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If you’re attending a celebration, you can’t go wrong with bringing along a bottle of wine. It is a classy and elegant gift which can light up any occasion. If chosen carefully, it can also be deeply personal and thoughtful. Choosing the right wine for someone is not that straightforward however, and requires some forethought and planning.

For those unfamiliar with wine, it can be confusing to know which bottle to pick out. With numerous varieties and vintages spanning the full gamut of prices, walking into a wine shop can feel rather intimidating. Fortunately, we’ve put together a guide to help you get started. Here are some tips on choosing that perfect bottle of wine for a friend.

1. Do Your Research

Never walk into a wine shop unprepared. You might just get bowled over by the plethora of choices. Salespeople can be helpful, but if you aren’t sure what you want then there isn’t much they can do for you. Keep in mind that many of them might also be incentivised to sell you more expensive bottles that may not meet your needs.

Even planning a simple budget or a price range can narrow down the selection significantly and make it easier for you to choose a bottle of wine as a gift. It can also allow sales staff to help you get the most value for your money.

One of the great things about buying wine is the opportunity to make the choice personal to the receiver. If your friend is already a wine lover then getting them a bottle from their favourite vineyard is always a good option. It could also be a wine from a holiday destination they are planning to take a trip to. In any case, putting a bit of thought into the gift lets them know how much they are appreciated.

2. Wines To Avoid

Some wines just don’t make good gifts for various reasons. Often they are for more experienced palates and seasoned wine drinkers looking for something different. These should be avoided just to be on the safe side.

Fortified wines are wines with distilled spirits added. This increases the alcohol content and changes the character of the wine. Some popular fortified wines include sherry, port, and vermouth. While many people enjoy fortified wines, they are an acquired taste. Fortified wine can also be more expensive due to their higher alcohol content and correspondingly higher alcohol tax cost in Singapore. This means you may not be able to get the full value for your money and might have to settle for a lower quality bottle.

Dessert wines are much sweeter than normal wines and may have a syrupy mouthfeel. This may be off-putting for people used to normal wines. Fruit wines are also not for everyone and can taste very different from what most are familiar with.

If the person receiving the gift is not a wine connoisseur, then it’s best to avoid these wines named above unless you are absolutely sure your gift will be well appreciated.

3. Red, White, Or Sparkling?

When it comes to gifting wines, the main choices are red wines, white wines, and sparkling wines like champagne. Like any other gift, it all depends on the person you’re giving it to and the occasion being celebrated.

If you’re not sure what wine to get as a gift, you cannot go wrong with a bottle of red wine. Some of the most popular wines around are California Merlots or Cabernet Sauvignon. Easily enjoyed and very drinkable you’re likely to hit the mark with a bottle of good quality reds.

White wines pair well with holiday fare like turkey or seafood dinners. They are also better served chilled which may make them slightly better for festive occasions than red wines. The go to choices for white wines include Pinot Grigio and Rieslings. Both red wines and white wines come from vineyards all over the world and they represent a chance for you to personalise the gift by choosing a specific region.

Lastly, sparkling wines are the ultimate gift for celebratory occasions. Widely enjoyed and well-loved by all, they’re the perfect complement to a party and are meant to be shared by multiple people. While the go-to sparkling wine is champagne, other popular bottles include prosecco and cava.

Learn More: Celebrate with Champagne

No matter what kind of wine you get, we can all agree that they make great gifts. They add a touch of sophistication and provide an opportunity for you to show how well you know the recipient and how much you value their company.

Need to get a bottle of wine as a gift for your host, but don’t have the time to get to the store? Consider getting a wine delivery from Singapore Wine Vault.

Our state of the art urban wine space traverses across 750,000 square feet and is the largest wine storage facility in Southeast Asia. Contact us today to find out more about our services and let us know how we can help you pick out and store the perfect bottle of wine.