Two Napa wine shop professionals are offering advice this holiday season for shoppers who want to give a bottle of wine but don't know where to start. Mark Selleck of Back Room Wines in downtown Napa and Ana Jennings of DECANT Napa Bottle Shop & Bar shared their approach to helping customers choose gifts, from budget-friendly sparkling wines to rare bottles for serious collectors.
For many shoppers, buying wine as a gift feels risky. A cheap bottle can look like an afterthought. An expensive one can feel like a gamble if the recipient doesn't like it. Local shop owners say that uncertainty is normal, and that shoppers don't need any wine knowledge to walk out with a good gift.
Selleck said his first job is to put customers at ease. "We tend to push aside any pretentiousness because for us, wine is our passion," he said. "What is overwhelming for many, we try to reel that back in." He said he usually starts by asking who the wine is for, since that shapes the rest of the conversation. He wants to know whether the recipient ages wine or drinks it soon after buying it, and whether it will be paired with a particular meal. Selleck has a culinary background and often thinks about food pairings when making suggestions. He said he avoids pushing customers toward pricier bottles. "I don't want them to feel pressured or upsell them into anything like that," he said. "I'd rather introduce them to something that's going to be exciting."
Jennings said DECANT carries a range of prices, so a thoughtful gift does not have to cost a lot. She said Burgundy makes a strong gift for a serious collector but noted it is expensive and often meant to be cellared for years. More affordable bottles, she said, can be opened and enjoyed within the year.
When a shopper has no idea what the recipient likes, Jennings recommends sparkling wine. "I feel like there's no one who really dislikes Champagne," she said. She added that sparkling wine from other regions can work just as well. Selleck agreed, especially for holiday gatherings, and suggested looking at Crémant and other sparkling wines beyond Champagne.
Buying for a wine enthusiast can feel intimidating, but Selleck said he enjoys the challenge. "What I try to do is I try to pick something a little different," he said, aiming to introduce a new grape variety the recipient might not have tried.
Jennings offered a suggestion that may surprise some shoppers in Napa Valley: skip Napa wine as a gift. She said locals already have plenty of it, and anyone nearby can buy a new release on their own. Instead, she recommends Burgundy, Riesling for more serious wine drinkers, Barolo and Barbaresco for fans of bold reds, and Greek wines. She said she is also excited about new Swiss wines coming into the shop. "That's a country that keeps most of its wine to itself," she said. "If you actually see it out in the wild, then most likely, you probably want to get it."
Both experts addressed a common fear among gift-givers: bringing a bottle to a dinner party only to have the host say it will be good for cooking. Selleck said he does not mind. "I would be thankful to receive any bottle of wine that someone brought me as a gift," he said. If a host does cook with the bottle, he suggests pairing a red with Bolognese or stew, or a white with ceviche, and asking what dish resulted. He also said givers should not expect a host to open the bottle immediately. "You did your part as a giver," he said. "Hopefully karma will come around."
For holiday tables, Jennings recommends Beaujolais around Thanksgiving, along with lighter or bolder Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo for heartier meals. On the white side, she suggested Chenin Blanc as an alternative to Chardonnay, or something slightly sweeter like Gewürztraminer or an off-dry Riesling. "Especially if you have a whole lineup of wines for dinner already," she said. "Have something different in there."
Both shop owners said the value of buying from a local wine shop comes down to conversation. Selleck called Back Room a "hand-sell shop," saying staff take time with every customer regardless of price point. He said he gives out his card so customers can follow up about pairings later, and that he has noticed more Gen Z shoppers coming in to plan dinner parties. Jennings said walking into a shop without a plan is common and welcomed. "If you just walked in and were like, 'I need to get something, and I don't know what to get,' they'll be able to point some things out, and you can also just do a price range, and that's totally fine," she said.
The original reporting was done by Keith Cousins, a staff reporter who covers Napa Valley's wine industry for the Napa Valley Register's regular readers. He can be reached at 707-256-2212 or [email protected].
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