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Happy Birthday Wine Guide: 3 gift ideas for wine lovers

INVINIC — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 22:00:00 +0000

Buying wine as a gift is incredibly popular, particularly for birthdays. We’ve all got a wine lover in our life (probably more than one, to be fair!) and a nice bottle of something special is a great go-to gift option. Not all wine is created equally, though, and not all wine lovers have similar tastes. This is before we even come to budget considerations. Some wines are more expensive than others, often by a considerable margin. What to do? Don’t worry, though. We’ve got you covered. Read on for our Happy Birthday Wine Guide, and shop for birthday wine with ease!

The Happy Birthday Wine Guide

Let’s take the pain out of Happy Birthday wine buying, shall we? In The Happy Birthday Wine Guide, we’ve compiled three main wine gift ideas that will please even the most discerning wine lover. Whatever your budget, or whatever your friend’s taste, you can adjust and adapt the guide and get a great gift every time!

Happy Birthday Wine Idea #1: Sparkle Sparkle

Everyone loves sparkling wine. Well, all wine lovers, anyway. This is not exactly a secret, or new information, but if you are in need of a Happy Birthday wine in a hurry: Bubbles will do the trick each and every time. You can spend a lot or a little when it comes to sparkling, from inexpensive Prosecco to always-reliable Cava and even fine Champagne. Of course, you could always get a little obscure and think about English sparkling wine or something, but that’s up to you. Depending on your budget, here’s what we suggest:

Good: A vintage Cava is a good bet, and won’t cost a fortune. Jané Ventura Reserva De La Música Brut Nature 2013 is our pick.

Better: Non-vintage Champagne is a little pricier than even vintage Cava, but here you’re dealing with internationally recognised luxury labels, and virtually guaranteed quality. Try Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut.

Best: If you can swing it price-wise, it’s hard to beat a top quality vintage Champagne. With a bottle like Dom Pérignon 2006, no introductions are necessary!

Happy Birthday Wine Idea #2: Rioja Rules

There are a couple of wine regions whose name carries the same weight as Rioja, though none can offer the range of styles and value for money that Spain’s favourite region can. The Happy Birthday Wine Guide likes Rioja because it offers something for everyone, and at every price range!

Good: A young, simple and inexpensive Rioja Crianza is always a welcome birthday gift. This style is generous and suitable for just about every palate, and you can get some real bargains too. Azpilicueta Crianza 2013 ticks all the boxes.

Better: Age and quality aren’t always tied, but we recommend stepping up to a Rioja Reserva for a more refined Happy Birthday wine. Remelluri Reserva 2009 will hit the mark.

Best: Gran Reserva Rioja is a beautiful thing. A mature example from a top producer, such as Muga Prado Enea 2006, makes for an extra-special birthday gift.

Happy Birthday Wine Idea #3: Mix it up!

Finally, you can always treat your wine-loving friend to a mixed case of different wines. The only rule here is that there are no rules! Depending on your budget, pick up a mix of wines from regions like Bordeaux, Ribera del Duero and Priorat, and mix things up to your heart’s content! Get creative: White and red wine together, some sparkling wine and a rosé, whatever you like. Put a few different bottles together and you’re sure to keep your friend happy!

What are your favourite wine gift ideas? Share with your fellow wine lovers below!

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Make Valentine’s Day sparkle – on a budget!

INVINIC — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 22:00:00 +0000

Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate with that special someone in your life. For wine lovers, nothing quite marks a celebration like a bottle of bubbly. Whether that’s a prestige cuvée Champagne or a modest Prosecco, the popping of the cork and the gentle fizz says it all.

Sparkling wine for Valentine’s Day

Perhaps it’s a gift, or perhaps you’re sharing a bottle in a restaurant. In either case, sparkling wine has the ability to mark the occasion like nothing else. Champagne and other sparkling wines are often rather expensive, so this can be a bit problematic if you are on a budget this Valentine’s Day. Worry not though, we’ve come up with some top tips for how to really make the evening sparkle without spending a small (or big) fortune!

Non-vintage Champagne is your friend

Champagne is not cheap. No surprises there. Without breaking the law, you won’t get your hands on a bottle of Champagne below a certain price threshold. You can, however, mitigate the damage somewhat by going for a non-vintage (NV) Champagne instead of a vintage Champagne. Most of the big Champagne houses take serious pride in their NV wine, and you are guaranteed a certain style and quality level year in and year out. The big brands all produce reliable NV wines that cost considerably less than their vintage and other high-end examples. You can also find tremendous value in the NV wines of houses that are not quite as well known. Remember that “Champagne” itself is often as impressive a brand name as that of any specific house. Some of our favourites are:

Size doesn’t matter

Who says that size always matters? If your loved one has his or her heart set on a big name or a prestigious Grand Cru Champagne, and it’s still a little out of your price range, consider a half bottle. Many of the top producers market half or even quarter bottles. A half bottle of Champagne is cute and it’s portable: Perfect for surprise picnics or other spontaneous acts of romance. Be warned that you may pay more per litre than you would for a standard bottle, but this may get you out of a bind all the same.

Look beyond Champagne

Champagne is all well and good, but it’s pricey. It’s as simple as that. If you don’t have the budget for it, or you simply want more bang for your Valentine’s Day buck, then look outside the Champagne region altogether. Cava is our favourite Champagne alternative, as it is made in the same “traditional method” yet costs considerably less than the French fizz. Cava in general offers a fantastic quality/price ratio, and will very rarely cost you anything close to Champagne-level prices. Because of this, you have a little more room to manoeuvre, and can consider vintage Cavas and other more premium bottles.

If you’re buying Cava for your Valentine this year, we recommend the following:

If all else fails…go pink!

If you are seriously low on cash and have to go for the most basic option, at least go for something pink! A sparkling rosé wine fits the Valentine’s Day theme and you’ll at least get kudos for the thought! Some wallet-friendly pink sparklers include:

So there you have it, our top tips for a bubbly, budget-friendly Valentine’s Day. If you have any tips of your own, please share them here. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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