When it comes to the holidays, we all love the opportunity to fill our homes with joy through festive decorations, gatherings with loved ones, and our favorite wines. And an extra fun part of this time of year, aside from spending quality time together, is the opportunity to give gifts—especially the gift of Priest Ranch wine! But as you’ve come to learn and love about Priest Ranch, we love being uncommon and adventurous, so why not show that through how you wrap the bottle you’re about to give? We have a few inspirations to spark your adventurously uncommon gift wrappings that are more than just a bag you found at the store!

Let’s start with a few simple options to personalize the bottle’s presentation. Opt for black or kraft butcher paper to write your special message in a chalk marker or sharpie on the bottle! Elevate it with fun ribbons or pieces of greenery that complement the message and brighten the simple but sentimental wrapping and message.

Arrive with a wine bouquet (and not in the way you think!) Stop by your local craft store and pick up florist foam that you can cut a hole into, then place it around the neck of the bottle. Once you have it cut and adequately sized for the bottle, soak it in water (if you’re using real flowers) just long enough for it to have some moisture but not too much to drip down the bottle and potentially ruin the label. Next, you’ll trim the stems of the flowers (faux ones, too!) and then start placing them in the foam like you would a regular vase to create a beautiful bouquet. Get festive and incorporate some seasonal colors, greenery, and berries to brighten their spirits. Incorporating some ribbon can also help disguise the foam and give it a pop of texture. This is a nontraditional way to present a bottle, but it doubles as something they can transfer to a vase or other container to enjoy days after you’ve given it to them. Just imagine a boutique around the neck of our 2018 Brut Rosé with its beautiful rosy hue; adding contrasting greens and complimentary pink and white flowers, you’re truly bound to make a statement!

As someone gifting Priest Ranch wine, you know the notes and features of our different wines, so why not give them a hint as to what they can expect to enjoy in their newest addition to their collection?! Use other items such as dried spices in small jars or sticks of cinnamon, fresh herbs, dried fruits, or even homemade baked goods that express the scents or flavors you find in the wine when you enjoy a glass of wine you’re about to gift. Say you’re giving a bottle of our 2019 Snake Oil; it has notes of fresh mint on the nose, so grab some butcher twine and add a little sprig of mint from your garden! Or how about our 2018 Blanc de Blancs with beautiful hints of subtle brioche notes? Add a small package of brioche bread sticks around the neck of the bottle. Any way that you can make it personal and a more extraordinary gesture than a bottle of wine placed in a bag, the more it will mean to the recipient.

For the ultimate practical wine gift wrapping, accompany the bottle with a beautiful tea towel, a cutting board with cheese knives and salumi, or bread and cheese that pairs well with the wine. The tea towel option serves as your wrapping paper and a keepsake to serve them in the future. We recommend Anthropologie as they have a fantastic selection of tea towels, especially wine-related ones! And, of course, let’s not forget Uncommon Goods to find alternative additions to your unique tea towel options. Check out these great tutorials on creatively tying your towel around the bottle. Visit your local kitchen store or home decor store for a functional cutting/cheese board to secure your bottle. You can also pick up a set of cheese knives that match the board to be able to put to good use right away! Take it up one more notch with a salumi or small bag of decadent dark chocolates or any sweet that would pair with the wine. 

But, at the end of the holiday season, what matters most isn’t what gifts were exchanged but who we spent our time with and the beautiful memories created and shared. Of course, the evening can always be enhanced with a bottle of Priest Ranch wine shared with loved ones! From all of your friends at Priest Ranch, we wish you the happiest of holidays and look forward to seeing you in the new year. Cheers!