DRINKABLE GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR BOSS
Face it. You can’t buy your boss a piece of clothing (too personal), or cologne (too allusive) or a book on how to be a better boss or human being (as tempting as that may be). But you can never go wrong with a bottle of wine. So to help you wrap up your
Devil Wears Prada boss
NV Paul Dangin & Fils Brut Cuvee Carte Blanche Champagne, France (Vintages 450460, $51.95, in stores only) To impress this bejewelled boss, you need something so profoundly stylish that only those in the know would see it for the gem it is. The find? This beautiful Blanc de Blancs Champagne, which Maxim’s of Paris has been serving for years (with Maxim’s labelling of course). Pierced by a delicate string of tiny, persistent bubbles and brimming with aromas and flavour of the bestever apple crumble edged with salted nuts, this wine is drop-dead gorgeous. Paul Dangin & Fils also supplies Champagne to the British royal household by appointment from Her Majesty the Queen. Score: 94
Praise-happy boss
Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, Veneto, Italy (Vintages Essential 687582, $18.95 reg., $16.95 till Jan. 1) You know the boss whose eagerness to praise knows no bounds? The one who lives for small successes, publicly applauding everything from big business wins to the most inane ideas tabled at internal meetings. Resist the urge to give him or her a box of shiny stars and instead give something with which to toast the next achievement. It doesn’t have to be particularly fancy, because it may well toast the trivial, but it should be tasty because chances are you’ll be having a glass. So give a bottle or two of this delicious, dry, pear-and-seaspray-scented Prosecco and be done with it. Score: 92+
Creative genius boss
2013 Big Smooth Old Vine Zinfandel, California (Vintages 470179, $24.95, in stores only) If you work for a creative genius, odds are he didn’t move up the ranks by MBA skills alone. No, he probably spent decades deeply immersed in the interesting and the clever. So give a bottle that’s both smart and scrumptious — such as the Big Smooth, which just hit shelves Dec. 10. The leg-lamp label symbolizes the holidays because it’s a prop from A Christmas Story; the plum velvet label mirrors the wine’s flavour and texture; and the wine’s instant appeal, complexity and polished purity of fruit says you know your stuff. Best part? None of this will be lost on the percipient recipient. Score: 91
Button-down boss
2010 Montecillo Rioja Reserva, Rioja, Spain (LCBO 621003, $18.15) If your boss is the buttoned-down type, she/he no doubt has a built-in, knee-jerk, deeply-ingrained appreciation of the classics. And this traditional Rioja Reserva, with six years of age on it, is sure to please and offers exceptional value for money. It’s sleek glossy texture slides across the palate then broadens and deepens almost instantly to reveal rich but bone dry flavours of black cherry and black raspberry edged with vanilla bean, milk chocolate, coffee bean, toasty oak and toffee. A lovely chalky-texture on the finish holds the flavour intact for ages. You’ll want to buy one for yourself, too. Score: 92
The young and the restless boss
2015 Big Bill Ridiculously Big Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Cape, South Africa (LCBO 457119, $12.95, in stores only) If your boss is under 35 and recently discovered the glories of fermented grape juice, thrill him or her with this red — it’s a bit of a big deal. Not only does it sport a funky name and cool label, it tastes amazing, with loads of ripe, opulent fruit layered with notes of bonfire, cigar, baking spices and chocolate-covered burnt almond. And the wine is a tribute to a real-life hero, making it a great boss gift. This bottle was made to honour William “Big Bill” Millar, the boxing champ, war hero, rugby captain and first GM of this wine’s winery, KWV. A solid gift idea for the millennial boss. Score: 89+