wine thank you gift

[Anonymous]

DH and I were guests for a week of skiing at the home of some friends. They were gracious hosts and we had a lovely time. We -- and other guests -- bought some groceries and treated for some meals, but our hosts also cooked two delicious dinners for the whole crowd. They enjoy wine and we'd like to send them some as a gift. DH checked the price on a case of a wine that they like and it comes to $450, which seems a little extravagant. Would it be tacky to send a few different bottles from the same vineyard with a total price of about $250?

[Anonymous]

I think what you are contemplating is a very nice--and generous--gesture that would be appreciated by your hosts, regardless of the number of bottles involved. That said, if you have a sense of what types of wine the host family likes, you may want to consider splurging for one or two very nice--and memorable--bottles rather than a collection of good but somewhat interchangeable bottles. You may wind up spending a little bit less at the end of the day, and at the same time may give a gift that would be really appreciated--especially if you gift a bottle that someone wouldn't necessarily purchase on their own. For reference, I'm thinking of really nice wines from Bordeaux, or a top-rated Napa Cab., or something similar (Northern Rhone, top Burgundy, etc.). There are plenty of wines like this in the $100-$200 range and that could be cellared for 10-20 years. The tricky part is that you have to be confident in what the recipient likes. Do you have a sense of that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what you are contemplating is a very nice--and generous--gesture that would be appreciated by your hosts, regardless of the number of bottles involved. That said, if you have a sense of what types of wine the host family likes, you may want to consider splurging for one or two very nice--and memorable--bottles rather than a collection of good but somewhat interchangeable bottles. You may wind up spending a little bit less at the end of the day, and at the same time may give a gift that would be really appreciated--especially if you gift a bottle that someone wouldn't necessarily purchase on their own. For reference, I'm thinking of really nice wines from Bordeaux, or a top-rated Napa Cab., or something similar (Northern Rhone, top Burgundy, etc.). There are plenty of wines like this in the $100-$200 range and that could be cellared for 10-20 years. The tricky part is that you have to be confident in what the recipient likes. Do you have a sense of that?

Thanks for your very thoughtful response, which tracks with the advice I received from a dear friend who is possibly the most well-mannered, thoughtful and down-to-earth people I know. It's nice to remember that among all the nastiness, DCUM can be a place to find helpful, smart and kind people. Have a great day!