Proving you can get something truly meaningful in five mins at the bottle-o.
Lara is the Editor in Chief of Dan’s Daily. Each month, she scours the list of 300+ My Dan’s member offers to find her favourite deals – the bottles you’ll definitely want to grab while the price is right. Join My Dan’s for free to get the hottest prices, exclusive offers and access to member-only events and experiences.
Look, no one’s accusing you of not loving your dad. Quite the opposite – you want him to unwrap something on Father’s Day that makes him give you that ‘oh, raising you was totally worth it’ look. But life is hectic, the world’s expensive, and Dad’s got everything anyway. I’m here to show you how to turn a last-minute bottle shop purchase into the meaningful, thoughtful gift dad deserves – no matter your budget.
I’ve even run my theories past the expert himself, AKA my dad. Over the years he’s received all manner of bottles from yours truly and, in return, I’ve received all manner of responses. As a daughter and a writer, here’s what I’ve learned: it’s all about the story you spin.
Below, three Dad-approved tips that’ll leave your old man feeling all warm and fuzzy when he unwraps his well-considered Father’s Day present. And here’s a bonus for you – all three bottles are on My Dan’s member offer until Sunday, September 1, so you can save some hard-earned dosh while you’re at it.
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1. Nudge him gently into something new
The best gifts lean into what the person digs while pushing them a little out of their comfort zone, giving them something new to fall in love with. If you’re on a tight budget, that’s the key to gifting them something they both want and wouldn’t get for themselves.
Shiraz is a classic Dad’s Day present, but putting the above into practice, why not opt for a cool-climate shiraz instead of going for a big, bold Barossa bottle? Mount Langi Ghiran is a total icon of the style. Based in Victoria's temperate Grampians region, they’ve been busting out highly praised expressions of cool-climate shiraz for many decades.
Anything they produce is a safe bet, but my suggestion for a lower budget is the Billi Billi Shiraz from 2015. It’s still everything he loves about shiraz, it’s just more medium-bodied, peppery and floral. More polished and elegant, if you ask me.
This Billi Billi punches far above its very affordable price tag – which is even lower right now – and, even better, it’s one of our Cellar Release wines, which means this baby has been carefully cellared for nine years until the perfect drinking time: right now.
If your dad’s not a shiraz man, try the same trick with another wine he favours, taking a little side-step from his usual, and score bonus points for explaining the why behind the gift.
Non-member price: $25.99
Member price: $21
2. Upgrade his go-to
No-fail trick number two: take a fave from their usual repertoire and upgrade it. This one’s easy to put into practice – just find out what he usually drinks and ask an in-store expert for something a step above that’s within your spending money.
Case in point, my dad loves a Negroni on the reg, but he always buys the cheapest vermouth. For a cocktail that only has three ingredients used in equal parts (gin and Campari round out the recipe), every component truly matters. For Father’s Day, spoil Dad by treating him to something really tasty, like Punt e Mes Rosso Vermouth. He won’t know what hit him.
There is a tonne of vermouths on the market, all differing in taste, price and quality. Punt e Mes is not only an OG (it’s been around since 1870), it’s also a bartender favourite and easy to find. The taste is halfway between sweet vermouth and bitter amaro, which means it’s versatile, makes a formidable cocktail, and is stellar on its own over ice as an aperitif. Fun fact – “Punt e mes” actually means “point and a half” in Piedmontese, referring to the extra bitterness in this concoction. Even more fun fact – the price on this bottle for My Dan’s members is bloody excellent.
Non-member price: $50.99
Member price: $40
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Click image to shop
3. Link it to a special memory
When all else fails, you can always make a last-minute bottle feel deeply considered by tying it to a personal moment you and Dad have experienced together. I promise you, it doesn’t matter how tenuous the link is, as long as it’s something you can write in the card to show your quality time has meant something to you.
Dad follow a particular sports team? Get him a bottle from their home city to commemorate the many games you’ve sat through with him. Did he teach you how to successfully keep your herb garden alive? Get him a spirit with the same botanicals he helped you plant. You get the idea – just tap into your inner PR pro, and spin away.
Dad and I took a wonderful trip to Cuba together a few years back – and he loves rum. So, I’m looking to the delicious Duppy Share XO to remind him how rum makes me think of him and those happy memories.
The XO (which means extra old) is a blend of 5, 8 and 12-year-old column-still rums from Barbados. It’s a lush, indulgent sipper, and the bottle’s gorg, which adds to the special vibes. As a lesser known, premium bottle, I’m putting all our tricks to use here with something out of his safe zone that’s a cut above his usual buy and linked to a memory we both cherish. Now that’s what we call low effort, high return.
Non-member price: $91.99
Member price: $80
