Wine Gift Baskets: The All Occasion Gourmet Gift

If you have a birthday, anniversary or other special occasion that requires the giving of a gift then consider a wine gift basket. Wine gift baskets can provide elegant gifts for wine lovers and can include additional products besides wine. They can also include such goodies as cheese, chocolates, fruit, nuts and wine accessories like corkscrews and bottle openers, drip stoppers, foil cutters or whatever else you decide to add to the basket. You can buy wine gift baskets already assembled or you can make your own for a very special gift-giving touch. All you need to know is the type of wine the recipient enjoys, or you can create a surprise basket.

Buying Prepared Baskets

If you'd rather buy a wine gift basket pre packaged, stop into your local liquor store to see if they have a selection available. Liquor stores will often sell gift baskets, especially during the holiday season. You should be able to choose which wine you'd like to include in the basket and then add accompanying products.

Shop Online

The internet is a great place to order customizable gift baskets. You can start by ordering one or more bottles of wine of your choice, then begin adding complementary products from the wide range available. Complementary products could include smoked salmon and caviar, savory crackers or cheese crackers, soft or hard cheeses, cheese knives, nuts, exclusive mustards or honey … the sky’s the limit in what you can add to your gift basket. The online company will then deliver the packaged gift basket to you or directly to the gift recipient. This is a very easy option if you are searching for a corporate gift or as a thank-you to a staff member.

Make Your Own Wine Gift Basket

Making your own wine gift basket gives allows you to add that extra personal touch. Start by buying an attractive basket. Even a simple and inexpensive basket will do because you can then decorate it with silk flowers or colored tissue paper. Buy your wine of choice or choose champagne for a special celebration, add some additional products depending on the preferences of the gift recipient. For example, you don’t need to limit your basket to wine and wine-themed gifts. You could include handicrafts for someone interested in arts and crafts, or a book about wine for a wine lover who is also interested in the history or the making of wine. Select some gourmet food products to accompany the wine, tuck everything into the decorated basket and wrap the whole thing in clear cellophane.

If possible, personally deliver the gift basket to the recipient so you can see the joy when they receive it. If .you’re very lucky they might even share the bottle of wine with you. For non-wine drinkers you can still assemble some stunning gift baskets. For a coffee drinker you could try a coffee-themed gift basket that could include coffee mugs, freshly roasted coffee beans from different coffee-growing regions of the world, gourmet cookies, toffees and, nuts. A tea drinker would appreciate a selection of teas from different regions, a teapot and strainer and a fine china teacup. A tea or coffee gift basket could, in fact, be packed onto a decorated tray rather that a basket. Again, wrap the whole package in clear cellophane and add a ribbon. The ideas for gourmet gift baskets are only limited by your imagination.

Alison Stevens is an online author and maintains Wine Globe to benefit wine lovers with tips, techniques and information about wine, wine collecting and building a wine cellar.