or Easter) there are numerous occasions to drink a glass or two: business and family lunches and dinners, aperitifs, exchanging gifts with friends and dear ones.

So it’s highly unlikely your gift will be left to collect dust on a shelf, unless of course it wasn’t made to do just that, like a bottle of Barolo vintage 1990 ;-).

There’s an old Italian saying, “If you don’t drink in company, you’re either a thief or a spy”.

It’s convivial

Wine is usually enjoyed in company: what better gift to celebrate a long-lasting friendship?

And we mustn’t forget, wine warms the body and the soul; after a couple of glasses (I recommend to drink carefully!) it makes everyone a lot more jollier, and having a bottle on the table always adds that extra touch of conviviality.

I like the idea that my gift can be used to celebrate the most beautiful moments we spend with our friends or family.

when you arrive at a dinner with a bottle of wine as a gift.

You leave a good impression

Wine is a chic product, but not snob and it’s ideal for any situation: you’ll surely leave a great impression regardless of the occasion.

Wine, unlike other chic products, such as perfume, for example, is a much less risky purchase: choosing the right wine is easy, choosing the right perfume… is not so easy.

Minimum risk and a maximum yield!

Finally, showing up with a bottle of wine gives you the charm of connoisseur and the air of a worldly man (or woman): your vanity will certainly be rewarded.

But I highly recommend you get to know the history and characteristics of the wine you’re giving as a gift when purchasing it: who produced it, where and how and with what food to pair it with.

So you’ll also have a fascinating story to tell while giving the precious present.

Come on, surely you can do better than this

There’s wine for all budgets

If price is a problem, wine (even prestigious wines) offers the possibility to suit all budgets.

With 15-20€ you can take home a bottle of quality DOC or DOCG certified wine, produced by craftsmen and with a story to tell.

With 30-40€ you can buy a bottle of a prestigious wine such as Barolo or Barbaresco.

And if you can manage buying it directly at the winery, the prices drop even further.

Wine can be a prestigious gift

It can be precious…

If, however, you have delusions of grandeur and you love to give precious and very expensive gifts (it happens to me every now and then), you can’t go wrong when it comes to wine.

There’s an incredibly wide choice among great red wines, prestigious sparkling wines and vintages. Here in the Langhe we have the Barolo and the Barbaresco for example.

If you’re interested in the Italian market there’s Brunello and Sassicaia in Tuscany and Amarone in the Veneto region.

And of course let’s not forget French wines; Champagne, Borgogna and Bordeaux offer centuries of tradition in just one bottle.

Those who receive your gift will no doubt have a princely evening.

…which will last in time

Some wines, if the type and the vintage are chosen correctly, can age for tens of years.

Wine is a great gift for anniversaries and birthdays, or for special people, who can preserve it for a long time and eventually open the bottle for that special occasion.

Respect the environment – recycle the gifts you don’t use

And if things go wrong… it can be easily recycled

If you got it wrong, don’t worry: wine is a 100% recyclable gift for the reasons listed above.

Even if the person you gave the wine to doesn’t drink, he/she will no doubt have a party or dinner to go to where they can “pass on” the gift to someone else.

The only difference is that in this case you won’t feel guilty: they’ll be putting your gift to good use :-)