But then they threw me a curve ball. Gilt Groupe, the crafty parent company for all the Gilt sites as well as Jetsetter and Park & Bond, launched Gilt Taste in May of 2011. Premised as a marketplace offering artisanal hard-to-find foods, I perused with great interest all of the fantastic foodie luxuries my pantry was so desperate to house. Although the prices weren’t as knock-your-socks-off good as they appeared to be on the company’s other sites, it’s a fantastic resource for easy access to notoriously hard to find items like fresh truffles, exotic meats and a wide assortment of micro greens. There are also killer entertaining or aficionado assortments, like the drool-inducing D’Artagnan “Happy Hour in a Box” cured meat set or Artisanal Premium Cheese’s “Connoisseur’s Collection.”

Great. Bad enough for my wallet as is, but then in late August, Gilt Taste launched their wine section, starting with more than 50 bottles but rapidly expanding to what is now more than 100 selections. I know what you’re thinking…. over 100 selections of wine, so what? I have more than that in my basement! What’s the big deal?

Well, first is the range. The assortment offers choices from around the globe (although it is heavy on the traditional retail regions like California, Italy and France), and the prices vary from inexpensive (like a Geatien & Meyer Saumur Brut Rosé for $16.99) to higher-end and classically cult (Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2005 Pauillac at $159.00).
 

And then there are some older or rare finds that are worth checking out just for the experience of tasting them. Items like the Domaine de Chevalier 1999 L’Esprit de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Blanc and the Edi Kante 1991 Terranum Selezione from Carso in Northern Italy are sure to provide a lasting impression and wine memory, broadening your palate and providing greater reference for all your future consumption. There’s a selection of Hermann J. Wiemer Rieslings and Gewürztraminers, sharing some of the best wines from New York’s Finger Lakes wine region with thirsty drinkers across the states that might not otherwise have access to them. And why not go “orange” with Vodopivec’s 2006 Amphora?

But on top of the varying range is the layout of the site. Each selection opens to a close-up bottle image, a description of the wine and technical details such as varietals, alcohol and appellation. Every wine also carries a description of the producer complete with picture, providing a glimpse into who makes what you’re about to buy. There’s also an aging recommendation, serving temperature and detailed food pairing suggestions for each. What else could one possibly need?

It’s refreshing to come across a resourceful retail site that has so much to offer without feeling overwhelmed by too many selections. Good thing the holidays are here, as it’s absolutely with others in mind that I’ll keep checking in on this GILTy pleasure.

Make Your Own: For vinophiles who always have something to say, how about giving them an opportunity to make their own wine? Custom winemaking facilities like Crushpad in Sonoma, CA or New York’s Staten Island Winery will put the power in their hands to create the perfect blend for themselves. Or, if you’d rather skip the winemaking part and just gift a creatively packaged selection of your design, check out the Your-Own-Private-Label options from City Winery in New York.

Mix it Up: There has definitely been a resurgence of interest in cocktails over the past decade, especially for well-made ones. Fresh ingredients, new and exciting spirits and even innovative techniques mean that there’s a whole new world of cocktails out there that most of us know nothing about. For the spirit lover in your life, consider gifting a ticket to a cocktail lab to discover the latest and greatest creations in the category. Companies like the Cocktail Ambassadors in San Francisco or your local bartending school are a good start, but flash cites like Gilt City and Living Social also feature items like this fairly often, usually hosted at a local bar or restaurant with some food pairings to keep things interesting, so be sure to keep an eye on those as well.

Learning is Fun!:  There are a wide variety of “classes” available in virtually every category of beverage, from wine to spirits, beer to sake, even coffee and tea. Thanks to an involved approach, easy atmosphere and lots of delicious tasting, attendees are treated to an experience that will educate and last a lifetime. This isn’t grammar or arithmetic – this is how to drink (and recognize what you like about it). I can’t think of anyone on my holiday list who wouldn’t be thrilled at the opportunity to try new libations!

NYC’s Astor Center offers a plethora of educational seminars, hands-on experiences and events, from the basic The Elements of Wine Class tasting class to the more focused and challenging Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine: Not all Bubbles are Created Equal experience, sure to thrill any wine geek. Outside of NYC, many culinary schools offer a wide variety of one-time or 4-8 week food and beverage classes to anyone interested, or check out your local retail shop, like Total Wine & More or BevMo, which frequently host specialized tastings and in-store events on wine, spirits and beer throughout their numerous locations. Check out your local institution or retailer’s Web site to see what they have coming up. You can also consider checking out your favorite local restaurants for upcoming winemaker or representative dinners. The best thing about this gift is you can indulge in it, too… register for two and make it something you can do together.

So there you have it, folks. You’ll never have to surrender to gift-giving defeat when you have these everyman-pleasing options up your sleeves! Now that I’ve shared my secrets, I’d love to hear your ideas for more amazing beverage-driven holiday gifts.

People ask me for wine recommendations a lot. I enjoy being the go-to wine person for friends who need guidance. It’s flattering that people trust my taste. I would bet that a lot of you serve the same purpose. The challenge though, is that I’m never given any specifics. I’m never approached by a friend who wants to give a gift to a person who only likes Austrian Pinot Noir or medium-bodied Italian reds. Instead it’s: “can you recommend a really good $50 bottle of wine?” No region or taste preference is ever specified, or a favorite wine shop to make the selection from. I’m lucky if I get an answer to the “red or white” question.

Of course there are thousands of wines on the marketplace in this price range and the possibilities are endless. To narrow it down, I often ask obnoxious questions about the gift recipient. How old are they? What kind of food do they like? Do they drink wine a lot? When I know that the person seeking a recommendation wants a quick answer, not a barrage of probing questions. I sound like the wine snob they’re hoping to avoid. Sometimes I can come up with a tailored wine recommendation based on their answers but more often than not, they want a basic suggestion without conducting an interview. I wish I had a perfect answer to this question, but I never do.

So I handle it by recommending something based on my own taste. With nothing to work with, what choice do I have? If I’ve recently been drinking a lot of Spanish wine for example, maybe I’ll suggest that they look for 2001 Rioja Riservas. I assume people are asking for my opinion because they want to choose based on something beyond a cute label. But I wonder if this is the right approach. Is there one wine that pleases most palates? I’ve heard just as many people say that they love fruit-forward wines as “dry” wines or more subtle, old-world style wines. So what’s a safe bet for a recommendation when you have no information?

I would love to know how people handle this question.  Does this happen to you? Can I borrow some of your insight?

This week I caught an interesting post on Alder Yarrow’s blog, Vinography. In the post he passionately lobbied for the greatness of gift certificates for wine lovers. “Never buy a serious wine lover a bottle of wine for a gift, at any time of the year. Let them buy it themselves” he says. The same goes for wine accessories and wine books. Being in the wine accessory/wine retail business at Wine Enthusiast Companies, I feel compelled to respond.

I get what Alder is saying. I trust the wine taste of few of my friends. When I have parties the last thing I want as a hostess gift is wine. I fear they’ll be wasting their money on something uninspiring, that I won’t drink. The morning after I saw his post I heard a commercial on the radio for a guitar store. “Don’t buy a guitar-lover a guitar, let them select one themselves at Big Bob’s Guitar Shop!” This may be true in some cases but what if Hendrix came back from the grave and selected one for you?

I think it depends who the giver is. What about the few people I know who really love wine? Receiving a special bottle from them or a new gadget that they think I’ll enjoy is a treat. If any of my Twitter chums sent me a bottle they personally recommend, I would be ecstatic (hint hint). There is something romantic and thoughtful about getting a special selection from somebody who knows their stuff.

I think Alder’s point is only applicable to the friends who don’t know enough to put thought into the wine gift. They give you something “winey” because you’re labeled as their wine-drinking friend. To these people I say yes, I’ll gladly take a gift certificate. So the point is not to cry out: no more wine giving! But to pay attention to how familiar you are with the task at hand.

Do you enjoy receiving bottles of wine as gifts or do you prefer gift certificates?