We have all found ourselves in this situation: when we want to give a fine bottle, we don't know where to start to find THE perfect gift that will hit the mark.Whether it is due to a lack of inspiration or knowledge, or simply because we do not know the tastes of the person we wish to spoil well enough, the question remains: which wine should I give them?!
Thanks to this article, La Cave Éclairée takes matters into its own hands and gives you all the answers to help you in this noble quest for sharing and pleasure!
So, red wine or white wine ? Burgundy or Bordeaux ? Wines for aging or for immediate enjoyment? Here we give you all the tips so you never disappoint!
Summary
When you know nothing about wine
If your knowledge of wine is relatively limited, it is better to choose safe values and well-known appellations to avoid disappointment.
In this case, the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône Valley as well as certain appellations of Loire will be perfectly suited
In Bordeaux, the structured red wines from Médoc such as Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Margaux or Pauillac will very likely delight the lucky recipient. Other AOCs such as Pomerol and Saint-Émilion or even Pessac-Léognan further south will also be sure to please, provided the estate is carefully selected.
In Burgundy, favor wines from the Côte de Nuits as well as the Côte de Beaune to mark the occasion. Indeed, many famous appellations here will light up the eyes of the lucky recipient: Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Gevrey-Chambertin or even Chambolle-Musigny will, for example, delight lovers of elegant red wines. As for Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet or Chassagne-Montrachet, they all offer white wines with great aromatic richness.
In the Rhône Valley, choose major appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Hermitage or Châteauneuf-du-Pape. To a lesser extent, Crozes-Hermitage also offers excellent red wines.In white, Condrieu is also an excellent choice.
Finally, certain Loire appellations such as Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé offer exceptional white wines made from the Sauvignon grape variety, lively and very aromatic. You can also opt for white wines or sparkling wines made from the Chenin grape variety from AOCs such as Vouvray or Savennières. A great experience awaits.
Our recommendations:
- Domaine Cheveau (Pouilly-Fuissé)
- Domaine des Hauts Châssis (Crozes-Hermitage)
- Domaine François & Julien Pinon (Vouvray)
- Domaine Bernard Fleuriet & Fils (Sancerre)
For a Burgundy wine enthusiast
If you would like to please a Burgundy wine enthusiast, you have several options available.
For a lover of powerful and age-worthy Pinot Noir, do not hesitate to turn to appellations such as Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard or Beaune. For a more refined and/or indulgentise discovery, Fixin, Chambolle-Musigny, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Mercurey or Givry will be more suitable.
If you are addressing a lover of mineral white wines, turn to the appellations Chablis or Puligny-Montrachet. For rounder and more buttery chardonnays, Meursault, Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran or even Chassagne-Montrachet will be fantastic choices.
Finally, for an even more premium gift, do not hesitate to choose cuvées labeled Premier Cru or Grand Cru, which are the flagship of regional production.
Of course, we are providing here the main typologies of each appellation, so please do not hesitate to contact La Cave Éclairée for further details!
Our recommendations:
- Domaine Decelle & Fils (Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle, Pommard etc.)
- Domaine Marchand-Grillot (Gevrey-Chambertin)
- Domaine Jacques Prieur (Meursault, Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot etc.)
- Domaine François Raquillet (Mercurey)
- Domaine du Cellier aux Moines (Givry)
- Au Pied du Mont Chauve (Chassagne-Montrachet)
- Domaine Alain Chavy (Puligny-Montrachet)
For a Bordeaux enthusiast
For a Bordeaux enthusiast, the Médoc appellations are often the ultimate goal. Therefore, it is very likely that you will make the right choice by selecting appellations such as Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac or Margaux, offering structured reds and excellent wines for cellaring.
Nevertheless, the right bank as well as the Graves, further south of Bordeaux, also constitute excellent choices. Pomerol and Saint-Émilion therefore, but also Pessac-Léognan, capable of offering magnificent red wines and white wines of great depth.
Furthermore, for sweet wine enthusiasts, do not forget the incredible Sauternes, of course!
For a premium gift, do not hesitate to opt for the region's Grands Crus, guaranteed to be a hit when the gift is opened!
Our recommendations:
- Château Gruaud Larose (Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Julien)
- Château Montrose (Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Estèphe)
- Château Pontet-Canet (Grand Cru Classé, Pauillac)
- Château Brane-Cantenac (Grand Cru Classé, Margaux)
- Château Leydet-Valentin (Saint-Émilion)
- Château Trotte-Vieille (Grand Cru Classé, Saint-Émilion)
- Château de Valois (Pomerol)
- Château Smith Haut Lafitte (Grand Cru Classé, Pessac-Léognan)
For a Rhône Valley enthusiast
The Rhône Valley is a magnificent region, beloved by many lovers of great wines. It notably features the finest Syrahs from France as well as delicious, rich white wines made from the Viognier grape variety.
For a gift, the region’s safe bets are, in the north, Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Condrieu (white wines), while further south you’ll find the legendary Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
If you are looking for great discoveries as well as interesting value for money, you can also go for the red wines from Cornas, Gigondas and Vacqueyras !
Our recommendations:
- Domaine Stéphane Ogier (Côte Rôtie)
- Domaine Pierre Gaillard (Côte Rôtie & Condrieu)
- Château de Beaucastel (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
- Domaine Pierre Usseglio (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
- Famille de Boel France (Côtes-du-Rhône, Cornas etc.)
For a Champagne enthusiast
For a lover of sparkling wines, Champagne is an obvious choice.
For blanc de blancs champagnes chalky and full o finesse, the houses Franck Bonville, Veuve Fourny, Waris-Hubert and Pertois-Moriset, all located in the Côte des Blancs where Chardonnay is king, will be absolutely flawless choices.
On the other hand, for more vinous and structured champagnes, while maintaining remarkable elegance, the house of Pierre Paillard will be a better choice.
Finally, to offer a prestigious brand, the Philipponnat Champagnes and Charles Heidsieck will be sublime classics that are sure to make an impression.
For a red wine enthusiast
If you wish to offer a bottle to a red wine enthusiast, you have multiple choices available! Thus, while the advice regarding the previous regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhône Valley remains entirely relevant, do not forget all the other magnificent regions of the French vineyards!
For a fan of full-bodied red wines, the regions of South-West, Provence or even Languedoc-Roussillon can offer truly great moments as well as excellent value for money. For example, one might think of certain appellations such as Madiran, the Côtes-de-Provence (and yes, it's not just rosé!) or even Pic-Saint-Loup.
For a lover of fine and easy-to-drink red wines, the regions of Beaujolais, Jura, Savoie and of course the Loire will be excellent choices. Indeed, appellations such as Morgon, Fleurie, Sancerre, Chinon or even Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil will perfectly suit this type of taster.
Our recommendations:
- La Chouette du Chai (Pic Saint Loup)
- Château Montus (Madiran)
- Château Sainte-Marguerite (Côtes-de-Provence)
- Domaine Fabrice Gasnier (Chinon)
- Domaine Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy (Sancerre)
- Clos des Quarterons Domaine Amirault (Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil)
- Jérôme Arnoux Cellier des Tiercelines (Jura)
For a white wine enthusiast whites
If you wish to offer a lovely bottle to a white wine enthusiast, the magnificent diversity of the French vineyards will easily allow you to find what you are looking for! So, if the advice regarding the previous regions has not yet inspired you enough, do not hesitate to also turn to Alsace, the Loire, Corsica or even Provence!
Indeed, for lovers of mineral white wines, the Alsatian Rieslings as well as the Sauvignons and Chenins from the Loire will make for delightful discoveries. Do not overlook Roussanne and Jacquère, loyal companions of the small Savoyard vineyard. Finally, some white wines from Provence and Corsica made from Rolle grape variety (also called Vermentino) may surprise you with their freshness!
For lovers of white wines indulgents and/or oaked, Burgundy Chardonnays as well as Viogniers from the Rhône Valley are absolute benchmarks. Nevertheless, some white wines from Bordeaux (grape varieties Sémillon and Sauvignon), from the South-West (grape varieties Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng etc.) as well as barrel-aged whites from Provence will also be perfectly suited for this type of palate.
Our recommendations:
- Domaine Thevenot Le Brun (Hautes Côtes-de-Nuits, Coteaux Bourguignons)
- Domaine Garnier & Fils (Chablis)
- Domaine Michelot (Meursault)
- Domaine Figuière (Côtes-de-Provence)
- Château Laballe (South-West)
- Domaine Yves Leccia (Patrimonio, Corsica)
- Domaine Barmès-Buecher (Alsace)
- Domaine Boehler (Alsace)
- Domaine Mittnacht Frères (Alsace)
For a lover of original wines
Would you like to surprise someone with an original and unusual wine? Then step away from conventional appellations as well as consensual tastes !
For example, have you ever heard of orange wine? Does yellow wine, originally from Jura, ring a bell? Here are some excellent ideas for a surprising and intriguing gift!
Certain appellations with less renown can also show that a vineyard is not limited to its flagship appellations.Do you know, for example, the PGI Coteaux de l'Ardèche in the Rhône Valley? The appellation Maury and its incredible Natural Sweet Wines in Languedoc, are you familiar with them? Here are some other possibilities!
Finally, offering a Spanish wine or an Italian wine can also be a way to break our sometimes very chauvinistic consumption habits! For example, have you ever heard of Amarone della Valpolicella, this delicious Italian red wine with incredible power? The red wines from the small Italian appellation Montello Asolo — do they ring a bell? Are you familiar with the delicious wines from the Spanish appellations Rioja and Ribera del Duero ? Here are even more choices for you!
And why not a gift card?
Despite all our advice, you still don't feel comfortable and would prefer to let the future recipient choose? No problem, you can absolutely give the gift card from La Cave Éclairée !
This will give the lucky recipient the opportunity to select their favorite cuvées from a range of over 350 wines, champagnes, and spirits highlighting small producers as well as organic and biodynamic wines!
Choose the desired amount, write a message if you wish...and there you go! You will receive your gift card by email within 24 hours!
You now have plenty of ideas in mind to offer beautiful bottles ! Of course, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact La Cave Éclairée, we will be happy to guide you in your selection.
Cheers and happy holidays!
