The Best Wine to Gift Every Type of Oenophile in Your Life

When you’re buying for your in-laws, it’s best to go conservative and with a brand they’ll know for sure. However, it doesn’t hurt to throw in a little twist to that advice so the gift doesn’t look too rote. Dom Perignon has collaborated with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami to create a limited-edition bottling of its 2015 vintage Champagne. The box design and bottle label depict green, red, blue, and yellow smiling flowers, sure to brighten anyone’s day. The liquid art on the inside reveals delightful aromas of citrus blossoms, green apple, and freshly baked focaccia that draw you in for flavors of yeasty bread, ripe stone fruits, and zesty lemon peel. 

Let’s face it, there’s a thin line between collecting and hoarding, and it’s called organization. Most wine collectors we know have their bottles inventoried on a computerized system, but some of our friends have huge cellars and know where everything is with remarkable accuracy. Regardless of the system your collector uses, here’s a bottle that won’t get lost in their collection. A Bordeaux-style blend, Dominus Estate 2021 is sourced from the Napanook Vineyard, which was originally planted in 1838 and is now managed by Dominus Estate owner Christian Moueix. Aromas of black currant, lavender, and cardamom draw you into the glass for ethereal flavors of blackberry, black cherry, and crushed violet petal wrapped in opulent tannins. It’s drinking beautifully right now, but can be enjoyed over the next 30 years.

If your boss loves Italian wine, they will know that Tenuta San Guido is the home of Sassicaia, one of Italy’s best super Tuscan wines. They might not know, however, that Guidalberto is also made at the same winery, but costs a fraction of the price. Named after Guidalberto della Gherardesca, one of Bolgheri’s first grape growers, this Super Tuscan is a blend of 55 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 45 percent Merlot. It has aromas of cassis, dried thyme, citrus blossoms, and lavender flowers that transition to silky tannins and full body in the palate with flavors of blackberry, cherry, cigar box, and dried Mediterranean herbs. Only 5,400 cases are imported into the United States, so don’t delay.

Legendary winemaker Michael Mondavi and his son Rob Jr. chose the name “animo” from the Italian word for “soul” because they believe it represents the true spirit of vineyards that consistently produce excellent quality grapes to make exceptional wines. We have visited this stunning vineyard with Michael and can tell you it’s a very special place. Their 2021 Heritage Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of nectarine, acacia blossom, white peach, and a lifted whiff of vanilla that leads to balanced acidity with flavors of key lime pie, acacia honey, blood orange, and honeydew melon.

The great way to get on your sister’s good side this holiday season is with bubbles. The 2014 vintage is remembered as being an exceptional year for rosé Champagne, and Rare’s bottling is one for the record books. A blend of 60 percent Chardonnay and 40 percent Pinot Noir, it is copper to salmon colored in the glass and releases a steady stream of fine bubbles that lift aromas of wild strawberry, tangerine, candied orange, and red plum straight to your nose. Lively in the mouth, it has flavors of cherry liquor, dried lavender, cranberry, and rose petals.

There are some among us that don’t just like a good bottle of wine, they want to make sure to turn every head when they pull it from their cellar. Screaming Eagle is perfect for this breed of oenophile—and this vintage will ensure they and everyone around them will be impressed. A friend opened a bottle of Screaming Eagle 2007 for us in 2014 because winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett had received a perfect 100-point score a few years earlier. We both remember being totally bowled over. If you’re lucky and have a huge bank account, there are a few bottles still available.

For many of us, when the dessert menu comes, the selection of wines is glossed over, but there others who love a sweeter glass. This transformative wine is made in the tradition of a tawny port, but instead of blending aged wines from multiple years, it is crafted only from grapes harvested in 1975. Dark tea colored in the glass, it has enticing aromas of toasted hazelnuts, butterscotch, dried apricot, mint, and tobacco leaf. Its sweetness is perfectly balanced by bright acidity to showcase flavors of holiday baking spices, English toffee, and dried fruits. Bottled in a frosted glass flask and presented in an elegant wooden case, it’s a gift they’ll remember for a long time.

Again, when you’re shopping for an older crowd, sometimes it’s best to not overthink it and go with a well-established classic winemaker. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is well known for its award-winning wines made from grapes grown in the Stag’s Leap District AVA, but this well-priced wine is made from grapes sourced from Coombsville, Saint Helena, Wooden Valley located in the Suisun Valley, Calistoga, Stag’s Leap District and Atlas Peak. A blend of 98 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and soupçons of Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot, it is aged for 15 months in one-third French oak. Aromas of blueberry, violet, and ripe black fruits draw you into the glass for flavors of blackberry, black plum, pencil lead, and cinnamon at the very end.

Back in the late aughts, as he was making his name in Hollywood, actor and comedian Eric Wareheim traded in his whiskey and Colt 45s for wine. His success with his cult favorite show Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job gave him the means to really dive into his new passion, where he found a kindred spirit in winemaker Joel Burt. Together they launched Las Jaras with a commitment to low intervention natural winemaking. There’s a fun and quirky edge to their brand, but there’s also a serious love of wine underneath. This Chenin Blanc, named after Burt’s younger daughter, is made with grapes sourced from the Norgard Vineyard in Mendocino and is barrel fermented in oak and then aged in stainless steel. Inspired by the Loire Valley, this Chenin maintains a vibrant acidity with notes of Meyer lemon and apricot. It’s a bottle with personality, which is usually what the natural wine drinkers among us are seeking out.

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If anyone comes from a large family, there’s generally the one sibling who likes to be a little different and stand out from the pack. If their wine tastes trend in the same direction, go get them something from the Northern Rhône. Etienne Guigal opened his eponymous winery in 1946 and made wine continuously for an impressive 67 harvests. Today, the third generation of the family is represented by Philippe and Marcel Guigal, who’ve furthered the legacy started by their grandfather. Their wines remain some of the best Rhônes available in the U.S. market. The Lieu-Dit Rouge 2022 from Saint-Joseph has aromas of anise, plum, and black cherry with elegant, tight-grained tannins and flavors of cranberry, cherry, vanilla, and red currant.

Listen, we know the fiscal outlook hasn’t been the rosiest for everyone this year, so all the more reason for you in the C-suite to stay on good terms with the board. Our advice is to get them an icon that is also one of our Best of the Best winners this year. Grange is often referred to as the best and most coveted Australian wine, and the 2020 vintage certainly lives up to that reputation. “The philosophy for Grange is the best of the best that the vintage can offer, regardless of region,” says chief winemaker Peter Gago. This stunner offers aromas and flavors of Luxardo cherry, macerated black raspberry, and vanilla with elegant, rounded, and velvety tannins.

Yes, they will be having some f@#%$g Merlot, and you’ll be giving them what the want. Brothers Georges and Daniel Daou were born in Lebanon and lived in Beirut until the civil war broke out in 1973. With their children’s well-being in mind, their parents chose to leave everything behind and move to France to find a bit of respite from the war. The brothers moved to California in the early 1980s, and in 2007, they established Daou Vineyards. We especially like the 2019 Daou Vineyards Reserve Merlot. The garnet-colored wine has aromas of cassis, brown baking spices, chocolate, and baked blackberry, with flavors of cherry, plum, and a touch of vanilla in the finish.

Miles loved Pinot, and so do they, so get them one of the best we’ve tried all year. Domaine Faiveley 2021 Corton Clos de Cortons comes from a very unique walled vineyard and has aromas of pomegranate, red raspberry, cherry, and brown baking spices that transition to delightful flavors of cranberry, cherry, and caramelized orange peel wrapped in a velvety tannic sheath.