We have all been there, en route to a dinner party to meet the family of a significant other or to see loved ones for the holidays. You want to be classy and thoughtful for the occasion, so you decide to pick up a bottle of wine. But what sort of bottle should you get? Do various occasions require different sorts of wine? In this column, I will provide some popular scenarios and suggestions for the type of wine you should buy.
You want to get a special bottle of wine for your boyfriend or girlfriend. Whether it is Christmas, a birthday or an anniversary, my advice is the same. If he or she regularly drinks wine, get your special someone the wine he or she loves. Remember, gift-giving is really about showing people that you know them well and that you put thought into a present. Even if your boyfriend loves Yellow Tail or your girlfriend likes Arbor Mist, still get him or her the bottle he or she will enjoy. Some wine regulars even have expensive bottles that they buy when they want to spoil themselves. Try and find that information out. I, for example, spoil myself with Gevrey-Chambertin from Burgundy, France. Listen intently for clues — that is the real gift. If your partner does not usually drink wine but you still want to get him or her something, I recommend dessert wine, which almost everyone usually likes.
Buying wine for a dinner party or get-together is difficult because there are two competing interests at play. On the one hand, you have to get a wine that is somewhat impressive. Although some value wines represent a good mix of price and quality, you usually cannot walk into a dinner party with Yellow Tail or Three Buck Chuck. On the other hand, you do not want to buy a $50 bottle that no one at the party will appreciate. Moreover, there is a slight chance that an expensive bottle you bring will not even be uncorked! Bummer for you, windfall for the host. To solve this dilemma, I suggest buying a mid-priced wine ($15 to $25) with an interesting story behind it. Get a wine that other guests have probably never had before and tell a story about it. By reading this column and perhaps through some online searching, you should be able to spin yarns about Port, Cava, Torrontes, Bull’s Blood, Tokay or other obscure wines from around the globe. Your interesting stories will increase the value of the wine, which in turn ensures it will be opened and enjoyed. Wine is also a great gift for family, especially around the holidays. It gives you the chance to get loved ones a quality bottle of wine that they would be too modest to buy themselves, or even better, to introduce them to something they never have had before. If your father never tried a Cabernet Franc from Virginia, give him a bottle. If your mom only likes dessert wines, try and find her a more exotic varietal. Get her a bottle of Port or Sauternes. If you seek a quality bottle that people usually refuse to buy themselves, treat your family to an expensive bottle of French or Italian wine that they could take to a restaurant for a special occasion. For French wines, go with a pricey Bordeaux or Châteauneuf-du-Pape. For Italian wines, a Barolo is the way to go. Still, there is always the classic choice: champagne. Although people usually do not buy it for themselves, it is always good to have champagne on hand.
In the end, the choice of what wine to purchase depends not only on circumstances but also what you hope to accomplish. If you want to get a symbolic gift for a cheating boyfriend or girlfriend, get a bottle of Woodbridge that has a vinegar taste more foul than his or her dishonest actions. If you love someone, think about the intended fruits of your labor — should you treat them to an expensive bottle with a different tasting experience or should you show them that you listen and buy them their favorite? The realm of possibility is as wide as the world of wine itself.
Jeff’s column runs biweekly Wednesdays. He can be reached at j.katra@cavalierdaily.com.
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