Christmas gift ideas for wine lovers

According to a purely technical definition, wine is nothing more than the fruit of a precise process of alcoholic fermentation. Those who, however, love it deeply know that there is much more inside a glass: it is a symbol of conviviality, an excuse to sit down at the table and spend precious time with loved ones. And it is precisely during Christmas lunches and dinners that the occasions for getting together and uncorking a bottle in company increase. So for those who want to celebrate this holiday with themed gifts, here are some perfect gift ideas for wine lovers!

Reds, whites and rosés under the tree: the best wines to give at Christmas

The world of wine is so vast and varied that the search for the perfect product could be confusing: how do you juggle the choice and get your hands on a suitable gift to give under the tree to your loved ones?

There is no single answer to this doubt. On the one hand there is the merit of a bottle, conferred by particular production methods or by the fame of a particular winery. On the other there are the personal tastes of the recipient of the gift, which must always be taken into account so as not to disappoint expectations.

To be on the safe side with nice gift ideas for wine enthusiasts, it is best to focus on the great classics, those timeless products that appeal to everyone and go perfectly with the typical Christmas table settings.

Lovers of tasty aperitifs, for example, are just waiting for the right opportunity to uncork a cool bubbly. Among the best wines for the festive season is Bellavista Satèn Franciacorta DOCG. Elegant and aromatically rich, it releases a bouquet of roses, citrus fruits and dried fruit on the nose, with the unmistakable bread crust notes typical of Metodo Classico. Obtained from an ageing period on the lees of at least 4 years, Franciacorta is a true eulogy to patience and will make a great impression during festive lunches and dinners, pairing perfectly with hors d'oeuvres of salmon, cod or swordfish, but also with white meat dishes or a platter of fresh cheeses.

Not only white bubbles: raw or fried fish hors d'oeuvres also go very well with a fragrant rosé. One of the best Christmas gifts for wine lovers is an Alta Langa Rosé, a Pinot Noir vinified wine with pink and orange hues that releases a fine aroma of flowers and peach in the glass, while on the palate it conquers with its lively and persistent perlage. The best way to uncork it at Christmas? Sip it with goat's cheese or marinated fish dishes.

Among relatives and friends there is never a shortage of proud supporters of red wines and those who, instead, prefer whites. It is easy to please everyone: a good Tuscan red such as a Chianti Rufina will bring to the Christmas table a concentration of taste, aromas and tradition, especially when paired with a slice of shepherd's pie, a tray of ribs and game dishes. Intense red colour, scent of violets, hibiscus, red fruits and spices, and silky sensation on the palate: these are its irresistible taste traits!

Among the whites, a perfect gift is a wonderful Etna Bianco, which brings with it all the aromas and minerality of Carricante grapes. This wine is as well suited to fish dishes as it is to vegetarian Christmas recipes, succeeding in conquering everyone's palate. It does so thanks to an irresistible organoleptic profile, between notes of cedar and wild herbs and a touch of savouriness reminiscent of the sea.

A tasty Christmas: wine pairing ideas and gift baskets

The marriage of food and wine is thousands of years old, as old as winemaking itself. However, it is not a mere accompaniment between dish and drink, but a conscious union that transforms conviviality into an opportunity to enhance aromas and flavours.

Even at Christmas, it is nice to strengthen this bond with a classic and timeless gift: a food hamper consisting of traditional English culinary specialities.

You can, for example, create it by starting with local cold cuts and sausages, to which you can add a bottle of Bonarda dell'Oltrepò Pavese DOC, a wine capable of blending with these ingredients without being overwhelmed by their intense flavours. All thanks to its aromatic richness - composed of heady hints of wild berries, cherries and plums - and good tannicity.

A bag of smoked salmon, on the other hand, will please lovers of seafood flavours, especially if tasted with a Gewürztraminer, characterised by hints of spices, exotic fruit and candied fruit.

To be complete, a hamper cannot fail to include tasty, traditional British blue cheeses, perfect for 25 December hors d'oeuvres. Among the best oenological pairings with these gastronomic delights is Prosecco, pleasant and drinkable, fresh, mineral and pleasantly effervescent, it is characterised by hints of white fruit, roses and a slightly almondy hint.

Finally, Christmas dessert lovers can create an ad hoc food basket to share a moment of sweetness with their loved ones. Starting of course with the great festive classics, preferably handmade. Delicious mince pies can be placed next to a bottle of Recioto di Soave, the ideal candidate to drink with these delicious pies, thanks to its citrus aromas, hints of dried fruit and honey, and heady vanilla finish.

Finally, a good Passito di Pantelleria, velvety and full-bodied, will go very well with the inevitable gingerbread biscuits or chocolate sweets.

To round off these food baskets with a personal and creative touch, a handwritten note with some tasty Christmas recipes can be inserted between each ingredient. What better way to suggest a pairing than to share the secrets of traditional cuisine?

Christmas coming up: better give (and treat) yourself to a nice stock of wine!

Why settle for just one bottle when Svinando's selection of fantastic wine gift sets are available?

If you want your loved ones to find under the tree a fine selection of reds that celebrate the Italian wine-making tradition, you can bet on a collection of 6 bottles of Nebbiolo d'Alba, a wine that draws the best from the terroir of Roero, in Piedmont, to bring unparalleled elegance to the glass, amid notes of berries and suggestions of roses.

Lovers of still whites, on the other hand, may be won over by a selection of South Tyrolean Müller Thurgau, a fresh and harmonious product that goes perfectly with fish dishes, but also with white meats and vegetarian recipes, thanks to its slightly spicy hints and notes of apple and melon.

The holidays are not only for celebrating loved ones, but also for finding time for oneself. What if the best Christmas presents for wine lovers were those you give to yourself? The Case Via Emilia contains everything you could wish for: two bottles of Sangiovese Superiore - characterised by aromas full of sour cherries - two bottles of Gutturnio Frizzante - fresh, fruity and drinkable - and two bottles of Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, characterised by an intoxicating froth that smells of flowers.

Still haven't found the right gift? Fear not: a rich selection of wines for Christmas gifts awaits you on Svinando!