What makes the perfect wine gift? It should be something delicious, of course, but for added wow factor, why not give someone a bottle of a true one-off, bespoke and (if the recipient isn’t a member) unavailable to them if they went looking anywhere else?
This Christmas, we’ve got two special ranges of wines created especially for our 150th anniversary that offer you just that. The Anniversary range and Generation Series represent true one-offs, and come from some of the world’s greatest producers. And they’re only available to Society members – and people special enough to be on their Christmas gift lists!
But which wines to choose? We’ve put together a few particularly good ones below, and who best in your life to leave it under their tree for.
Perfect for…meat lovers
The Society's 150th Anniversary Mendoza Malbec 2007 (£35)
Argentine malbec is a meat-lover’s dream, primed to accompany the rich flavours of winter and the barbecue fare of summer alike. This top-level example is a world exclusive from Bodega Weinert, whose reds lend themselves extraordinarily well to ageing. This 2007 was matured in a large oak tonel before a further two years in bottle, and over that time the tannins have mellowed, the flavour has concentrated and the result combines opulent black fruit with leathery complexity that often reminds people of aged Rioja, for example. It’s a unique style of this much-loved favourite and should be at the top of every carnivore’s gift list.
The Society's 150th Anniversary Mendoza Malbec 2007
Perfect for…party hosts
Magnum of The Wine Society’s Generation Series Vinsobres 2021 (£28)
When wine expert Olly Smith picked his favourites from our Generation Series, this 1.5-litre magnum of ravishing Rhône red was given pride of place. Olly added the sage words that ‘when it comes to giving a gift in wine, size absolutely matters!’ and we couldn’t agree more. If there’s someone you know who is entertaining a lot, at Christmas or indeed habitually, this is sure to please. From one of our best and most consistently popular suppliers, the Jaume family, it offers incredible value and looks the part as much as it tastes delicious. As Olly says, ‘Stylistically, it will appeal to those who enjoy a glass of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example, but this is a little brighter and silkier. Think about black cherries packed into a flashbulb!’
Magnum of The Wine Society's Generation Series Vinsobres 2021
Perfect for…lovers of big reds
The Society's 150th Anniversary Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018 (£25)
For those who favour the spot-hitting joy of a full-bodied red wine, this Australian shiraz is a must. It comes from one of the country’s great names, Yalumba, and from the once-in-a-generation 2018 vintage. We kept this wine back to offer as a treat to members to show what top Aussie shiraz from a great vintage can do after a few years in bottle. The wine is in a fantastic place: still showing youthful dark fruit, but complemented by silky texture, eucalyptus freshness and extra complexity. A winning combination to leave under someone’s tree.
The Society's 150th Anniversary Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018
Perfect for…claret lovers
The Wine Society’s Generation Series Haut-Médoc 2019 (£14.95)
Traditional tastes require a traditional wine, and this claret – modelled on the style of Bordeaux we were shipping during our early years – is as traditional as a mince pie in front of the King’s Speech. It comes from Château Beaumont, a name so beloved by Wine Society members that we are now their biggest customer in the world. This special wine pulls out all the stops, using cabernet sauvignon and merlot from the superb 2019 vintage to vibrant, food-friendly effect at a remarkable price. As Decanter magazine wrote earlier in the year, it’s a ‘classic left bank claret (offering) finely carved black fruit with a lining of dried mint and thyme.’ Ready to drink and perfect for the Bordeaux lover in your life.
The Wine Society's Generation Series Haut-Médoc 2019
Perfect for…Italophiles
The Society's 150th Anniversary Amarone 2018 (£35)
Picking just one wine for lovers of Italian wine, cuisine and culture would be a fool’s errand if we didn’t happen to have the perfect candidate. Allegrini are pioneering masters of the unique Amarone style of Valpolicella, whose richness and distinctive, concentrated flavours are achieved by partially air-drying the grapes before fermentation. We are absolutely thrilled to have worked with them on this exclusive blend, which showcases all the strongest suits of this style. It’s an expensive wine to make well, as the grapes lose a huge amount of their weight in the drying process, but when you taste the results, you know it’s worth it. Hopefully they’ll be generous enough to share some with you…
The Society's 150th Anniversary Amarone 2018
Perfect for…people who ‘don’t like chardonnay’
The Wine Society’s Generation Series Limarí Chardonnay 2022 (£13.95)
We couldn’t resist this mischievous addition, but we’re also determined to show there’s a chardonnay for everyone! This one is a ‘Goldilocks’ style – taut, fresh and fruity at heart, but emboldened by beautifully balanced oak. Olly Smith agreed, noting it was ‘Chile’s answer to Puligny’ and ‘like buying a Ferrari for the price of a Fiat’. Star winemaker Marcelo Papa of Concha y Toro was the man who put Limarí chardonnay on the map. Years ago, he was tasked with finding a climate in Chile similar to Burgundy, and he found it here. Could this be the wine to win over any ‘ABC’ (Anything But Chardonnay) drinkers in your life? It’ll be fun to find out!
The Wine Society's Generation Series Limarí Chardonnay 2022
Perfect for…cheese lovers
The Society's 150th Anniversary Vintage Port 2011 (£49)
A good bottle of Port’s credentials with a festive cheeseboard need no introduction, but the credentials of this one are particularly exciting. It was one of the first wines we sourced for our Anniversary range, a previous buyer recognising correctly that 2011 was a special vintage here. Thanks to this foresight and the generosity of the world-famous Symington Family Estates, this patiently aged Vintage Port is now deliciously ready to enjoy (there’s no hurry, though). Blended especially for us from the Symingtons’ riverside quintas, it’s a deeply coloured, sweetly flavoured, opulent classic with bottle age bringing hints of tea leaf and dried herbs. A failsafe fine wine gift.
Hopefully this will have helped tick off those stubborn gift names on the Christmas list, and that your recipients enjoy the wines as much as we enjoyed working on them. Being able to collaborate with such an incredible array of winemakers across the world to create something special to mark this milestone has been a privilege and a pleasure. We’re confident the results won’t disappoint.
The Society's 150th Anniversary Vintage Port 2011
Need some more inspiration? Check out the full ranges of our exclusive wines below.
View all Generation Series wines
View all Anniversary range wines
