Need help with a wine gift, plus.

[maslex]

We are heading to a Christmas party this weekend. It's at my mom's cousin's house. My brother and his wife are also going. My brother and I are each bringing a gift. You see, we lost our mom almost a month ago to a year long battle of cancer and her cousin was there for my mom and also for us the last few weeks of her life. We know that nothing we can do or say will ever be enough but we'd like to bring her a little something anyways. We know she is a wine gal and loves her Chardonnay. And we also know that she LOVES my brother's woodworking skills. So my brother made her a wine rack from a wood pallet. It came out really nice. And I'd like to get her a set of 4 wine glasses and a bottle of her favorite wine.

Problem is, I am FAR from being a wine drinker. Don't like the stuff. I got to looking online at wine glasses and have no idea on what type to get her. I know they'll be the kind with a stem since you can hang 4 wine glasses from this wine rack. But should I get just clear? etched with a design? get a colored design? I'd like it to be a surprise so I can't just come out and ask her what she'd like. I'm also assuming since she is a big wine drinker, she probably already has enough wine glasses. At first I was going to go out and get her a favorite candle but then my brother suggested getting the wine and glasses "to go" with the wine rack.

Any ideas?

 

[mnrose]

I would go for a nice bottle of Chardonnay. You don't say what your budget it, but Far Niente makes an excellent Chardonnay. Around $50 for the most recent vintage. If she drinks Chardonnay at all, she would know this name.

It's also one that should be reasonably easy to find.

 

[NewRVLady]

I once was given some dark green with gold wine glasses....they were beyond overdone and gaudy

Get a simple clear glass - when you go somewhere like Bed Bath beyond- wine glasses are usually boxed in 4 and say for white or red wine.
White wine glasses are slimmer than red

You can get a good Chardonnay for $16-20

 

[maslex]

Thanks. I guess my brother just asked her daughter what her favorite wine was and she said "Kendall Jackson". So I guess I'll be on the hunt for that and some wine glasses.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Maslex, Do you have a good, full service, liquor and wine store in your area? I don't drink chardonnay, so I couldn't help you with that. But I know that we have gotten some really good info and recommendations at a good liquor and wine store. This one actually has weekly tastings. (which we can't go to, since they are an hour away!)

I also agree to not go to 'over-done' with wine glasses.
She may have her favorite set, that she can hang from the rack.
If you know her personal tastes in this kind of thing, then that might help.

We have wineries here that also carry associated gifts, like unique wine glasses or wine themed gizmo and decor. That might be an idea, if there are any of these within driving distance.

 

[SurferMom]

Go with an established brand like Riedel or Schott Zweisel that has been around a long time and maintains their designs. That was you can add to the collection. Riedel carries a line at Target that is dishwasher safe. Both companies, as most do, with their glasses labeled for the kind of wine for which they were designed.

About the most intricate I would go would be to have a single etched monogram on the glass.

The handmade rack is such a nice gift. There really isn't anything nicer than something that someone creates over time.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I just went to wine.com....
This is a GREAT resource.

I noticed this Chardonnay from Sonoma CA, that is 95 points, for less than $50.00.

The higher the point ratings, supposedly the better the wine.
I know that we have tried a $20.00 wine that was rated with almost that many points, and it was WAY better than the regular wide-distribution shelf wines that run $15.00.

I had done quite a bit of research, as we hoped to visit Napa/Sonoma wine country, and this is one of the vineyards I remember reading about.

http://www.wine.com/v6/Joseph-Phelp...Coast-Chardonnay-2012/wine/130488/Detail.aspx

 

[Wishing on a star]

Here is a Kendall Jackson that the web-site pulled up as 'you may also consider'.

It also gets a pretty good point rating, at a slightly better price than the Joseph Phelps.

http://www.wine.com/v6/Kendall-Jack...l.aspx?ct=12565&iid=Recommendation:FromDetail

 

[mnrose]

Thanks. I guess my brother just asked her daughter what her favorite wine was and she said "Kendall Jackson". So I guess I'll be on the hunt for that and some wine glasses.

KJ runs the gamut in price from "table wine" ($10 or less) all the way up to a premium label which is quite a bit more. I'd go with the "best" KJ you can afford. If she is used to the "table wine" (which is very good, don't get me wrong), she may be very pleased with a 'nicer' version of it.

 

[Tozzie]

Thanks. I guess my brother just asked her daughter what her favorite wine was and she said "Kendall Jackson". So I guess I'll be on the hunt for that and some wine glasses.

Your in luck as Kendall Jackson is a pretty easy find. As for the wine glasses I would go for clear, I like wine and I like clear glasses.

in the future if you need to get wine, go to you local store and tell them what you are looking for and what you want to spend and should be able to find a nice wine for you. My local store is great the owner makes everyone who works for him taste every wine they sell so they know what it tastes like.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I am a huge wine drinker but alas, I don't drink many whites so I'm no help for personal suggestions.

I do, however, love when people buy me wine. I would get her the wine she likes and then maybe one or two bottles that is in her realm, but maybe something new to try. My Chardonnay friends really like La Crema:

http://www.wine.com/v6/La-Crema-Russian-River-Chardonnay-2012/wine/128887/Detail.aspx

As for the glasses, you want to make sure you are getting her white wine glasses. I would go for the below or something similar. There are different types of glasses for each varietal.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/prod...src=bar-wine-glasses||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

 

[Handbag Lady]

Oh, and you can never have enough good wine glasses. They chip and break from time to time so getting a set of four (that matches!) is always a good idea for a wine drinker.

I don't know your budget but these are NICE!!

http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Ite...+1542+6&search=0&origin=browse&searchkeyword=

 

[pixiewings71]

Kendall Jackson is a very good Chardonnay, if that's what she likes go with that. As for glasses, I usually use clear, I have quite a few clear glasses but my favorites are this style http://www.pier1.com/Teal-Crackle-Drinkware/PS37368,default,pd.html?cgid=wine-stems#nav=left&cgid=wine-stems&start=1, mine are purple, which I don't see online. I received them as a gift from 2 of my really close friends. I use them for special occasions.

 

[fabulousfive]

Kendall Jackson is the only Chardonnay I like. As for the glasses, it's a nice gesture, but I wouldn't want any that don't match exactly what I currently have. Maybe something more cheese related to pair with the wine like a small cutting board and cheese knives with a pepper jelly jar.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I like clear wine glasses the best myself.

Silly question... are you sure Chardonnay is here thing? I am not familiar with the Kendall Jackson brand, but usually they make more than one kind of wine. Now personally I cannot understand why somebody wouldn't like Chardonnay (it is like my favorite white), but I have met many people who prefer the sweeter stuff. You might have somebody sneak a peek or ask what particular type of wine she likes in that brand.

 

[disney4us2002]

Just to throw out another thought.... Rather than wine glasses, you could consider a nice wine stopper, battery-operated wine opener (I LOVE MINE), wine charms or a wine cooler/ice bucket.

Sorry about the loss of your mom. The holidays are always so difficult to get through without our loved ones, especially when the loss is so recent. ((Hugs))

 

[pad406]

These are my favourite wine glasses, pricey but beautiful

http://www.blarney.com/irish-shop/waterford-crystal-john-rocha-signature-white-wine-glasses/

 

[HM]

For a less expensive bottle of chardonnay, you could try Cupcake brand. Our book club ladies love it. And I second the battery operated wine opener. I'm always jeaolous when I see one of the ladies using hers.

 

[Wishing on a star]

That Waterford Crystal is absolutely spectacular!

When we were married, I picked out a couple of similar crystal wine glasses for our wedding wine glasses.

We might get those out on our Anniversary.

The wine glasses that we use are Libby, from Walmart!

 

[pad406]

That Waterford Crystal is absolutely spectacular!

When we were married, I picked out a couple of similar crystal wine glasses for our wedding wine glasses.

We might get those out on our Anniversary.

The wine glasses that we use are Libby, from Walmart!

If the anniversary is any time soon, just found them on offer too http://www.kilkennyshop.com/signature-hatbox-white-wine-set-of-6.html €169