Buying wine as a gift can be hard. Do they like red or white? Cab or Shiraz? Australian, French or Californian? Do they only drink bottles over $80? Do they HATE Reisling? Or, wait, I've got one: do they actually drink wine?Don't fret. I have a few tips that will help you overcome these problems, because luckily, there are a few wines that are difficult to dislike. You might not score the perfect bottle every time, but you can find something that your gift recipient will enjoy.
How Much Should I Spend?
When buying for someone you don't know that well (or whose tastes you don't know that well) I don't suggest spending more than $40 for a bottle. Instead I recommend looking in the $15 - $30 range. You're going to find some fantastic wine, and you won't be unnecessarily throwing money out the window of your imaginary Porsche 911 Turbo. If you want to impress someone with a bottle of Opus One, go for it. But if you want a solid wine to show someone you care, you don't need to spend a lot. My personal favorite gift price point? $25.
Red or White?
This can be a tough one. Have you ever heard them talk about what wines they drink? Have you seen them order a glass before? Try to conjure up past memories that might clue you into their preferences. (hint: cabernet sauvignon, syrah/shiraz, pinot noir, merlot = red; sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, reisling, viognier = white). If you have no idea, you could either buy one of each, or a lighter red such as a pinot noir (see below).
Ok... Now What Varietal?
First, what not to get. Unless you know they like sweet wine, I don't suggest a Reisling (they are sweet and can be very polarizing), and unless you know they like chardonnay... don't get chardonnay.
For whites I recommend Sauvignon Blanc because they are crisp, refreshing, and easy drinking. I suggest looking for a Californian Sauvignon Blanc, which tends to show more fruit. Australian Sauvs often have strong bell-peppery/grapefruity components that are offputting to some. If you KNOW the recipient drinks white, try something fun like an unoaked Chardonnay, or the Spanish Albarino.
For reds, I recommend pinot noir. Why? Because hating pinot noir is like hating puppies. It's a delightful light red that everybody either loves, or at least enjoys every now and then. However, if you KNOW your recipient loves red wine, get a Cabernet Sauvignon. As a general rule, red wine drinkers like it
Recap
Ok, what have we learned? Shoot for a $15 - $30 price range. If you don't know what varietal they like, go for a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Noir. If you DO know they drink red, try an unoaked Chardonnay or an Albarino. If you DO know they drink red, try a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Now here are some of my favorites:
Sean Minor Four Bears Pinot Noir
Robert Goyette Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Canonball Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
Image Credit: DDeubel
