Food and Wine World

If you have been lumbered with the task of buying a gift for a work colleagues, friend or family member you may feel a sense of dread.  Some people have a natural talent for buying gifts and really enjoy it whilst others view it as being a form of penance.  We live in such a consumer-led world and everything has become more affordable to people.  This has meant that whenever someone sees something they like, they simply go out and buy it.  So what are we gift-buyers supposed to buy for the person who has everything they want and need?  Well, we all need to drink and eat so this is one type of gift which will always be appreciated.

No all you have to think about is what type of wine gift basket to buy as there are so many to choose from.  Most people love wine and will be delighted to receive such a gift.  A wine gift basket will also make a great gift for most special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, Easter and even passing a driving test or moving into a new home.  Whatever the reason you are buying a gift, a wine gift basket will work a treat.

Wine Gift Basket Ideas

You can tailor a wine gift basket so that it can be as fancy and luxurious as you want it to be.  How much you spend on a basket will naturally reflect the event and person you are buying for.  If the gift is for an acquaintance that you don’t know very well or you are just visiting someone for the evening, you will probably not want to spend a huge amount of money.  Keep it very simple to just one or two bottles of wine with some other small items like chocolates or olives.

On the other hand, if you are celebrating a very big event such as a wedding or diamond anniversary, you should push the boat out and buy something that bit more extravagant.  A very romantic combination is a bottle of good quality champagne with a couple of lead crystal glasses and even some chocolates.

You can create a theme for your wine gift basket such as wines from California or just red wines or perhaps Fair Trade and organic wines which are starting to rise in popularity.  Other non-wine gifts can easily be included in the gift basket such as biscuits, cheeses, crackers, olives and fruit.  You might want to include other items such as a wine tasting guide, a bottle opener and wine glass charms.

Although most bottles you see in the supermarket are 750ml, you can also buy wine in bottles of varying sizes.  There are the miniature types which are very popular in aeroplanes and hotels or you could go to the opposite end of the spectrum by buying a huge magnum of champagne like you see F1 drivers splashing over each other.  If you want to give the receiver a chance to taste many wines they may never have tried before, a selection of miniature bottles is an ideal way to do this.  If you really want to create a gasp of delight, you could arrange the mini bottles around one very large bottle from Italy or France.

If the gift recipient loves a taste of the quality things in life choosing a bottle of Brut champagne along with fine foods such as Belgium chocolates, truffles, smoked salmon and caviar will cause them to squeal with delight and will thank you for being such a wonderful friend.

Of course, there’s more to a wine gift basket than just the wine.  You need to think about what you put the wine and other treats in.  Although most gift baskets are wicker, there are other more contemporary alternatives to try out.  These can include, leather, metal, plastic and wood.  So have a think abut who you are buying for and what they might like.  Although these basket alternatives can cost more, remember that they are also reusable.  So that leather box you box to present the wine and chocolates can easily be used to store accessories such gloves and scarves.

If you have come to the conclusion that a wine gift basket will make the ideal present you will need to shop around for one.  You can easily have one delivered from the internet or you could find out if your local deli offer any for sale.  It’s important to note however that they don’t have to be purchases ready-made.  You can assemble one yourself by selecting specific wines and food that you know will go down well.

If you are unsure what the person likes you could always ask their other friends and family what their tastes are.  Some people aren’t fussy about what they eat or drink whilst others specifically don’t like certain grape varieties such as Colombard.  Once you have bought all the gift items you want, you will need to go out and buy a gift basket to put them all in.  You buy these at a craft store along with some cellophane and a pretty ribbon.  By creating your own gift basket you can add other items which are more personal such as photos.

If you don’t have the time to prepare your own wine gift basket or don’t think you are capable, having one made up by a company who specializes in this sort of thing would be a wise choice.  Expect to pay upwards of $50 or more if you want to only have the very best food and wine.  Although you may save some money making your own you could be surprised that there isn’t much of a difference at all.

If gift buying is causing you to go into a cold sweat and you’ve been frantically searching the internet for some gift ideas, a wine gift basket will always be received with a genuine smile.  Although it would be a wise decision to find out if the person you are buying for actually drinks wine.  Some people don’t drink alcohol for a number of reasons such as being a recovering alcoholic, religious or perhaps they have some other health problems.  It could be a little awkward if you haven’t thought about that

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