A Wine Gift Guide for Everybody on Your List
Here are some delicious and hard-to-find VeroVino wines which have been carefully curated by us.
As we’ve been covering in our recent articles about wine tasting, everyone has a different palette. So, how can you be sure to select wine gift baskets that someone will like?
First and foremost, source your wine from a supplier that is picky about the wines they sell. Then you know the wine has been ‘screened’ to have passed the ‘taste test.’ The more picky the wine buyer the better selection of wines they have.
Second, get a wine that is truly unique, ideally one that is not easy to find, so that way when someone gets it they will be truly surprised to have a new wine that they never had.
Third, since we all have a different palette and are at different stages along the ‘wine journey,’ our individual preferences for wine vary.
With such a myriad of wine choices out there, how can you easily narrow down a short list and choose wines that the specific person will truly enjoy? We got you covered for gift for wine lovers with this first, 2022, Wine Gift Guide.
Dissecting Wine Consumer Preferences
Vero specializes in hard-to-find wines which we carefully select from small farmer-artisans around the world, focusing on wines never before in the US market. We check all the boxes when it comes to finding a wine supplier that will provide great winetasting experience, with really cool finds of artisanal and sustainably made wines. But, still, with our wide and unusual selection of unknown wines, how can one decide which ones to buy?
We’re making it easier for you by giving you loads of tips to help you choose wines, even if you never heard of them before, like in our last “If you like this, you’d like that” blog article where we propose new wines grapes to try based on ones you already know and like.
Meanwhile this article gives you guidelines to select wines based on the general type of wine drinker someone is.
The first general category is by type of wine, which is red wine, white wine, rose wine, orange wine, sparkling wine and sweet wine. But still, even if you know someone likes red wine, for example, how can you find a red wine that they person will like?
What you need to do, is think a little more about that person’s general taste preferences, their familiarity with wine, and what ‘pushes their buttons’ when it comes to wine:
Bold, People-Pleaser Wines
Some people really like to stick to their ‘California style’ type of wines, which means there is more flavor intensity, has lots of fruit but also other flavor complexities which are often introduced from oak aging. These wines are great on their own, so just for sipping, without necessarily ‘requiring’ food to make the wines shine through. For this general style, we use the term ‘bold,’ as a bold red wine, and for whites too, which imply for sure an oak aged white wine. Meanwhile for other categories of wine, like sparkling wine and sweet wine, we use the term ‘People-Pleaser’ which means that it’s a wine that will cross over many palettes, so that most people would enjoy.
Old World Wines
Alternatively, many Americans’ palettes have ‘crossed the ocean’ and have become more accustomed to ‘Old World’ wines. These are wines that follow decades, if not centuries, of tradition with deep roots, literally, as the vines themselves may be old. Traditionally, wine came about to pair with food, so many Old World wines naturally have more structure, eg acidity, tannins, bitterness, which allows them to pair better with food. While it takes years to get accustomed to these more structured, less ‘quaffable’ wines, which, perhaps, may not be great sipping wines, compared to ‘bold’ and ‘people pleaser’ wines, they are increasingly sought after by Americans as wine becomes more part of our culture and our wine palettes mature.
Adventure Wines
Some wine drinkers are true adventurers. They really want to learn, explore and immerse themselves into discovering new types of wine, new wine grapes, wine from places they never had. These wine adventurers are willing to take more risks of trying out a new wine. Some they will like more than others, but they will always be surprised. This is where they get true enjoyment from being adventurers. For these wine drinkers, we have defined a category of new varieties and places, so they will try wines that they never had before.
Alternative Wines
In line with adventurers, are wine drinkers who gravitate towards ‘alternative wines’, like orange wine, pet nat wines, natural wines, etc. While apparently natural wine and similar categories of alternative wine is growing in popularity, driven by millennial and Gen Z wine drinkers, these wines have actually been made for centuries by small, artisanal producers. They just got crowded out of the US market by ‘commercial wines,’ which are high volume production wines which have and still dominate the US market for 50 years. Fortunately for us, we have focused from the beginning on curating and selling wines from small farmer-artisans, so many of our wines fall into the alternative wine category.
Best Buy Wines
With price always being an important factor in any wine buying decision, we have also defined a category of ‘Best Buy’ wines which have a particularly value for what you get.
For Foodies
Last but not least, someone ‘on your list’ may not be wine drinkers at all, or they may also be intense foodies. Like our wines, we select rare, super delicious organic extra virgin olive oils from small producers as well. Whether you are a wine or food connoisseur, you will truly appreciate we also have our EVOO hidden gems.
You may notice that we don’t have a category called ‘natural wines’ which many are seeking now-a-days. That’s because, with our focus on small producers who are farming their own land and whose priority is to craft a wine based on years of tradition, we’ve found that most of them are natural wines anyway. So natural wines are spread throughout each category we are presenting.
Vero’s Gift Guide for Unique Wines
So, now that you have a clear picture in mind of what kind of wine drinker that special someone, start browsing our 2022 Wine Gift Guide and start shopping!
Red Wines
Undoubtedly, you have a red wine lover on your list. Get a red wine gift they will love with these tips.
The Saint Laurent natural red wine from Thaya in the Czech Republic is a great way to introduce a wine lover to a new variety.
Bold: Quinta de Valbom | Dry Red Wine | Duoro Field Blend. From Portugal, this red wine is like a port, and could technically also go into the ‘Old World’ category, but we love it here for its structure and complexity thanks to the unique field blend of native Portuguese grapes and barrel aging.
Old World: Aldo Clerico | Barolo - Aldo Clerico | Barolo Serralunga d'Alba - Aldo Clerico | Barolo Ginestra. Classic old-world style oak aged red wine like the famous long aging wines of Barolo never go out of style, and this trio from small producer Aldo Clerico are definitely special. You can pick from not only a ‘classic’ Barolo, but dive deep to discover the single vineyard ‘Crus’ of Serralunga or Ginestra.
Discover New Varieties and Places: Thaya | Saint Laurent | Natural Wine | Organic Late Harvest Single Vineyard. Travel to the Czech Republic for this special variety: Saint Laurent. A relative of pinot noir, it has its similarities with the international grape, however this wine is considered a little ‘bigger’ than you typical pinot noir. Made with native yeast fermentation and is organic, this red wine makes it on our list of natural wines as well.
An Alternative Style Red: Bugno Martino | Essentia | Pet Nat | Dry Lambrusco Natural Sparkling Wine | Organic. Give something different with this Lambrusco made in a pet nat or ancestral method style. Made as a natural wine, it is bottled col fondo, or on the lees so it will continue to evolve in the bottle, making for a unique gift. Also low-alcohol.
Best Buys: Aldo Clerico | Langhe Nebbiolo - Canalino | Rosso di Montalcino | Organic Vegan. These two wines respectively come from the land of Barolo and Brunello. Made with the same grape (nebbiolo and sangiovese), and coming from vineyards that can also be labeled as Barolo or Brunello, these two wines are a great bang for your buck as they are like a baby Barolo and a baby Brunello.
White Wines
Bold: Vigna Petrussa | Richenza White Wine Blend from Friuli. An age-worthy white wine, this is blended from three Friuli varieties and aged in oak to create a complex, full-bodied, long finish white wine. A deep color, they will know the moment it is in their glass that they are in for a bold white wine treat!
Old World: Febo | Parella Trebbiano Abruzzese Natural White Wine | Organic Vegan. A natural wine, this trebbiano abruzzese is fresh, fruity and unique. Fermented in concrete vessels purchased by the Febo grandparents, this is a good white wine for many occasions.
Discover a New Variety and Place: Braschi | Albana | Organic Dry White Wine. The grape is albana (a grape loved by a Roman Empress), the place Romagna, Italy. A citrusy and fruity white wine, albana is from the Romagna region in North-Central Italy, and is a great new wine for chardonnay lovers to try.
Discover an Alternative Style White: Febo | Rolland Pecorino Natural Wine | Orange White | Organic Vegan. Not quite an orange wine (normally made from extended contact with the skins), this natural wine made from the pecorino grape (yes, it’s not just a cheese, but also a grape) is a dark yellow color because of the intense heat in the 2020 vintage. Great ripe fruit flavors.
Best Buy: Quercia Scarlatta | Marchese Japo | Natural Organic Vegan White Wine Blend. Our best buy white wine pick is an unoaked vegan wine. Thanks to extra time aging on the lees, it is full-bodied and complex. From Le Marche, Italy towards the Adriatic sea, it is a fruity blend of local varieties. It is a natural wine made with native yeast fermentation.
Sparkling Wines
This section we also break down some sparkling wine suggestions by method of production (learn about different sparkling wine methodologies in our previous article on the subject). Better enjoy this sparkling wine season with some small production, artisanal sparklers.
This Durello 36 Months is an Italian sparkling wine made in the champagne method, great to try a new grape variety in an old-school style.
People-Pleaser Prosecco: It took us a while to find a Prosecco that we liked. It needed to be crisp yet expressive and flavorful. Then we met the Sanzovo brothers who are in the heart of Prosecco country in Valdobbiadene with their small family winery Col Del Balt and hit gold! We first started to import in their Col del Balt Sanzovo | Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut which America has been enjoying for over a year now. It has fresh with lime and mineral notes and flavor. Brand new to the US market, which we just imported in, is their Extra Dry version, still a classic, Superiore Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco but just a slight bit fruitier than their Brut crossing over to please also those that prefer a smoother Prosecco, yet with great acidity to please dry wine drinkers.
People-Pleaser Champagne Style: Ivaldi | Andrea Extra Brut Alta Langa | Champagne Method Sparkling Wine. From the Monferrato in Northern Italy’s Piedmont region, this Alta Langa has been aged on the lees for 30 months during it’s traditional champagne method creation. Extra brut, it is made from chardonnay and a fun Italian sparkling wine alternative to French champagnes.
People-Pleaser Pet Nat: Zanon | Prosecco Vintage Col Fondo Pet Nat | Natural Sparkling Wine. Made from glera (the same grape that makes Prosecco), this ancestral method or pet-nat style wine is bottled col fondo, or still on the lees. From the 2020 harvest, this natural wine is like a pet nat Prosecco: light and refreshing but with a unique twist.
Discover a New Variety: Sandro de Bruno | Lessini Durello 36 Months | Champagne Method Sparkling Wine. Another traditional champagne method Italian sparkling wine, this one is made from a grape not many have heard of: durella. The wine is called Durello, yet the grape durella, and with a thick skin makes a fantastic traditional method wine. This wine has been rated 95 points by Wine Enthusiast, and you can also learn more about this grape from the winemaker from our VeroTalk (watch the video HERE).
Discover an Alternative Style: Zanon | Boschera | Skin Contact Pet Nat | Natural Sparkling Wine. We debated also putting this grape under ‘new variety’, as this is the first time the boschera grape has ever been in the US! With only a few acres in the world, this rare grape is artfully vinified in the ancestral/pet nat method, and even has a little bit of aging with skin contact.
Best Buy: Col del Balt Sanzovo | Codolà | Pet Nat Style Prosecco. This wine is made from the glera grape. like Prosecco, yet bottled on the lees and is unfiltered. It is crisp with an extra oomph of complexity. A great new ‘old way’ way to try prosecco, as it is made in the ancestral method, the ‘original way’ prosecco was made by ‘nonno’ before prosecco became popular world wide.
Bonus Accessory: Professional Champagne Wine Stopper | Patented | Made in Italy. This patented sparkling wine stopper can keep the bubbles in your bubbly for up to 3 days after opening! A small item that is great as a small thoughtful gift, or even a stocking stuffer during the holidays.
The sparkling Rosé Brut from Terramossa is like drinking strawberries!
Rosé Wines
Rosés are not only for summertime, but can be enjoyed all year round.
People-Pleaser Rosé: Terramossa | N 1 Rosé Brut Sparkling Wine. Strawberries… that is the first word that comes to mind when sipping this lively and pretty pink Italian sparkling rosé wine. Great to add some color to your usual sparkling wine.
Old World: Domus Hortae | Kia Ros Nero di Troia | Pugliese Rosé Wine. New to the Vero lineup, this rosé from Puglia in Southern Italy is un-oaked and a refreshing take on the normally dark nero di troia grape. Pleasant and fruity, this rosé wine is a well-balanced example of an old-world rosé.
Discover a New Variety and Place: Thaya | Blaufrankisch | Organic Rosé Wine. The variety of blaufrankisch is also known as frankovka in the Czech Republic, where this wine is from. It creates a unique and interesting rosé wine: a bright inviting color, on the palate fantastic spicy notes come forward… almost like a cinnamon candy! Interesting and intriguing, you keep going back for sip after sip.
Discover an Alternative Rosé: Frignano | Sgarbato Pet Nat | Organic Sparkling Rosé Wine. Not your usual rosé wine, this natural sparkling wine is made using the pet nat or ancestral method. Darker than the average rosé, this wine has flavors reminiscent of tart cranberry juice. A new wine to the Vero portfolio, it is also woman-made in Modena, Italy.
Orange and Skin Contact Wines
Saturnia Bianco is a funky and natural take on orange wine from indigenous Tuscan grapes.
People-Pleaser Orange: Bodega de las Estrellas | Ego Vinum Blanco Orange | Natural Amphora Orange Wine. This is a great orange wine for those who want to dip their toes into this trending wine style. Fermented and aged in amphora, this Spanish orange wine has rich and full flavors. A natural wine, it is well balanced thanks to its time in amphora and a great way to introduce wine drinkers to the world of orange wines.
Old World: La Maliosa | Saturnia Bianco | Tuscan Natural Orange Wine | Organic Vegan. This super natural orange wine from Tuscany is funky and unique. Made biodynamically with regenerative farming techniques, this woman made wine has some oak aging to add lovely flavors of candied fruit and ginger.
Discover a New Place: Michi Lorenz | Halo Sauvignon Blanc | Natural Wine | Skin Contact Orange | Organic Biodynamic Single Vineyard. This orange wine is a great way to let someone discover the wines of Austria, where winery Michi Lorenz is located. Made from sauvignon blanc in South Styria, this natural wine is a neat mandarin orange color.
Discover an Alternative Take: Lorenzo Corino | Case Corini | Ciabot del Moreto Natural Orange Wine | Organic Vegan. In this super natural wine from the biodynamic winery Case Corini is an alternative take on the aromatic grape, moscato. Instead of making the usual sweet semi sparkling Moscato d’Asti, Case Corini leaves the juice in contact with the skins for a few weeks before aging in barrels. You can still smell the usual moscato aromatic notes, but here there are also interesting dried fruit and candied fruit notes.
Best Buy: Clos des Amis | White Wine | Skin Contact Chardonnay. From sunny Southern California, this chardonnay orange wine was not an intentional choice by the winemakers, but rather a pleasant surprise after harvesting late and leaving the crushed juice in contact with the skins for just a little too long. A fun way to try chardonnay, especially for lovers of unoaked chardonnay.
Sweet and Dessert Wines
People-Pleaser Sweet wine: Ivaldi | Ros du Su Moscato d'Asti | Semi-Sparkling Sweet Wine. Moscato lovers tend to link the wine because they prefer sweet wines which is the most common form you find in Moscato. Yet this Moscato which we just discovered this year from 4th generation producer Andrea Ivaldi has pronounced acidity making it a wine that even ‘open minded’ dry wine drinkers would enjoy. Andrea Ivaldi admits that he prefers Moscato d’Asti that is less sweet. Tasting this wine, you get it - it is like having chamomile and honey made as a wine, with a bit of frizzante effervescence.
Old World: Briamara | Caluso Passito Riserva | Sweet Dessert Wine. This riserva dessert wine is made in Caluso, Northern Italy, by air drying the white erbaluce grapes. Only made in the best of years, this low-yield wine is aged for 10 years before bottling. An intense, sweet and thick wine, this is a luxurious dessert wine to give.
Discover a New Variety: Ivaldi | Susbel Brachetto d'Acqui | Sweet Semi-Sparkling Red Wine. Brachetto is like Moscato d’Asti’s lesser known cousin. A red aromatic grape also from the Monferrato, like moscato, and when vinified correctly, produces a sweet wine like moscato. With more red-fruit characteristics, it is refreshing and easy to sip away.
Discover an Alternative Style: Braschi | Sweet Albana White Wine | Organic. Made from the grape albana, this is a still wine, yet sweet and delicious. With notes of apricots and saffron, this is a sweet wine different than the usual frizzy semi-sparkling wines like moscato. A usually thick skinned grape, albana lends a pleasant dark color and sweetness to this wine.
Best Buy: Vigna Petrussa | Desiderio Sweet Wine. This special dessert wine is made from grapes hand picked for air drying before being pressed and aged in French oak. Sumptuous and elegant, it is a great wine to start enjoying the world of appassimento or dried grape cluster wines.
For That Special Foodie
For a special someone that maybe doesn’t drink, or perhaps just loves to cook and try new foods, give them an Italian organic extra virgin olive oil. We have several options from the spicy and gold medal winning Tuscan Caletra (spicy because it’s packed with polyphenols), to the buttery Tuscan blend Aurinia, or the milder Abruzzese blend. All three of these EVOOs are organic, vegan, and first run/cold presses, so you might even consider our Tuscan Olive Oil Set!
Not sure what they like?
Then let them choose! Give a Vero Gift Card in five values that never expires, starting at $50, and you will also receive a special discount of 10% off your next order too! So give a little, get a little with the Vero Gift Card
For Die Hard Wine Explorers
Lastly, for that wine lover that is just a little extra, give them a subscription to the VeroClub, a real wine subscription. Available in monthly and quarterly frequencies, as members of the VeroClub, the recipient will also have first dibs on all new wines to arrive in our warehouses and a personal 10% discount on all purchases in the VeroShop. With this, you can give them not only 3 bottles monthly or 6 bottles quarterly of sommelier selected small production wines, but also so much more!
Get Ready to Impress Wine Lovers on Your List
We hope this guide will help you confidently choose unique wines and olive oils that your loved ones will enjoy. This was a tough task for us to narrow down from our vast portfolio of boutique & rare selections. If at any time you need some suggestions, use our free somm at your service program to schedule an appointment with us to chat.
Keep this list handy for the next time you need to send a wine gift, and let Vero help. We will get your wine gifts delivered so your friends, family, and loved ones can enjoy delicious small production wines and olive oils, with no hassle to you.
Start browsing and get ideas for wine gift baskets you can build! Check out the VeroShop to see all of our artisanal products and get wine gift for Christmas.
