These top picks will keep you under budget and looking like a true gifting pro.
Secret Santa, in theory, should be fun, but when you draw the name of someone you barely know, it feels more ‘ugh’ than ‘yay’. You want to give a gift that’s good – a gift that’s appreciated, and easy to find and purchase. Never fear, we’re got you covered on all bases. Great gifts are our jam, and easy pick-up and delivery is our bread and butter, so let’s make a sandwich.
Ahead, we have 15 tried and tested, rated and reviewed bottles that get the team’s thumbs-up for gifting. And because Kris Kringle can be super specific these days, we’ve ranged them for under $10, $15, $20, $25 and $30.
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Under $10
1. Smirnoff Lemon Freeze
Think of a Splice ice cream, but in a drink with an alcoholic kick. The Smirnoff Lemon Freeze is sweet and sour, but the real clincher is the unexpected ice-cold “freeze” sensation that lasts beyond the sip. It’s infused with natural citrus and crafted from triple-distilled Smirnoff vodka. Serve it straight from the freezer, over ice, as a shot or in an easy pour-over cocktail. Consider these mini bottles the gift of discovery that might just become their new favourite thing.
2. Poco Vino Pinot Grigio
Anyone who likes wine would surely love to receive a glass of it, and this right here is a wrappable ‘glass’ of crisp, light, dry pinot grigio. Failsafe gifting, if you ask us. The name literally means “little wine”, and this single-serve bottle is pretty enough to sit on a boutique beauty counter. It’s how to gift chic for under $10.
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3. Stone & Wood Peach Radler
This year has seen beer Spritzes and mixers come back in a big way. The Stone & Wood Citrus Radler was a huge part of that as it’s more accessible than maybe a Black Velvet (Guinness and sparkling wine) or Michelada (think Bloody Mary, but beer), not least because it’s premixed in a can. Now, the new Peach Radler is the festive summer stone fruits addition that screams “cool and festive”. So, if your giftee fits that description, you’ve found their gift with a can of this refresher.
Under $15
4. Kura Kura Takamasamune Japanese Sake
Here is an entry-level sake that’s ideal for someone who you think is up for a challenge of trying something new. We reckon this might be the adventurer of the group. It comes in a cute little bottle, too. The sake can be served hot or cold, but it’s even better in a sake cocktail (we’re all about the Tokyo Sidecar). We love a gift that broadens one’s horizons.
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5. Cupio Spicy Rosé
The rosé lover in your life is about to get a spicy awakening. Cupio Spicy Rosé is a crisp and dry pinot noir rosé that’s infused with chilli. Yep, real chilli. Is this the 2025 festive season’s answer to a Spicy Margarita? We say yes, and with a whole lot less faff and glass-rim salting, too.
6. Guinness Extra Stout
When you drink Guinness, you’re drinking 250 years of brewing ancestry, two years of TikTok trendiness and six months of Netflix popularity. The “extra” is in the ABV – 6% – and flavour, sharper and more bitter. It’s a drink that gets rave reviews. Unwrapping a 750mL bottle is sure to bring excitement to millennial men thriving in their stout era as well as nostalgia to boomers who still talk about “that time in Dublin”.
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Under $20
7. Little Giant McLaren Vale Grenache
It’s medium bodied, dry and one of the best value-for-money red wines on the market. Yep, grenache ticks a lot of boxes. This is playing the straight bat at the “buy me wine” fast ball from a relative. Little Giant also supports wombat welfare, so you’ll be helping the wombats as you help yourselves. Win win.
8. Asahi Super Dry Fusions Lemon Yuzu
This is the perfect thirst quencher for the restless gardener, especially as summer hits and the backyard becomes their constant obsession. Crisp, refreshing and balanced, this delivers crisp beer excellence, elevated with a zing of bright citrusy yuzu. This is the six-pack to give your lawn-mowing mate for an ideal post-mowing beer.
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Under $25
9. RoRo Zonzo
Come summer, the aperitivo lifestyle is something to strive for. This is exactly what RoRo delivers, without the big kick of bitterness that might put people off the traditional Aperol or Campari Spritz that goes hand-in-hand with aperitivo hour. Here’s a pick that can still be for those people who don’t fancy the sharp stuff – a gift of aperitivo inclusivity. Cool bottle, too.
10. Hard Rated Lemon Pineapple
Alcoholic lemonade has filled a hole we didn’t know our tastebuds needed, so, of course, Hard Rated have done their due diligence and expanded the range into some excellent new flavours. This latest one is Lemon Pineapple, and it brings a tropical note to that trademark bubbly, sweet mix. You’d never know it has less sugar than the OG Hard Rated Lemon.
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11. Bacardi & Coca-Cola Blanco
A rum and coke with five-star reviews, this premix comes with high praise on its product page. This is actual Coca-Cola mixed with Bacardi White Rum – a pretty great gift for your realest friend who never got off the rum and coke train. There’s also something fitting about Coca-Cola at Christmas – the company helped shape the image of ol’ Santa Claus in his shiny red suit with their holiday campaign back in the 1930s.
Under $30
12. Strelley Farm Tasmanian Pinot Noir
This is a rare steal of a Tassie pinot that’s medium bodied and dry with ripe raspberry and red cherry notes zipping above a dark plum and gentle oak spice. All those fruit notes and a silky finish give this wine such a high drinkability. This might be a gift for today, but we think this bottle will go on to become a regular for those easy-drinking pizza pairings.
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13. Monsuta Beer Gift Pack with Stubby Cooler
Here’s a great-looking gift for an outstanding price at $27.99. Monsuta is everything you want from a lager. It’s smooth, crisp and tasty, with interesting, true-to-style differences between its Dry, Supreme and Dark variants – all of which are included in this set. But it also delivers truly excellent art, which means the free stubby holder in this gift set will most definitely get used.
14. Forester Estate Chardonnay
This dry, full-bodied white from Margaret River is begging to be paired with a charcuterie board. It’s a fruit-driven style with ripe peach notes and a hint of smoky oak, classic acidity and a creamy finish. A good bottle of chardy will never go astray, so even if you don’t know Lindsay from HR’s particular tastes, you know they’re going to love their gift.
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15. Yering Station Yarra Pinot Noir
This pinot is the near definition of crowd-pleaser. It’s light, dry and velvety, and the smooth vanilla oak is just enough to make this drop hum. If you’re betting your Kris Kringle recipient is a red drinker (judging only by his photo on the Intranet), this bottle will be a winner. And if it turns out they don’t usually do red, we think this will change their mind.
