Books and wine for gifts:
You don't have to worry about whether they are the right size for the recipient.
You don't have to worry about whether they like the color, or whether it goes properly with their decor or their other clothing.
Nobody ever says "Ohhh, I already have a bottle of wine. I don't want another one." (This is somewhat of a risk with a book, however, except when giving it to yourself.)
You don't have to worry about them going out of fashion soon, unlike neckties and purses.
If you put one on the shelf and forget about it for a few years, you may come back, open it up, and find that it is full of some very good stuff you had forgotten about.