Gift Giving “Outside The Bottle”
December 20, 2016You’ve heard the phrase before, “Go Big or Go Home!” Yes, the person who walks into the party with a large size format of wine definitely gets the host’s attention, along with all the other guests, and for the right reasons. But what if you want to drink that bottle of wine you brought as well? When bringing wine as a hostess gift, you can never be sure if your ‘gift’ will be consumed that night or just tucked away into the wine cabinet with all the other bottles that have been brought for such occasions. Often times, your host will already have a theme in mind for the event and their beverage selections procured ahead of time in order to fall into suit.
With all this in mind, you may decide to save that bottle of wine you want to sample for an evening when you are guaranteed to get a taste. But what can you bring as a worthy, memorable (yet thoughtful) gift that is functional, fashionable and won’t break the budget?
Here is a quick list of apropos ideas that won’t get burned or tossed in the trash after a single use.
Bring home the wine country feel with this multi-purpose gift that is easy to give and also convenient when it comes to your host storing it for later use. A TWINE Rustic Slate Cheese Board offers a rustic farmhouse feeling with its functional rectangular shape and decorative rope handles for easy transportation. Perfect for serving hors d’oeuvres, a selection of cured meats and cheeses or even as a beautiful display for cookies, cakes and other small bite desserts, this is easily washable by hand and completely food safe to use for multiple purposes. The dark color will help to brighten your cheeses or other food selections, making them more vibrant and appetizing. The slate also works as a chalkboard so it takes an ordinary serving dish and makes it fun and different just by using a piece of chalk to label your items.
Enough about the food though, let’s get back to the beverages! HOST Freeze Cooling Wine Glasses, also known as ‘Cooling Cups,’ are useful anytime of the year. One of the many benefits of this gift that comes in a set of two is that they are perfect for any wine. Pop them in the fridge to get a nice chill and use them to keep your red wine cellar temperature or store them in the freezer to use when drinking your chilled white (or rosé, Nantucket’s favorite drink!). The BPA free plastic walls hold a proprietary cooling gel that helps keep your wine at the perfect temperature for maximum enjoyment. This forward thinking gift will have you reminiscing about that time at Surfside Beach when it was so hot and you couldn’t keep your wine chilled, but next summer you will be prepared to drink out of one glass while you keep the other on hand in the cooler for the next glass of wine!
Speaking of the beach and being prepared for next summer, the ultimate gift for your host that spends a large amount of time on the sand is a HUDSON SUTLER Cooler Bag. For about the same price of a high-end, tête de cuvée Champagne that will pop, fizz and then the bottle needs to be recycled (and don’t get be wrong, I LOVE Champagne!), the long lasting effects of this durable cooler with have the recipient waxing poetic about you every time they use it. Since this is a cooler bag, it is easy to carry to Steps Beach, your boat at Madaket Marine or full of goodies and afterschool snacks to Children’s Beach. The thick insulation will keep your beverages (or food items) cold no matter where your destination and the waterproof liner will ensure this bag doesn’t leak along the way. The durable construction and rust proof resin zipper (BONUS when living by the sea) make this a sincere, well-thought gift that won’t get lost in the abyss of someone’s garage or attic (or taken to the Take It or Leave It).
If you prefer to keep it classy for your host who entertains more at home than on the road, consider an OPTIMA Beverage Tub. This tub can be placed on any surface without a care, such as on the grass in the backyard, your dining room table or poolside on the tile. The double walled stainless steel construction guarantees maximum cold retention and no condensation. When not in use holding beers for the football game, Champagne for brunch or assorted beverages poolside for the grandchildren, this tub can also be used as a lovely display for beach towels, a magazine holder, or seasonally for storing extra blankets and pillows by the fireplace. While using it as a footbath when returning from the beach or a bathtub for your small dog wouldn’t be my first suggestions, the options are endless for the multi-tasking item.
Maybe you do decide after all to roll the dice and take along a bottle of wine to the party because that is the one thing that your friend asked you to bring. Let’s kick it up more than a notch then by bringing it a fashionable and highly functional WINEFARER Wine Bag. This high-end luxury wine bag balances thoughtful design with innovation and premium quality materials. With several different styles to choose from, each bag offers a unique look to your wine versus the metallic disposable single bottle sleeve. Even better, it provides the functionality of keeping your bottle cool with its’ neoprene lining. This lining captures the bottle’s current temperature for over two hours, which is important if you have properly chilled the wine and plan on consuming it upon your arrival. Consider this stylish twist on wine presentation as the gift that keeps on giving with its multi-time use and long lasting durability.
Lastly, if you happen to be overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle of the season and just can’t make a decision as to what to bring as a hostess gift, a gift card available in any denomination to your hosts’ favorite wine store is always a present in good taste and impeccable manners.
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