A wine gift basket makes a wonderful gift to get for friends, family members or co-workers, especially for those who are especially hard to buy gifts for. Wine gift baskets are filled not just with wine but also with foods and other treats that go well with wine. They are great for gifting even to those who don’t really indulge in wine-drinking. For that delicious port or old vintage red wine that you’d like to gift someone special, presenting it in a wine gift basket would only enhance the presentation.

Wine gift baskets are among the finest of an already elite set of options. Filled with fresh fruits, cookies, nuts, and more they make for a gift that will be remembered long after the outstanding Chablis is gone.

A wine gift basket may hold just the vintage you’ve been seeking. Everything from a creative Cabernet to a zingy Zinfandel can be found nestled among a dozen other delightful treats. A wine gift basket can hold that precious Syrah you’ve been dying for months to try. Or the centerpiece may be a quirky new Gewrztraminer you heard about at a party yesterday.

Bottle sizes range from miniature hotel-type samples to a magnum of champagne. A wine gift basket could be filled out with a dozen small bottles of a favorite varietal. Or, it might be a breathtaking variety that allows you to sample a new wine every month. A giant bottle from your favorite region in France or Italy can form the centerpiece of an outstanding package.

Aside from the wine, you can get treats that compliment every wine you get in the wine gift basket. This can range from crackers to truffles and even fruits. Wine gift baskets are not your run of the mill treats either. They are always a selection of top quality delicacies and the most elite treats you can imagine, and everything looks truly grand.

Brut champagne might be more to your taste. Surrounded by a fine set of gourmet cheeses, a wine gift basket of champagne will make for a memorable afternoon that can go on late into the evening.

The baskets themselves are also not run-of-the mill designs either. You can get high quality, fabulous-looking baskets made from dark wicker, contemporary metal and porcelain to suit every occasion. For a business colleague, a plastic composite gray style would be perfect. Look around and you will find an endless assortment of wine gift baskets to choose from.

Wine gift baskets are appropriate for any occasion. An anniversary is the perfect time to deliver a great vintage. Celebrate with a glass while you munch on a gourmet cracker. There’s no better time than a promotion at work to deliver that great Rose partnered with a fine garlic bread stick.

Wine gift baskets are great for gifting on any occasion; personal or corporate.

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Finding the right gift for any occasion can certainly be difficult with the multitude of options available to you. The wine bottle gift, is the one gift that always goes over well no matter the event. You can offer it for almost any occasion, anything from a birthday or anniversary to Mother’s Day or Christmas, because a wine bottle gift is not too plain or too extravagant a gift.

Wine Choosing

In a wine bottle gift you are going to want to choose the right wine, and this is probably the hardest part of all. There are thousands of different wines to pick from, from every varietal and corner of the world. There are red wines, white wines, chardonnays and champagnes, and it really all depends on what you think the receiver of the wine bottle gift would prefer.

As long as you know how to go about it, the process of choosing wine for your wine bottle gift does not have to be hard. See if you can find out what is being served for dinner and then you will be able to choose just the right wine for the prepared meal, as certain types of wine are associated with particular types of meals.

White wine goes well with fish and chicken, and Red wine is considered as being appropriate with red meat and hearty pasta dishes. Remember though that these are not hard and fast rules and you can switch it up if you want, but these are just the basic guidelines that you should follow.

A wine bottle gift bag should also be included as tops the gift off and brings everything together. You can usually locate them at specialty wine gift stores if they are are not offered at the same place you purchased the wine bottle gift.

No matter who you are giving the gift to they are sure to love it. Some people will drink the wine while others will use it to decorate and never open it. The point is that a wine gift is elegant and classic, and something that all people are going to enjoy receiving. Make sure that you keep the idea of a wine gift in your mind for the next special occasion that comes up in your life.

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In the USA, surprisingly only Illinois and naturally California are the states that allow commercial wine auctions. In New York (the ideal place!) Bills to permit wine auctions are introduced regularly but they die just as often! In Chicago, people travel from all over just to get some bargains. In Britain where wine auctions are held anywhere throughout the country in the fall and winter, retail wine chains have flourished and one chain in particular has even taken over a wine retailer on the American West Coast!

The British wine Trade sees the wine auctions as a way of stimulating interest in wines generally and increases sales for everybody. Of course, in Australia, you will find plenty of wine auctions, especially online. There are large online wine communities who share tasting notes and critiques amongst themselves, such as the Auswine discussion forum. You do not even need to leave the comfort of your armchair to enjoy the benefits of an online wine auction.

Wine Auction Bidding and Tasting Tips

Setting out into the virtual or real world of wine auctions should be handled about the same. Do your research and figure out what you are willing to pay for the wines you are looking to bid on in the auction. It is a good idea to get maximum and minimum prices paid for a comparable bottle of wine prior to the commencement of the wine auction. That way you will have a good idea of what should be charged for the wines. Try to attend a pre-auction tasting session so that you can get the wine you like. Sometimes there will also be end of line mixed cases available at hugely discounted prices that you will want to keep an eye out for. The trade bidders are not that interested in those, so there will be bargains galore.

Another good idea is to attend a wine warehouse tasting to get used to the brands available, then you will understand what you are bidding for instead of biding blindly. You can form a consortium with friends and or colleagues, so the costs are reduced, and you can afford to bid for more variety.

Preferences between online and offline auctions are personal. However, the approach to prepare should be the same. Map out what you are looking to accomplish on paper first. Jot down your bids for preferred lots and write down the final selling prices so that you can judge your own efforts. Avoid jumping into the bidding blind. Wait and watch until you are confident that you know what is going on. Always bring a designated driver if you are going to be doing any wine tasting so that you, your bottles, and your friends get home in one piece.

Wine auctions are not the socially limiting situations that most people perceive; instead, they are fun places to go where bargains await the person who has done adequate research. A well-known international auction house representative recently commented, “I think online wine auctions are still in their infancy.” If that is the case, online wine sales and wine auctions are a great opportunity not to be missed by wine lovers everywhere. Do some research and then jump right in!

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Of the many great U.S. wine travel destinations, Washington is one of the most well known and diverse. With well over 100 wineries, spectacular scenery, and interesting vibrant cities, Washington is high on many wine lovers’ lists.

In fact, Washington wines are in some instances becoming as well known as California’s. It’s not surprising, as Washington is the second largest wine producing state in the country. To illustrate the importance of Washington’s wine industry, over 500 Washington wineries add almost $3 billion to the state’s economy, and employ more than 29,000.

There’s so much to discover about Washington wine, so let’s focus on Washington’s eastern area, known as the Inland Empire, and in particular the strikingly beautiful city of Spokane.

Let’s Discover Spokane

One of the first things you’ll notice about Spokane is how the great outdoors literally snuggle up to this friendly city. Bisected by the Spokane River, white water rafting, skiing, cycling tours, and hiking opportunities abound. And yet, the vibrant pulse of this high tech city is always on display, with live music and fantastic restaurants just steps away no matter where you turn.

Spokane itself is very walkable, with a wide variety of unique early 20th century architecture that has been lovingly restored and redeveloped. In the heart of downtown you’ll find the perfect destination for an evening, the Davenport Arts District.

The Davenport Arts District is really where you’ll feel Spokane’s pulse. Historic buildings house galleries, restaurants, and unique shops. This is an ideal late afternoon and early evening stroll, with extra time the next day to fully appreciate all the District has to offer.

Just a few of the shops we discovered were Simply Northwest, which features specialty foods, wines, and regional gifts, and the whimsically named Spokandy, a local candy making institution since 1913. Next, it was time for dinner at the Steam Plant Grill, housed in an historic handsome landmark former steam plant.

This was dinner as it should be. Steam Plant Grill focuses on local ingredients, hearty portions, and reasonable prices. Try the planked salmon, beer cheese soup, and the basil cream ravioli. Don’t miss dessert … the vanilla bourbon stout float is made with the onsite brewhouse’s oh-so-delicious dark stout beer and creamy premium vanilla ice cream.

Spokane Wineries

Twelve wineries call Spokane and the surrounding area home. Spokane itself is compact enough, so driving distances aren’t burdening. Many of the wineries are clustered fairly near downtown, with others just slightly farther afield. Conveniently, 12 of the 14 are quite near the Spokane River, which bisects the Spokane area as it meanders east/west.

Spokane Wineries - East

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars: Wine Spectator named Arbor Crest one of “50 Great Producers Every Wine Lover Should Know”. It’s located in the Cliff House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located high on a bluff overlooking the Spokane River, the view is almost better than the wine here. Look for award winning Cabernets in particular.

Knipprath Cellars: Located in a handsome old red brick schoolhouse, Knipprath boasts an impressive selection of Port wines, a favorite of ours. Have you ever tried a Vanilla Port or a chocolate Port? You can here! We also loved the Moonstruck Merlot, with its notes of brown spice and plum.

Latah Creek Wine Cellars: If you like Rieslings as we do, you’ll enjoy Latah Creek. The extensive gift shop here is one of the nicest we visited on this trip. Also be sure to try a Washington specialty, the Huckleberry d’Latah. This wine is a blend of huckleberries, a small blueberry-like fruit, with Riesling.

Nodland Cellars: What a wonderful small boutique winery this is. Just like many European estate wineries, Nodland produces only one red and one white wine. These wines are aged in French Oak barrels, adding to the smooth complexity of the finished product.

More Spokane Wineries

Mountain Dome Winery: Located in the foothills of Mt. Spokane, Mountain Dome is something of a change of pace, as they are Washington’s premier sparkling winery. One of the key differences between production of sparkling wines vs. regular wines is the lengthy bottle aging, thereby producing a secondary fermentation. These wines are fun to drink, and add a new dimension to a wine lovers palate.

Townshend Cellar: This small winery north of Spokane offers small lots of quality wines, many of which have been praised by the wine press. The reds are the star here, especially the rich dark fruit taste of their Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Downtown Spokane Wineries

Barrister Winery: We literally walked right into this winery, housed in a early 20th century brick building in the heart of the Davenport District. It’s red wine heaven here. Barrister produces limited quantities of Bordeaux style reds and Syrahs.

Grande Ronde Cellars: Wine Specator loves Grande Ronde Cellars, having raved about their Cabernet and Merlot. The real star for us, though, was the creamy Chardonnay. The bouquet of apricot and peach truly was the forebearer of great things to come.

Lone Canary Winery: This was our personal winner of “best winery name” in the Spokane area. But Lone Canary is more than just a name, although the logo is eye catching and named after Washington’s state bird, the wild canary. The wines here have great depth and complexity, from the deliciously fruity Cabernet Sauvignon to Bird House Red, a red blend.

Robert Karl Cellars: Located in the heart of Spokane’s historic warehouse district, Robert Karl Cellars specializes in premium Cabernets. These wines are ideal to cellar for a time to bring out their true mature flavor. In particular, we recommend the rich red Syrah and the Claret.

Vintage Hill Cellars: This downtown Spokane winery is a very comfortable and pleasant place to stop and taste. We bought a few bottles of Vintage Hill’s Sauvignon Blanc and the Riesling. Of course, eastern Washington and Spokane are just a part of Washington’s wine scene. In the meantime, don’t overlook Spokane! This is an appealing destination whether you crave outdoor activities, historic architecture, city life, or all of the above!

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