If you want to make beautiful wine gift baskets, here are six tips to consider before you rush off to the store. These tips will help you make the perfect wine and cheese gift that even the most discerning person on your list will love.

6 Tips for DIY Wine Gift Baskets

What could be better for a wine lover than a gift basket filled with their favorite wines and snacks? Pre-made wine gift baskets are all the rage. Sometimes paired with cheese, chocolate  and more, they make great corporate gifts, hostess gifts, or gifts for any wine-loving family member. 

Since I love homemade gifts, I want to create my own beautiful wine gift sets instead of buying something that’s already made. Homemade gifts are so much more meaningful, even if you’re just compiling items in a gift basket. It’s always a lot of fun to consider the recipients and really tailor the gift to their preferences.

My family prefers to give consumable or experience gifts. It gets more difficult every year to find the perfect gift, but giving things they can use always works. 

Gourmet snacks, a delicious bottle of wine, reusable and environmentally friendly items are gift ideas I go back to each and every year. And since wine baskets make great gifts for lots of different people, I’m putting a few together for the holiday season this year.

Make the Best Wine and Cheese Gift Baskets 

Here’s how to make perfect wine and cheese gift baskets – a thoughtful, consumable gift that I would also love to receive. Anyone who enjoys gourmet gifts will really appreciate the love and consideration that goes into making this type of present. So let’s get started and make the perfect gift!

Find the Right Basket

First, find a great basket that your recipient will love to use over and over again. Wicker, jute, and galvanized baskets are my preference. I have good luck finding baskets at Goodwill (second-hand purchases can save you money and are environmentally friendly choices too!), TJ MAXX, Homegoods, and Amazon.

For this basket, I was thrilled to find a festive basket woven from jute that says CHEERS. How perfect is that?

I can’t find this exact basket anymore which is a SHAME! But you can easily make your own using this rope basket, a hot glue gun, and red rope ribbon.

Who is Your Wine Basket For?

Once you have your basket, think of the recipients. What type of wine do they prefer –  red wine or white wines? Do they like gourmet food, artisanal cheese, or chocolate?

Are they concerned about the environment and prefer gifts that have a positive environmental impact as well? Think about all of these things as you brainstorm your wine gift basket ideas.

What to Put in a Wine Basket

I like to add wine, snacks, small trinkets or pampering items. Below are my top suggestions for collecting small gifts for your wine baskets.

Wine (obviously)

Your choice of wine is the most important item in your DIY gift basket. Choose red or white based on your wine enthusiast’s preference, or include a mixture of both. 

Red lovers might like a nice Merlot, Malbec, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon. White lovers might enjoy  Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or a sweeter Pinot Grigio or Riesling.

When in doubt, ask a wine clerk for popular recommendations and don’t be afraid to try something new. Knowledgeable wine growers will have suggestions for wine pairings.

Groupon or Wine Subscription

I always include bottles of wine in the baskets, and a great way to get wine for gift baskets is to use Groupon! Here are some Groupon wine coupons I found that you will love!

Splash Wines Deals – 16 bottles of wine for $51 + shipping = curated wine for under $6 per bottle! Get the Groupon coupon for Splash Wines Deals here.

Swirl Wine Shop – 6 bottles of wine for $25 + shipping! Get the Groupon coupon for Swirl Wine Shop here.

Firstleaf Wine Club – get 6 bottles of wine for $42 shipped! Get the Groupon coupon for Firstleaf Wine Club here!

Add Gourmet Snacks – Cheese & Chocolate

Every wine gift basket needs more than wine, of course. I like to add in a few different types of gourmet cheeses, cheese snacks, and fine chocolates. If you have a little extra money to spend, include a new cheese board in the wine gift basket as well.

Don’t Forget a Few Fun Trinkets 

I love the scene in Mary Poppins when she reaches into her carpet bag and pulls out item after item. I like to take a similar approach with my gift baskets. I want the recipient to feel loved and pampered.

Here are my favorite useful items to add to wine gift baskets:

• Quality wine bottle opener
• Fun cocktail napkins
• Personalized wine bottle stopper
• A wooden or metal sign with a funny wine saying 
• Olive Wood cheese board

Adding a few of these items just makes your gift basket even more fun and personal for the recipient.

Choose the Perfect Wine Glass

Last but not least, don’t forget wine glasses! After years of breaking glass wine glasses, we have finally switched over to stainless steel, stemless glasses.

They are perfect for taking outside or camping. I don’t have to worry about them breaking or getting water spots from washing. Stainless steel, stemless glasses have become my favorite in the last year, and these stainless / stemless Tervis Tumblers are so amazing! Hydroflask has  nice stemless wine glasses too!

Themed Wine Gift Basket Ideas

If you still can’t decide what to put in your wine basket, give both experiences AND consumables. Give an experience alongside the wine, snacks and trinkets. Here are a few themes for your DIY wine basket:

• Movie Night: Pair a bottle of red wine with gourmet popcorn, fuzzy socks or a throw blanket, and your favorite classic films
• Spa and Wine Basket: Have a friend that needs a bit of pampering? Combine a soothing bottle of white wine with bath salts, scented candles, plush towels, and skincare products for a spa-like experience.
• Outdoor Picnic Wine Basket: Include a bottle of rosé or sparkling wine, along with a picnic blanket, snacks, and reusable picnicware.
• Gourmet Italian: Select Italian wines, pasta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and authentic Italian cookies for a taste of Italy at home.
• Holiday Celebration Wine Basket: Customize your basket for different holidays, including wines, decorations, and festive seasonal treats like Christmas cookies or Halloween candies.
• Wine and Book Club: Offer a bottle of wine with a bestselling book, a bookmark, and a reading light.
• Around the World: Choose wines from different regions around the world, along with international snacks and a map. Send your friend on a global getaway.

Put it all Together! 

Once you’ve collected everything for the perfect wine and cheese gift baskets, it’s time to put it all together. I arrange the wine bottles first and then add in the smaller items. Put items that could be easily lost in a gift box or attach it to another item so it can’t get lost. 

Finally, fill in any gaps with tissue paper or ribbons for an effective presentation. Pop open your own bottle of sparkling wine and relax! Your DIY wine gift basket is going to make someone very happy!

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