It's that time of year to make some New Year's Resolutions, and I've got a few suggestions for some Wine Resolutions!
- Try new wines! We all get stuck in a "wine rut," so breakout of it and stretch your palate. You may just surprise yourself and find a new varietal that quickly becomes your favorite!
- Diversify your wine cellar! Whether your cellar is a box in your basement or a large wine room, it needs to have some diversity of wines. A nice mix of sweet and dry, whites and reds, and regions can allow you to have the perfect wine for every occasion and the unique palate of each guest who visits.
- Give good wine! Barefoot, Yellowtail, and Charles Shaw should never be given as a gift. Instead, give a unique wine that you personally enjoy. It will have a lot more meaning than just picking up a wine off the discount rack.
- Take a bottle out to dinner with you! Most nice restaurants will let you bring your own wine to enjoy, charging you a corkage fee of $10-$20. The economics of wine markup make this a worthwhile endeavor, but more importantly, take a wine that you know will pair beautifully with your meal... enhancing the experience of both the food and the wine!
- Enjoy your best wines! Far too often, I see clients who hold off opening a premiere wine until "the perfect occasion." Instead, let me suggest that "the perfect occasion" is when you are able to share that special bottle of wine with good friends who can appreciate the wine!