Wine and Cheese Gift Baskets

Wine and cheese gift baskets make an excellent present – whether for a casual drinker or a wine aficionado, there are a multitude of options available.

Wine and cheese gift baskets are well-suited for a variety of occasions. Consider a beautiful basket for any of the following:

• Birthday
• Engagement
• Wedding
• Birth
• Christmas
• Thank You
• Just Because

Wine and cheese gift baskets can provide the perfect snacking for a romantic picnic. Present your recipient with the basket and a picnic blanket and they have all of the makings for an enjoyable afternoon of sipping wine.

Ordering wine and cheese gift baskets online is incredibly easy because of the large number of options. A number of gourmet and specialty sites offer a range of products at varying prices. Here are just a small sampling of choices:

• Wine Party Picnic Gift Basket - Ravenswood Duo, includes a bottle of Zinfandel and one of Chardonnay, sun-dried tomato tapenade, merlot cheddar cheese, crackers, summer sausage, $100.
• Elegant Party Basket, includes sparkling wine, fruit, smoked salmon, cheese, crackers, chocolates, $160.
• Crane Lake Duet, includes Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, cheese spread, knife, stone ground mustard, salami, dried fruit mix, Ghiradelli chocolates, corkscrew, and more, $40.
• Papio Wines, includes Chardonnay, Merlot, crackers, cheese spread, knife, cookies, breadsticks and chocolates, $40.
• Covey Run Winery, includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, cheese, knife, biscuits and crackers, $50.
• Mondavi Private Selection, includes Cabernet Sauvignon, chocolates, crackers, dried fruit and more, $50.
• Under the California Sun, includes Merlot, cheese spread, crackers, mustard and mixed nuts, $50.
• Kendall-Jackson Trio, includes three wine selections, cheese, crackers, pretzels, cookies and candies, $130.

Additionally, some online retailers will prepare a custom-made wine and cheese basket, based on your specifications.

For more gift ideas for the wine lover... watch this slideshow!

While purchasing wine and cheese gift baskets already packaged certainly makes things easier, you may want to consider building your own gift basket. The beauty of creating your own is that you can truly customize the gift to match your recipient’s tastes. If you know of a favorite wine they enjoy, include that, as well as their favorite cheese and crackers. Selecting distinct cheese from a gourmet store or specialty cheese market is a nice change from ordinary cheddars or cheese spreads. Additionally, special touches, such as a small cheese board and cheese cutter, corkscrew, fun wine glasses or chocolates can also be added. Add a beautiful ribbon to the top and you have created a spectacular and unique gift.

When shopping for wine and cheese gift baskets, there are a number of things to keep in mind:

• Consider the recipient – What type of wine and cheese do they enjoy? If they dislike certain items in a pre-packaged basket, consider creating your own.
• Think about the occasion – If you are giving this as an engagement or wedding shower gift, you may want to include a romantic touch, such as candles or beautiful chocolates. A holiday basket can include some touches of the season, and a thank you gift may include a gift certicate to a restaurant or spa.
• Pricing – If you are on a budget, you can find wine and cheese gift baskets in a range of prices. If you want to keep the cost low, consider a basic package or assemble your own homemade basket of goodies.
• Refrigeration – If your gift will be sitting out for a fair amount of time, you will want to find a cheese that does not require refrigeration. If your recipient will be able to refrigerate the cheese shortly after receiving the gift, then you have many more options.
• Shipping – Be aware that online stores cannot ship wine baskets to all states due to interstate shipping laws. Check each site’s shipping information to confirm that a basket can be shipped to your state.

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