can anyone give a rec for a collectors/rare wine to give as a gift?

[smartcashmere]

i'd like to buy my gramps something good for his cellar but it's not really my hobby as i actually don't drink. My budget is around 7K hopefully for a few bottles enough for a meal with his food and wine friends.

thanks!

 

[RedLantern]

paging Piobaire . . .

 

[JohnGalt]

What does gramps drink and what does he have a lot of?

I would consider a full meal worth of wine, that being champagne for aperitif (Krug), a couple bottles of wine for dinner (2 different first growth Bordeaux) and then a dessert wine (D'Yquem). This assumes 4 people for dinner - scale as appropriate.

 

[bigbjorn]

1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild or Chateau Margaux. Just perfect for drinking now and the best vintage in the last 40 years. Or 2005, if gramps is young.

 

[constant struggle]

i feel giving a collector something you aren't familiar with can often turn out bad, like lets say someone knows you love suits/clothing, but they buy you a $2000 dolce and gabanna suit instead of the caruso... to them they don't see the problem, to you, you will

 

[robertorex]

Originally Posted by constant struggle

i feel giving a collector something you aren't familiar with can often turn out bad, like lets say someone knows you love suits/clothing, but they buy you a $2000 dolce and gabanna suit instead of the caruso... to them they don't see the problem, to you, you will

+1. Why don't you give him some newfangled toy for him to enjoy his wine with? Like a fancy wine opener / some other gadget that will enhance his wine experience

 

[Douglas]

I am with those who do not think this is a good idea.

 

[Gus]

I would never buy an enthusiast something for their hobby. They always have very particular tastes and wants. No matter how much you spend you could still not hit the mark.

 

[dhc905]

But wine is different imo. Unlike a D&G suit, there's an occassion for each type of wine...even if it's not your favorite kind. Any good wine collector would covet a great wine, regardless of whether you're a big drinker of that particular varietal/vineyard.

 

[gomestar]

seems like lots of people have sand in their vaginas here.

Personally, I'd start out with some "sure thing" wines - that is, ones that are highly prized worldwide and cater to the palate of most semi-serious wine drinkers/collectors: I'm talking about the first growths from Bordeaux, some right bank Bordeaux (Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Lafleur), some Italian Piedmont (Gaja), some Tuscan varietals (Biondi, Ornellaia, Sassicaia), champagne, port, and then some white burgundy and some red burgundy (DRC, Leroy, etc.).

If he doesn't like any of these wines, no big deal. He could flip them in a year or two and probably make a profit. Plus, finding these wines isn't easy (try winebid.com for the tough stuff) so if you can assemble a respectable collection, it shows much more thought than just handing over money.

And please, this is not analogous to just buying somebody a suit. I'm a wine and suit lover, and I'd absolutely hate it if somebody bought me a suit - but I'd love some nice bottles of wine no matter what country they came from or what varietal they are.

 

[smartcashmere]

i like the suggestion of a full meal. i think he has too many wine toys already. although he has refined tastes in wine i do not think he is a snob when it comes to his hobby so i think it would be a good gift. i'd like to give him something he probably wouldn't buy or only for a very special event hence the rare wine request. he's also not the type to flip anything and is more a of a drinker than a collector.

 

[LabelKing]

Everybody wants a Petrus.

 

[lpresq]

Originally Posted by smartcashmere

i'd like to buy my gramps something good for his cellar but it's not really my hobby as i actually don't drink. My budget is around 7K hopefully for a few bottles enough for a meal with his food and wine friends.

thanks!

Christ, $7,000 for a few bottles of wine? I'm sure your could come up with something a little better than wine for 7k.

 

[Huntsman]

A few bottles? Well, I don't know. If he is sharing, you will probably need doubles of each. Or.....magnums, which are expensive and thus make great gifts.

I f you could get a magnum of Margaux or any first-growth Bordeaux or Burgundy, plus a bottle (just a 750 would be fine) of what most people agree is the best wine in the world, the phenomenon that is Chateau d'Yquem (YOU MUST BUY d'YQUEM, OKAY? FOR STAR POWER YOU CANNOT BEAT IT, EVEN WITH PETRUS OR DRC).

~ H

 

[Spatlese]

Originally Posted by Huntsman

A few bottles? Well, I don't know. If he is sharing, you will probably need doubles of each. Or.....magnums, which are expensive and thus make great gifts.

I f you could get a magnum of Margaux or any first-growth Bordeaux or Burgundy, plus a bottle (just a 750 would be fine) of what most people agree is the best wine in the world, the phenomenon that is Chateau d'Yquem (YOU MUST BUY d'YQUEM, OKAY? FOR STAR POWER YOU CANNOT BEAT IT, EVEN WITH PETRUS OR DRC).
~ H

What H said.