Get inspired with these gourmet gift ideas for wine lovers! From delicious food pairings to unique wine accessories, we’ll have you celebrating in style.
Sometimes choosing a gift for someone who has a particular passion can be challenging for people who don’t share that zeal. For those who don’t know much about wine, selecting an appropriate gift for a wine lover can be especially perplexing. But don’t fret yet. Many wine specialty stores and wineries offer gourmet items that are elegantly packaged with wine connoisseur in mind and they make excellent gifts. Here are a few ideas.
Appetizers
Wine lovers tend to enjoy certain types of appetizers when drinking wine before dinner. Often these items can be found packaged in winery logo bottles or other chic wrapping and look both appetizing and expensive. As an example, bread dipping oils with specialty ingredients such as parmesan and garlic are sold in attractive tall, thin glass bottles and make excellent gifts. Mustard dips, hummus and cheese spreads are also popular items. And of course, the meat and cheese gift packages sold by stores like Hickory Farms always make great presents.
Gourmet Cooking Ingredients
Many specialty stores and wineries offer unique items to be used in food preparation. Gourmet oils, vinegars, sauces, glazes, rubs, marinades and spices are all offered in attractive winery packaging to appeal to the true wine connoisseur.
Dinner Accompaniments
There are many gourmet food items that can add that extra flair to just about any meal. As an example, Fess Parker Winery has Garlic Chardonnay Olives, Zinfandel Garlic Salsa and Wholegrain Champa Mustard. The Volcano Winery in Hawaii sells Alaea Sea Salt and Mango Butter. Many wineries and wine specialty stores have wonderful dinner accompaniments that add that special touch to wine paring dinners.
Desserts
It is commonly known that chocolates go well with red wine and are especially complementary with dessert wines. Orfila Winery has some great dessert items including Best with Merlot Chocolate Drops and Best with Syrah Chocolate Drops. Gainey Vineyard has a Truffle Shuffle gift basket with items like Chocolate Hazelnut Merlot Truffle Fudge and Chocolate Chardonnay Raspberry Fudge. Dessert sauces, toppings and candies also make great gifts.
Where to Purchase Gourmet Wine Gifts
All of the gourmet wine gifts mentioned in this article can be purchased on the Internet at gourmet specialty stores or wineries. Searching for the specific item desired will bring up a few stores to choose from. For those who just want to browse around until they find that perfect gift, here are a few places to get started. Specialty stores are The Posh Gourmet, igourmet.com and some of the wineries that offer gourmet foods online include Gainey Vineyard, Fess Parker Winery and Orifla Winery.
Many people who don’t fall in the wine lover category are concerned about choosing a good bottle of wine for their connoisseur friends. Gourmet food gifts are great alternative to that perfect bottle of wine.
