Christmas 2016: Wine and spirit gifting guide

Fretting over what to buy the drinks experts in your life? Nuria Stylianou’s booze gifting guide has all the answers

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Fretting over what to buy the wine and spirits connoisseurs in your life? Buying Christmas presents should be an altogether enjoyable past time but far too often it’s filled with pressure, doubt and a ticking time bomb to despair. With only one weekend and a handful of late-night shopping left to blitz the shops, those frayed nerves may need some assistance. Luckily, help is at hand. Take your coat off, put those festive woolly socks back on and scroll through our list of inspirational gifts that will guarantee a warm reception on Christmas morning. From classic Burgundy to Austrian Blaufränkisch, there’s a something to suit everyone. And if you’re very lucky, the recipient might even pour you a glass to savour....

Skin gin

£40.95, Master of Malt

The crocodile skin flask-style bottle alone is enough to cause an impulse buy, never mind a gift for a loved one. This handcrafted London Dry style from Germany features Moroccan mint and lots of citrus – grapefruit, lemon and lime – to balance out the juniper. Each botanical is individually distilled to keep the vibrancy of its essential oil. Ideally served with a sprig of rosemary, orange peel and Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water, there isn’t another gin quite like this – it’s smooth, silky and delicious.

Hambledon Première Cuvée sparkling wine

£42, Berry Bros. & Rudd

From the South Downs in Hampshire, the Première Cuvée is medium-bodied, pure and fresh with racy acidity, lemony citrus and subtle notes of brioche and toast. A soft, delicate mousse and persistent finish. England’s finest.

RAW WINE box

£149, RAW WINE

This limited-edition collection from Isabelle Legion MW, founder of RAW WINE fairs in London, Berlin and New York, features six natural wines for curious novices, adventurous palates and even professional sommeliers – and it goes straight to the top of the gift list. The carefully-selected wines include coveted growers Gut Oggau, Bruno Allion, Radikon, Mas Escarida, Clos Ouvert and Les Enfants Sauvages, spanning regions from Austria and Chile to Loire and Ardèche. A few cult bottles are so exclusive you can only buy them here. A brilliant opportunity to have an expert-led tasting adventure without leaving the house.

Martin Miller’s 9 Moons

£46.95, Master of Malt

Something extra-special and different for Martin Miller’s gin fans - 9 Moons is aged in new American oak. The first-fill, ex-bourbon barrels infuse the gin with a deeper intensity of warming vanilla, woody spice and a light creaminess on the finish.

Le Soula Rouge 2011

£19.50, The Wine Society

From the Languedoc-Roussillon region, Le Soula’s 2011 blend is dominated by very old Carignan vines (79 years), with a touch of Syrah and a smidge of Grenache in the background. Soft and supple fruit with a fine acidity, this is beautiful on its own, or with cold cuts or roast beef.

Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Le MD de Bourgeois 2015

£24.99, Les Caves de Pyrene. Call 01483 554750

Le MD refers to the grapes harvested on the perilously steep slopes of the Monts Damnés in the Loire. The Bourgeois family are specialist producers of Sancerre, their wines exhibiting the complexity of their vineyard in Chavignol: chalky, steely and flinty, with elderflower, ripe stone fruit and lively acidity. Lovers of Sauvignon Blanc will be thrilled with this refined version.

Teo Costa Madre Naturalis Rosé NV Vino Spumante

£16.50, Italian Wines

An unconventional biodynamic sparkling wine made from Nebbiolo, the aromatic and highly perfumed grape from Piedmont responsible for making full-bodied Barolo and Barbaresco. Pale gold in colour, rose-scented with a full palate of red cherries, strawberries and ripe stone fruit.

Domaine Taupenot-Merme, Auxey-Duresses Blanc 2013

£30, Stannary Wine

A good-value Burgundy is hard to find but this Chardonnay from the Côte de Beaune has racy mineral notes with green apples, stone fruit and spice. A balanced use of oak gives a creamy, buttery finish. Spread over 20 appellations in the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits, wines from Domaine Taupenot-Merme give a sense of place and purity of fruit, the perfect classic wine gift.

The King's Ginger, Berry Bros. & Rudd

£22, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Essentially a present for the whole family, this sumptuously-warming ginger liquor is the perfect tonic for tired bodies and full bellies when everyone is heavily slumped on the sofa following an afternoon of feasting. It was originally made by Berry Bros in 1903 for King Edward VII – and if it could revivify His Majesty, it will certainly do the same for your guests. Made from macerated ginger root and lemon peel, sip it neat, add it to long drinks or pour it over ice cream…. You’ve got all evening to be inventive.

Wachter-Wiesler Béla-Jóska Blaufränkisch 2014

£17, Newcomer Wines

It’s not just Riesling and Grüner Veltliner that draw wine lovers to Austria. Another exciting grape is Blaufränkisch (or Lemberger in Germany). This spicy, dark-skinned grape is unique in producing different terroir variations depending on where it’s planted. Grown in the iron-rich and loamy soils of Eisenberg Hill in Südburgenland, Bela Joska 2014 is an elegant expression of juicy, dark blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, spice and refreshing minerality. A gift to fuel aspiring winemakers in the family – grower Christoph Wachter-Wiesler was only 22 when he took over his family estate in 2010.

Stéphane Tissot, Les Bruyères Arbois Chardonnay 2012

£29.95, Berry Bros. & Rudd

What can you buy a hipster drinker? Look to the rolling vineyards of Jura. Sandwiched between Burgundy and the Swiss border, the region is known for its distinctive whites made from Chardonnay and Savagnin, and for deeply coloured reds from Trousseau grapes. Stéphane Tissot has lovingly made a terrific biodynamic Chardonnay from old vines, with slightly oxidative notes against a backdrop of flinty, Chablis-esque minerality. Savoury, tangy and nutty, with high acidity and concentrated flavours, this will score you big points. Decant in advance.

Wild Turkey Rare Breed Bourbon

£50.95, The Whisky Exchange

Rather high in alcohol (56.4 per cent ABV) but the rich and spicy flavours of baked apples, dried fruit, cinnamon and honey make this elegantly balanced. The gold-barrel packaging feels rather festive, too.

Castello di Neive Barbera d'Alba 2013

£20.30 Honest Grapes

This wild red from Piedmont is free of sulphites, making a night of drinking a little kinder the next day. Neive's unfiltered Barbera d’Alba is low in tannin and high in acidity, fresh and intense with sour cherries and blackberry. Robust but elegant, the grape pairs with grilled meats, pasta, charcuterie, tomatoes, spice and an abundance of garlic. This is a charming red that can be casual or dressed up depending on the occasion.

Christian Tschida Rosé Himmel Auf Erden 2015

£38, Newcomer Wines

There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition to inspire greatness. Christian Tschida was never a fan of rosé until his father claimed he couldn’t make one as fine as his. Spurred on with determination, Tschida has produced a lively rosé from Cabernet Franc with extended maceration time to give a delicious combination of strawberry and raspberry, green fruit, soft sherbet and a hint of vanilla, rounded off with a savoury, clean, edge. From Burgenland, Austria, and beautifully balanced and modern in style, you’ll be reluctant to part with this.