Red Wine Anniversary Present Help!!

[Elo1se]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping someone can give me some words of wisdom - i am first time poster, have done a bit of research but feel none the wiser. I have a couple of good friends who are getting engaged and i would like to get them some wine as part of a present. I want to get them a bottle to drink on their first wedding anniversary (which could actually be 3 years away at least) and then one for their 5 year anniversary (more like 7 years away)

They have proper storage for the wine so that won't be an issue but they are red wine drinkers and I am not so i dont know where to start. I wonder if anyone might have some suggestions on nice red wine that will age well? Budget wise i am open.

Thanks so much everyone.

[Rocky]

Eloise

Welcome. I am sure you will get many responses. An initial observation though. Specifically, a red wine to age 3/5 years is typically made for the short term ie will be relatively cheap. You will be better off looking at something for the 10 year anniversary which will put you into a more respectable premium wine bracket.

If you want a first wedding anniversary then perhaps stick to the fizz.

Do you know what type of red wine they like? Shiraz, Cabernet, Pinot? If not then the safest bet is to go for a Shiraz. I was given a 2012 Mt Edelstone as a gift which I am storing away like a prized possession. Check out the Langton website and you will see all the Australian wines which get the secondary market interest.

Regards

[TiggerK]

Also, while many premium wines are still bottled using cork, corks can fail and make the wine taste bad. So for a gift, I would be looking for a wine that uses screwcap, you are then assured that the wine will be sound when opened.

But what one is the big question, so many choices. Were you thinking $50, $100 or $200 per bottle?

[Scotty vino]

I'll assume aussie wines?

I'll throw some out there.
Yalumba Signature or
Mount Mary Quintet.

I think if you were able to purchase these wines from the winemaker
themselves it would provide solid provenance and add a little uniqueness to your gift.
I received a 2011 Lakes folly Cabernets (another idea) Magnum from the wifey some years back
and the fact she had sourced it directly from the winemaker made it all the more special.

[Mahmoud Ali]

If you want a first wedding anniversary then perhaps stick to the fizz.

Bingo! I agree whole heartedly. It's perfect. No need to worry about aging, decanting, etc., etc.

Since it's a wedding/anniversay present for three and seven years down the road, and I assume a somewhat bigger budget, the first things that came to mind was an Arras for the third year and a Seppelt Show Reserve Sparkling for the seventh year. Both are celebratory wines and nothing says it better than sparkling.

Cheers .................. Mahmoud.

[Mike Hawkins]

I know you said that they are red wine drinkers...but...... if you want something from 2017, the Grosset Polish Hill is out, its world class and it's superb. A six pack would enable them to reminisce periodically. 2017 reds of repute are probably 2+ years away.

But if it has to be red, the aforementioned suggestions are good. St Henri has a good reputation amongst wine lovers (perhaps not geeks) and has traditionally been my go to gift.

[Mahmoud Ali]

I want to get them a bottle to drink on their first wedding anniversary (which could actually be 3 years away at least) and then one for their 5 year anniversary (more like 7 years away).

It's exciting and fun to suggest wines we would love to get as gifts but the poster's brief was for a bottle to open on the first and fifth wedding anniversary, not wines that needs considerably more time in the cellar. Things like St Henri, Mount Mary, Yalumba Signature, and Grosset Polish Hill are wines that need infinitely more time. None of them are ideally suited to be opened anytime soon.

Mahmoud.

[catchnrelease]

I think budget is an important factor. I would go a pair of Sami-Odi's personally - their non-vintage 'Little Wine' (currently it's the #6) for the first anniversary and their vintage release (its name changes each vintage, but current release is the "Mahe & Ribo") as the longer term wine.

https://sami-odi.com/wines/

[Matt@5453]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping someone can give me some words of wisdom - i am first time poster, have done a bit of research but feel none the wiser. I have a couple of good friends who are getting engaged and i would like to get them some wine as part of a present. I want to get them a bottle to drink on their first wedding anniversary (which could actually be 3 years away at least) and then one for their 5 year anniversary (more like 7 years away)

They have proper storage for the wine so that won't be an issue but they are red wine drinkers and I am not so i dont know where to start. I wonder if anyone might have some suggestions on nice red wine that will age well? Budget wise i am open.

Thanks so much everyone.

I think aim to get wines from the first year they met if you can find them (perhaps contact wineries direct if need be), I always think that is more meaningful.

Given the brief is red wine, I think the following:

Rockford Basket Press - always a reliable wine
As Scotty Vino suggested: Yalumba Signature
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon
Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz
Turkey Flat Shiraz
check out Torbreck's range of wines
By Farr Pinot Noir
Jim Barry The Armagh

That's just a sample , but ever reliable.

Agree with another suggestion on 2017 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling as a white alternative.

[sjw_11]

I think also relevant- do these people particularly like wine / are they quite expert?

You will get tips like Sami Odi which (no offence catchnrelease!) would be amazing to a wine geek but might be confusing to a more mainstream drinker (also, don't they sell out on release?)

I think Matt@5453 has some good suggestions. I would add some more commercial options (to a chorus of jeers), e.g. Penfolds Bin 389 or St Henri, or Wolf Blass Black Label, if the recipients are not huge wine geeks. But I also agree with Mahmoud- for giving red wine, I would aim for something they can drink at 10yrs.

Or, if you think they like Pinot, perhaps a vintage bubbles to drink at 1Y, a Pinot to drink at 5Y and a good, rich red like the Basket Press or the Signature to drink at 10Y.

I like Mike's idea of a six pack of an identical wine to revisit over time, but I think if they specifically drink red then Grosset Riesling does not fit the bill. Believe me, I have made this mistake before of trying to convince relatively well educated, experienced wine drinkers to convert to Riesling. I was told "never order a Riesling at lunch again... stick to safer wines, e.g. Chardonnay". (and that was based on a Grosset!) Not worth the risk, IMHO.

A half dozen of the Wynns Black Label Cabernet perhaps?

I am assuming, btw, if you are going to give them the present now, that the vintage for the red wine does not have to be 2017... obviously, that would not be possible. You would either need to give an earlier vintage or wait for several years.

[cleanskinlover]

I had this question come past me today! Deja Vu? Find out what year they met, then work out who had an excellent vintage! Large format is a great way to find an inexpensive wine that will make it to their anniversary.

[Ian S]

Relatively easy to buy something that comes across as a thoughtful and appropriate present, though without knowing what sort of wines they drink normally means it's difficult to get something that they might not have tasted, but is just the sort of thing they like.

I like the Wynns Black label suggestion as it should have wide appeal, from traditional south aussie wine lovers to those with an eye to the old world wines.

[Mike Hawkins]

I want to get them a bottle to drink on their first wedding anniversary (which could actually be 3 years away at least) and then one for their 5 year anniversary (more like 7 years away).

It's exciting and fun to suggest wines we would love to get as gifts but the poster's brief was for a bottle to open on the first and fifth wedding anniversary, not wines that needs considerably more time in the cellar. Things like St Henri, Mount Mary, Yalumba Signature, and Grosset Polish Hill are wines that need infinitely more time. None of them are ideally suited to be opened anytime soon.

Mahmoud.

Depends what vintage... plenty of aged samples are available at retail. And I think the 17 PH will drink well from the get go.

[Mahmoud Ali]

... I have a couple of good friends who are getting engaged ... i would like to get them some wine as part of a present ... I want to get them a bottle to drink on their first wedding anniversary (which could actually be 3 years away at least) ...and one for their 5 year anniversary (more like 7 years away) ... they are red wine drinkers ... I wonder if anyone might have some suggestions on nice red wine that will age well? Budget wise i am open.

The brief is to recommend two bottles of wine, one for the first anniversary and another for the fifth. The anniversaries are likely o be 3 and 7 years from now and the wines meant to be opened them. We also know that the celebrants are red wine drinkers. It strikes me that both white wines and reds that are long-term agers are not what is wanted. Therefore things like Polish Hill, John Riddoch, Mount Mary, or the Signature, to name some of the recommendations above, aren't part of the brief. I think Rocky had it right when he said:

Specifically, a red wine to age 3/5 years is typically made for the short term ie will be relatively cheap. You will be better off looking at something for the 10 year anniversary which will put you into a more respectable premium wine bracket.

If you want a first wedding anniversary then perhaps stick to the fizz.

Mahmoud.

[Ian S]

I was thinking of mentioning fizz as well. Although not in the original brief, even TORB used to make an exception to his red drinking for champage. The advantage of such wines is that 3 & 7 years in the cellar can make a noticeably positive effect on the wine. There is also the 'celebratory' element.

Wines like Lanson used to be berated for being overly acidic, but many on the wine pages forum spoke highly of how they developed with ~ 5 years in the cellar. I don't know what availability / cost is for champagnes in Aus, but rather oddly, this is often the perfect time to buy them over here, as the supermarkets compete with very good offers to try and grab the xmas drinking market

[Elo1se]

Wow - this is amazing, thank you everyone! I will start researching.

In terms of a budget - given my knowledge of red wines sits at about zero, i dont actually know how much a bottle that will age well will cost. I will say this, they are very good friends of mine and i am the maid of honour (if that helps with perspective) so I am more than happy to spend a bit of money. In saying that, this will form part of their present so if there are bottles sitting around the $50 mark that would probably be my preference - i am open to you telling me I am dreaming though!

They got together in 2005, so by the time their 5 year anniversary rolls around we're looking at a wine that would have aged 20 years...

They are by no means experts when it comes to wine but they do enjoy drinking a nice bottle of red!

thanks heaps everyone.

[Redav]

Or thinking outside the square (read: ignoring the brief), if they don't already have anything nice, get them a pair of really nice glasses. You'll probably spend as much on them as some half decent wine and they will get a lot more use than a pair of wines.

[catchnrelease]

You can get age worthy current release wines for $50 but you have to know what you're looking for.

To clarify, are you looking for a wine from any vintage to be drunk in 3-7 years from now, or a wine from 2005 to be drunk in 2025?

If you're looking to buy a wine from the 2005 vintage you will need to look at the secondary market (auction) or maybe some back vintage releases that are kept in stores. Most stores will have the odd bottle from 2005, but there's no guarantee it'll be decent. $50 is a difficult price point though, at least if you want it to be drinkable.

[Elo1se]

hi Catchnrelease,

I'm looking for the 3-7 year mark wines, was just answering the question of when they met. I do like the idea of the 1 and 5 year anniversary being celebrated so would stick with wines that will age from now until the 7 year mark.

[catchnrelease]

hi Catchnrelease,

I'm looking for the 3-7 year mark wines, was just answering the question of when they met. I do like the idea of the 1 and 5 year anniversary being celebrated so would stick with wines that will age from now until the 7 year mark.

Much easier to achieve, most well made red wines will be able to last 7 years.

I personally think the Sami-Odi pair works nicely - they are harder to come by but some places may have it, just need to look around. The Little Wine is the one that sells out the fastest. Alternatively, if you can wait, the next release of their Little Wine and vintage offering will be some time early next year. Wine geek or not they're fantastic examples of Barossa shiraz that anyone would enjoy.

[Scotty vino]

Using the yalumba Signature as an example it's an 8-10 year window (on average looking around on the web) bottle of vino.
It's 50 bux, an iconic bottle (langtons classified in 'excellent') and generally a crowd pleaser whenever I've had it in a group.
I had 2010 about a year ago and it was fantastic. Next to a 2012 rockford basket press it was a shade above for the 3-4 of us tasting it.
So a 2010 in 2020 (3 years from now) would be ripping and a 2013 (current vintage?) in 2024 (7 years from now) would again be awesome IMO.2010 and 2013 both good SA vintages.
There would be a heap of other wines that would be in the same category as the Yal Sig.

If i were in the recipients shoes a I sure wouldn't mind a sixer of Grosset 17 PH.
(ok it doesn't fit the brief but so flipping what it's bloody awesome)
If you can't convert someone into Riesling with this then there really isn't any hope.