Written by The Strategy
The holiday season is officially upon on us! Exciting? Yes. Stressful? Hell yes! Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve scoured the inter-web to find the best gifts for all your gifting needs this season.
And whether you’re buying a gift for your boss or your hair dresser, a bottle of wine is usually a safe bet. It’s easy, and most everyone likes it. But other than knowing what we like and what we don’t, our collective TS Team’s wine knowledge is pretty limited. So, once again we have enlisted the help of Joe Fattorini, of ITV’s The Wine Show (which also happens to star the two hunkiest Matthews, Goode and Rhys). He’s come up with a few wine themed presents that are sure to leave people impressed with your sophisticated gifting skills.
Gifts for the Wine Enthusiast
so they think you know what you’re doing.
“If I’m buying wine for someone who knows their onions, I’ll go to the Rhone Valley in France for under-appreciated classics or Canada (curiously) for the next big thing in refined Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Look for names like Gigondas, Rasteau and Vacqueyras in the southern Rhone. These are juicy, peppery wines that manage to be both warm and refined. Something like Famille Perrin, Gigondas L’Argnée Vielles Vignes 2015 ($58.00) They also age gracefully and yet come at a fraction of the price of similar quality wines from Bordeaux or Burgundy. In fact, Burgundy is now so hideously expensive people are looking to New Zealand, Tasmania, South Africa and… yup… Canada for great Pinot Noir. And I’m finding it too. I was drinking some Norman Hardie Niagara Pinot Noir ($47.00) only last week. Utterly delicious.
But then again, how much do you like them? Or should I say, value them? The ultimate gift for wine enthusiasts is the iSommelier Pro ($2,500) or iSommelier ($600). These are decanters that pass medical grade oxygen through wine to speed up decanting from several hours to a few minutes. But they are also eye-wateringly expensive.”
Elevated Gifts for The Host/Hostess
Something more than a $14 bottle of wine.
“You know what, people who love to entertain, love to find things to entertain with. One thing they will love in 2017 is “Furmint”. Trust me, Hungarian white is now the party-giver’s best friend. It’s the ancient grape at the heart of super-sticky Tokaji pudding wine. But today producers are making it into a dry table wine that has the freshness of Sauvignon, the weight of Chardonnay, the aromatic lift of Pinot Gris and the food-friendliness of great Italian whites like Verdicchio. Look for something like Disznókó, Tokaji Dry Furmint (around $18.00) for an appley style.
But anyone who likes to entertain has two priorities – bubbles and bling. I’m recommending Italian fizz from Trento and Franciacorta these days. Not Prosecco. That is SO last season daaaarling. This year it’s wines like Ferrari Brut and, crucially, in a magnum. That’s a double-sized bottle (around $90.00). The wine matures much better and looks fab on the table. This won the title of Best Sparkling Wine in Italy at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. Yes, I know, that really is a “thing”.”
Gifts To Impress The Boss
In hopes they appreciate it so much, they’ll give you a raise…
“You know I just arranged a gift for someone who needed to impress a senior client. Who I guess is a bit like a boss. I sorted him out with a bottle of Chateau Potensac 2005 ($42.00) and two Zalto Universal glasses. They’re about $75, but he said that every time the guy drank from them he’d remember who bought him them. And he will use them too. Zaltos are gorgeous and feel paper-thin. The Potensac is glorious too. It’s possibly one of the greatest vintages of the century from a famously good-value Chateau.”
The Wine Show, with Matthew Goode, Matthew Rhys, Joe Fattorini and Amelia Singer, on Hulu. For more info visit: www.thewineshow.com
