Giving a Wine Gift BasketWhilst putting together your own wine gift basket can be fun, some people may feel that their knowledge of wines is insufficient, and have concerns about getting it wrong. Fortunately many wine suppliers have taken the hard work out of making your choice by providing wine gift sets, featuring a selection of wines, and wine gift baskets, which often contain other things besides wine. In this article, we will look at some of the most common types of wine gift basket.
Wine and Cheese Gift Baskets
Wine and cheese is the classic pairing, and a large number of wine gift baskets take this into account. These generally take the form of a single bottle of wine with three or four cheeses that go well with that particular wine. Examples might include Merlot with Cheddar, Provolone and Gruyere; Zinfandel with goat Cheddar and Monterey Jack; Champagne with Brie, Irish Cheddar and Chevre; and Riesling with Rauchkase, Emmenthal and Crotonese.
Wine and Meat Gift Baskets
Wine goes best with what the French call "perfumed"--that is to say lightly spiced and aromatic--meats, and gift baskets containing meats tend to reflect this. Pepperoni, hard salami and summer sausage are popular meats for these gift baskets, as they do not need refrigeration, making them suitable accompaniments to a red wine that is best served at room temperature.
Very often, wine and meat gift baskets also contain other items including cheeses (see above), crackers and even olive oil and vinegar. They are usually gourmet items, to add to the overall luxurious experience.
Wine and Chocolate Gift Baskets
A gourmet chocolate makes the perfect complement to a sweet dessert wine, and there are many wine and chocolate gift baskets that take this into account. Champagne and truffles is the ultimate luxury combination for those who can afford it. For the rest of us, there are more affordable options starting at under $50.
Red wine and dark chocolate go together like peanut butter and jelly. The richer the chocolate, the better. Both are high in antioxidants and healthy for your heart – a rare example of something decadent actually being good for you! The wine should be at least as sweet as the chocolate it is paired with, otherwise it can leave a sour aftertaste. For this reason, wine and chocolate gift baskets usually feature a fruity red like a Cabernet Sauvignon.
And talking of fruit, chocolate dipped fruit also goes well with wine. Nothing says summertime like chocolate covered strawberries with Champagne, while chocolate covered cherries go well with a tawny Port. There are even wine gift baskets that include chocolate covered fruits that are flavored with the wine included in the basket, to ensure maximum compatibility of flavors.
Whatever your taste and budget, there is a wine gift basket tailored for your needs available somewhere. Any supplier of gourmet foods and fine wines should be able to help you find just the right one. |
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