Gift giving with Biltmore Wines? Wrap it up!

When holiday gift giving includes Biltmore wines, wrap them up with the following easy DIY options from an estate expert so everyone on your list will know how much they mean to you!

Make gift giving more meaningful

After her 23-year career in floral design at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, Hope Wright offers easy options for wrapping bottles of Biltmore wine and wine-themed items to make your gift giving even more meaningful.

“I love Biltmore wines and I often give them as gifts, especially during the holiday season,” said Hope. “And while there’s nothing wrong with simply placing a bottle of wine in a gift bag, it’s also nice to wrap it in a creative way that says ‘you’re special’ to your recipient.”

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Timeless natural elements

“Here are two easy ideas that look beautiful using a little bit of ribbon and the kind of greenery you can often cut from your own backyard or local park,” Hope said. “It doesn’t take much to make a big impact.”

Crown of ivy

• Clip an 18-inch strand of fresh ivy.
• Wrap it several times around the neck of the wine bottle, tucking the end of the vine into itself to keep it in place.
• Choose a narrow, patterned ribbon to tie a simple shoestring-style bow and attach it to the ivy crown with wired twine.
• As a finishing touch, clip the ends of the ribbon bow to a length you like and wind the ends of wired twine into a few whimsical tendrils that complement the ivy.

Expert tip: Attach the bow off center so the wine label shows prominently.

Wine suggestion: Biltmore Estate® Dry Rosé offers delicate flavors of cherry, apricot, and raspberry, and the soft coral color shows off natural elements like the crown of ivy to perfection!

Ribbon wrapping

• Wrap a length of burlap ribbon around the wine bottle just below its mid-section, making sure not to cover up the label.
• Choose a different type of ribbon to tie a simple bow around the bottle, centering it over the first ribbon for contrast.
• Once you have the ribbons and the bow in place, tuck in any type of greenery you like.

Expert tip: Use two different colors of greenery to create more interest and texture. Consider arborvitae (shown here), sprigs of ivy, or twigs with berries—the possibilities are endless!

Wine suggestion: Like all of our exceptional Biltmore® Reserve wines, Biltmore® Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon North Carolina is handcrafted from estate-grown grapes, making it a great way to incorporate local items into your holiday gift giving.

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Wrap up holiday gift giving

To wrap these wine bottles for gift giving, Hope used the same wrapping technique on each of them, but varied the wrapping material and trimmings.

Taste of travel

For the travelers on your gift list, wrap a bottle of wine in a vintage map, like this one that Hope found in a thrift store. For an eco-friendly option, you could also opt for recycled brown craft paper or upcycled paper shopping bags.

• Select a map or or other interesting paper that’s at least 24″x 24″.
• Place the wine bottle in the center of the map and pull it up , twisting the material around the neck of the bottle.
• Knot a length of raffia around the neck of the bottle.
• Finish the look with a simple ribbon bow in a contrasting color.

Expert tip: Once you’ve tied the raffia and ribbon, tuck in a bit of fresh greenery for some holiday flare.

Wine suggestion: This journey-themed gift wrap pairs perfectly with Ventágeo® Red Dessert Wine that was inspired by George Vanderbilt’s world travels!

Gift giving in grand style

“In addition to vintage maps, I look for beautiful fabric remnants that will make gorgeous gift wrap for wines,” said Hope. “Simply wrap the bottle, then tie a coordinating ribbon around the neck–that’s all you need to make it special.”

As a bonus, Hope created an elegant pine tassel to set off the regal look of this wine gift:

• Clip enough white pine needles to get a full-looking tassel
• Hot glue the tops of the needles together.
• Bind the top with narrow wired craft twine to hide the glue.

Expert tip: While binding the top of the tassel, make a loop of the wired craft twine to go around the neck of the bottle.

Wine suggestion: Complement the grand style of this tasseled gift wrap with a bottle of our glorious Biltmore Estate® Château Reserve North Carolina Brut Red Sparkling or award-winning Biltmore Estate® Château Reserve North Carolina Blanc de Blancs. Both are handcrafted in the traditional méthode champenoise from estate-grown and locally sourced grapes.

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Step-by-step: tea towel gift wrap

“Look at each of steps shown in this instructional collage,” Hope said, “and you’ll see how easy it really is to gift wrap a wine bottle in a tea towel!”

• Choose a Biltmore holiday-patterned tea towel or one that matches your gift recipient’s kitchen colors.
• Lay the bottle in the middle of the towel about half-way down as shown in the step-by-step collage.
• Bring the bottom half of the towel up to partially cover the bottle. Fold the right corners in on each other like an envelope and roll the “envelope” ends around the bottle.
• Fold the bottom left edge of the towel like an envelope to create a pretty pleat in the fabric and finish rolling the towel around the bottle.
• Tie a length of wired silk ribbon into a bow around the neck of the bottle and fluff the ends of the tea towel for fullness.

Expert tip: To make the gift twice as nice, add a Biltmore Christmas ornament to the bottle.

Wine suggestion: Keep them guessing until the last minute when they unwrap their gift to discover an exception bottle of The Hunt Red Blend Sonoma County or other favorite Biltmore wine vintage.

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Gift giving: bundles and baskets

Wrap up a bountiful bundle

“Here’s an easy way to create a bundle of gifts that share a common theme,” said Hope.

• Choose a sturdy cheeseboard and secure a bottle of Biltmore wine to it with a ribbon.
• Add a stack of Biltmore’s delicious gourmet food mixes and dips to the board and tie a wide ribbon around the whole bundle.
• For an extra surprise, turn a set of cheese knives and spreaders into a special topper for the bundle.

Expert tip: Tuck a few sprigs of fresh rosemary around the knives and spreaders in a crowning touch that pulls the culinary theme together and smells wonderful!

Holiday hospitality in a basket

Who wouldn’t want to receive a basket of holiday hospitality full of Biltmore wine and gourmet goodies, especially when it is embellished with fresh greenery and ribbons?

• Choose a medium-sized basket that would easily hold a collection of holiday goodies like a bottle of Biltmore sparkling wine, a selection of Biltmore mixes and dips, Wassail Drink Spice, seasonings and sauces, and a holiday tea towel.
• Line the basket with any type of recyclable packaging paper, and tuck in a few cardboard risers to keep smaller items from falling to the bottom.
• Arrange everything to your satisfaction, then fill in the background with magnolia leaves and pine cones or other greenery.

Expert tip: Wire an elegant ribbon bow to the basket’s rim, and balance the look with a Biltmore Christmas ornament on the other side.

Wine suggestion: Christmas at Biltmore® Sparkling Wine is perfect for all holiday celebrations and special occasions.

Make holiday gift giving more merry!

“All the ideas I’ve shown here easy to recreate,” Hope said, “and that was my goal. I hope you’ll be inspired to surprise friends and family with special touches like these that infuse your holiday gift giving with extra meaning.”

Find everything you need to celebrate the season in style, including Biltmore wines, Biltmore sparkling grape juice, and gourmet foods, at estate shops and online.