Lesley Suter/Jordan Moss
Some of the country’s buzziest somms recommend gifts that go beyond the bottle
My older brother knew everything about wine before me; I was 25 or so before I’d done much more than sneaking a cheeky pull from Mom’s refrigerator chardonnay. But when I started to get into wine as an adult, I remember my brother giving me this pretty massive piece of advice: “Wine is like art,” he said. “You like what you like.”
This idea has stuck with me now that I write about wine professionally. Wine really is like art; personal preference is everything, but also we are dramatically impacted by social trends, by critics, by our peers, whose ideas around wine can influence our own experience with it. And I think this is a really helpful way to approach the idea of giving wine as a gift.
Wine lovers, like art lovers, are absolutely wonderful to shop for come gifting time, because there is this whole universe of wine appreciation to draw from. Gifts, books, tools for deeper appreciation — the right wine gift speaks to someone’s knowledge and enjoyment, and helps deepen that love of wine in a real and meaningful way. I would never gift someone a full bottle of wine — that would be presumptuous! — but the right glass stem, or a truly notable wine opener, or a gorgeous and practical decanter (or a silly and bombastic one!) can be like a form of permission, a wellspring to draw from on their own journey as a wine drinker.
Along the way of writing this guide, I spoke with some of the smartest wine lovers I know to help me think about how to share a love of wine with others. They include sommeliers, authors, collectors, creators, founders, and thinkers—sometimes all at once. Below you will find gift ideas for every kind of wine drinker, including a few of my own very favorite wine gifting ideas that have impacted me. Because at the end of the day, wine is personal. My brother was right; you like what you like.
