The best gift ideas for dad according to our Wine Merchants

For many of us, Dad's Day is more about spending quality time with family than spending big on gifts, but fortunately it's possible to do both. "I'll be heading down the coast in the morning and catching up with my parents," says Nick. "We'll do gifts down there and have the kids run around in the backyard, then come home and do our own thing."

And if your dad, like Nick's, spends a lot of time in the backyard, a pack of VooDoo Ranger IPA makes for an excellent reward for hard work in the heat. "It's fresh and tropical with some nice bitterness," says Nick. "I found it to be one of those IPAs that isn't just for the craft-beer enthusiast either. You can give it to a dad who is new to the world of craft beer, and with those tropical pineapple notes, it's great to crack a can with dad after getting the gardening done."

But if the backyard sees more outdoor dining than weeding, something like Rabbit Ranch Central Otago Pinot Noir may just be the gift you're looking for. "This is definitely a customer recommendation I always give," says Nick. "It's a fleshier style from Central Otago with a bit of texture as well. You'd drink it on the day with a cheese or charcuterie board, or it'd pair well with a fresh salad too if it's a warm day."

Given the young age of his kids, Nick will be celebrating Dad's Day with a mid-afternoon roast so everyone can be involved. But first, he says, "I'd probably have a nice glass of Champagne with my wife to start. Something light and bright with some seafood, like the Joseph Perrier Brut Champagne."

This Champagne is as dry as they come with notes of lemon sorbet, green apple, pear and white stone fruits. It's spent three years on lees (ageing with residual yeast), which adds a lovely toastiness and nuttiness. "It's a really complex but delicate Champagne," says Nick. "It's perfect for oysters to start the celebrations, or a great wine in itself to show Dad how much you love him and want to spend time with him."

If your dad is more footy shorts than French Champagne, then Kaesler's 'The Bogan' Shiraz could be the perfect way to find a compromise. "The name is very tongue in cheek and can add a little laugh when you gift it to dad," says Nick. "It's a classic Barossa shiraz from the ripping 2018 vintage, with a good lick of dark chocolate and some good oak integration as well. It's vegan-friendly too, in case dad has a plant-based diet, but otherwise it goes great with a peppered Scotch fillet and a potato salad."

And for dessert? "I'd be pairing a White Rabbit Dark Ale with a chocolate tart or mousse," says Nick. "It's smooth and rich with dark chocolate and great for spring weather when it's not quite summer but we're coming out of those colder days."

If you're ready to give dad something truly special, look no further than the Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 2010. "This is the wine you give to your dad to drink on the day," says Nick. "It's had ten years of ageing already so it's right in its prime and ready to go. There's some beautiful spice thanks to 30 months on oak, as well as some wonderful blackberry, mocha and dark leather notes. It's from a producer that's been around for over 100 years, so whether dad is 75 or 32, he's going to recognise it."

Alternatively, both Chivas Regal 13Y.O. Rye Cask Blended Scotch and Aviation American Gin make fantastic gifts for those dads that are more spirit inclined. "The Chivas Regal is of a high enough quality that it can be enjoyed on its own, but it's also fine to be drunk with dad's favourite mixer, whether that's dry ginger ale or even cola," says Nick.

"As for Aviation, I started drinking this gin in the late 00s in Melbourne when it used to come in a clear wine bottle. The bartender told me that the producers were saving money on bottles so they could put everything into the quality of the gin, and it seems to have worked. The gin is made in an American dry style, which is like a London dry style but with the volume turned down on the juniper. It's perfect for a classic G&T, just the way dad likes them."