Wine Buying As A Gift

[Innkeeper]

Hi Virt, and welcome to the Wine Board. This is not as difficult as some other questions we get such as what do I get for kid who was just born for his 21st birthday?

I guess you want wines that were made in 2005. A well constructed Bordeaux which will be released later this year or early next will actually have to go ten years in proper storage. Ask your retailer for any First through Fifth growths that have a good recommendation and you can afford.

You have many, many options for the five year wine. For whites you could get a nice Sancerre from the Loire Valley in France, or a German Riesling in the Spatlese or Auslese category. For reds there are hundreds of options. I would recommend an Australian Shiraz in the $20-$30 range, and there are many choices there.

For this year pick up a Finger Lakes Sparkler made in the Champagne Methode. The Brut from Glenora is a good example, and you should be able to find it there.

Hope this helps.