Liquor
Prosecco & Chocolate Gift Set: Nothing Better Than Wine & Chocolate
Monday, June 9th, 2008If you want to make a good impression on someone, there’s no need to buy them Roger Dubuis gifts (although they are nice). This Prosecco & Pure Chocolate gift set is not only classy, but delicious. It comes with a regular milk chocolate bar and Rocky Road chocolate mini-slab, along with two small bottles of bubbly Prosecco sparkling wine. What could be nicer for a quiet evening with someone you love - or just a decadent afternoon alone?
The 16 Bottle Wine Refrigerator
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008It seems like wine refrigerators are becoming more and more common these days. While they’re a little expensive to give as a gift to just anyone, they make a perfect gift for a newly retired couple or for empty-nesting parents. I’ve considered getting one for my own parents, but I’m not sure that they drink enough of any kind of alcohol to make it worthwhile (much less wine).
In shopping for wine refrigerators, I did come across a 6-bottle model, but given that the price was only $40 less than the $195 16 Bottle wine refrigerator, it didn’t seem like a good value. If I get one, it will definitely be the 16 Bottle Wine Refrigerator. If my parents drank a little more, I might go with the 28 Bottle Wine Refrigerator instead, as it also appears to be a reasonable deal for the money.
PMS - Party Monday - Sunday Gift Basket
Friday, April 18th, 2008In college, I remember a guy who would ask people at parties, “What channel are we watching tonight?” and then wait for a response. When the person he asked got confused, he’d yell out, “ABC - Absolute Beer Consumption! YEAH MAN!!!!” or something to that effect. He was insanely obnoxious, the kind of guy who needed a personality transplant and a large bottle of Leptovox to shed a couple hundred pounds. I have to wonder if he was behind the naming of this next gift basket.
The PMS - Party Monday-Sunday Gift Basket comes in at around $100 and includes cookies, pretzels, French Brie, Baby Gouda, some other assorted items, and your choice of wine. While I tend to think more of beer and hard liquor when it comes to “parying Monday through Saturday”, this sounds like a pretty nice gift basket.
Spanish Paella & Rioja Wine Gift Set
Monday, March 31st, 2008I’ve talked about the benefits of wine clubs before, but you don’t necessarily have to commit to an expensive series of shipments to get a good gift for a friend or business associate. This Spanish Paella & Rioja Wine Gift Set makes an astounding and exotic gift set for a very reasonable $70.
Given the fact that saffron alone can be a little pricey and hard to find, it’s actually a very nice gift. It’s also a great, self-interested gift if you happen to live with the intended recipient.
Tuscan Delights Italian Gift Basket
Wednesday, March 5th, 2008The other day, my dad got a clock as a gift from some company that wanted his business. He didn’t much care for it, as it was (a) ugly, (b) emblazoned with the company’s logo, and (c) non-edible. While I don’t doubt that the company spent a lot of money on it (it was a fairly nice clock), the end result was worse than if they had sent nothing at all.
That’s why I advocate sending gifts like the basket below. Nobody complains when you send them a delicious Tuscan Delights Gift Basket (barring any strange religious or dietary restrictions, but even still, most people can re-gift it, unlike a personalized clock). Whether you’re sending it to a potential client, an existing client, or in the name of investor relations, food is always a good move. This basket in particular comes with a bottle of Chianti and an assortment of Italian treat. At $49.99, it’s very reasonable.
Wine & Fruit Basket
Saturday, December 8th, 2007If you’re looking for a Gourmet Fruit Basket with Wine, Gift Tree can definitely help you out. Their basket includes wine, fruit, and a number of extras like crackers, cheese, and hard salami. At $99.95 for the basket, it’s a great holiday gift for business associates or maybe even potential in-laws. They might actually be willing to listen to your term life insurance pitch if you get them something this delicious.
Wines Across America - The Ultimate Wine Lover’s Gift
Friday, November 30th, 2007
As you probably know, I’m a huge fan of wine gifts. The gift of good wine tells your recipient that you’re classy, and that you think he or she is, too. And remember, people like you not so much for who you are, but for how you make them feel.
The problem with wine is that while I can enjoy it, I definitely don’t know enough about it. When I’m giving it as a gift, I constantly find myself over-thinking the purchase. In the future, I’ll probably go with a program where the wines are hand-picked by someone who knows a little more than “30 dime wine = bad gift”. What can I say, when it comes to personal wine enjoyment, I’m more concerned with price and taste. This particular offer meets both of those rules, though, costing only $39.95 (plus shipping).
The Wines Across America wine program is particularly reputable, and it’s what I’ve decided to get my wine-loving aunt this Christmas season. Why?
1. The bottles look great. There are no cheap junk wines or screw-top caps here. I will not be embarrassed 4 months down the road by something they send out in March.
2. The wine educator for the Washington Times approves.
3. It’s affordable - not totally cheap, but definitely not too much for me to justify getting it for people who are important to me.
4. Free gifts. You get one great corkscrew and a wine book that will (hopefully) enable to do the picking for yourself next year (although it’s probably still easier to let them do the work for you).
5. You don’t have to buy a whole year. You can order the initial 8 wine package and then you have 3 months to cancel before the next shipment arrives. If you want to let your recipient get the second shipment, you can always continue the membership for a second, third, or fourth 3-month period.
In short, I think the Wines Across America program is a great gift for either personal or business purposes. If you give it a try, come back and let me know how it was. My aunt will enjoy the wine too much, so I’m sure I’ll never actually see it when the bottles are still full!
Champagne Celebration Basket
Sunday, November 11th, 2007
Right now, there are two separate people in my immediate family who are up for jobs they really, really want. Hopefully, in a few weeks I’ll be buying something like this Champagne Celebration Gift Basket. I’d love it if I could bring one to Thanksgiving for everyone to enjoy.
It’s also a great birthday gift, retirement present, or even new baby gift, depending on the person. Just make sure you have an adult around to sign for the package, or else the delivery person won’t leave it.
Corporate Elite Basket
Sunday, November 4th, 2007Sometimes, you need to make an amazing impression. That’s exactly what this Corporate Elite wine gift basket does. From the rich-looking bamboo trunk to the velvet wine sack, this one screams first-class. I’d use this for getting in someone’s good graces, or possibly to impress someone’s parents.
It’s also a pleasant departure from the classic strawberries and champagne on the bed in the hotel room. Not that there’s ANYTHING wrong with the strawberries and champagne. In fact, maybe you should just get both.
Chocolate Dipped Wine
Thursday, October 18th, 2007I honestly can’t decide if this Chocolate-Dipped Wine is cool or not. On one hand, it’s very neat - definitely unique and visually appealing. On the other hand, I have to wonder if there’s some kind of plastic under the chocolate to keep it from leaving residue on the bottle and discoloring the bottle’s label.
If you’re curious and want to try it, know that they have several different wine selections ranging from White Zin to a bottle of Dom ($35-$195 in price). Let me know how it turns out.
Four Seasons Wine Club
Saturday, October 6th, 2007Autumn is a great time for wine, and the Four Seasons Wine Club delivers. If you’d like to impress a client, definitely check out this gift set. Think about it. How thrilled would you be to get four shipments of 3 bottles of season-appropriate wines. Even if you don’t drink a ton, it’s a great way to fill up your wine rack and be prepared for company! And yes, that’s me saying that I’m one of those people with a mostly empty wine rack.
Remember, if you have a highly valued client (or loved one), a recurring gift will remind them of your relationship more than just once at Christmas.
6 Bottle Wine Gift Set
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007For many people, the idea of giving wine as a gift is pretty intimidating. This 6 Bottle Gift Set hopes to change that. Wine Messenger has assembled a number of different collections of varying degrees of quality, and all you have to do to gift it is choose how much you like the recipient. They start with the “Clever Consumer” collection for $73, but if you need to make an impression, you can opt for the most expensive, option, “The Collector”, for $145.
While it’s probably not what we’d recommend for the most high-brow of scenarios (the “best” wines will cost quite a bit more than 6/$145), it’s a great gift for us normal folks.
Cheese Basket for Alcoholics & Others
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007It’s not often that a cheese basket gets me this excited, but the Alcohol Kissed Cheese Basket is definitely worthy of attention. At $129, it’s not exactly a gift for your casual friends, but if you’re out to impress your favorite cheese lover, this basket will do the trick. Just look at what’s included:
* Whiskey Cheddar
* Brillo Pecorino DiVino
* Winey Blue
* Chicken Normandy Terrine with Calvados
* Irish Mustards
* Mimosa Jelly
* Ah! Some Chocolates - 4 Piece Assortment
* Schlünder Liqueur Cake
* Flambar Pineapples in Gin:
* Vino de Milo All Natural Simmer Sauces
While I could do without the Mimosa Jelly (probably not bad, but I’d be forever picturing the actual Mimosa Tree), the rest sounds divine. I’m a sucker for good cheese, though.
