1. Drink less wine. I don’t know about you, but when I look back at this past year, I have drunk a lot of wine! And, most of it has been generic, everyday wine for generic everyday kind of days. Not much that has been notable. Often, I drink it without even really paying attention. This, when you think about it, is the way I spend a lot of my time. That’s wine and life passing me by! How about you? So, resolve to drink less wine, but to really pay attention and make every glass count.
2. Drink more, better wine. My theory is: if you going to drink less wine, you can afford to drink better wine! And, I know from my own experience that when I drink really good wine, I do slow down and savor every sip. Imagine if every glass of wine you had were an occasion to note. If every sniff and sip were worth making a memory?
3. Use your best glasses. I have a cupboard full of Riedel glasses. What good are they doing in the cupboard? If you are going to be drinking the best wine you can afford, doesn’t it just make sense to enhance the experience with wonderful glasses?
4. Expand your range. Make a point of trying wines from other regions or made from unfamiliar varietals. I know very little about Italian wines. So, this year I am going to make a point of discovering the world of Italian wines. Make it fun! Do some reading, do some tasting. You might just discover a new favorite!
5. Keep a journal. How many wines have you enjoyed and planned to buy again, only to find that you’ve forgotten what they were? I love the journals that have space to record the occasion and who you were with when you had that special wine. And, what fun to go back and re-live those memories later! The journals become treasuries of precious moments in our lives. Good wine, good food, good company ... does life get any better?
at 6:04 a.m.
Great article, and I think the same can be said about food. Rather than jump into another new years' diet, why don't we eat less but better food, break out the good china once in a while to make it special, expand our range of cuisine (try new high-quality foods) and keep a journal of new dishes and recipes?
In the meantime, I would love to have a short list of good wines under $15, if you can offer it. Thanks!
at 11:39 a.m.
thanks! A big part of it is just being aware and concious of the experience. It's the slowing down and using all of our senses to fully enjoy our food, wine, the company - life!
As for wines under $15, because I live in Canada, many American wines are either not available or cost much more here. Some U.S. wines that I do rely on when in the States are made by Columbia Crest, Hogue and Covey Run. They seem to offer pretty good quality at great prices. One of my favourite Chardonnays is La Crema. It's big and buttery and I have often found it at Costco or in the Supermarkets on sale for under $15.
For Christmas this year, we stocked up on wines from Argentina, Chile, Spain and South Africa. I really enjoyed Finca Flichman Syrah and Cab from Argentina, and one I hadn't tried before: Castano Monastrell from Spain. For whites, the Obikwa Sauv Blanc from South Africa was crisp and refreshing. The Cono Sur line from Chile is very reliable, but I find the reds a little sweet for my taste. And, another of my stand-by whites is Dunavar Pinot Gris from Hungary.
Some other brands that always rate well, and that I wouldn't hesitate to stock up on are:
South Africa: Fairview, Drosty Hof
Chile: Santa Rita, Vina Tarapaca
Astralia: Rosemount Diamond series, D'Arenberg, Peter Lehman
Pacific N.W.: Barnard Griffin
B.C.: Jackson Triggs, Calona Artist Series
Hope that helps!
Cheers!
Beth Garrish
Life! Uncorked
cathy
at 12:28 p.m.
Beth, what a great idea for another column - wines that won't break the bank!
My son is off to New Zealand for 8 months tomorrow. He has a holiday work visa and wants to work at a vineyard. I'm hoping he'll end up at Kim Crawford, makers of my favorite sauvignon blanc, hands down!
at 6:38 p.m.
Love the idea of upgrading - love it! Especially when it comes to enjoying good wine and decadent food.
I hit a milestone birthday just a few days ago and I've resolved to enjoy my life much more, whatever it is I choose to do.
As for wines, my new favorites are Chilean red wines but I think I'm reacting to something in them - the sulphates maybe? My eyes go very, very bloodshot - an allergy pill helps, but it's a drag that I find something I love and can't have it.
Any advice for someone who adores red wine to switch to, gasp, white?
Julia Rosien
Editor, http://gogirlfriend.com
at 11:40 a.m.
Cathy, the Kim Crawford is one of my favourites too! I haven't tasted too many North American Sauv Blancs that can match those from New Zealand.
Julia, that's way too bad! Do you have the same reaction with better quality reds? A lot of the mass market stuff has a lot of other chemicals added as well.
I don't really think it's necessarily the sulfites that you're reacting to, as all wines contain some sulfites, and there are more sulfites in white wine than red.
Check out this link for some information about sulfites, and links to some other places to look for answers to the reaction you are experiencing: http://www.wineintro.com/glossary/s/sulf... (I notice the link isn't active in the preview, so you may have to copy and paste it into your browser.)
Cheers!
Beth Garrish
Life! Uncorked