We have all found ourselves in this situation: when wanting to gift a beautiful bottle, we don't know where to start to find THE gift that will hit the mark.Whether due to a lack of inspiration or knowledge, or because we do not know the tastes of the person we wish to spoil well enough, the question remains: which wine should I offer them?!
Thanks to this article,
So, red wine or white wine ? Burgundy or Bordeaux ? Wines for aging or for immediate enjoyment? We provide you with all the guidance here to ensure you never disappoint!
When you know nothing about wine
If your wine knowledge is relatively limited, it is better to opt for safe choices 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 most likely delight the lucky recipient. Other AOCs like Pomerol and Saint-Émilion or even Pessac-Léognan further south will also surely please when the estate is carefully selected.
In Burgundy, prioritize wines from the Côte de Nuits as well as the Côte de Beaune to mark the event. Indeed, many famous appellations here can light up the eyes of the lucky recipient: Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Gevrey-Chambertin, or even Chambolle-Musigny will enchant lovers of elegant red wines, for example. As for Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, or Chassagne-Montrachet, they all offer white wines with great aromatic richness.
In the Rhône Valley, focus on the major appellations such as Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, or Châteauneuf-du-Pape. To a lesser extent, Crozes-Hermitage also offers excellent red wines. For whites, Condrieu is also an excellent choice.
Finally, some Loire appellations like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé offer exceptional white wines made from the Sauvignon grape, 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 moment awaits.
Some domain ideas :
- Domaine Philippe Naddef (Fixin, Marsannay)
- Domaine des Hauts Châssis (Crozes-Hermitage)
- Domaine François & Julien Pinon (Vouvray)
- Domaine Bernard Fleuriet & Fils (Sancerre)
- Château de Tracy (Pouilly-Fumé)
For a Burgundy wine enthusiast
If you wish to please a Burgundy wine enthusiast, several options are available to you.
For a lover of powerful Pinot Noir with good aging potential, look without hesitation towards appellations like Gevrey-Chambertin, Pommard, or even Beaune. For a more refined and/or gourmet discovery, Fixin, Chambolle-Musigny, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Mercurey, or even Givry will be more suitable.
If you are addressing a lover of mineral white wines, turn to the appellations Chablis or Puligny-Montrachet.For chardonnays that are rounder and more buttery, Meursault, Pouilly-Fuissé, Saint-Véran, or even Chassagne-Montrachet will be fantastic choices.
Finally, for an even more premium gift, do not hesitate to consider the cuvées labeled Premier Cru or Grand Cru, which are the pinnacle of regional production.
Of course, we provide here the main typologies of each appellation, so do not hesitate to contact
Some domain ideas :
- Domaine Decelle & Fils (Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle, Pommard etc.)
- Domaine Marchand-Grillot (Gevrey-Chambertin)
-
Domaine Jacques Prieur (Meursault, Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot etc.For a Bordeaux enthusiast, the appellations of the Médoc are often the holy grail.Thus, it is highly likely that you are making the right choice by opting for appellations like Saint-Julien, Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, or Margaux, offering structured reds and fine aging wines.
Nevertheless, the right bank as well as the Graves, further south of Bordeaux, also make excellent choices. Pomerol and Saint-Émilion therefore, but also Pessac-Léognan, capable of offering magnificent red and white wines with great depth.
Furthermore, for sweet wine enthusiasts, don't forget the incredible Sauternes, of course!
For a premium gift, don't hesitate to consider the Grands Crus from the region, a guaranteed success when the gift is opened!
Some domain ideas :
- 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)
- Château Haut-Bergeron (Sauternes)
For a Rhône Valley enthusiast
The Rhône Valley is a magnificent region adored by many fine wine enthusiasts.Notably, it includes the most beautiful Syrahs of France but also delicious, rich, and generous white wines made from the Viognier grape.
For a gift, the reliable choices of the region are, in the north, Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Condrieu (white wines) while further south lies 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 of Beaumes-de-Venise, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras!
Some domain ideas:
- Domaine Stéphane Ogier (Côte Rôtie)
- Domaine François Merlin (Côte Rôtie)
- Domaine de Boisseyt (Saint-Joseph)
- Domaine Faugier-Gonnet (Condrieu)
- Château de Beaucastel (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
- Domaine Pierre Usseglio (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
- Domaine de Piéblanc (Beaumes-de-Venise)
For a Champagne enthusiast
For a sparkling wine lover, Champagne is an obvious choice.
For champagnes blanc de blancs chalky and full of finesse, the houses of Franck Bonville, Veuve Fourny and Pertois-Moriset, all located in Côte des Blancs where Chardonnay is king, will be absolute no-fail 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, Champagnes Philipponnat and Charles Heidsieck will be sublime classics that will surely impress.
For a red wine enthusiast
If you wish to offer a bottle to a red wine enthusiast, multiple choices are available to you! Thus, if the advice regarding the previous regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhône Valley remains entirely valid, do not forget here all the other magnificent regions of the French vineyards!
For an enthusiast of powerful red wines, the regions of the Southwest, Provence or even Languedoc-Roussillon can offer great moments as well as magnificent value for money.We might think, for example, 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 Loire will be excellent choices. Indeed, appellations such as Morgon, Fleurie, Sancerre, Chinon, or even Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil could perfectly suit this type of taster.
Some domain ideas :
- La Chouette du Chai (Pic Saint Loup)
- Château de L'Ou (IGP Côtes Catalanes)
- 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
If you wish to offer a lovely bottle to a white wine fan, the magnificent diversity of the French vineyard will easily allow you to find your happiness! Thus, if the advice regarding the previous regions has not yet sufficiently inspired you, do not hesitate to also turn to Alsace, the Loire, Corsica or Provence!
Indeed, for lovers of mineral white wines, the Alsatian Rieslings as well as the Sauvignons and Chenins from the Loire will make delightful discoveries.Do not overlook Roussanne and Jacquère, faithful companions of the small Savoyard vineyard. Finally, some white wines from Provence and Corsica made from the Rolle grape variety (also known as Vermentino) may surprise you with their freshness!
For lovers of rich and/or oaky white wines, the Burgundy Chardonnays as well as the Viogniers from the Rhône Valley are absolute reference points. Nevertheless, some white wines from Bordeaux (grape varieties Sémillon and Sauvignon), from the Southwest (grape varieties Petit Courbu, Gros Manseng etc.) as well as whites from Provence aged in barrels will also be perfectly suited for this type of palate.
Some domain ideas :
- Domaine Thevenot Le Brun (Hautes Côtes-de-Nuits, Coteaux Bourguignons)
- Domaine Garnier & Fils (Chablis)
- Domaine Michelot (Meursault)
- Domaine Figuière (Côtes-de-Provence)
- Château Laballe (Sud-Ouest)
- Domaine Yves Leccia (Patrimonio, Corse)
- Domaine Barmès-Buecher (Alsace)
- Domaine Boehler (Alsace)
- Domaine Mittnacht Frères (Alsace)
For a lover of original wines
Do you want to surprise with an original and atypical wine? Then step out of the conventional appellations and consensual tastes !
Have you ever heard of orange wine? Does yellow wine, originating from Jura, ring a bell? Here are excellent ideas for a surprising and intriguing gift!
Some appellations with lesser fame can also make one realize that a vineyard is not limited to its flagship appellations.Do you know, for example, Beaumes-de-Venise or the IGP Coteaux de l'Ardèche in the Rhône Valley? The appellation Maury and its incredible Vins Doux Naturels in Languedoc, are they familiar to you? 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 codes! Have you, for example, ever heard of Amarone della Valpolicella, this delicious Italian red wine with an incredible power? Do the red wines of the small Italian appellation Montello e Colli Asolani mean anything to you? Are you familiar with the delicious wines of 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, do you still not feel comfortable and prefer to leave the choice to the future recipient? No problem, you can absolutely offer 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 note if you wish...and there you go! You will receive your gift card by email within 24 hours!
You are now full of ideas to offer beautiful bottles ! Of course, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact
La Cave Éclairée , we will be happy to guide you in your selection.Cheers and happy holidays!