Tell me who your father is and I'll tell you what kind of wine to give him!

It's a great idea, but there's so much choice that it's not easy to achieve. So here's an infographic to help you find the perfect wine for your dad.

Which wine should you give your father, profile by profile?

Six kinds of father come up time and again, each with his own appellations. Spot his, and the right wine gift for dad almost picks itself.

The Bordeaux loyalist

Give him the bank he hasn't explored. On the left bank (Médoc, Saint-Estèphe, Pessac-Léognan), cabernet sauvignon leads: upright, tannic reds built to wait. On the right bank, Saint-Émilion and Pomerol rest on merlot, rounder and ready sooner.

The father who likes powerful reds

The South-West was made for him: Cahors is built on malbec, Madiran on tannat, two thick-skinned grapes that give dark, solidly framed wines. A Châteauneuf-du-Pape, usually grenache-led, has the same build with more warmth.

The father who likes to be surprised

Head for the Jura and its vin jaune, savagnin aged over six years in cask without topping up, at least five of them under a veil of yeast that keeps the air off. Walnut and curry are its signature. An Arbois, white or red, is a gentler way in.

The father who likes bubbles

Champagne, yes, but which? Blanc de blancs, chardonnay only, is fine and taut; blanc de noirs, from pinot noir or meunier, has more body. Extra-brut carries less dosage than brut (the sugar added before corking) and suits a dry palate.

Crémant from Alsace, Burgundy or the Loire is made the same way, for less.

The father with a sweet tooth

Skip the dessert, give him a sweet wine. Sauternes and Monbazillac come from grapes touched by noble rot, a fungus that concentrates sugar on the bunch.

Maury, a grenache-based vin doux naturel from Roussillon, is fortified: spirit halts the fermentation and keeps the grape's sugar. With blue cheese or chocolate, it holds its own.

The father who reads labels

He looks for the organic logo and watches the sulphites. Languedoc-Roussillon gives him plenty of choice: Occitanie is France's largest organic wine region, Pic Saint-Loup, Minervois and Fitou included. Natural wine, with little or no added sulphites, has no official definition, so trust the winemaker's page.

How do you hand over the bottle on Father's Day?

Four things make the gift: format, a word about the winemaker, serving temperature and timing, all settled before the third Sunday of June.

The format. For a full table, a magnum: 1.5 litres, about a dozen glasses, and slower ageing than a standard bottle. Large formats exist in champagne too. For a father who can't decide, a single-estate case lets him compare several cuvées from one winemaker.

The note. Slip in a two-line card about the maker: first name, village, what makes his estate different, all on his winemaker page. A father who knows who pruned the vines opens the bottle differently.

The temperature. Champagne and crémant come straight from the fridge, at 8 to 10 °C. A dry white drinks at 10 to 12 °C, a sweet wine a touch cooler. Allow 14 °C for a light red, 16 to 18 °C for a full-bodied one, and open vin jaune early, at around 15 °C.

Ordering. Order as soon as the date is in sight, never the day before: lead times vary by estate, and the delivery terms shown at checkout are the ones that count.

Three well-meant gift ideas that miss the mark

All three start from a kind thought; none of them quite lands.

The bottle you'll open at lunch. Uncorked that day and shared eight ways, it leaves him one glass of his present. Give him a bottle that stays his, and bring another for the table.

Buying the name rather than the wine. A famous house on the label reassures, but says little. A named winemaker has a face, a village and a plot: your father can follow him vintage after vintage, and this year's gift leads to next year's.

A wine for keeping, opened tonight. A Madiran or a Médoc from a recent vintage is still closed, all tannin. Pick a cuvée that's ready, or tell him to wait: a bottle lying in his cellar is still a gift, as long as you say so.

FAQ - Wine for Father's Day

What wine should you give your father for Father's Day?

Start with his taste: a red for ageing if he likes full-bodied wines, a champagne to mark the occasion, or a cuvée from an estate he doesn't know yet. A bottle bought straight from the winemaker, unavailable in supermarkets, always makes an impression.

How do you choose a wine to match your father's personality?

A classic father will enjoy a well-established grand cru, a curious one will love a lesser-known appellation, and an epicurean will lean towards a sharing wine to open with the family. The point is to match the bottle to what he truly enjoys rather than to a trend.

What budget should you plan to give your father a good bottle?

A bottle that brings real pleasure starts at around fifteen euros, and prices rise easily for an exceptional cuvée or a champagne. Buying direct from the winemaker, at estate prices, gets you better quality for the same budget, with no middleman margin.

Is it better to give red wine, white wine or champagne?

It depends on his habits. Red is the safe bet for enthusiasts, white appeals to those who like freshness, and champagne turns a meal into a celebration. If in doubt, a mixed case covering several colours will satisfy all his cravings.

Why give a wine bought directly from the winemaker?

Buying direct means giving a bottle at estate prices, shipped from the domaine for optimal freshness. You support an independent grower and put in front of your father a cuvée he won't find anywhere else.