15 Finds! A Holiday Gift Guide for Wine Lovers 2024
The holidays are among us and once again I’ve compiled a list of gifts that include budget-friendly to splurge-worthy gift ideas that the wine lover on your list will be sure to love. Whether you’re shopping for a red drinker, a white drinker, both, or even looking for something a little “outside of the box” this collection has you covered!
For the White Wine Lover
Arboleda Chardonnay 2022 $18.95
Hailing from the Aconcagua Costa in Chile comes this full-bodied Chardonnay that’s primarily fermented in neutral oak barrels. Warm, toasted almond and gala apple aromas lead to a palate that reveals a silky, luxurious mouthfeel and notes of honeycomb, baked pear, apple, cinnamon and butter - reminiscent of apple pie filling. It concludes with a long, toasty coconut finish. Try pairing this one with poutine.
A good buy that represents that fantastic quality to price ratio that Chilean wine can provide.
Trimbach Riesling 2022 $29.95
A dry Riesling derived from Ribeauville of Alsace, with approximately 25% coming from Grand Crus plots. Possessing notes of green apple, pear, and lime on the nose and palate. A viscous, but crisp mouthfeel with invigorating acidity and a buzzing, white pepper bite. Mineral nuances resonate on a long, fresh finish. This wine is extremely food-friendly and would provide a quality, versatile pairing for several dishes of a holiday feast.
Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay 2022 $29.95
Mer Soleil began with the Wagner family looking for prime farmland to craft top-quality Chardonnay, which led them to the cool-climate Monterey County, California. With winemaker Charlie Wagner crafting Chardonnay since the time he was in highschool, the 3 decades of Mer Soleil is now something to truly celebrate.
This wine is lean, with bright acidity and mouthwatering golden apple and biscuit notes. Enticingly mineral, with wet stone and toasty flavours adding complexity. Beautifully balanced structure and a persistent, flavoursome finish.
For the Red Wine Lover
Josh Cabernet Sauvignon Custom Label
Josh Cellars is providing a meaningful and creative gift idea where you can create your own personalized label! Just head to Joshcustomlabels.com to add your individual image and note for FREE for one of their Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Sauvignon Blanc bottles. So purchase one of these bottles in store (that also comes with a festive gifting box) and order the label for free online. The best part - it only takes two minutes!
Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir $42.00
With Le Clos Jordanne’s new winemaking team, this bottle is marked as a local lover’s dream wine. Now under the direction of one of Canada’s best winemakers, Thomas Bachelder, Le Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir is a hot item for those in the know. This wine is crafted as a pure expression from one of Ontario’s finest terroir, a single-vineyard Claystone on the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation.
This Pinot Noir offers a generous and complex nose of raspberries, maraschino cherry, thyme and fall leaves. One the palate, a strong iron core expands to red berry fruit on the edges. Extravagantly mineral and savoury, dried herb notes. Brilliantly balanced between earth and fruit tethered to a symmetrical structure. It concludes with an earthy, drawn out finish. An ultimate charcuterie board pairing.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 50th Anniversary 2022 $99.95
50 years ago, the Wagner family founded Caymus Vineyards winery based in Rutherford, Napa, California that has developed in to the wine scene mogul we know today. In 1972, only 240 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon launched the beginning of Caymus’ worldwide popularity and the demand for the luscious, round and rich profile of their highly sought-after wines.
A powerful wine that begins with alluring aromas of vanilla bean, milk chocolate and blackberry jelly. A smooth, velvety, full-bodied palate that offers rich notes of dates, wildberry compote, cocoa and sweet oak spice. This wine is decadent enough on its own but would also pair well with devil’s food cake. Ready to drink now but cellarworthy, making a suitable gift for the collector on your list.
Something That Sparkles
Graham Beck Methode Cap Classique Brut Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Rose $21.95
Graham Beck is name that’s become synonymous with South African sparkling wine known as Methode Cap Classique. These wines made in the traditional method offer a high-quality product similar to Champagne but at a fraction of the cost!
A bubbly that presents aromas of white roses and brioche. On the palate bright strawberry and mandarin flavours come together in balance with a leesy textural mouthfeel and fine perlage. Vibrant, flavourful and elegant. This sparkling is bound to please amateur and pro wine lovers alike.
Ken Forrester Sparklehorse Cap Classique Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2020 $29.95
Sparklehorse is made by the “King of Chenin Blanc” Ken Forrester in Stellenbosch, South Africa. This grape makes a terrific Cap Classique with its racy acidity and fresh stone fruit flavours in addition to its 24 month lees aging adding complex texture and a creamy mouthfeel. This sparkler is off-dry with tart apple, apricot and waffle notes. This bottle’s festive flare is enough that it can be added right under the tree without even being wrapped!
Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco $22.95
Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine that is trending once again and could even fit in to the Comeback Classics category here. It’s food-friendly, playful, and unique style that’s now paired with higher quality production, makes this wine so easy to love. This wine displays a sophisticated style with a medium-bodied, off-dry palate with intense cranberry and black raspberry notes. Bring this wine as a host/hostess gift to pair this with holiday meals that include turkey and root vegetables.
Comeback Classics
Rooted in rich history, these wine styles are no longer just a thing of the past, but a way to connect with significant wine culture. These gifts would be relished by true cork dorks!
Tio Pepe Extra Dry Fino $19.95
The González Byass company was established in 1835 to produce wines, brandies, and liquors. Today, Gonzalez Byass is ran by the 5th and 6th family generation and bring us several high-quality brands in the alcohol sector that we know and love. Tio Pepe makes the perfect low-alcohol cocktail base at just 15% abv.
This was my favourite cocktail of the year : The Tio Pepe Cocktail - 1.5 oz sherry, 1 oz of lemon juice, 1 oz mojito mix, top with ginger beer, orange garnish.
Attems Pinot Grigio Romato Friuli DOC 2023 $19.95
Nestled in the rolling hills of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy is where you will find Attems, a pillar of grape growing in the Collio region with a rich, viticultural history that is recorded all the way back to 1106 with a documented land purchase for planting vines. The 44 hectares that make up the estate today produce wines that are reflective of its gorgeous landscape and ideal weather conditions that are perfectly suited to the aromatic, fresh wine styles of the Attems portfolio.
A Pinot Grigio derived from the Province of Gorizia that undergoes a 10 hour skin contact giving it a pale peach hue. Gorgeous floral and candied aromas with rhubarb and pink grapefruit. Brisk acidity elevates red berry notes intertwined with both mineral flavour and texture flaunting depth and elegant complexities. Fruity, yet refined and delicate.
Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2023 $109.99
It’s almost impossible to speak about the history of Canadian wine without mentioning Icewine from Inniskillin. This winery was first estate to be granted a winery licence after prohibition in 1975. It also won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at the 1991 Vinexpo in Bordeaux for its Vidal Icewine that was an important catalyst for the Canadian wine market on a global stage.
This Icewine made from Cabernet Franc could even fit in to our Outside of the Box category as red Icewine is such a rarity. Candied cherry and strawberry take the stage on the palate, accompanied by whispers of sage and rhubarb and a thread of lifting acidity that effortlessly travels through it towards a long, everlasting finish. A dessert wine that can be enjoyed through an entire holiday meal before pouring a second glass for dessert.
Think Outside of the Box, or Bottle
Riedel - Grape@Riedel Collection $49.00
Grape@Riedel is a new affordable luxury and functional collection from Riedel. This line includes a Cabernet/Merlot/Cocktail glass (featured here), a Pinot Noir/Nebbiolo/Aperitivo glass, and a White Wine/Champagne/Spritz glass.
A fine wine glass that can double as a cocktail glass makes this the ultimate multi-functional gift for your wine lover to add to their glassware collection. It’s glasses like these that are workable but also provide elegance that are the most used tool in a wine lover’s toolbox.
Riedel Microfiber Polishing Cloth $19.90
If the wine lover is using dishwasher safe wine glasses like I do, they can always use a little polishing before use. I’ve tried using countless items for polishing but this one is really the best of the best. A handy gift or stocking stuffer that the wine lover on your list will be sure to make good use of!
The Grange Wine Club $500/year
A wine club worth being a part of! Members of The Grange Wine Club receive exclusive discounts on wine, hand-picked shipments (12 bottles/year), private barrel cellar tastings, and early access to events tickets including their deliciously memorable Fireside Feast dinners. Trust me when I say these dinners are a wonderful and delicious experience that any wine lover would highly enjoy. This is the gift that keeps on giving!