Fine Gift Ideas

A great gift for someone who has everything!  A fun bottle of specially labelled red wine (other choices also available and for other occasions too), with up to 75 characters in your message and a massive 350 character message on the gift card.  The wine can be delivered in a luxurious silk lined presentation box with extras gifts too such as a specially dated newspaper, silk rose or chocolate truffles, making this a truly personalised gift.

Orders for Christmas are still possible before 21st December 2011.

For a great and inexpensive gift for wine lovers, this wine tasting set has 4 small bottles of diverse wines (from Germany, Chile, Australia and France) in a presentation box.  There are quite a number of alternative food and drink gifts that you can choose from, so there’s bound to be one that is the perfect choice for your friends and family.

As well as reviewing the latest gift ideas, Fine Gift Ideas is your guide to the best Red, White, and Sparkling wines that can be bought on the internet.

History Of Wine

Evidence suggests that Wine has been with us since 6000 to 5000 BC with the earliest grapevines found in early Bronze Age sites in Egypt.

All through our history there has been references to wine and wine making technology, such as the invention of the wine press by the Romans, and the use of wine by the Christian Church as a celebration of the Catholic Mass.

The Benedictine monks became one of the largest producers of wine in France and Germany, and the winemaking monks made it into an industry, producing enough wine to ship it all over Europe for secular use.

The first Spanish conquistadores imported French, Italian and German grapes to The Americas, and it was not until late in the 20th Century that Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa was identified as a source for great wine.

Wine Production

Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast which consume the sugars found in the grapes and convert them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are used depending on the types of wine being produced. Today with mechanization and scientific winemaking, wine from all over the world is of great quality.

Fine Gift Ideas will be reviewing wine from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, and USA. We will also be bringing the latest special offers and discount codes from the top online wine merchants.

Since the 1950′s Australia have been at the forefront of modern winemaking techniques with open, fruit-driven red and white wines.

New South Wales produced the first vines in the late 18th Century, so even though Australia is relatively new to the world wine market, it does have some heritage. They are now the World’s sixth largest wine-producing country.

Due to the vastness of Australia many of their grape varieties are synonymous with the specific region in which they thrive. Barossa Shiraz and Coonawarra Cabernet, have both received international recognition for their bold varietal qualities and excellent value.

The Chardonnay is still one of the most popular Australian wines, however there are quite a few more worth trying such as the excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Recommended Wines

Oxford Landing Chardonnay Yalumba 2007. A well established and highly regarded Estate of the area Waikerie, South Australia. A full flavoured Chardonnay brimming with ripe grapefruit and tropical fruit characters integrated with subtle toasty oak.

McGuigan Signature Shiraz Langhorne Creek 2006. Rich dark red in colour with a wonderful bouquet of ripe plum and berry fruits, this full-bodied Shiraz offers fine tannins and hints of pepper and spice for complexity.

The Spanish conquistadores introduced wine to Chile just over 500 years ago, however it was the French Bordeaux grape varieties of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon that had the most influence over their wine industry.

Chile has always been geographically isolated in the world, and as a result they have never had the diseases that have destroyed many vineyards. To some wine experts Chile has the perfect light, and ideal climate making it a grape growing paradise.

Chile’s wine industry is still fresh and young with many different wines and grapes to explore such as the Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chile’s own signature grape, the Carmenère.

Recommended Wines

Sauvignon Blanc Rapel Valley 2008. Grapefruit, lime and peach aromas leap from the glass, followed with crisp, citrus flavours on the palate. A refreshing acidity and zingy finish make this perfect drinking either on its own or with light seafood dishes.

Cabernet Carmenère Rapel Valley 2007. Red berry flavours from the Cabernet with spicy notes from the Carmenère intermingle with hints of vanilla, chocolate and coffee. A well structured, medium-bodied wine with a soft, pleasant finish.

When it comes to wine making and variety of wines offered France is still number one.

However when it comes to the French they do like to make things confusing including their system of wine classification. Vin de Table is the lowest ranking wine, and Vin de Pays are excellent wines at great prices.

France has several wine regions each with their own distinctive grape. Champagne produce wonderful sparkling wines, Alsace produce aromatic white wine, Burgundy is the home of Chardonnay, Bordeaux produce outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as many dry and sweet white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. In the far south the Rhône Valley is the home of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côte-Rôtie, while on the Spanish border Languedoc-Roussillon is the source of the ubiquitous Vin de Pays d’Oc.

What can be said about French wine, is that there is a wine for everyone!

Recommended Wines

Montagny 1er Cru Les Millières Cave de Buxy 2006. A delicious, fresh Chardonnay which has been fermented and matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve the pure peach, pear and acacia aromas. Soft and rich on the palate, it’s a genuine bargain not to be missed.

Château Guyon La Roseraie Bordeaux 2006. From the supple, attractive and ripe 2006 vintage this “petit château” offers exceptional value for money. With an enticing nose of blackberry, plum and grilled herbs the palate is nicely balanced with a long juicy finish. This is a real food friendly and savoury bottle of claret which is made at a qualitatively driven property.