Play Your Way into the World of Wine

Wine lovers and puzzle enthusiasts alike will be wowed by Water & Wines' enthralling concept. 

In a society that’s reached peak obsession with screens, streaming content and never-ending social feeds, it’s refreshing to break away from those patterns of behaviour and immerse yourself in more tangible endeavours. Particularly those that challenge your concentration and astuteness. 

As a slave to screens myself, I can’t help but feel on some level that I’ve betrayed my own brain by not pursuing more mentally stimulating activities. Of all the things I could have chosen, however, jigsaw puzzles may have been among the last on my list. But then came along Water & Wines with their next-level designs. 

Unlike previous hacky attempts to recreate classic puzzles like the Rubik’s Cube, Water & Wines have taken a refreshing approach to jigsaw puzzles that maintains the original idea but presents them in a beautifully hand-illustrated, educational and sustainable way.  

Their 1,000-piece puzzles take you on a journey through an ever-expanding list of famous wine-producing countries around the world, including France, Italy, Spain, Australia and many more. As you put the puzzle together piece by piece, you learn about the geography of each country and the specialist grape varieties of their wine-producing regions. Created in collaboration with some of the world’s top sommeliers, each puzzle is masterfully hand-drawn and every piece carefully reviewed to develop a premium quality product that is informative and inspiring for wine experts and novices alike.  

The inspiration for the puzzles arose from the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, a few months after founder Yamit graduated from Swedish sommelier school Vinkällan, she caught the virus and began making puzzles as a meditative activity while she isolated at home. That’s when she was struck with the inspiration to combine her passion for wine and puzzles. She was soon joined by friend and fellow puzzle-enthusiast Mathilde who she continues to make outstanding puzzles with today.  

In addition to creating amazing products, Water & Wines are very committed to sustainability. All the materials used in the production of the puzzles are recyclable and printed according to the EU’s most stringent environmental standards. What’s more, for every item sold, the company plants one tree and makes a donation to improve global access to safe drinking water.  

When I was contacted by Yamit, I was immediately intrigued by the idea. Admittedly, it’s been a long time since I attempted to complete a jigsaw puzzle, but the presentation, level of detail and overall concept was something I was eager to explore. The Spain puzzle in particular caught my eye. 

Even though the puzzle is about Spain, it also includes a smaller scale Portugal, which is available as its own puzzle, as well as parts of Morocco, Algeria and France.  

When you open the box, you’re given an immediate education – on the inside of the cover there are illustrations depicting every type of wine glass. I never would have guessed that there were so many and so many specific to the different varieties of wine. Also included in the box is a convenient little stand that holds up the cover, so you can study it while you put the puzzle together. Another nice addition is the hand-drawn poster of the puzzle that would be welcome on my wall in the right context. 

The first thing you notice about the puzzle pieces themselves is that they have a luxurious, velvety feel about them. It’s a subtly addictive design feature that could either cause you to completely forget about what you’re doing or encourage you to pick up more pieces and put them together. The other thing I noticed about them is that they’re very sturdy. There’s no chance of accidentally bending them and ruining an otherwise flawless puzzle.  

Having been out of the ‘puzzle game’ for as long as I have, it was quite overwhelming to look at all the pieces and figure out where exactly I should start. As I’ve since heard numerous times, you should always start with the corners. I did not. It was only a matter of time though before I found my rhythm and things quite literally started coming together.  

At the time of writing this, I have yet to finish the puzzle. I estimate it’ll take me a few weekends to complete it by myself, but I’m delighted by the prospect and I’m now hopelessly addicted.  

Our Deputy Editor Maddie also attempted the Italy puzzle with her flatmates who found it to be a very fun social exercise, which was perfect on rainy days, and each one has since expressed interest in completing another puzzle in the series.  

I highly recommend these puzzles for anyone who loves them or for anyone who’s looking for a stimulating activity to start on their own or share with friends. The presentation and quality of the puzzles are incredible and I’m certain that I will be attempting more in the future. 

To learn more about Water & Wines’ puzzles and to order your own, visit waterandwines.com  

Facebook: @waterandwines 

Instagram: @waterandwines