Christmas Gift Guide

Looking to tick a few items of the Christmas list? Forget the stressful trawl around the stores, or endless online searches.  A lovely bottle of wine never fails to deliver, but pick wisely, and match your gift to the recipient!  

Here are my tips for the best gift options from Great Western Wine this festive season...

For the girl about town... Ferrari Maximum Brut with chiller tin (£19.95) 

Looks smart, tastes smart.  This award – winning Italian fizz is made with the same grapes and in the same way as Champagne (and better than many of them!).  Elegant, rich, creamy and toasty in flavour, it comes with a smart monochrome, metal chiller tin. True Italian style and guaranteed to make an impression.

One for the boys... Malbec twin gift pack (£25.70) 

At the risk of stereotyping, most men like steak; most men also like rich, full-bodied reds. The result – a gift of Malbec, the hottest trend in red wine right now – a twin pack with one bottle from Tomero, one of Argentina’s top producers, and one from South western France, Cahors, the region, which was home of Malbec before Argentina made it famous.

Impress the teacher

For him...Late Bottled Vintage Port 2011, Qunita Do  Crasto ( £15.95) 

Packed in a smart gift box, this is deliciously full, and crammed with rich, Christmassy flavours – prunes, cinnamon, dark chocolate and spice.

For her...Fiabesto Prosecco Gift ( £12.95)

Top notch Prosecco, looking stylish in a smart gift box, and tasting fabulous. Your child’s teacher will give you extra gold stars!

Class present? The Christmas Box (£192)

I can’t remember the average number of children in a class, but 20 seems to spring to mind. So if you’re clubbing together, donating £10 each, and you are in charge of collecting money, getting cards signed and buying the class present, here’s a quick fix. 3 bottles of Champagne, 3 bottles of a fabulous white Burgundy, 3 bottles of delicious red Burgundy ( perfect for turkey), and one each of top notch Port and Sauternes. Job done.

Secret Santa

For her...The Frost Pocket Sauvignon Blanc gift pack (£12.50) 

You can’t go wrong with this reliable, passionfruit and lime zest –steeped New Zealand Sauvignon, prettily packaged up in a smart gift box.

For him...Bordeaux gift pack (£13.95) 

Delicious, soft, fruity classic Claret from the lovely estate of Chateau Sainte Marie. Smart. Sophisticated. Just like your colleague…maybe.

Impress the boss...Ben Glaetzer The Wallace 2013 (£17.95)

You can’t fail to impress the boss with this handsome statement of a wine; beautifully packaged, it’s what’s in the bottle that matters most. From one of Australia’s most iconic winemakers, Ben Glaetzer  this is a dark, brooding, rich, yet elegant red from the Barossa, tightly-packed with dense, dark fruit, mocha, warm spice, and a dollop of licorice. Smart;  top quality; polished.

For Dad...Lot 90 XO Cognac (£55 down to £39.50)

I think most of us have been guilty of running out of ideas and buying our dads a bottle of whisky or brandy. There’s nothing wrong in that, just make sure it’s a special one. Tesseron produce special blends of ‘lot’ cognacs, where the number on the bottle is the age of the main component. So here you have a 25 year old top notch cognac, lovingly aged and matured in cask to guarantee your position as ‘favourite child’ with your Dad!

For Mum...Champagne Gobillard and Leonidas chocolates (£39.50) 

Guaranteed to bring a smile to any mum’s face, especially when the Champagne is as good as this one. Gobillard is a family – owned ( grower) Champagne, which means they make it and sell it themselves, rather than selling the grapes to the big brands. Rich, toasty, creamy, with lots of ripe, berry fruit. Add in some sumptuous Belgian chocolates from top chocolatier Leonidas and the result will be a very happy mum.

For the sister (or sister in law)...Chase Elegant Gin (£34.50)

No spirit is cooler than gin right now, and this one is up there with the best. Gorgeous packaging; super-smart gift box; and inside,  a fabulously aromatic gin, full  of botanicals – not just juniper berries, but also infused with apples, elderflower and hops.

For the brother (or brother in law)...Wiper and True 12 extraordinary artisan beers (£33.60)

The craze for Craft Ales is set to continue, and what better present for a brother or brother-in-law. From our very own, local , boutique brewery, Wiper & True, a mix of Pale Ale, Small Beer, Amber Ale and Porter. The guys at Wiper & True are alchemists and craftsmen, creating magic and innovation out of hops, malt, yeast and water every day.

I’m sure there will be lots of presents in store for your loved ones, but here are a couple of other ideas for indulgent ‘stocking fillers’

If she's the love of your life...Taittinger Champagne Nocturne gift box (£45.00) 

There’s a party diva in every girl, so indulge her with a bottle of this delightful Champagne, from one of the most prestigious Champagne brands, all decked out in purple, glitter ball glory.

If he's the love of your life... Dalmore 12 Year old Whisky (£40.00) 

From the Northern Highlands, this is a rich, smooth, mocha and spice infused malt from a prestigious distillery. Not only does it tastes great, it looks the part as well, with the Dalmore signature stag on both the bottle and the impressive looking gift box.

If you're proposing this Christmas...Tattinger Champagne & Champagne flutes (£40) 

This will go very nicely with the ring!  Impress her even more with this beautifully packaged gift set of the lovely, creamy, super-elegant Taittinger Champagne, complete with 2 champagne flutes.

If she's your best friend...Prosecco & Leonidas chocolates (£28.45) 

Keep your Best Friend sweet with this lovely gift of top notch Prosecco and a golden box of indulgent Belgian chocolates, from top chocolatier Leonidas. 

If he's your best friend...Magnum of Marqués de Risal Rioja Reserva 2010 (£34, down to £25)

Treat your best mate to a magnum of this ripe, smooth, elegant Rioja from one of the best known producers in the region. Perfect for Christmas.

If money is no object...Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 (£115)

If luxury is the key word this Christmas, then look no further than this super-premium iconic Champagne, the flagship of the house of Taittinger. Supremely elegant, refined, creamy, and with a deep, lingering charm, it’s the ultimate in treats.

By Angela Mount