Wine Baskets

Wine Baskets, a great gift for any occasion

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:20:00 -0500

When the seasons of festival begin we frantically searchfor gifts for our loved ones. While selecting gifts, most of face problem ofchoosing right one. We become much worried thinking if the gift will suit to the person whom you love so much. In such a situation wine basket will bea right choice. Wine gift will be a fine gift to your loved one; it will showyour taste and choice for finer things. Wine basket presentationto your loved one will also increase your self-esteem. Wine baskets are right gifts for both male and female for differentoccasions like birthday, wedding, anniversary etc.

While presenting a person wine you have to remember certain things in your mind. Men prefer wine bottles and they may use it
immediately or later, while women prefer to take wine accessories
like wine glasses of various types, corkscrew, decanter etc. Wine baskets are more suitable in the
occasion of parties. People gathered in the occasion will the wine basket. In many occasions wine merchants also give wine baskets for some special customers
in some special events like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Presenting wine baskets has some advantage. You
can present it to any one of any relation. The cost of wine basket is not exorbitant. Generally it varies between 25 to 50
US Dollars. But with this budget you may not get the finest quality of wine; or you can even spend more money
on buying chocolate for children. You can manage and attend the party or the
occasion with a wine basket in you
hand. If you are presenting the gift to an enthusiastic person of wine, you may present a god book on
wine. A wine enthusiast must have
the perfect knowledge of wine. A good book on wine would be a fine gift for him. You can even present him a wine gadget, which he must not have,
will earn a great applause for you.

Six Steps to Wine Tasting

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:34:49 -0500

If you’ve ever been to a Wine Tasting event, you may have noticed some odd behavior. People furiously swirling their wine goblets, sticking their noses deep into the glass, swishing the wine around in their mouths, possibly spitting out perfectly drinkable wine, and describing their impressions with terms that you may have never associated with wine such as “grassy”, “leathery”, “tight”, “chewy”, and “hints of tobacco”. Maybe you’ve wondered whether the odd-looking Tasting behavior you observed was part of a pretentious ritual or actually served a useful purpose

There is a method to the madness. Wine tasting offers an opportunity to focus your senses on the wine. If you care to try it, there are a few simple steps that will help you evaluate the qualities of the wine you are drinking and perhaps gain new insights into your wine preferences.

Gently SWIRL the wine in your glass, allowing it to breathe and open up, which heightens the aroma, or “nose”, of the wine.
Then, you should observe, SEE, the wine by tilting your glass backward. In reds, you look for clarity, particularly in Merlots, Syrahs, and Pinot Noirs, and a deep ruby to purple hue for Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignons. In whites, the color ranges from near-clear with a slight golden tinge all the way to deep amber. You can observe the body of the wine, is it light, opaque, or heavy, full-bodied.
Now it’s time to SNIFF, ascertain the “nose”, or aroma, of the wine which helps to determine its character. There is a wide array of scents in a wine. Some to look for in whites are fruit, floral, grass and earth scents. In reds you find aromas of berries, spices, cassis, earth and leather, to name a few.
Finally, it’s time for the fun part! SIP the wine, drinking a small mouthful, perhaps swirling it slightly in the mouth to cover the taste buds.
Next, SAVOUR the wine which garners the overall impression…do you like it? Perhaps tasting some of the flavors of the aromas you detected…such as berry, fruit, and floral. And, does the flavor linger after swallowed? This is called the finish. A long finish lasts longer on the palate.
You may want to share your thoughts and impressions with your friends, SUMMARIZE, or even jot them down in a wine journal for tracking.

You may want to follow these steps, or you may just want to create your own unique wine tasting ritual. Whatever you do, just remember that the goal of wine tasting is to ENJOY the wine and the experience. Decide for yourself your likes and dislikes. The art of wine tasting is to introduce yourself to a wine and focus on its unique qualities without distraction. And, remember, there is no right and wrong. Everyone’s impression of a wine is unique and personal. So Sip, Swirl, Sniff….and ENJOY!!!

Wine Basket Gift Giving Ideas for the Holidays

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:04:00 -0500

Holiday gift giving always poses a special challenge to us during this most busy time of year. Whether it’s for personal or business, it’s always hard to decide what to give to those many people who we want to thank or acknowledge for their business and friendship throughout the year.

A wine baskets will always be appreciated. Even if you are not sure of the person’s taste or preferences, everyone entertains and likes to have extra supplies on hand to offer. A wine basket gift with treats like camembert cheese, lobster pate, caviar, and focaccia crisp crackers, or sweet desserts like macadamia nut cookies, rum cakes, and orange crème chocolates will be appreciated during the holidays for all those entertaining needs.

Whatever your gift needs are, the staff at The Grape Merchant is ready to help with ideas and suggestions to fit any occasion or budget. We can custom make your wine baskets to suit your budget, and to customize your gift packaging with your corporate logo or any other custom gift needs you have.

We wish to extend our very warm wishes for the Holiday Season!!!