A helpful wine and beer gift guide for the important people in your life.
The season of giving is upon us and for some this means the stress of choosing gifts. What to give the boss? What to give the person who has everything? Is there something interesting to take to a holiday party other than the ubiquitous bottle of Shiraz? Well, hopefully I can help in this department, as there’s a world of options out there. Consider the following as a shopping list for all your gift giving needs!
Heading to a holiday party?
Try taking a bottle of Crémant from France, Cava from Spain or Sparkling Brut from Ontario. All are festive sparkling wines that won’t break the bank, and they’ll also make for a nice change from the ever-present Italian Prosecco.
Some great choices:
Crémant d’Alsace Brut Reserve from Pierre Sparr, $19
Cava Brut Reserva from Seguras Viudas, $15
Cuveé Catharine Rosé Brut from Henry of Pelham $30
A bottle for the boss?,
A Cabernet Sauvignon from California or an Amarone from Italy are always solid choices. Or try a 10 year old Tawny Port, this will last longer than a single bottle of wine as it retains its quality for a couple of months or so after opening (in refrigerator). Each new visit to the bottle will remind your boss how great you are.
Some great choices:
Stags’ Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon $50
Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico $43
Taylor Fladgate 10-Year-Old Tawny Port $35
The Father, Brother, Father-In-Law?
Put together an interesting basket of beers, choose all different varieties to allow a real taste experience. Fill it with Wheat Beer, Stout, Abbey-style Ale, an IPA and anything else that seems interesting.
Some great choices:
Too many to mention, but some of my favourites are:
Rochefort 8, Samuel Smith’s Pale Ale, Nickelbrook’s “Headstock” IPA, Sidelaunch’s wheat beer and Great Lakes “Canuck” Pale Ale
The Mother, Sister, Mother-In-Law, and so on…?
Why not try a bottle of something floral, sweet and pretty. Dessert wines such as Icewine, Muscat or Late Harvest wines are a real sweet treat and are the perfect way to finish off a meal or sip chilled as an aperitif before dinner. They are also wonderful 
accompaniments to blue cheese and custard desserts.
Some great choices are:
Tawse Riesling Icewine 2013 $35
Limnos Wines Muscat de Limnos 2014 $13
Featherstone Select Late Harvest Cabernet Franc 2011 $20
The Foodie in your life?
Choose a region in the world such as Spain or Niagara and then fill a basket or wine crate with wines and food products from that area. You can add olive oil, cheese, mustards, preserves, etc.
And finally, there are times when a bottle of wine doesn’t make sense as a gift, in these instances I like to give a great quality bottle of olive oil. The prices are comparable to wine and a bottle of oil is a real treat for those who don’t normally buy it. Wrap a pretty ribbon around the neck and voilà, you have a great gift.