It's a new year, and that means it is time for New Year's Resolutions. Time to evaluate what happened last year and work on improving our lives this year. A time to regroup and move forward. It's a good time to talk about some wine goals for this year. Aside from my usual goal of obtaining and drinking the very best cult wines that I can get my hands on, there are a few more financially obtainable goals. Changes that I can make to be a better wine drinker.
First (and this is true for me every year), take better wine notes. Okay, if we are being completely honest here, even though I know better, this would read, take some wine notes. Sometimes, it just seems so impossible to be standing a tasting juggling a glass, and literature, and attempt to take notes. However, with all of the amazing smart phone apps, this seems like a lame excuse. The advantage to taking notes, is that it forces you to pay attention. To consider a wine's personality, and remember it and it's character. I am fond of the Wine Notes app. It allows me to track all of my wine notes, and offers a handy sliding scale, as well as a list of fruits and flavors that I can just tap to complete my notes. For online sharing, I love the Drync Wine app, which involves a bit more typing but allows me to share wine that I have tasted across my social networks. If all else fails the back of a napkin or small notepad work great as well.
My second resolution and one that I recommend highly, is to try something different every week. It's easy to get in a wine rut and drink the same varietals and even worse the same labels, all the time. I challenge you to set aside one night a week and try a new wine. I am always shocked by the number of people that I encounter who have never tasted a Grenache or a Tempranillo, who drink only Pinot Grigio, and have never dabbled with the vast variety of Chardonnay styles available. If you are nervous about putting good money down on a bottle of wine that is out of your comfort zone, then I recommend tracking down some wine tastings in your neighborhood and making a point to get out and experiment.
I think that two resolutions are a great start. The best part of all . . . these two are so much easier to keep than my half-hearted resolution to work out more.
What are your wine resolutions for 2012? Please share.
Cheers!
Jodi
First (and this is true for me every year), take better wine notes. Okay, if we are being completely honest here, even though I know better, this would read, take some wine notes. Sometimes, it just seems so impossible to be standing a tasting juggling a glass, and literature, and attempt to take notes. However, with all of the amazing smart phone apps, this seems like a lame excuse. The advantage to taking notes, is that it forces you to pay attention. To consider a wine's personality, and remember it and it's character. I am fond of the Wine Notes app. It allows me to track all of my wine notes, and offers a handy sliding scale, as well as a list of fruits and flavors that I can just tap to complete my notes. For online sharing, I love the Drync Wine app, which involves a bit more typing but allows me to share wine that I have tasted across my social networks. If all else fails the back of a napkin or small notepad work great as well.
My second resolution and one that I recommend highly, is to try something different every week. It's easy to get in a wine rut and drink the same varietals and even worse the same labels, all the time. I challenge you to set aside one night a week and try a new wine. I am always shocked by the number of people that I encounter who have never tasted a Grenache or a Tempranillo, who drink only Pinot Grigio, and have never dabbled with the vast variety of Chardonnay styles available. If you are nervous about putting good money down on a bottle of wine that is out of your comfort zone, then I recommend tracking down some wine tastings in your neighborhood and making a point to get out and experiment.
I think that two resolutions are a great start. The best part of all . . . these two are so much easier to keep than my half-hearted resolution to work out more.
What are your wine resolutions for 2012? Please share.
Cheers!
Jodi
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