TL;DR

Playlist uses Feels (emotional tones) and Moments (occasions) instead of traditional wine descriptors. This guide explains how our vibe-based system works and helps you find your next favorite bottle without needing a wine degree.

You're standing in front of a wall of wine. The labels blur together. Someone nearby mutters something about "notes of blackberry and tobacco." You just want a bottle that matches your mood.

We get it. That's why we built a different language for wine.

At Playlist, every bottle is tagged with Feels and Moments. Not tasting notes. Not critic scores. Not grape varieties you'd need a sommelier to pronounce. Just vibes that make sense in real life.

Here's how it works, and how to use it to find exactly what you're looking for.

The System: Feels + Moments

Think of wine shopping like building a playlist. You don't search for "songs in D minor with 120 BPM." You search for "chill study vibes" or "hype workout energy."

Wine should work the same way.

Feels capture the emotional tone of a wine. The energy you get from it. Is it Fresh and zippy? Main Character energy? Unhinged and funky? This is about the personality you perceive in the glass.

Moments describe when you might reach for it. Is this a Corner Booth Love Letters bottle? A Friday Eve Eve situation? Paint the Town Red energy? This is about the occasion and context that feel right to you.

Here's the important part: vibes are personal. The same wine might read as Dreamy to you and Fresh to your friend. And that orange wine that felt Unhinged last month? It might hit different next time and feel Main Character instead. Vibes shift. They're alive. They're yours.

The Feels and Moments we use at Playlist aren't rigid categories. They're a shared language, a starting point for talking about wine in a way that actually makes sense. Use them as guideposts, not rules.

Why Traditional Wine Language Fails

Traditional wine descriptors were built for critics, collectors, and sommeliers. Not for people who just want to enjoy wine.

When you read "herbaceous notes with a mineral backbone and elegant structure," what does that actually tell you? Will you like it? Should you drink it at brunch or a dinner party? Does it match your current mood?

Probably not.

Wine language has been gatekeeping for too long. It makes people feel like they need to study before they can enjoy a bottle. But wine isn't homework. It's a vibe. And vibes should be easy to understand.

That's why we built Feels and Moments. A system that speaks to how you actually experience wine, not how a critic would describe it in a journal.

How to Use Feels and Moments

Shopping by vibe on Playlist is simple:

Start with how you're feeling. Are you in a dreamy, floaty mood? Looking for something fresh and energizing? Want Main Character energy tonight? Or maybe you're feeling something we haven't named yet.

Add the moment. Are you showing up Not Empty Handed to a party? Planning a Corner Booth Love Letters night? Just want No Plans comfort?

Browse wines that match. Every bottle in our shop is tagged with Feels and Moments based on how our Tastemakers and community experience them. But remember: these are suggestions, not rules. Your vibe might be different, and that's exactly right.

The beauty of this system is that it's interpretive. We might tag a wine as Fresh, but if it feels Dreamy to you, trust that. Your experience is the only one that matters. And the same bottle might give you different vibes at different times. That's not confusion. That's wine being alive.

Feels: Emotional Tones (A Starting Point)

These are some of the vibes we've identified in wine. Use them as inspiration, not definition. Your mileage will absolutely vary.

Fresh

If it feels like a breeze through an open window, it's Fresh.

Light, bright juice. Clear bottles with minimal labels. Smells like citrus zest, herbs, ocean spray. Zippy, mouthwatering, snappy finish. These are wines made for warm afternoons and coastal energy.

Try this vibe: Fresh Wines

Main Character

If the bottle feels like it deserves its own spotlight, it's Main Character.

Dark bottles, dramatic fonts, maybe wax-dipped tops. Powerful aromas of dark fruit, spice, oak, or flowers that fill the room. Commanding, layered, impossible to ignore. These come from iconic regions with reputations that precede them.

Try this vibe: Main Character Wines

It's Giving

If it feels like a curated outfit or a viral post, it's Giving.

Unexpected colors in the glass (electric pink, orange haze), bottles that beg to be photographed. Playful, aromatic, tropical, even candy-like smells. Offbeat but fabulous. These come from makers with a rebellious streak.

Try this vibe: It's Giving Wines

Unhinged

If it feels like a late-night story you can't believe happened, it's Unhinged.

Cloudy pours, wild fizz, cartoon-ish or chaotic labels. Funky, tangy, cider vibes, maybe even a little barnyard. Wild swings between sour, spicy, fizzy, salty. Keeps you guessing. These are from tiny, rule-breaking producers.

Try this vibe: Unhinged Wines

Rent Free

If you could drink it on repeat without thinking, it's Rent Free.

Pale rosé, pastel whites, juicy light reds. Easy, unfussy labels. Smells like berries, citrus, flowers. Effortless, crushable, goes down before you realize. Nothing trying too hard.

Try this vibe: Rent Free Wines

Heart Eyes Emoji

If it feels like the start of a rom-com kiss, it's Heart Eyes.

Romantic fonts, pinks, silvers, or reds. Smells like strawberries, roses, cherries. Silky, seductive, instantly charming. These come from regions known for elegance and charm.

Try this vibe: Heart Eyes Emoji Wines

In My Feels

If it feels like the soundtrack to a rainy night, it's In My Feels.

Dark bottles, moody art, deep colors in the glass. Earthy, smoky, spicy, even haunting aromas. Serious, introspective, makes you pause. These come from rugged regions, volcanic soils, wines with gravity.

Try this vibe: In My Feels Wines

Dreamy

If it feels like a memory in soft focus, it's Dreamy.

Pastel hues, hazy juice, whimsical label art. Smells like peaches, honeysuckle, lavender. Airy, light, edges blurred. Poetic, hand-drawn designs. These come from breezy coastlines and sun-washed vineyards.

Try this vibe: Dreamy Wines

Unreal

If it makes you say "this can't be real," it's Unreal.

Luxe bottles, glowing juice, foil or embossed labels. Layers of floral, mineral, savory aromas. Mind-blowing, rare, can't stop talking about it. These come from iconic terroirs, rare plots, cult bottlings.

Try this vibe: Unreal Wines

Moments: When You Might Reach For It

These are occasions and contexts that help frame when a wine feels right. But again, your moment might look different than ours.

Corner Booth Love Letters

If it feels like leaning in close in a dim booth, it's this.

Understated elegance with script fonts, dark glass, moody tones. Romantic, nostalgic, cozy aromas. Smooth, silky, meant to be lingered over.

Try this vibe: Corner Booth Love Letters Wines

Night Cap

If it tucks you in with a wink, it's Night Cap.

Heavy glass, luxe or minimal labels. Smells like chocolate, caramel, roasted nuts, spices. Sweet, strong, lingering. The last word of the night.

Try this vibe: Night Cap Wines

Raincheck?

If it feels like cancelled plans that turned into the story of the week, it's Raincheck?.

Playful, unexpected, maybe even chaotic. Funky, tangy, surprising aromas. Not what you thought, but somehow better.

Try this vibe: Raincheck? Wines

Not Empty Handed

If it makes you the hero guest, it's Not Empty Handed.

Familiar, approachable, easy to read labels. Fruity, floral, welcoming aromas. Crowd-pleasing, safe but fun.

Try this vibe: Not Empty Handed Wines

Friday Eve Eve

If it feels like stretching the weekend early, it's Friday Eve Eve.

Bright bottles, playful fonts, maybe even glittery touches. Smells like citrus, peach, bubbly anticipation. Refreshing, fun, lighthearted.

Try this vibe: Friday Eve Eve Wines

Come Through

If it feels like answering "wyd?" at 11 PM, it's Come Through.

Bold designs, cheeky names, bottles that jump off the shelf. Crisp, fruity, exciting aromas. Fun, zippy, easy to say yes to.

Try this vibe: Come Through Wines

No Plans

If it feels like sweatpants and a takeout night, it's No Plans.

Classic, calm, understated bottles. Comforting aromas of vanilla, oak, warm spice. Soft, round, soothing.

Try this vibe: No Plans Wines

Paint the Town Red

If it feels like sequins, neon, and chaos, it's Paint the Town Red.

Flashy, metallic, oversized, or bold bottles. Big fruit, spice, oak aromas. Loud, unforgettable, leaves an impression.

Try this vibe: Paint the Town Red Wines

Endless Summer

If it keeps summer alive in January, it's Endless Summer.

Pale rosé, coastal whites, bottles that scream sunshine. Smells like citrus, melon, sea spray. Chill, refreshing, all-day energy.

Try this vibe: Endless Summer Wines

Mix and Match Your Vibes

The magic happens when you combine Feels and Moments in ways that resonate with you.

Looking for something Fresh for your Friday Eve Eve plans? That might be your vibe. Want Unhinged energy for a Raincheck? situation? Hell yes. Need Heart Eyes vibes for Corner Booth Love Letters? Beautiful.

But here's what makes this different from traditional wine categories: there's no wrong answer. If a wine we tagged as Dreamy feels Unhinged to you, you're not missing something. You're experiencing it your way. And that same bottle might hit completely different the next time you open it.

Vibes are fluid. They shift with your mood, the season, who you're with, what's playing, what happened that day. A wine that felt like Main Character last summer might be pure Rent Free this fall. That's not the wine changing. That's you, and the moment, and the magic of how wine interacts with life.

As you explore, you might start to notice patterns in what you reach for. Maybe you're drawn to Dreamy wines. Maybe Paint the Town Red is your signature move. Maybe you love the chaos of Unhinged bottles. Or maybe you're all over the map, and that's your vibe.

There's no right way to use this system. It's just a language that helps you articulate what you're feeling and find bottles that might match.

The Language Keeps Evolving

Here's the beautiful part: this isn't a closed system. Vibes can't be contained in nine boxes. Neither can wine.

The Feels and Moments you see here are the ones we're using right now. They're based on how our Tastemakers, our team, and our community experience wine. But they're not the only vibes that exist. They're not even the only vibes we'll use.

As our community grows, as new wines emerge, as culture shifts, as you share what you're feeling, the language will expand. We're not trying to create the definitive vibe taxonomy. We're building a living vocabulary that grows with the people using it.

Maybe there's a vibe you feel all the time that we haven't named yet. Maybe you experience wine in ways that don't fit these descriptors. Tell us. Because the best part of building this language together is that it stays real, stays relevant, and never becomes another set of rules you need to memorize.

Wine culture should feel inclusive, not exclusive. It should evolve, not stagnate. And it should always prioritize how wine makes you feel over what anyone else thinks you should experience.

Start Exploring by Vibe

Forget what you think you're supposed to like. Just start with what you're feeling right now.

Scroll through the Feels. Which one speaks to you today? Add a Moment if it helps. Then pour, play some music, and see how it lands.

🎵 Explore wines by Feels and Moments

FAQs

What's the difference between Feels and Moments?

Feels describe the emotional tone or personality of the wine (Fresh, Main Character, Dreamy). Moments describe the occasion or context when you'd drink it (Corner Booth Love Letters, Friday Eve Eve, No Plans).

Do I need to know wine terminology to use this system?

Nope. That's the whole point. Feels and Moments use language that makes sense in real life, not wine school jargon.

Can a wine have multiple Feels or Moments?

Absolutely. And it might feel different to different people, or even to the same person at different times. The tags are guideposts, not definitions. Your experience is what matters.

Are there only these Feels and Moments?

Nope. These are the vibes we're working with right now, but the language is alive and expanding. If you're feeling something we haven't captured, we want to hear about it. This vocabulary grows with our community.

How do I know which Feel or Moment to search for?

Start with how you're feeling or what you're doing. Browsing for a cozy night in? Try No Plans or Dreamy. Need something for a party? Check out Paint the Town Red or It's Giving. Trust your gut.

Is this system just for natural wine?

While Playlist focuses on natural and interesting wines, the Feels and Moments system works for any wine. It's about how wine makes you feel, not what category it fits into.

What if the vibe I feel doesn't match the tag on the bottle?

Trust your experience. If we tagged a wine as Fresh but it feels Dreamy to you, you're not wrong. Vibes are personal and subjective. The tags are suggestions based on how our Tastemakers and community experience the wine, but your vibe is the one that matters for you.