TIME TO START PLANNING YOUR HOLIDAY HOST GIFTS

You needn’t spend a fortune, but a little thought will go a long way to pleasing

Many of you will attend at least one, if not several holiday parties over the next few weeks so why not prepare now while you have the time? Today we talk about the mysterious host gift.

A host gift is hardly obligatory, but during the holidays there is something to be said for not showing up empty-handed. That’s where wrapping up a wine or a wine book, or even a wine gadget, should not be a burden.

The key is finding the right gift for your host: It requires the same diligence as any other gift and it’s the planning that is the key to success. Being ready and prepared will also reduce stress levels.

To begin, ask yourself a few questions about the kind of wine the host really enjoys. Do they prefer red or white? Should it be New World or Old World? Do they like traditional varietal wine like Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon, or perhaps something more adventurous like Viognier or Grüner Veltliner, or more geographical like Bierzo or Priorat? Perhaps a red blend is in order, or an organic, biodynamic, sustainable label? It all matters.

If your host will be travelling to wine country soon, a book about, or a wine from the area they will visit would be a hit.

Depending upon your budget you may want to search for a limited edition or special reserve label, but never feel you have to spend a fortune. It is not about the money, it is more about selecting a wine that demonstrates you did a bit of work.

Over the years I have learned a few things about the host gift that may influence your selection.

Most important: The gift is for the host, not the people attending the party. Do not expect the host to open the wine you just gave them, in fact, you should insist they put it away to enjoy on a future occasion.

If you are the host and you suspect the wine you are receiving is particularly meaningful to the gift-giver, consider tagging the bottle with that information and sometime in the future share the bottle with them.

Here are some suggestions to buy, wrap and deliver over the

holidays. The most important piece of advice is shop ahead and pre-wrap your gifts in advance, while you have time.

Sparkling wine is the ultimate host gift because it’s something we seldom buy for ourselves. It is both festive and celebratory and, best of all, everyone should have a bottle of bubbly in the house that they can quickly chill and serve, when required. Two can’tmiss gifts are the spectacular gold-wrapped Bottega Prosecco Brut ($27.49) or Jansz Tasmania Premium Cuvée ($27.99).

Quirky, off-the-beaten-path wines are perfect for the curious wine drinker host: Try Domaine Wachau Terraces Grüner Veltliner, Austria ($18.99); Luzada Val do Salnes Albarino, Spain ($16.49); Garzon Tannat Reserva, Uruguay ($24.49), or Bodega del Abad Gotin del Risc Mencia,

Spain ($17.99).

Top-flight B.C. wines are always a hit. Here is brief list you will find in government stores; there are many more in grocery stores and private wine shops: Mission Hill Compendium 2013 ($79.99); Painted Rock 2015 ($54.99); Quails’ Gate Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2015 ($51.99); Foxtrot The Waltz 2014 Pinot Noir ($45.99); Poplar Grove 2014 Cabernet Franc ($33.99) and

or Fitzpatrick 2014 Fitz Brut ($32.99).

Tawny Port is the perfect gift for the holidays because you can open a bottle and serve it over a couple of weeks and it will keep perfectly. Introductory labels include Warre’s Warrior ($22.99), Taylor Fladgate ($23.49), Graham Late Bottled Vintage ($24.99); specialist picks would be Fonseca Ten-Year-Old Tawny ($37.99), Taylor TenYear-

Old Tawny ($38.99), or the Graham Ten-Year- Old Tawny ($38.99).

Useful accessories you can wrap up include a waiter’s corkscrew ($6.95), or Private Preserve ($14.95), a simple, effective way to keep open bottles of wine fresh, both at New District wine shop in Dunbar; or the Riedel Syrah Decanter ($29.95), from Marquis Wine Cellars.

Time to get shopping.