How to Live with Wine in 2025

A practical guide to joy, curiosity, and not overthinking your glass.

I was recently watching a Writer’s Symposium roundtable where wine storytellers Dan Petroski, André Mack, Dorothy Gaiter, and Felicity Carter discussed how to write and think about wine now. One question that Dan posed really stuck with me:

How do we live with wine in 2025?

There was a time when “living with wine” meant knowing vintages by heart, collecting bottles you’d never open, and pretending to understand the technical language a sommelier used to describe a wine. That era’s over.

In 2025, living with wine means something else. Wine drinkers have let go of tradition and are embracing what makes wine part of our daily lives. We want to know who is making the wine and why. We care about the environment and the stories behind each bottle. We want wines to drink with friends, wines for occasions big and small. We want tasting notes that feel personal and make sense.

Wine should be about enjoyment, connection, and curiosity. We want to live with wine in a way that feels fun, honest, and human.

It’s about drinking what you love, supporting the people who make it with heart, and letting a glass (or can, or cup) meet you where you are.

So here’s how to do it.

Image by Beatriz Camaleão

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1. Don’t Collect — Curate

Forget cellars. Think shelves, fridges, or that messy little corner of your living room. Living with wine in 2025 means surrounding yourself with bottles that make you curious, not anxious. The “right” collection is the one that reflects you — maybe a little natural, a little classic, a little “I bought this because the label was cute.”

Keep one bottle that feels like a true treat, something you’ll open when something wonderful happens, or someone special comes over. But there’s absolutely no reason not to pop a bottle on a Tuesday night.

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2. Drink Local — and Explore Something Weird

There are incredible wines being made all over California. This summer, I visited Lodi and tasted beautiful wines from winemakers who fully embrace the region’s climate and terroir. There are over 100 different grape varieties grown in Lodi, and the winemakers there are having fun with that diversity.

The Central Coast, Amador County, Anderson Valley, California, is full of regions growing unique grapes that make remarkable wines.

And don’t stop there.
Drink Oregon. Drink the Finger Lakes. Drink Virginia.
There’s exciting wine coming from Valle de Guadalupe. And if you’re able, take a trip to one of these regions. It’s one of the best ways to fall in love with wine: standing among the vines and talking to the people who make it.

Explore beyond the traditional European canon. Support small growers in overlooked regions.

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3. Talk to Your Local Wine Pro

Skip the guessing. One of the best ways to discover something new and exciting is to ask your local wine shop clerk. They see every bottle that comes through the door. They know who buys what — and who comes back for more.

When you’re out to eat and staring at the wine list, talk to the sommelier. They’ve tasted every bottle on that list. They know the producers, the style, and where the magic is hiding. Tell them what you like — and what kind of night you’re having.

Any somm worth their salt will be thrilled to take on the challenge of finding you the perfect bottle.

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4. Pair Wine with Your Life, Not Your Dinner

Sometimes dinner just isn’t interesting enough to pair with. Last night I had roasted broccoli, chickpeas, and quinoa with a drizzle of tahini. Was it good? Eh. It was sustenance. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t open a bottle.Even when dinner is just a bowl of whatever, you can still pour something that makes the evening feel a little more alive.

Try sparkling to go with your favorite tv show, skin-contact orange for your Sunday reset, or Lambrusco for any moment that needs a little fun and fizz.

Wine isn’t about rules anymore, it’s about rhythm.

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5. Learn the Story Behind the Label

There’s something undeniably romantic about knowing who’s behind your bottle of wine. Hearing why a winemaker chose to take on this wild mix of agriculture, craft, passion, and a little luck—it never gets old.

People care about vintage because wine changes so dramatically year to year. So much is outside the winemaker’s control, and yet every season, they put their heads down and make something meaningful with what the environment gives them.

The amount of skill it takes to produce a bottle of wine is astonishing. And when we’re talking small wineries—run by one person, a family, or a couple of friends—that effort feels even more impressive.

Learning who’s behind your wine turns the bottle into a story. That’s powerful.

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Image by Roberta Sant’Anna

6. Stay Curious (and Hydrated)

The wine world is vast. There will always be a new grape, a new region, a new winemaker doing something unexpected. The best way to live with wine in 2025 is to stay open—to stories, to change, to taste.

Curiosity is essential. And yes, drink a glass of water between each glass of wine.

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Living with wine in 2025 isn’t about knowing everything. Drinking wine doesn’t have to come with an education attached. Just drink what you like, when you want.

Any night, any occasion, any vibe can be the right time to enjoy a good glass.

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This Week’s Tiny Pleasures, Vol. 5

It’s hard out here, but these things made me smile.

Aslina Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of fresh red and black fruit, with balanced acidity and velvety tannins. Made by Ntsiki Biyela, South Africa’s first Black female winemaker (from Zululand) and founder of Aslina, named after her grandmother.

Ricotta dumplings in Fontina brodo with charred broccolini from Bar Etoile. A perfect little pleasure: salty, fatty, crunchy. The kind of bite that makes you close your eyes and smile.

My kind of love poem.

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