Looking for the perfect wine to give as a gift this year? You’re in luck! When it comes to wine, one (bottle) size fits all, doubles of the same wine are just fine, and if it’s not the perfect fit, wine is easy for the recipient to re-gift. Read on for our essential wine gift giving guide!

The Wine Gift Giving Guide That Will Help You Win the Holidays

Ideally you know the person’s taste preferences: Full-bodied or light, dry or sweet, red or white. However, if you don’t have any of that information, it can get tricky. When in doubt we say go for something unique, or maybe just something fun that your recipient has never tried! Here are our top picks for the Holidays this year.

• Carménère (“car-men-nair”) is a medium-bodied red wine that originated in Bordeaux, France and now grows almost only in Chile. Carménère makes an excellent everyday food pairing wine for several reasons. For one, its natural higher acidity makes so it’s never lost when paired next to foods with higher acidity sauces. Another keen benefit is Carménère’s herbaceous peppercorn-like flavor that often embellishes roasted meats of all kinds.
• Cabernet Franc (“Cab-err-nay fronk”) is medium-bodied red wine whose origins likely lie in the Basque country of France. The wine is loved for its savory, bell pepper-like flavors, medium-high acidity and mouthwatering taste. It is an ideal food pairing wine. You can find single-varietal Cabernet Franc wines, but the variety is also quite popular as a blending grape in the famous Bordeaux Blend.
• Since Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in a wide range of climates and regions throughout the world, it has varied flavors. Fundamentally speaking, Cab is a full-bodied red wine with dark fruit flavors and savory tastes from black pepper to bell pepper. Our domestic section is full of fun colorful labels that make a statement under any tree.
• Grower’s Champagne is sparkling wine crafted by grape growers and their families. It embodies those who grow grapes in their own vineyards and produce cuvées (aka sparkling wine blends) that reflect their distinct vineyards and style. They are often times less expensive than their big-brand counterparts, but there will be no doubt that your wino friends will flip over them!
• Late harvest wines are made from grapes that are left on the vine even after they’ve reached their peak ripeness. When grapes are (quite literally) left hanging, they become sweeter over time as each individual grape dehydrates and the sugar content becomes more concentrated. Technically, any wine grape can be harvested late (Chardonnay, Syrah, Pinot Gris, etc.) so the options are pretty much endless. This makes a great gift for your sweet tooth friends.

Wrap It Up!

Let’s be honest, there is a wine out there for everyone. As long as you put a nice bow or ribbon it, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of wine! Now that you’ve read our wine gift giving guide, you should be a wine picking pro and find new favorites for everyone. And with a little luck, you’ll be everyone’s new favorite person this holiday season!