‘Tis the season for holiday gift giving. What if you’d like to give someone a bottle of wine or spirits? How do you know which one to choose? Here to help us with that is Natalie MacLean, who offers Canada’s most popular online wine classes at nataliemaclean.com
Welcome back, Natalie. So if choosing the right bottle is so tricky, why should we give wine or spirits as a gift at all?
When you give the gift of wine or spirits, doubles are fine unlike toaster ovens, there are no wrong sizes unlike that ugly sweater and regifting is so much easier compared to fruitcake.
And let’s be honest, has anyone ever said, “Oh no, not another bottle of wine!”
Sounds great! Let’s start with your first bottle. Who is it for?
Seedlip Grove 42 is perfect for your psychiatrist, bartender or whomever is giving you good advice lately.
Seedlip Grove 42
United Kingdom
Surprise them with a delicious non-alcohol spirit that’s both smart and sophisticated. Now you’re thinking out of the box or bottle, and that’s big progress for you this year.
Feel free to try the Seedlip Grove 42. It’s a refreshing, citrus-forward experience with a vibrant blend of Mediterranean orange and mandarin complemented by the herbal complexity of lemongrass and a zing of ginger.
This spirit provides a bright, zesty flavour, perfect for those seeking a complex, non-alc alternative to traditional spirits during the holiday season and beyond. On the palate there’s a burst of citrus fruit flavours, with the tang of bitter orange and mandarin upfront, followed by smooth, herbal warmth. The finish is dry and crisp, with lingering citrus notes and a warming.
Of course, the recipient will analyze whatever you give them so choose a drink like Seedlip that’s so versatile it’ll pair well with holiday snacks and major emotional breakthroughs.
Seedlip Grove 42 is highly versatile, perfect for creating holiday-ready non-alcoholic cocktails. Mixed with tonic and a twist of lime, it provides a bright, citrus-forward serve that’s ideal year-round. In the winter months, it pairs beautifully with seasonal ingredients like ginger ale or hot apple cider, creating a comforting winter serve. It can also be used as the base for non-alcoholic versions of classic cocktails like a Negroni or a winter spritz.
You can buy Seedlip online and have it shipped to your door from Well.ca, Amazon and others.
More Pairings
- Therapeutic sesame-ginger salmon: Flaky wild salmon emerges from the oven glistening with a golden glaze of fresh ginger, toasted sesame oil, and honey, its edges caramelized to a deep amber. The fish releases aromatic steam carrying notes of garlic and lemongrass, while the flesh flakes away in tender, moist layers that melt on your tongue with a delicate sweetness balanced by the sharp bite of pickled ginger garnish.
- Mindful citrus-herb ceviche: Pristine chunks of sea bass cure in fresh lime and orange juice until they turn opaque and tender, mingling with paper-thin slices of red onion, cilantro leaves, and diced jalapeño. Each spoonful delivers a cool, refreshing burst of brightness, the citrus acids dancing across your palate while the fish maintains its buttery texture, finished with a drizzle of olive oil that catches the light.
- Enlightened lemongrass chicken skewers: Marinated chicken thighs glisten on the grill, their surfaces charred to a smoky brown while remaining impossibly juicy inside. The lemongrass-infused marinade perfumes the air with exotic aromatics as the meat sizzles, each bite revealing layers of citrus, garlic, and herbs that complement the chicken’s natural richness without overwhelming it.
- Conscious Mediterranean mezze platter: A vibrant spread of silky hummus drizzled with green olive oil, creamy tzatziki flecked with cucumber and dill, and warm pita bread still soft from the oven. Bright cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness, marinated olives glisten with herbs, and crumbled feta adds salty tang, creating a tapestry of textures and temperatures that invites grazing and conversation.
- Balanced ginger-carrot soup: Velvety pureed carrots glow like liquid sunset in the bowl, their natural sweetness enhanced by fresh ginger root that adds warming spice without heat. A swirl of coconut cream creates elegant marbling on the surface, while toasted pumpkin seeds provide satisfying crunch, and each spoonful delivers comfort with a zingy brightness that awakens the senses.
Who’s next on your shopping list?
Your hair stylist is someone who has a great sense of humour (he laughs at your jokes) yet takes styling your mop seriously. He knows your natural hair colour and he has never used that information against you. That is loyalty.
So give him a wine that’s also patient, layered and versatile like this King’s Court Estate Sparkling Wine that has been aging for 15 years on the lees or spent yeast cells creating a luxurious creamy texture. Feel free to try it.
King’s Court Estate Sparkling Wine
Niagara
Only 258 bottles were produced. All bottles are personally signed by the winemaker, individually numbered and include a holiday gift box.
From the 2009 vintage, this 100% Chardonnay is a traditional bottle ferment. Aged for 12 years on the lees, it was disgorged in 2022 and topped up with their Riesling Icewine as the Dosage.
Visually a clear golden colour with very fine mousse coming excitedly to the surface. The nose presents notes of baked apples, yellow plums and stone fruits. On the palate apples followed by notes of lime and minerality and constant bubbles which tickle the tongue gently. A refreshing lively finish! Perfect for the new year’s celebration, a real Jubilation!
You can buy this sparkling wine here and the winery is offering a $25.00 discount. If three or more bottles are ordered of any wine from their website, they ship it for free to your front door.
King’s Court Estate Winery is a family-owned gem in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This wine was made using the traditional Champagne method.
Extended lees aging creates layers of brioche, toasted almond, and gorgeous texture that you simply can’t rush. This is patient winemaking at its finest, producing a sparkling wine that rivals international benchmarks while showcasing Niagara’s cool-climate elegance.
This terrific wine offers sumptuous depth and great structure that your stylist loves in a good cut. Pair it with angel hair pasta in tomato sauce, roasted chicken, or creamy seafood dishes.
There are only 200 bottles left of this magnificent wine so get yours while you can from the winery directly, either by calling them or visit the King’s Court Estate Winery website. It’s limited edition, which in wine terms means “buy now or live with regret and have to explain to your stylist why you cheaped out.”
Chill Street Starry Nights Flavoured Cider
St. Catharine’s, Ontario
I also have their Chill Street Starry Nights Flavoured Cider made from Niagara apples, blackberries and vidal grapes infused with mango flavour. It’s available from the winery and in the LCBO.
More Pairings
- Salon-worthy seared scallops: Plump sea scallops achieve a perfect golden-brown crust in a screaming hot pan, their surfaces caramelized while the centers remain translucent and tender. The sweet, briny flesh releases delicate ocean aromas, enhanced by a whisper of brown butter that pools around them, nutty and fragrant, with microgreens adding a fresh, peppery contrast to each luxurious, buttery bite.
- Styled-to-perfection lobster risotto: Creamy arborio rice releases its starches into a velvety, flowing texture studded with chunks of sweet lobster meat that’s been gently folded in at the last moment. The risotto glistens with butter and parmesan, each grain distinct yet bound in luscious creaminess, while fresh tarragon adds an elegant, anise-like note that elevates the dish’s natural richness.
- Layered truffle mushroom tart: Buttery puff pastry shatters at the touch of a fork, revealing layers of caramelized wild mushrooms, creamy mascarpone, and aromatic truffle oil. The earthy, umami-rich filling contrasts with the pastry’s delicate crispness, while a scattering of fresh thyme leaves and aged parmesan shavings adds herbaceous brightness and salty depth to each sophisticated mouthful.
- Sophisticated oysters Rockefeller: Briny oysters nestle in their shells beneath a golden-brown blanket of buttery breadcrumbs, wilted spinach, and Pernod-scented cream. The broiler’s heat creates a bubbling, crispy top layer while keeping the oyster plump and tender underneath, each bite delivering contrasting textures and a complex harmony of ocean freshness and rich, herbed indulgence.
- Refined almond-crusted brie: Warm, oozing brie emerges from the oven encased in a delicate coating of sliced almonds toasted to golden perfection. The cheese’s molten interior flows like silk when cut, its earthy, buttery richness enhanced by a drizzle of honey and a scattering of fresh rosemary, while the almonds provide satisfying crunch and nutty sweetness that mirrors the wine’s own toasted almond notes.
Who’s getting the next bottle and why?
Small Gully Wines The Formula Robert’s Shiraz is perfect for the person you met through an online dating site.
Small Gully Wines The Formula Robert’s Shiraz
Barossa Valley, Australia
It’s bold and smooth but doesn’t come on too strong, which is what you want for that second date. It’s the kind of wine that makes you want to have opinions about things, even if it’s just “yes, more wine please.”
The Formula is on the label indicating that the grapes were grown on magnificent 60-year-old vines and when they were harvested. It’s transparent just like your dating profile that did not use a “recent” photo from 2005.
Barossa is home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world, some dating back to the 1840s. Those ancient vines produce incredibly concentrated, complex wines.
This is boutique, hands-on winemaking at its finest, a multigenerational effort led by father-and-son team Stephen and Joe Black who focus on small-batch ferments and gentle handling to preserve depth and character.
Named after the original vineyard site located in a small valley dip on the Western Ridge of the Barossa Valley, this Shiraz showcases their rich, bold house style. It’s renowned for plush, full-bodied character with layered dark fruit, warming spice notes, and velvety tannins that coat your palate.
This is a deep, brooding red with waves of blackberry compote, dark chocolate, cracked pepper and warm spice unfolding in slow, confident layers. The palate is full-bodied and plush, with velvety tannins and a long finish that carries a touch of smoky cocoa, giving the wine both power and polish.
Pair it with grilled ribeye straight off the grill or your sparkling wit – whichever is fresher.
More Pairings
- First-impression braised short ribs: Fork-tender beef short ribs emerge from hours of slow braising in a glossy, deeply flavored sauce enriched with red wine, tomatoes, and aromatics. The meat pulls away from the bone in luscious, gelatinous strands, each morsel coated in the velvety, concentrated braising liquid that tastes of caramelized onions, herbs, and pure comfort, while the rendering fat adds silky richness to every bite.
- Second-date smoked brisket: A mahogany bark encases impossibly tender beef brisket that’s been kissed by smoke for twelve hours, developing a deep, complex crust that gives way to rosy meat beneath. Each slice reveals a perfect smoke ring and glistens with rendered fat, the meat so tender it barely needs chewing, releasing flavors of oak, pepper, and the primal satisfaction of perfectly executed barbecue.
- Chemistry-building beef wellington: Buttery puff pastry encases a perfectly seared beef tenderloin wrapped in earthy mushroom duxelles and silky pâté, the layers revealing themselves like chapters in a love story. The pastry shatters into golden shards while the beef remains blushing pink inside, juices mingling with the umami-rich mushrooms, creating a dish where elegance meets indulgence in every perfectly proportioned slice.
- Relationship-ready lamb chops: Herb-crusted lamb racks emerge from the oven with a garlic-rosemary crust bronzed to perfection, the meat beneath blushing rosy and releasing the sweet, gamey aroma of perfectly cooked lamb. Each chop provides satisfying resistance before yielding tender, juicy meat that’s been kissed by high heat, its natural richness amplified by the fragrant herbs clinging to its caramelized exterior.
- Compatible venison medallions: Pan-seared venison medallions develop a deep mahogany crust that locks in their tender, ruby-red interior, the lean meat’s natural sweetness intensified by a quick sear in a blazing hot pan. A reduction of blackberries and cracked black pepper coats each medallion in glossy darkness, the sauce’s fruity tartness and spicy warmth complementing the venison’s earthy, almost wild flavor profile with sophisticated grace.
Who are these last bottles for?
Warm N Cozy Mulled Wine
Ontario
Now you’ve shopped for everyone else, don’t forget yourself! Warm N Cozy Mulled Wine, Ontario. You did the shopping. You wrapped the gifts. You didn’t cry in the mall. You earned this.
Feel free to try Warm N Cozy Mulled Wine made from Ontario grapes at Sprucewood Shores, a family owned and operated winery. I have the regular size that’s in the LCBO and the very merry party size that’s in Costco. In fact, you can taste this one at Costco stores tomorrow. That’s perfect because you’ll go in for paper towels and came out with this wine and a kayak.
This ready-to-heat mulled wine is like wrapping yourself in a cashmere blanket while watching the snowfall through a frosty windowpane. Or wrapping yourself in a fleece blanket while watching YouTube videos of snowfall because you can’t be bothered to go outside. We don’t judge.
It’s warming and yet it has only 8.5% alcohol. The nose opens with a rush of bright orange peel and warming cinnamon that mingles with the deeper notes of clove and freshly grated nutmeg, that instantly transports you to a Christmas market.
On the palate, the wine delivers a comforting embrace of spiced fruit that’s not too sweet with the orange zest providing a citrusy lift that keeps the heavier spices in beautiful balance. The finish lingers with a gentle warmth that radiates from your chest outward, making this the perfect fireside friend on holiday evenings when you simply can’t be bothered with measuring out your own spice blend.
Because let’s face it, we’re all one cinnamon stick away from just giving up and ordering pizza. Though ordering pizza while drinking mulled wine is a power move I fully support. You contain multitudes.
It pairs well with off-key caroling and those sugar plums dancing in your head.
It’s traditional to make a wish while stirring it clockwise as it simmers on the stove making the entire house smell like a Christmas market – stirring counterclockwise is thought to bring bad luck.
If you can’t wait because Miracle on 34th Street is starting, you can also pour into a mug and microwave. It’s ready is to watch until wisps of steam appear.
Do not boil this wine, but it can be enjoyed quite hot if that is your preference. Serve it in your favorite coffee mug.
Charles Dickens made mulled wine famous in A Christmas Story when Scrooge is offered a steaming cup of “smoking bishop,” a mulled wine–style punch that helped turn the drink into a holiday classic.
There’s also the “wassail” tradition in England, where people would go door-to-door singing and sharing spiced wine, which evolved into modern Christmas caroling. The word “wassail” comes from the Old Norse “ves heill,” meaning “be healthy.”
More Pairings
- Self-care spiced shortbread: Buttery shortbread cookies emerge from the oven with edges kissed golden brown, their surfaces crackled with cinnamon sugar that sparkles like fresh snow. Each cookie crumbles tenderly at first bite, releasing the perfume of browned butter and warming spices, the sandy texture melting on your tongue while leaving a trail of sweet, spiced comfort that lingers like a hug.
- Deserved gingerbread with cream cheese frosting: Moist gingerbread cake springs back at the touch, its deep molasses color promising rich, complex flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar. The tangy cream cheese frosting spreads in thick, cloud-like swirls across the warm cake, creating a temperature contrast that’s pure indulgence, while crystallized ginger pieces add little bursts of fiery sweetness throughout.
- Rewarding roasted chestnuts: Chestnuts roasted over an open flame develop charred, papery skins that peel away to reveal creamy, sweet interiors with the texture of soft potato. The nutty, almost vanilla-like flavor warms your hands and mouth simultaneously, each chestnut releasing steam and the comforting aroma of caramelized sugars, bringing the nostalgic essence of winter markets into your home.
- Comforting apple galette: Rustic puff pastry folds around spiced apple slices that have caramelized into tender, golden-edged perfection, their juices bubbling and reducing into a glossy, amber syrup. The pastry shatters into buttery layers with each forkful while the apples maintain just enough texture to provide gentle resistance, their natural tartness balanced by cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of vanilla bean.
- Victory cinnamon-sugar pretzel bites: Warm soft pretzel bites emerge puffy and golden from the oven; their exteriors brushed with melted butter and rolled generously in cinnamon sugar that clings to every curve. The insides stay pillowy and tender with a subtle chew, while the spiced sugar coating provides sweetness and textural contrast, each bite-sized piece disappearing too quickly and demanding another reach into the bowl.
Natalie, these suggestions are fantastic! Any final words of wisdom for our viewers?
Here’s to the drinks we choose with care and to the people we care about. May every bottle we give reflect our good wishes and may every glass we remind us that life’s greatest gift is the company we keep.
Thank you, Natalie! Where can we find you and these wines and spirits online?
On Instagram, you can find me posting wine reviews and tips at:
Online, my website is nataliemaclean.com.
Posted with permission of CTV. Please drink responsibly.
