Wine Suggestions for Gifts

• Choose a wine as an appreciation gift. wine image by Orlando Florin Rosu from Fotolia.com

  Give a bottle of wine as an appreciation gift to a dinner party or open house. Wine also delights a hard-to-buy-for birthday or retirement honoree who loves to entertain. Elizabeth L. Post, editor of "Emily Post's Etiquette," advises you not to be insulted if the host does not serve the wine on the spot in favor of planned refreshments. If the host or hostess does choose to serve it, do not express disappointment if the gift was intended for enjoyment on the recipient's honeymoon or other private occasion.

Local Labels

• Secondary fruits accompany grapes in some local wines. White wine of the alentejo region image by inacio pires from Fotolia.com

  If the recipient recently moved to the area from afar, research local and regional wineries. A local wine introduces the newcomer to the amenities of her new home town. Include a brochure that does not display prices or a business card if the vintner sells wares from the winery or gift shop. When the climate does not promote lengthy growing seasons, local fruits such as strawberries or blueberries blend with traditional red or white grapes. Showcase traditional grape wines and blends from Michigan, Indiana, Florida, Washington State and others.

Burgundy

• Burgundy must be properly stored. wine cellar witch stacked bottles and barrels image by kubais from Fotolia.com

  Exercise caution when selecting a burgundy, even though the choice may give the impression that you splurged. "Burgundy is simply too fragile to endure the conditions in most stores," according to master sommelier Andrea Immer Robinson. "Even many fine wine stores do not have temperature-controlled storage for their wines." Ask if the store has a temperature-controlled case or vault before considering a Burgundy. Select another type of wine, or purchase a Beaujolais, a wine produced in high volume with great selling turnover.

Sparkling Wine

• Choose a celebratory sparkling wine. champagne image by Jarek Miarka from Fotolia.com

  Dry, bubbly French champagne evokes memories of decadent weddings and star-studded affairs. Sparkling wine mimics the pale color and fizz of its European cousin, often without the guilt of a steep price tag for comparable quality. Infrequent or new wine drinkers find the slightly fruity flavor of California varieties more palatable than dry varieties favored by champagne connoisseurs.