A lawyer in my office comes to me and asks me for a recommendation as to what to buy for a daughter and prospective son in law as a wine gift. I made a number of structural suggestions, including “The worst wine you can find, they’ll hate it, and you’ll save them thousands of dollars in the long run.” After giving it some consideration, he liked my idea of buying five bottles staged to be ready to drink over time. Let’s say one bottle now, one in one year, one in two years, one in five years, and one in 10 years. Hope for a long lasting marriage springs eternal. If the total budget is in the $250 range, what five bottles would you recommend?
I would personally never give wine as a gift that shouldn’t be consumed immediately.
The chances of a non-wine person storing a wine correctly for any period of time is low.
So, maybe Champagne, something that already has some bottle age, or some nice cali pinots or cabs? Something that a non wine person would really enjoy without much fuss…
I’m assuming red wine is ok as well as Cabernet Sauvignon/blend and something not from a mailing list. With that, I would go with something along the lines of a Robert Craig Affinity, Chappellet Cab, David Ramey Cabernet or the Claret, Hess Collection Cab. Regarding storage, as long as they have a basement and store them horizontally they should be fine for 10 years.
I like your idea, but agree that a non wine geek is not going to wait 1, 2, 3 years to open the wines.
My suggestion, a case of M. Lawrence Sex (sparkling wine produced in Michigan - you’re a UM guy aren’t you?).
Agreed. Just buy them give bottles of red wine that they can drink whenever. I doubt they are going to buy a wine cabinet to hold one bottle of wine for ten years.
The Dom Perignon 2 glass Baccarat set is always nice (if they still make it that is)
or the Belle Epoque painted set from Perrier Jouet.
Jay, twice I’ve done exactly as you described with 5-6 bottle. Once, ten years back , I was best man and did so with some nice bottles. Despite hope springing eternal, neither couple made it to the five year bottle. Great idea in theory but… Also, as others have mentioned, in order for it to work one definitely has to be sure the couple has the ability to store it properly.
I definitely did bubbly for the one-year, I think I went burg for the next term, then cab, then bord, and port for a 20-year (or 25-yr) bottle.
I don’t see any problem with someone holding a suitable bottle of wine for up to five years, just tell them to put it in on its side in a downstairs closet or something. I think it’s a very nice idea, and of course the couple can always change their minds and open the bottles sooner if they feel like it.
Of course it depends on what they like and what is available conveniently to the father. I’m guessing the couple are not wine types and so their tastes would run towards those that are generally good for “civilians.” I also figure the 1st and 5th are the most significant anniversaries in the first five. So here’s a sample list:
Year 1: Champagne. Suggestion: Charles Ellner Brut Seduction 2002 (http://zachys.com/retail/ProductView.aspx?R=366232&N=4294967254+4294967146+11&Ny=64) $55.00
Year 2: A 2010 German riesling. Suggestion: Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett 2010 (donnhoff oberhauser leist kabinett 2e4e57f7 28aa 40c4 bb9a 2b9cb2498e2b wine by vintage - Kahn's Fine Wine & Spirits) $27.99 I’ve had several bottles of this and it’s excellent.
Year 3: California zinfandel. Suggestion: Turley Pesenti Vineyard 2010 (Wine Store - Pearson's Wine & Spirits) $49.95. I have had this recently, and it’s terrific, something civilians would love, and one of the Turley zins that holds up very well with bottle age.
Year 4: California pinot noir. Suggestion: Ketcham Estate Pinot 2009 (You are being redirected...) $36.99. This is not at all over the top (usually around 14.2%), yet civilians love it in my experience. It’s a label made by Michael Browne. The 2010 would be good as well.
Year 5: A 2007 or 2009 Napa cab or blend. Suggestion: Anderson’s Conn Valley Right Bank (http://www.winecellarage.com/2009-anderson-s-conn-valley-vineyards-right-bank-proprietary-red-wine.html) $58.00
In at $228. Of course, he won’t want to order from 5 separate places, but I don’t know where he can shop or what they have.
I would suggest keeping in mind (a) wines that civilians like instead of trying to forcefeed quirky wine geek specials on them, (b) wines that still offer some good window into the world of quality wines, and some diversity of selections to allow them to experience some different things, and (c) wines that are perfectly fine out of the gate in the event the couple decides to drink them early.
This.
NV Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut, current bottling is great and I expect would age well.
Buy them a bottle of cristal. They’ll be happier than five bottles of red they have never heard of.
Not all men and even women enjoy Champagne. I have had plenty and its wasted on me. Now, a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem would be a stunning gift.
It might be fun to give them two bottles that they can consume today that would be “variance” experiences and consequently perhaps turn them on to the world of wine geekdom. One champagne (a non-NV, perhaps a bit aged) and one ready to drink older red - should be able to obtain one of each for $100-150 per bottle for a total of $250-$300.
that’d be even more wasted. The average person would be drinking champagne over dessert wine. When you’re giving non-wine geeks wine gifts, go for label cache. I know in our world d’Yquem is great, but if i showed it to my brother he’d just shrug and say it tastes like other sweet wine.
Sorry, people “assumed” facts not in evidence. I understand that the couple already has a small wine reefrigerator and you have to start somewhere. If everyone who was not already a wine afficionado was never offered anything other than stuff off the shelf from the local grocery store, then they won’t learn to appreciate anything better. Many of the responses to this thread are very disappointing and way too arrogant.
AND - last Friday, I served a bottle of 1989 Yquem to 5 people who had never tasted it and only one of whom had ever heard of it. They all agreed it was delicious. They also really like the other wimes that we served and were not burdened by the parochialism of many wine geeks. We served an NV Taittinger, a 2005 Hospices de Beaune Meursault, a 2005 Hospices de Nuit NSG, and a 2005 Saxum Broken Stones just to spread around the differetn styles, and they liked all of them. The Saxum, by the way, went faster than the NSG.
That’s because you didn’t invite me! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Huh? You are the one that asked the question and then omitted that very pertinent information. And I don’t see a single suggestion of anything resembling “grocery store wine,” unless maybe it’s that Michigan sparkling wine that I’ve never heard of.
Wow Jay, don’t bite the hand that feeds you.
I think much of the advice is reasonable and borne out of experience.
Unless the couple are already wine ‘geeks’ I still think the best course of action would be to give them nice, approachable, high quality wines that don’t require time in the cellar to be pleasurable. There are plenty of great wines that can be consumed right out of the gates with much pleasure and may even act as a gateway to getting into the wider world of wine.
It was wines like these that first got me in to wine.
Just because a wine doesn’t need 20 years in the cellar doesn’t mean it’s a supermarket wine!
And by the way, I love the gist of Chris’ suggestions in the previous post. Exactly what I was getting at: a variety of high quality wines that taste great, aren’t esoteric or polarizing, and don’t require bottle age to be enjoyed.
I would add some very nice wine glasses, maybe a set of Vinum XL Pinot or Cabernet to go with your bottle selection. Would be a shame to have great wines and poor glasses.