I want to buy my boss a good bottle of wine for Christmas, but I don't know the first thing about wine. He hasn't worked here long and I don't know him really well yet, so I don't know his preference when it comes to wine, but I do know he drinks it. Any suggestions? I don't want to buy him something cheap, but I can't afford to spend an arm and a leg, either. I was thinking maybe something in the $20 range. Is that acceptable when it comes to wine? Any suggestions as to what brand/type? I believe he drinks both red and white. Thanks!
2006-12-13 06:45:57 · 14 answers · asked by brevejunkie 7 in Food & Drink ➔ Beer, Wine & Spirits
V Sattui? Yellow Tail? Red Bicyclette? 20$ Merlot? Drink these if you want, but these are not gift worthy wines to anybody who knows even a little bit about wines. V Sattui isn't very complex, yellow tail is boring and commerical, and bicyclette is cheap. These are fine to drink on your own or with a friend, but they are not even CLOSE to the *best* choices, much less one for a boss.
I agree with the previous poster who said that a better price range is $30-$40.
Maryhill Reserve Sangiovese ~$25
Yangarra Grenache Blend (Wine Spectator top 100 wine) ~$25
Archery Summit Premier Cuvee ~$35
Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauv. Blanc 2006 (WS Top 100) ~$15
Domaine Drouhin "Arthur" Chardonnay ~$25
Goose Ridge Vireo Syrah ~$30
Any Raymond Cabernet ~$25-$35
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir ~$40
Barossa Shotfire Ridge 2004 Shiraz ~$20
And, you can never fail with a nice bottle of bubbly
Schramsberg Blanc de Noir ~$30
Veuve Cliquot NV ~$40
Beaumont Des Crayeres ~$30-$50
The other thing that I would do is to go into a private wine shop and talk with them. Tell them your price range and what you are looking for. They can help you figure something out so that you don't become too overwhelmed. And don't forget to look for ratings tags. I love to use gift wines to try things that I might not have otherwise tried or to compare my tastes to the wine rating. Good luck in your search!
2006-12-13 09:56:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well for starters... giving wine as a gift is a great idea! First of all people think that exspensive wine equals great tasting wine. That my friend is a myth. In fact that is why a rating system what introduced to distinguish the characteristics of wine profiles and give the consumer and edge on what is good. The average consumer is clueless to flavor profiles. And lets be honest here unless you are a wine expert or sommelier (Master wine expert) you wouldn;t really know the difference between wines. Wines are broken up to in two categories. White and Red. I think the best bet if you dont know someones preferences is to to choose red. Whites go from sparkling and fruity to full bodied and dry. Reds a little easier to explain. Ever drank milk? Well It goes 2% milk or "light" to whole milk meaning "dry and full bodied". Reds tend to last longer depending on vintage. Remember I told you about ratings. To get the best bang for your buck look at ratings done by the wine experts. 100 being excellent superb.... now you can go to costco or sams club or a local grocery and predominately if they are rated high and cheap then that would be the best bet. Hmmm preference on what kind. Hmmm dont know the person that well. Then I would sugguest that you should choose a pinot nior or chianti. Since these wines are neither too light or too full bodied. Why do you think italians use chianti at their dinner tables. It is because it can go well with most dishes. Alright hope this helps and I am so sorry that this is long!!!!!!!
2006-12-13 07:16:46 · answer #2 · answered by mraloha 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well if you want to buy a bottle of wine that's "nice" i'd go more $30-$40. You need to decide if you're buying a red or white. I'm not a huge red person. Cakebread cellars makes a nice chardonnay--you can usually find a great wine selection (including cakebread and others) at World Market. The people there are very helpful as well. Also, price is an excellent indicator or quality. When in doubt, if it's more expensive, it's definitely nicer. They don't sell terrible wine for lots of money.
2006-12-13 06:58:30 · answer #3 · answered by should be working 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are lots of good wines out there and any higher end grocery store should have a wine steward that could help. Of course, I am from Oregon which is known for great local wine. I usually stop by a local winery, enjoy some wine tasting and speak with the experts at the winery about the most popular wines offered.
2006-12-13 06:57:31 · answer #4 · answered by Shannon H 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Around the holidays a lot of wine shops sell a gift box of 1 red and 1 white wine. This is good especialy if you don't know the person. I absolutely love wine and try all different types but I have two favorites:
White- Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc (about $15)
Red- A-Mano Primitivo (about $13)
2006-12-13 08:42:40 · answer #5 · answered by CAITLIN 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
$20 for a bottle of wine is a very nice gift for a boss. As I don't know what you have in your area I would suggest talking to your clerk and find out what they have that has been popular. White or red is good.
2006-12-13 06:53:31 · answer #6 · answered by ÐIESEŁ ÐUB 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would go to a wine shop or a specialty market like World Market Cost Plus where they have people who know about wines and tell them what you are looking for. There are some great wines for as little at $8 a bottle. My favorite is Yellow Tail. Over Christmas, World Market has line called "Christmas Reindeer" (or something like that) and that is a fave among my friends for Christmas wines. Hope this helps!
2006-12-13 07:07:35 · answer #7 · answered by Deana 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
20$ is a good price range. Red is a good choice and can be paired with a lot of meals. Look for something that was bottled in an odd numbered year like 2003 for example. Stick to a popular type like merlot, cabernet or pinot noir.
2006-12-13 06:55:18 · answer #8 · answered by amberleigh 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Red Bicyclette is a good red wine, a little on the strong side but not overpowering. The bottle has a nice bright yellow label and it doesn't cost that much.
2006-12-13 06:49:46 · answer #9 · answered by R_H_P 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Merlot is the best kind of wine. I have been drinking for quite a while now and if I were expecting wine as a gift I would expect Merlot!
2006-12-13 06:57:15 · answer #10 · answered by Brooke 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋