A toast to the happy couple: Great red wines to give as wedding gifts

Giving the gift of a great bottle of red is a great building block to start off – or add to – the happy couple’s wine collection. Astonishing wines can be saved up and cracked open at a later date to celebrate a future anniversary. It’s the kind of gift that keeps on giving well after they’ve said ‘I do’.

A carefully selected bottle of red wine makes a great gift for any wedding. There is a wine for any taste no matter the budget, couple or celebration. If you’re smart with your gifting, the happy couple will enjoy your choice well in to the future. We share our tips for picking great red wines as potential wedding gifts.

1. Consider your story

   It might be helpful to consider your relationship with the newlyweds and their distinct personalities before you decide on a bottle. Did they recently go on a trip to France? Then consider a wine from there. Do they love Italian Opera? A stonking Barolo might fit the bill. Were they fans of Lord of the Rings? What about a bottle of Pinot Noir from Central Otago? Giving the gift of wine becomes infinitely more special when you can connect it to a personal story or quirk.

2. Go big

   The two-in-one size of a magnum bottle makes it a visually impressive gift choice. There are a number of red varietals available in a magnum, so it really comes down to what you think your recipients would enjoy most in king size.

3. The internationals

   Bordeaux, Burgundy, Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello; these are considered the top five traditional wine regions of France and Italy. Wines from these areas make for great gifts as they’re crafted to improve with age. This makes them not only highly cellarable, but highly collectable and a great addition to any established or flourishing wine collection.

4. It’s a keeper

   Giving the gift of a Grange is a timeless classic for a celebration such as a wedding, but there are other options available with similar longevity, too. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon varietals from South Australia’s Coonawarra region are great examples of wines that will cellar well. As are any of the Burgundian Grand or Premier Crus, and several wines from Penfolds annual release.

   If you’re giving a wine to be enjoyed in the future, you might also consider giving half a dozen. That way the recipients can open a bottle each year and watch how the wine evolves as it ages.

5. Something more fortified

   If your recipients have a bit of a sweet tooth, you might like to consider a Port. Keep your eyes peeled for those of a 2011 vintage, as this is widely touted by major Port producers and estates as a stellar one. Many 1980s vintages will also be released over the next few years too, and these make for great gifts. These syrupy wines will have aged and reduced right down over the past two or three decades, making them perfect for a couple with a predilection for the sweeter things.