If you’ve ever said “I’ll have what she’s having” at a bar or restaurant, only to realize (too late) that your friend’s taste in wine is very different from your own, you know wine preference is a deeply personal thing. That’s why a new company called Vinome wants to help you figure out which wines are best for you and only you, based on your specific genetic profile. According to the company, things like taste and sense of smell—which affect how we enjoy wine—are determined by our genes. For around $110, it promises to analyze your DNA via a saliva test and taste preferences via a questionnaire and then match you with “hard-to-find wines for your unique palate.”
Once you get the results, you can either shop suggested bottles (affordable at $16 to $45) or join the Vinome monthly wine club, with suggestions becoming more and more specific as you rate bottles purchased. In our minds, this is kind of like having Detective Benson as your personal sommelier and we are here for it. Sure, there are a lot of ways we could spend $110, but as wine is often the only thing standing between us and a 2007-era Britney Spears breakdown due to the 2017 news cycle, we think this service is worth its price tag. Since it’s unclear how couples would best agree on a bottle of wine once they’ve both used Vinome, we suggest you do it on the sly and then become the buyer for your household. Or, make his and hers (or hers and hers, as the case may be) wine bottles a thing. We won’t judge.
