The Urban Grape – Boston’s most award-winning wine shop – is known for its curated wine, spirits, and beer, as well as for exceptional hospitality-driven service. We asked them for their thoughts on the perfect holiday gift, and here’s what they had to suggest!
Best Hostess Gift When You’re Crunched for Time
The holidays are busy, and finding time to shop for the perfect hostess gift (much less wrap it!) is nearly impossible. Double park outside of UG and grab their December “Deck the Halls” Urban Sampler, $100. Featuring a bottle of family-owned and produced Champagne, a Sancerre from one of the most famous organic producers in the region, a red Burgundy from an up-and-coming star winemaker, and an elegant Bordeaux, this festively decorated grab-and-go four-pack of wine is a lot of bang for the buck! Want to make it one step easier? As UG about their free local delivery.
Best Product for Your “Shop Local” Friend
Anyone can go on Amazon and make the holidays happen with a quick click, but if you want to show you care about shopping local, you can’t beat the Rum Cooperative, Volume 2 from Bully Boy Distillers, $38. The brothers behind local spirits maker Bully Boy have sourced different rums from around the world and blended them together at their distillery in Newmarket. Volume 2 is the second in the series, and any shop-local aficionado will love this collector’s edition bottle!
Best Way to Drink Pink 365 Days of the Year
Rosé season may be over, but those who know, know that the best way to drink pink all year long is to invest in some quality rosé Champagne. UG’s pick (and the house Champagne of owners TJ and Hadley Douglas) is the NV Pierre Paillard “Les Terres Roses XIV” Grand Cru Extra Brut, $68. Perfect for sipping but equally as delicious paired with holiday meals (Peking Duck, Tenderloin, Seven Fishes!), this is an exceptional sparkling wine for all occasions.
Best Way to Impress a Whisk(e)y Lover:
Japanese Whisky is the brown spirits trend that just won’t quit, and UG is known for the depth of their selection of hard to find whiskeys (from every region, not only Japan!). Their current Japanese favorites are the Kujira 8 Year Single Grain Ryukyu Whiskey, $175, and the Kujira Ryukyu 20 Year Bourbon Cask Whiskey, $375. Relatively new to the market, these two whiskeys from Okinawa, Japan, will win you major points for a unique gift of the year.
Best Cabernet for the Napa Cab Collector
If you love someone who loves Napa Cab, it can be nearly impossible – and cost-prohibitive – to find them a bottle from back vintages. The Urban Grape has a small stockpile of 1988 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, $225, which they count as among the best older vintage wines from the region that they’ve ever tasted. Drinking superbly right now, you’ll want to gift this bottle and then stick around to drink it!
Best Gift for the Person Who Has Everything
Experiential gifts are all the rage right now, especially for the person on your list who has everything. If that person also loves wine, gift them a two-hour wine cellar consultation with UG owner TJ Douglas. Over a personalized wine tasting for two, TJ uses his over two decades of experience in the wine industry to help your giftee fill his or her cellar with everything from approachable everyday wine, to birth year vintages, to cases that can age and appreciate. The cost of $300 per consultation comes with 20% off of the first order! Email TJ Douglas at tj@theurbangrape.com directly to arrange.
Urban Grape’s owners, Hadley & T.J. Douglas know their stuff. Order their book Drink Progressively and make your next wine dinner at home a daring foray into new wine pairing territory.
You can find The Urban Grape in the heart of Boston at 303 Columbus Avenue, right behind Back Bay Station. You can also shop their selection online at www.theurbangrape.com. UG has full local delivery options and national shipping capabilities, making them an excellent choice for personal and corporate gifting this holiday season!
