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I know I am bit late in meting out gifting advice this year, but hey, Diwali isn’t the end of everything. Think of this as advice well in time for the Christmas and marriage season. Understand that some things, like my appeal (or lack of humour), are perennial. Contrary to what you may believe, this is not the first time I will be addressing this issue. Seeing that I have managed to convince my editor to let me scribble for over two years, I have visited this topic on more than one occasion. Which makes me wonder, why am I writing from the scratch when I could recycle...

General buying advice: Gifting wine is a great idea; it shows class and also bears that personal touch. You give what you like but also what you know will be liked. But one thing I shun is playing “passing the parcel” with wine bottles — the kind that are gifted by your peers or bosses and you gift them down the line. The wine ends up spoiling some very momentous occasion and those people never buy wine again; they also decide to stone a sommelier when they find a sober one.

Whites: With whites, the most important thing to look out for is their vintage and age-worthiness. While this is important with reds too, whites being more fragile take a stronger hit as they age. Prefer to gift wines which are no older than two years (three tops) on the date of gifting. Chardonnay is safest; avoid anything that reads ‘Table Wine’ especially from France.

Reds: Gifting red is safe territory; you are more likely to get it right. My favourite would be light and fruity wines like Pinot Noir from New Zealand. But given the season, a rich heady wine from Spain or South America with soft oak-ageing may bring you more thank you cards.

Sparkling: This is truly the gift of the season. Sparkles and bubbles always ensure a celebration. You don’t really need reason to gift sparkling. Although Champagne, Franciacorta and Prosecco are the obvious picks, surprisingly, Indian sparkling isn’t all terrible. Prefer Marquis de Pompadour by Chateau Indage to the rest.

Sweet: A sweet wine makes for a great winter gift — they are easier to serve chilled and nobody minds a rich sweet wine to warm them up in winters. Sadly no Indian sweet wine is well made. Best to look out for a good German Riesling or a Canadian Icewine (which are dear).Muscat or Moscato, however you call it, is a super option. A good idea is to make some on your own with infused spices — mulled wine. The best way to enjoy is with someone to hug.

Accompaniments: Chocolates are perhaps the most popular choice, but avoid the milk kind; prefer the dark cocoa-rich variety. Else, spices are good, to add that Indian touch. Fresh vanilla pods can be exotic, as also single estate teas and coffees. Otherwise, a good plum cake could be just the thing for a winter gift of bonhomie!

One last rule, always try and include a date of opening for the bottle. It gives the receiver a perspective of how long to wait and saves you slapping your head over wasted gratitude when he opens your gift of a prized 2005 Bordeaux as early as 2010!

The best way often is to bring two bottles: one for keeping and one that is ready to be drunk when you get there. That way you get to take some back. This is called gifting, Indian style.
The writer is a sommelier