Wine makes a wonderful present. It can be a gesture of apology after an argument to a gift of thanks – for a wonderful visit or dinner. It can be a symbol of age – being given a beautiful fine wine to mark an important occasion and it’s also used to celebrate, from graduations to weddings.

When you come to buy fine wine, online is the way to go. It is only once you get online and start researching that you realise the huge variety, quality and value of wines available from across Europe and beyond. From specialist merchants to online supermarket retailers, you’re sure to find something to fit the occasion.

Buying wine online often comes with an added benefit; you’ll find that if you buy a certain number i.e. 6, they’ll add in an extra two for free. And it’s not just the cheap wine they give away. Several specialist wine merchants now offer online packages where they will send you a variety of wines every month, at a discounted rate. This allows you to test your palette and expand your range of wines; who knows? You may find a good Australian that knocks the spots of your normal French red.

It’s also the case that different retailers will specialise in different types of wine. By and large, Old World wines have been slower to get onto the online market, just because they have traditionally been far more successful in retail than New World wines. So when you’re buying wine online today, you may find New World wines more abundant or at better rates to Old World.

The same goes for good quality champagne and dessert wine. Harder to find in store because their prices and taste makes them a slower turn around, it is easy to find good quality dessert wine and champagnes at a reasonable price online, where the issues a traditional supermarket faces are reduced.