If you’re still looking for inspiration for the ideal Christmas gift for the person who has everything and enjoys a glass or two why not give a bottle of wine?

It’s the perfect present as there are so many different wines available to match to the recipient’s taste and your budget!

It’s also rewarding to find a gift that the recipient wouldn’t buy for themselves. In wine terms this can mean buying a more expensive version of the wine they normally drink. For example, treating them to a Reserva or Gran Reserva Rioja rather than a Crianza.

Buying a gift that would be enjoyed with a festive meal can give added value so in addition to finding a wine they like why not choose one to complement the main elements of the meal whether turkey and all the trimmings or a Boxing Day gammon or beef joint?

Wine flavours like food flavours should build up through a meal so to accompany the first course you may like a light red or white such as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc such as Zephyr from Marlborough, or Domaine Garnier Chablis or light reds such as Domaine des Bulliats Beaujolais or Italian Barbera.

The traditional Christmas fare of turkey and all the trimmings provide a myriad of flavours to match with wine so why not try a red such as a Rioja with its soft velvety texture, ripe fruit and spice or perhaps an elegant Burgundy.

If personal preference is for more robust full wines such as an Australian Shiraz the myriad of flavours in a Christmas meal would not be lost when enjoyed with a wine such as Bremerton Selkirk Shiraz especially if accompanying spicy stuffing and cranberry sauce. These would also go well with a beef dish for an alternative festive meal.

White wine drinkers could try a New World rounded fruity wine such as lightly oaked or unoaked Chardonnay or a peachy tropical Viognier or Pinot Gris.

Dessert wines are great with puddings not just because they are sweet but because of their innate rich unctuous character that is soft and silky and easy on the palate at the end of a meal.

Muscat de Beaumes de Venise from the Rhone Valley in Southern France, luscious New Zealand Semillon or a classic Sauternes are excellent examples.

At this stage in a meal just small taste is required and these wines are often in half bottles with stylish presentations making this an easy choice as a gift idea.

Add a little sparkle to the gift by giving Champagne – there are always lots of offers available at this time of year on the well known brands or you could look at a special bottle of Joseph Perrier that has a luxurious elegant taste with lots of small bubbles...

Spending less and still buying a quality is sparkling wine is easy if you look at delicious well made wines from other countries including Australia.

Here the lovely fruity yet elegant sparkling wines offer excellent value for money, look out Jansz the delicious elegant Tasmanian methode traditionelle wine. English sparking wines are also well worth a try as they are proving their quality when compared to Champagne – Henners from Sussex are well worth a try.

For friends and family, staff and clients who are too distant to meet up with over the Christmas period look out for a wine shop that can send wine for you.

There are some offering the complete gift service selecting a bottle or a case to match your requirements of wine type and budget, and also have lovely gift packaging and offer a national delivery service.

Let them help you make your wine buying easy!