FINE WINES TO GIVE AS A GIFT
5 Tips and Which Ones to Choose
If there is a gift that conveys values, prestige and uniqueness, it is fine wine. Wine, a symbol of joy that marks precious moments in the company of friends, never ceases to surprise thanks to the variety of options offered by the Italian and French denominations.
Giving a bottle of wine as a gift means offering a sensorial journey through the wine culture of a territory, and each bottle tells a different story. Whether you're looking for a gift for a wine expert or a novice, fine wine is always a winning choice.
Wine is much more than just a drink. It is a thousand-year-old tradition, a refined and classy product, the very symbol of joy. When you give a bottle of fine wine as a gift, you are not just giving a bottle, but an experience.
That's why wine is one of the most meaningful gifts you can give.
WINE GIFTS
What it means to give a fine wine as a gift
Do you want to give a bottle of wine as a gift? Get ready to hit the mark. Wine is a symbol of refinement, joy and passion. It is the manifestation of a thousand-year-old culture that embraces the territory, tradition and also innovation. If chosen from niche wineries, each bottle tells a story that starts from the expert hands of the producer at the moment it is donated and uncorked to be shared.
Wine is truly a symbol of joy, since Antiquity. It accompanies life's precious moments in the company of friends and family, highlighting celebrations with festive toasts. It is the ideal companion for romantic dinners, evenings with friends and evenings where light-heartedness is needed. What makes wine a particularly great gift is its versatility. Even just between the Italian and French denominations, the possibilities for choosing fine wines are endless. Every region, every grape variety and every vintage offers a new opportunity for unique gifts.
And if you don't know the recipient's tastes well, don't worry. Wine is a gift that offers multiple opportunities even if you don't know exactly what the person you are about to give the gift likes. You can choose a selection of different types of wines, creating a truly varied and interesting sensorial journey. Alternatively, you can have the recipient personalize their selection directly with the Sommelier Wine Box signature service.
With Sommelier Wine Box you can create a personalized selection directly chosen by the gift recipient. Imagine being able to offer not only bottles of fine wine, but a selection specially curated to satisfy the tastes and preferences of the person to whom you give it. We put expert sommeliers at your disposal ready to guide you in choosing the perfect wines, chosen by you or directly by the recipient.
Offering a personalized selection is a touch that makes the gift even more special. The person receiving will choose the types and wines based on their tastes, in the number and price you decide.
With Sommelier Wine Box you don't have to think about anything else: the box arrives directly at home, whenever you want.
GIVE FINE WINES
5 Tips for giving fine wine as a gift
1. Find out about the type of wine and the label
Before buying a bottle, it is important to know the type of wine you want to give as a gift. Wine can be red, white, sparkling or rosé, and each type has its specific characteristics. But don't stop at the color: it is important to know the region from which the wine comes, the grape variety, the cellar, the denomination, and other details that can allow you to make an informed choice.
If you choose Sommelier Wine Box we will not only tell you which wines our sommeliers have selected for your gift but also many other details on production methods and cellar that will characterize your gift.
2. Pay attention to the price range
If you want to give a precious and valuable gift, consider that a truly quality wine cannot cost less than 15 euros. However, the price can vary considerably based on the year of production, the denomination, the cellar with the production methods, and the rarity of the wine.
If you want to give a fine wine as a gift, be careful of offers that are too convenient, they may not live up to your expectations.
3. Find something unique and exclusive
If you want to give truly fine wines as gifts, you need to look inside special productions and cellars and, if the occasion requires it, even limited edition bottles. Look for a bottle that has a unique history, is from a niche winery , perhaps features numbered bottles or belongs to an exceptional vintage. Uniqueness adds a truly special touch to your gift, and this may or may not be related to the price.
4. Try to understand the recipient's tastes
If you want to surprise someone, the ideal is to know their tastes and give them a specially designed bottle. Before choosing a bottle of wine, try to understand the tastes of the recipient.
Do you prefer red or white wine? Do you love bubbles? Do you have a predilection for a particular grape variety or region? This information can help you select a wine that will be enjoyed to the fullest.
If you don't know what they like, you can find out simply by looking at what they order at the restaurant or wine shop.
Pay attention to these aspects: type of wine (white, red, rosé, sparkling), characteristics (do you like full-bodied wines or drinkable ones?). If you have the opportunity to go deeper, consider if he loves the great classics or if he seeks little-known or unknown wines, if he drinks Italian, French or if he experiments.
5. Give a box of wines selected by a Sommelier
If you are not a wine expert or want to offer a varied selection, consider giving a gift of a box of wines selected by a sommelier. With Sommelier Wine Box, you can guarantee the recipient a complete experience with a variety of fine wines carefully chosen by expert sommeliers.
It is the perfect gift for those who want to explore new flavors and discover the best of the world of wine, designed both for those who are approaching the world of wine and for those who are already experts.
In addition to the selection of wines, we give all the information to understand and know the particularities of that wine and advice on how to taste it and pair it in the kitchen.
ITALIAN WINES
10 fine Italian wines as gifts for every occasion
🍷 Barolo Serralunga | Michele Taliano
Barolo DOCG
Produced with proprietary grapes from the Nebbiolo Sorì Baudana vineyards. Manual harvest and pressing, fermentation at controlled temperature, it is drawn off and decanted. At least two years in oak barrels.
Price per bottle: €27
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🥂 Brut Classic Method | Matteo Furlani
Quality Sparkling Wine
Brut Classic Method Sparkling Wine obtained from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes harvested manually in boxes, with careful selection already in the vineyard. The second fermentation takes place in wood and refinement in the bottle, on its own yeasts, for 18 months, after manual riddling.
Price per bottle: €20
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🍷 Sagrantino Montefalco | Napolini
Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG
Manual grape harvest, fermentation with maceration of the skins for 30-35 days; aging in barriques for 6 months and in Slavonian oak barrels for 18 months. Bottle maturation for 9 months.
Price per bottle: €25.50
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🍷 Gattinara Selection | Travaglini
Gattinara DOCG
From a vineyard located at altitude with rocky soil, the Nebbiolo grapes are harvested by hand with selection in the vineyard. Vinification in steel for 10-15 days, 3 years of aging of which 2 in Slavonian oak barrels. Bottle maturation for a period of 6 months to a year.
Price per bottle: €28
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🥂 Franciacorta Brut Rosè | The valley
Franciacorta DOCG
75% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Bianco, hand-harvested with selection of the bunches. Slow and soft pressing; fermentation in steel tanks at controlled temperatures with indigenous yeasts. Aged for 30 months on the yeasts and 6 in the bottle.
price per bottle: €32
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🍷 Nerello Cappuccio | Custodians of the Etna Vineyards
Terre Siciliane IGT
Nerello Cappuccio and Mascalese grown in pre-phylloxera vines up to 150 years old on the northern slope of Etna at a height of 750 meters above sea level. Following a manual harvest and a soft crushing-destemming, fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in steel and maceration for 12 days. Subsequently the wine ages in barrels and barriques.
Price per bottle: €30
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🥂 Asprinio d'Aversa Santa Patena | The Bourbons
Asprinio di Aversa DOP
From a volcanic vineyard with 50-60 year old vines in the Agro Aversano. Grapes harvested by hand in boxes, followed by crushing, destemming, vacuum pressing and fermentation in steel. The refinement begins immediately after the end of the alcoholic fermentations: one year on the fine lees and repeated batonnage. This process makes this Asprinio a stable wine in a completely natural way, without further interventions. Bottle refinement for several years. Only 2,600 bottles per year.
Price per bottle: €26.5
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🍷 Shadow of the Hawk | Crodarossa
Vineyards of the Dolomites IGT
The most complex wine from Crodarossa. Pure Merlot from overripe grapes harvested by hand with soft crushing and destemming; it ferments at a controlled temperature and ages for twelve months in tonneau and turns on soft, captivating sensorial registers, dynamic structure thanks to the planting altitude.
Price per bottle: €19
🥂 Offline Orange Wine | Lunarossavini
50% Fiano, 50% Moscato
Produced with long macerations on the skins: these are wines understood as belonging to another category, intermediate between whites and reds. Fermentation and maceration take place in amphora, followed by refinement for two years in barriques , concrete and steel.
Price per bottle: €30
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🥂 Sengialta | Balestri Valda
Soave Classico DOC
This single vineyard Soave Classico Cru was born on soils rich in black basalt rocks of volcanic origin; only the best bunches are selected and the wine obtained ages for 22 months on the fine lees in wooden barrels. It matures in the bottle for another two years, thanks to the enormous evolutionary potential of Garganega (here in association with Trebbiano di Soave), the local autochthon par excellence.
Price per bottle: €20
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FOREIGN WINES
10 fine foreign wines to give as gifts
🥂 Brut Réserve Premier cru | Bernard Pitois
AOC Champagne
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown a few kilometers from Epernay. The grapes are harvested by hand with a careful selection of the grapes. After transport to the vineyard and a soft crushing-destemming, the first traditional fermentation takes place, followed by the second according to the dictates of the Champenoise Method. Followed by aging for 48 months on the yeasts and subsequently by the addition of the liqueur de tirage .
Price per bottle: €35
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🍷 Mont Embrasé Cuvée Héritage Pinot Noir | Grivot-Goisot
Côtes d'Auxerre
One hectare vineyard in the heart of Burgundy, 35-45 year old vines and vines with controlled grassing. Pure Pinot Noir harvested by hand; fermentation and aging in wood, for 12 months in French barriques, bottling at the estate.
Price per bottle: €28
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🥂 Hargardun Trocken Riesling | Bibo Runge
Rheingau Riesling Trocken QbA
Riesling from vineyards over 40 years old. After manual harvesting, the grapes are subjected to maceration on the skins for 24 hours before alcoholic fermentation, which lasts for 5 months in wood. Maturation is carried out in large barrels for at least 8 months.
Price per bottle: €32
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🍷 Chateau Portal | Herpe
Minervois AOC
The harvest is done by hand and in boxes, with selection of the best bunches in the vineyard, to guarantee the quality of the grapes. A part is vinified in the traditional way, at a controlled temperature, while the remainder is subjected to carbonic maceration.
Price per bottle: €18
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🍷 Medoc Les Charmes | Dompierre
AOC Médoc
Blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot from the St Christoly Médoc area. The harvest is manual, in 10 kg boxes. This is followed by transport on the refrigerated truck, destemming and careful selection of the bunches. Fermentation in wooden vats with maturation for 5 weeks first, and then 12 months again in wood.
Price per bottle: €28
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🥂 Crémant du Jura | Jerome Arnoux
AOC Crémant du Jura
Crémant du Jura Blanc de Blanc Zéro Dosage from pure Chardonnay. After a manual harvest and soft pressing, first fermentation with clarification of the must. The second fermentation in the bottle follows according to the Champenoise Method, after which the wine rests for 24 months on the yeasts. Not dosed.
Price per bottle: €35
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🍷 Grenache Noir No Sex for Butterfly | Come again
AOC Côtes du Rhône
Plot of just 2 and a half hectares, dating back to 1988. We are in the Rhone Valley, soil of stoneware, stones and sediments from the Durance river; full southern exposure. Fermentation in concrete cuvée at 25-26° C. Short pumping over, 3 times a day. Fermentation and maceration for 15 days. Aged in cement for one year.
Price per bottle: €18
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🥂 Riesling Hart Traditon | Schoffit
Alsace AOC
An Alsatian Riesling produced in a vineyard called Harth. A 1 hectare plot with soil characterized by small stones dating back to the Quaternary era. The crushing-destemming is soft and the alcoholic fermentation is carried out at a controlled temperature in steel tanks. A short refinement in steel follows, to guarantee and preserve the quality of the grapes.
Price per bottle: €27
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🍷 Malbec Seleccion Consult Prodigo | El Hijo Prodigo
Malbec
100% Malbec grown in Mendoza at 980 meters above sea level and harvested by hand. Pre-fermentative cryo-maceration at low temperature (8° C) for three days. Alcoholic fermentation for two weeks on the skins with daily pumping over. Aging for 10 months in French barriques. Further six months of bottle maturation.
Price per bottle: €19
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🥂 Cremant De Loire Murano | Saget
Crémant de Loire AOC
Chenin blanc and chardonnay harvested and vinified separately, with soft pressing and vinification at a controlled temperature of 18° C. The ideal cuvée is made for secondary fermentation; bottled and left to referment with the yeasts, to rest for at least 18 months.
Price per bottle: €18
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FAQ on fine wines to give as gifts
What wine to give as a gift to make a good impression?
To leave an indelible impression and make a truly good impression, our advice is to focus on wines that are synonymous with class and refinement. Here are some options that are sure to leave their mark:
- High Quality Champagne: Nothing screams "celebration" like a bottle of Champagne. Choose a high-quality cuvée from a renowned maison: a touch of unique elegance and effervescence.
- Barolo: Known as "the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings", Barolo is one of the most famous Italian red wines, even abroad.
- Brunello di Montalcino: Another jewel of Italian oenology, Brunello di Montalcino is a Tuscan red wine highly appreciated for its complexity and robust character. It's a great choice for those who love structured reds.
- Amarone della Valpolicella: This Venetian wine is known for its rich and enveloping flavour. The grapes are dried before winemaking, which gives the wine an extraordinary concentration of flavor. It is a gift that will be appreciated by lovers of full, warm wine.
- Super Tuscan: These Tuscan wines represent the pinnacle of Italian wine innovation. They are blends of Italian and international grapes, offering a unique quality.
- Bordeaux Grand Cru: Bordeaux has always been a region famous for its fine wines. A Bordeaux Grand Cru Classé is an exceptional choice from one of the most important wine regions in the world.
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Here we are in Provence, with wines with unique aromatic complexity.
- Chardonnay from Burgundy: The whites of Burgundy, such as the Chardonnay of Puligny-Montrachet or the Corton-Charlemagne, are famous for their finesse and complexity. A high-quality white Burgundy, often produced with long aging in wood, is a perfect gift for lovers of structured white wines.
- Crémant de Loire: The Loire is known for its extremely refined bubbles. A Crémant de Loire offers unparalleled freshness and elegance, ideal for special gifts.
What bottle to give for a birthday?
For a birthday it is good to give something personalized to the recipient, whether it is based on their tastes or in any case designed based on the individual. The ideal is to find a wine that represents the year of birth of the birthday boy or some important dates and anniversaries. Remember that not all bottles indicate the vintage. To better understand how it works you can read our article.
What wine to give to a doctor?
For a doctor we recommend you go for the great high quality classics. If you have to give a wine to a doctor, read our complete guide and you won't go wrong.
What wine do you give as a gift at Christmas?
During the Christmas period, choosing a wine becomes even more special, as the gift can help create a festive atmosphere. Here are some classic ideas on which wine to give as a gift at Christmas:
Red Wine: Christmas is often associated with warm and enveloping flavours, and a quality, full-bodied and important red wine is simply perfect. A good Chianti Classico or Bordeaux are classic and versatile options that pair well with a variety of Christmas dishes, from roast meats to other traditional dishes.
Quality Sparkling Wine: Bubbles are always suitable for celebrations, and Christmas is no exception. A good Champagne, a Franciacorta, an Alta Langa, a Trento DOC or another Classic Method are able to add a touch of luxury to the gift.
Sweet Wine: Wines such as Port, Marsala or Sauternes or the many possibilities of Italian dessert wines are perfect for a Christmas gift for those who love sweet wines.
Alternatively, for a special gift at Christmas, consider giving a bottle of a little-known wine with a story to tell: whether it is from a niche winery, aged with particular methods or for a very long time, or even comes from a region very special, you will make your gift unique and unforgettable.
What wine to give to a Sommelier?
For a wine expert, special solutions are needed. Look for a bottle from a small winery, a rare label, or a limited edition of a large bottle. For a less expensive solution you can look for wines of little-known grape varieties.
What wine to give to a connoisseur?
As with sommeliers, connoisseurs appreciate high quality wines; based on the budget available and the tastes of the recipient, you will be able to opt for labels from prestigious wineries or for wines from small wineries, with very carefully crafted and artisanal micro-productions, without being scared if they produce outside of the more well-known denominations.
How to choose a fine wine?
Selecting a fine wine requires attention to detail. Here are some steps to make an informed choice:
Year of Production: The vintage of a wine can have a significant impact on its character and overall quality. Some vintages are exceptional, characterized by ideal climatic conditions that produce high quality grapes. For red wines, warmer vintages often offer greater complexity. Knowing the exceptional vintages can help you select a highly prized bottle. If you don't know the world of wine well, get help from the experts.
Region of origin: Each wine region in the world has its own distinctive specialties and grape varieties. For example, Burgundy in France is famous for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while Tuscany in Italy is known for its red wines such as Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, from Sangiovese. Finding out about the region of origin helps you guide your choice towards a wine that embodies the characteristics of that area.
Preferred type of wine: Consider the recipient's preferences. Some people like intense, structured red wines, while others prefer fresh, aromatic whites. If you know the recipient's wine preferences, you can focus on those types of wine. If you are uncertain, go for the great classics: from the reds of Bordeaux to the whites of Alsace, up to Champagne, to stay in France.
Which Champagne to give as a gift to make a good impression?
Champagne is in itself a symbol of excellence. Based on
recipient and your available budget you can look for a small maison or a very renowned and well-known one. In any case, it is the true symbol of elegance and celebration. Here are some of the various possibilities:
- Champagne from a renowned Maison, ideal for those who love luxurious and well-known labels.
- Champagne from a small vigneron, perfect for those who are curious and love to experiment.
- Special vintage, to celebrate an event or give value by choosing wines of particular quality.
- Particular refinement, if you want to impress the recipient.
How much does a bottle of fine wine cost?
The cost of a bottle of fine wine can vary greatly based on several factors, including the producer, vintage, region and type of wine.
However, as a general rule, it is advisable to expect to spend at least 18-20 euros for a quality bottle of wine that is considered valuable. The rarest and most prestigious bottles, for gifts of great value, such as great Bordeaux wines or high-end Champagne, can reach much higher figures, exceeding 100 euros or even more.
The great thing about wine is that there are high quality options at all prices, you just need to know how to choose well, even at very affordable prices.
