Gifts To Keep Your Spirits Bright

Some people can be more difficult to buy holiday gifts for than others. For some of those people, adult beverages are easy solutions. Here you will find gifts to keep your spirits bright. They are all gifts for wine and spirits lovers. They also make good hostess gifts.

Alcohol and related gifts are some of the most popular this time of year. There is so much to choose from. The hardest part is deciding what brand, or type to buy. Distillers and vintners make things enticing with all kinds of gift packages. I did not include those.

Instead, I have listed single bottle purchases both high end and everyday gifts depending on your needs, wants and budget.

Disaronno is arguably one of the best-known Italian liqueurs globally. But did you know that it is celebrating a milestone this year? It is the spirit's 500-year anniversary. The company tapped into the country's reputation of design and elegance to create a Limited-Edition 500th Anniversary Collection.

The collection includes five unique designs to capture the essence of five centuries of Dolcevita, Passione, Bellezza, Stile, and Eleganza. These collectors bottle will look lovely on almost any bar cart. Disaronna is an amaretto flavored liqueur popular when served as a sour, on the rocks or in boozy coffee drinks.

This is a classic, founded during the apex of the boutique winery movement in 1972. Sullivan Rutherford Estate is in the heart of Napa and for decades has grown and crafted worldclass cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

The Coeur de Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon is like a dark crushed velvet. Gorgeous. It has some pipe tobacco, plum and blueberry notes. The finish is nice and long. It's a great gift for a wine lover or even collector. $95

PaPaw’s Ridge Kentucky Straight Bourbon, an award-winning whiskey brand exclusively available in Florida at Publix. It is crafted in Shelbyville, Kentucky and honors Roy “PaPaw” Nethery. Perhaps like your PaPaw, he is a family patriarch who cherished life’s simple pleasures including spending time in the great outdoors with friends and family.

It smells delicious with some chocolate, butterscotch and a hint of smoke. It tastes just as nice with smooth notes of butterscotch, caramel, vanilla and a little apple. Superb for sipping and great conversation. $39.99

This wine is designed to give back. Since its inaugural bottling five years ago, Epoch Estate has given more than $582,000 to charitable organizations through the sale of this wine. It began after the COVID-19 pandemic when the owners wanted to support those on the front lines. Next, it was to aid victims of wildfires that devastated Los Angeles. Six months later, funds were sent to help residents in the Texas Hill Country after catastrophic floods.

The third release of this special edition charitable and collaborative wine is a Rhone-style red field blend. It's mostly grenache with 8% Clairette Blanche. It smells so good, you may just want to sit with it for a minute before sipping. Especially since it gets better the longer it is in your glass. $75

The packaging alone screams celebration, holidays, party, etc. I love how it sparkles. It sparkles in the glass too.

From Italy, this sparkling wine is for the person on your list who likes a touch of sweetness. Yoll find some in this bottle but it's not cloying, it's nicely balanced. It has ripe tropical fruit flavors and stone fruit like pear. A bright bubbly, it pairs well with salty or spicy foods. $24

I have friends who LOVE their pinot grigio. This is a brand I see all of the time but have not tried in ages. It is dry, peachy and the definition of a pool or porch pounder, all day. It would be refreshing as a spritz too. Easily accessible and affordalbe, this makes a good hostess gift for your PG lovin' pals. $16

First, this is another wine with a beautiful label, a colorful butterfly. Second, Chardonnay is another good bet for gift giving. Finally, it is pleasing on the palate with tropical notes, pineapple and melon, a creamy texture and subtle sweet spices. $18

Susana Balbo Signature Malbec is a classic from Argentina. It has just a touch of petit verdot for a flavor and color boost. The wine has dark and blue fruits, with an array of spicy notes. Even a hint of mint. It is a versatile wine to compliment holiday pork loins, grilled meats, even turkey. $24.99

J. Lohr Pure Paso Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and petite sirah that has concentrated, dark fruit flavors with a pop of spice to liven things up. It is a good representation of how rich some red wines from this area can be. $27

**Prices may vary

**Drink Responsibly