New Year, New Wines!

Fri, Jan 05, 24

As someone for whom wine is nearly as important as water, I am baffled that anyone could consider giving it up for Dry January, even if it was over indulged in during the holidays. But many people do. And I sometimes wonder if I should, just as an experiment. Nah!

With this mindset, I was delighted to read Karen MacNeil's blog post in Wine Bible(ing) earlier this month, because it really resonated with me. MacNeil is a wonderful wine writer and author of The Wine Bible, now in its third edition with over 800,000 copies sold. When I read this piece, "Where Exactly Are We Going?," I knew I wanted to share it. Here goes (excerpted):

"Do you know the Dr. Seuss children's book Oh, The Places You'll Go? Like lots of children's books, it's an adult book in disguise. Where will I go this year? Where will you go?

And I don't mean actual places. I mean places of the mind; places of intent; places of emotion; places of caring; places of togetherness. For me, the ribbon that ties these all together is wine.

It's an odd feeling to think you've written about wine your entire (almost) adult life and yet have not said well enough, fully enough, what's most important about wine. Of course, it's not easy. I tried when The Wine Bible was first published. That first edition came out just three weeks after the World Trade Center imploded in a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. The country was in shock. I was on a book tour. All I kept thinking about - after agonizing and grieving for my friends who died (no one above the 92nd floor survived and several of the restaurants were above that) - all I kept thinking was, given everything now: does wine even matter? Why does wine matter?

Here's what I wrote:

'What is it about wine that I hold so deeply? What is this endless attachment? Perhaps it is this: I love wine because it is one of the last true things. In a world so distraught, so painful; in a world digitized to distraction, a world where you can't get out of your pajamas without your cell phone, wine remains utterly primary. Unrushed. The silent music of Nature. For eight thousand consecutive years, wines clutching the earth have thrust themselves upward toward the sun and given us juicy berries, and ultimately wine. In every sip taken in the present, we drink in the past -- the moment gone but recaptured -- and so vivid that our bond with Nature is welded deep.

Wine matters because of this ineluctable connection. Wine and food cradle us in our own communal humanity. Anthropologically, they are the pleasures that carried life forward and sustained us through the sometimes dark days of our own evolution.

Drinking wine then -- as small as that action can seem -- is both grounding and transformative. It reminds us of other things that matter, too: love, friendship, generosity.'

Twenty-three years later, I still believe that. I will always believe that."

Thank you, Karen. I couldn't have said it better and I couldn't agree more: Drinking wine is grounding and transformative, reminding us of other things that matter, and bringing us together in our humanity and in relationship to the earth. Light a candle at the dinner table and the experience is made ever more special.

As for wines that will be on my table these early weeks of January? I'm going with tried-and-true dry reds I've enjoyed this past year that are also great values. Several of them are currently Triple Point wines here at the store, which means when you buy them you get three times the points for each -- and if you mix and match six or more, you get an additional 10% off. With wallets stretched after the holidays, these wines just can't be beat.Insert your text here

From France:

2018 Chateau Moulin de L'Abbaye & 2019 Le Clos d'Augustin

A Bordeaux blend from Medoc, comprised of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and 15% Malbec for a balanced and nuanced wine with character. A Silver Medal winner at the 2020 Concours de Bordeaux, this wine opens up as it breathes, settling into an expressive palate of cassis, cherry, and a hint of licorice. Perfect with a soul-soothing Shepherd's Pie or baked lasagna.

Burgundy is the heartland of Pinot Noir, and this is a great expression of it. Wine Enthusiast describes it as: "Hints of incense and smoke meld into crisp raspberry and red cherry in this brisk, light-bodied red...appealing for the pristine red-berry flavors and lifted acidic edge." This wine pairs perfectly with pork dishes, mushroom risotto, aged cheese, and barbeque.

From Spain:

2020 Vadillo Crianza

This lovely red from northern Spain is perfect for an easy dinner of leftovers or an indulgent "breakfast for dinner" meal. It's dry and fruity -- a wine you can depend on to taste good every glass. No wonder it's one of Andy's Staff Picks!

From California:

2019 Mazzocco Vino Rosso, Brandy Barrel Aged

This luscious red from Sonoma, CA, is a blend of 80% Syrah, 15% Zinfandel, and 5% Merlot. This combo is big and bold on its own, but aging in a brandy barrel takes it to a whole other level, adding notes of toast and caramel to the black currant and cocoa from the grapes. A big, beautiful wine that is perfect for sipping by the fire with an antipasto plate.

Happy New Year, everyone! And stay tuned! We'll soon be announcing Wine Education classes that will start in February. See you On the Wine Side!

By Tyler Duma