There's wine. And then there's the wine drinker. In the ever-more complicated task of finding creative wedding presents, the intrepid wine drinker is often at a loss.

You can certainly buy a bottle of wine. Perhaps a fine Pinot Gris will do. Or, maybe focus on wines from California Wine Regions. In either case, you're often stuck in the difficult position of finding the right kind of wine that suits the taste of your recipients.

While there is no doubt that a good bottle of Pinot Gris is always a good idea for a wine gift basket, this is not necessarily your most creative or elegant solution. You don't want your recipient to utter under their breath, "Gee, thanks. Another bottle of Pinot Gris from California Wine Regions."

How about this instead: offer up high quality wine country art as your wine gift basket.

As wedding presents go, you probably won't find anything as well-appreciated as wine country art. Imagine, if you will, opening a wine gift basket. You're a tried and true wine drinker who particularly loves wines from California Wine Regions. There, in front of you, is the most luscious and delicious wine country art from your favorite winery. It's the wine drinker's dream.

Sweet Dreams and Happy Memories for the Wine Connoisseur

Whether you're the happy wine drinker, or you're working to get the perfect wedding presents for someone you know, I'll bet that wine country art isn't something you've considered before. Consider it now.

Why bother with ho-hum wedding presents when you can do something so special and unique that your wine drinker friend will love you for life?

I was so astounded when I discovered this idea from San Francisco artist Ann Rea that I nearly choked on my glass of Pinot Gris. How brilliant!

I remember giving some college friends a cuckoo clock. It was the oddest gift that would drive some people batty. Now, 30+ years later, they still talk about that gift.

Ann's prints are special, though. She truly captures the unique beauty of the wine region, focusing on the details of the vineyard itself.

Winemakers take Rea on a tour of their vineyards, explaining their particular terroir (everything that defines their particular wine - soil, climate, slope, etc.). Then Rea actually sets up her easel among the vines and puts her oils to work capturing the unique essence of each vineyard. She has created what she calls "the perfect pairing" for wineries such as E & J Gallo, R.H. Phillips, Gloria Ferrer, Wente, and Markham.

Vineyards from any California Wine Regions are popular in part because they make fabulous wines. But part of the joy of being a wine drinker is visiting the wineries. What better way to enjoy the experience for years to come than a fine art painting of the vineyard itself?

Following in the tradition of the French Impressionists, Rea has a growing national reputation for her distinctive use of color and her ability to capture the rapidly changing light of the vineyards on her canvases. Each of her paintings depicts a recognizable spot in the vineyard during a certain season.

Rea said, "My assumption was that the wine drinker is a collecting personality, and likely to collect art."

Like the cuckoo clock that my friends still talk about 30 years later, wine country art may be the ideal wine gift basket for any wine drinker. At a minimum, check out Ann Rea and her art because it's unique and special. In any case, it's something to consider the next time you're struggling over what to get.

Good luck and have fun.