What is honesty worth?

Background: Earlier this year I moved and needed a place to park my wines while I was in temporary housing. One of my ITB contacts gave the OK to store my wines in the dingy, but absolutely cool, basement at one of his stores. He didn't want any $$ but I did gift him a very, very nice bottle of Scotch which is his drink of choice. He was happy. When we moved into our new digs, I retrieved my wines and they were apparently just as I left them.
Fast forward to today and I get an email from one of my former colleagues that they had been rooting around in the basement and came across a 12 bottle styro shipper with my name on it. When did I want to come pick it up? Apparently this is a mixed case of Hermitage, CdP, Cote Rotie. I never missed this stuff, so my question is:
I'd like to thank him for his honesty. He is into wine, so I was thinking of giving him the choice of any of the bottles for himself or taking a cash "reward" in the neighborhood of $100. Whadda you think? Fair/Cheap?
Thanks.
BP

If I were him, I would prefer selecting a wine to the Franklin.

If I were him, I would prefer selecting a wine to the Franklin.

Poorly worded post on my part, Sam. I meant to give him the choice of wine or $$ and have amended the original post. When r u and Lu coming to visit us hillbillies?

I would be embarrassed to receive such a gift for doing what was so obviously the right thing. So all I would say is that if you do offer him something, you should be careful about phrases like "thanking him for his honesty". I would rather emphasise the gratitude I felt for being reunited with my wine.

I would be embarrassed to receive such a gift for doing what was so obviously the right thing. So all I would say is that if you do offer him something, you should be careful about phrases like "thanking him for his honesty". I would rather emphasise the gratitude I felt for being reunited with my wine.

You are correct.
Danke.
BP

As Steve is right and it may be difficult for someone to receive a gift for just doing what was right, you may find it to be easier to offer to open a bottle to share if the work environment of the store would allow it. Maybe not as generous as you would like to be in this case but it is a lot easier to share someone's bottle than it is to take it as a gift.

I think it would be great if you would offer him his choice of wine.

JB

Bill,
Your impulse certainly isn't too cheap and IMO is a very generous gesture. Giving him his choice might be counterproductive, though, as he might feel self-conscious about taking a bottle he deems too precious. You might be better off just telling him to take a bottle that you select. If, as Steve suggests, even that offer makes him uncomfortable, he can always offer to open it up with you. I've had that experience a few times.

Mark Lipton

Honestly is priceless, and beyond cash rewards. Offer him a wine of your choosing from said case.

I think the concensus of opinion is spot on here.

One final thought though... If you could very subtly find out what he likes/enjoys, then arrange for a bottle of that to be left with a discreet thankyou for finding the wine & contacting you, then that might also work.

FWIW putting myself in his shoes, 'doing the right thing' is it's own reward and there is a genuine pride in doing so. I'd never expect anything in return, but thanks go a long way. I'd accept a moderate gift (with some protestation!) but the acknowledgement is more important to me.

Thanks for sharing a happy story!

regards

Ian

Resolution: After a bit of fussing by both sides, Chris and I mutually agreed that the 1999 Jamet Cote Rotie was appropriate.
Thanks to all who gave their thoughts.

That's great, Winger!

Glad you decided to do that Redwinger, I was just about to post after reading Mark's reply, to say "I agree with Mark", but fortunately read down to the end of the thread first.

But for the record; as usual, I think Mark's reply was spot on.