Want to be known as the best gift-giver in your family this holiday season? Put together the perfect wine gift baskets for everyone on your list. Read this guide to DIY wine gift baskets to learn what to put in a wine gift basket that will impress anyone—from the beginner to the wine connoisseur—direct from the experts at The Wine Cellar Group.
Table of Contents
What Are Wine Gift Baskets?
Wine baskets are a thoughtful gift option for family, friends, and acquaintances alike because they’re totally customizable. You can personally choose every element based on the recipient’s preferences. They’re especially great gifts for the holiday wine lovers in your life.
Putting together a wine gift basket is a great DIY project that lets you get your creative juices flowing, and you can spend as much or as little as you’d like. Sure, you can find elaborate store-bought wine baskets, but you can replicate those at home for a fraction of the cost. Want to know how to make a good wine gift basket? Keep scrolling to find out.
Wine Basket Ideas & Tips
If you’re struggling to come up with unique wine basket ideas, we’ve got you covered. Wondering what you can put in a wine gift basket? We have the answer: whatever you want! Wine pairs well with everything from fancy cheeses to potato chips, so you really can’t go wrong with the ingredients you choose. Just remember these four basic wine pairing guidelines:
- Cheese pairs best with sweet or sparkling wine
- Dry, sparkling wines complement salty snacks best
- When choosing a wine/dessert pairing, make sure the wine is not much lighter or darker than the color of your dessert
- Balance the flavors in your basket (the flavor of one item shouldn’t overpower the flavor of the other)
How To Make a Wine Gift Basket in 5 Easy Steps
Here’s how to make a wine gift basket that will keep everyone talking:
Find a Basket
You can find a sturdy, cute gift basket without breaking the bank. We recommend getting a medium size basket so it’s big enough to fit everything but not so big that you struggle to fill it all the way. Feel free to think outside the box and look for a fun bucket, wooden crate, or straw tote bag to personalize your gift even more.
Line the Basket
To protect the wine bottles from cracking, line the sides and bottom of the basket with towels for extra cushion. To prevent the bottles from clanging together during transportation, consider placing additional towels between each bottle or wrapping the bottom section. Tea towels are a beautiful, protective addition to your gift basket!
Select Your Wine
Pick out two to three bottles of wine that you think the recipient will enjoy, and space them out in the basket to leave room for other goodies.
How To Choose Wine for Your Basket
Here are some factors to consider when selecting your wines:
- Don’t choose bottles that are either too small or too big for the basket size. The good news is that most wine stores have a wide selection of sizes: from miniature to half-sized to full-sized wine bottles.
- Choose wines that the recipient will enjoy. If your friend is more of a red gal, don’t waste her time by adding a bottle of white wine to the basket.
- If you’re not sure which wines to include, play it safe and get a variety of choices. Consider stopping by your local wine shop and ask the staff to recommend a popular bottle!
Pick Your Cheese and Other Treats
Choose whatever goodies you want to pair with the wine bottles. Some common gift basket ingredients include cheeses, chocolates, and crackers. Dry pasta, locally-made jams, honey, and fresh or dried fruit are always welcome gift basket items. If you want to make it extra special, you can add some additional non-food items to the basket—such as bath bombs, a wine opener, or a good book.
Every good wine gift basket has one thing in common: cheese. Adding cheese to a wine gift basket gives it a little something extra. Considering how many types of cheese exist in the world today, you can find something that everyone will like.
Cheese is a classic wine pairing item because the sweetness and acidity of wine cut through the rich, creamy cheese textures to cleanse the palate between every bite. Cheese usually pairs well with sweet or sparkling wines. If you’re worried about the cheese staying fresh, don’t worry. You can store dry, aged cheeses—like parmesan, cheddar, and gouda—at room temperature.
How to Choose Cheese for Your Basket
If you’re not sure what type of cheese to include, check out these classic cheese and wine pairings:
- Cabernet Sauvignon & Aged Cheddar
- Malbec & Gouda
- Pinot Grigio & Parmesan
Decorate the Gift Basket
Add the finishing touches to your wine gift basket by tying on ribbons, stuffing crinkle paper among the treats, and putting the recipient’s name on the front. This is where you can really get creative and customize the basket for whoever you’ll be giving it to. One element that can show you went the extra mile is a hand-written card with one of your favorite wine quotes or sayings on it. Whether the basket is for your best friend or a co-worker, a thoughtful note will make them feel extra special.
Order Your Wine Online From The Wine Cellar Group
The Wine Cellar Group offers a wide selection of high-quality, boutique-style wines from family vineyards around the world. Our personalized shopping feature will help you find the perfect wines at the right price for your next gift basket, and our cellar managers are happy to provide any advice on wine types and pairings. If you want to impress the wine enthusiast in your life this holiday season, grab a few bottles from The Wine Cellar Group.
Explore our Cellar Collection, buy wine online and get your favorite wines shipped straight to you—just in time for the holidays. Looking for pre-made wine sets? Look no further. We offer several holiday gift sets for wine lovers—of incredible quality and value—for you to choose from this holiday season:
- 10 Bottle Cellar Select Mixed Holiday Gift Set $119.99 (Over $200 In Value)
- 10 Bottle Cellar Select Red Holiday Gift Set $119.99 (Over $200 In Value)
- 6 Bottle Cellar Select Sparkling Holiday Gift Set $89.99 (Over $145 In Value)
- 6 Bottle Cellar Select Red Holiday Gift Set $79.99 (Over $125 In Value)
- 6 Bottle Cellar Select Mixed Holiday Gift Set $79.99 (Over $175 In value)
- 10 Bottle Cellar Premium Red Holiday Gift Set $184.99 (Over $300 In Value)
- 6 Bottle Cellar Premium Red Holiday Gift Set $119.99 (Over $200 In Value)
