Shop The Category Not The brand
This is an example of a client that was trying to round up 85 bottles of an Expensive well known Champagne. I advised him that anyone can do that. Still get them an amazing champagne but not the commercial brand. As you can see in the picture my client is holding some bottles of the 85 bottles he took my advice about that has a rare limited edition gold bottle by a great producer. He saved over $17,000 dollars but most importantly, the people receiving those rare bottles felt so cared about and certainly he made a better impression than if he went with his initial idea
More expensive ??
Ok you can go more expensive for a great gift of champagne but again not with the readily accessible commercially known labels that the people might have requested. Get a champagne from an iconic year like 1996 Something the giftee can’t source for themselves
Come on now !!!!! Look at that 1996 Duval Leroy. What a sexy looking bottle too. About $300 but so much of a better gift than something at $300 from Costco
SINGLE MALT SCOTCH
Before you take that crumbled piece of paper with the list of single malts the office workers told you the boss drinks and purchase yet another bottle of the same one they buy for themselves. Consult with a whisky expert at a local wine and spirits store
Look at this 18yr old Grand Cru Single Malt Scotch from a highly rated producer in Scotland. Very unique very smooth and I have seen it at boutique retailers in every state for under $60. Not $300 $60 and what an impressive gift to give to a Scotch drinker instead of the commercial brand at the local liquor store
COGNAC ???
if they ask you for the brand they have to mix with coke or coconut water or anything for that matter they truly haven’t had a great cognac yet
Since 1863 and I have drank a lot of Cognac in my career Hardy is by far the smoothest of them all and difficult to find which makes it a better thoughtful gift than the one they mix with Coke. This is not cheap but Hardy makes VS and VSOP and XO cognacs way less expensive than the commercial counterparts buttttt if you want a cognac and packaging for a very significant other this $1500 cognac in a Pearl decanter will bring tears to their eyes
VODKA VODKA VODKA
A popular asked for spirit. Sadly the category is full of brands that no longer are the quality they were when they were artisan handcrafted vodkas years ago. Don’t buy them one of those even if that’s what they asked for. No joke. I know how to make an impression
Get them tbe highest rated vodka in the world. 7 times distilled. Gluten Free, Carb Free , Sugar Free and TEXAS FREE. For 5 years now this is the cleanest expression of vodka I have tasted. No headaches. Clean enough to drink with no mixer. And guess what. It’s produced in St Petersburg Florida. Monkeys as a breed always seem to locate a paradise. Give your secret Santa or White Elephant or vodka drinker in your life a bottle of MIP and they will find Paradise too !
ITALIANS HATE IT BUT AMERICANS LOVE PINOT GRIGIO
This is a category that is way way over saturated in the marketplace. Way too many producers and most at all prices taste like lemon water !! Here you must not get them a brand that is populating the shelves of every Target and Walmart and Supermarket
The monks make beer and wine the best. Muri Gries is produced in the area right on the Swiss Alps Alto Adige by a working monastery. This has such a fuller rounder mouthfeel and long lasting flavors. It should be in a class of Pinot Grigio all by itself. It’s far ahead of the pack under $20. Contact me if you can’t find this in your area. I will choose another
Summary
I’m here to help ! You have my email and also @larrywineguy on Twitter and Instagram @maniclarry on TikTok. Get in touch with me and I will be glad to help as it’s not about giving advice for free I just want to make people who are the ones you are gifting happy this holiday season and I promise you if you just buy the one on your piece of paper you will fail at gift giving for get another season.
Grape-fully yours ,
Larry
Larry The Wine Guy 