I cannot recall how many years running Ive had a New Years resolution to read more books. I actually once tried to convince myself that Id read a book a week in the new year, but have settled for one a month as my habitual resolution. I am still working on 2008s mission.
As far as my New Years wine-oriented resolutions go this is a wine column after all it seems fitting to start out with what comes naturally.
The more you understand the nuances of the wine world, from history to geography to economics and philosophy, the more enjoyment and fulfillment is had while drinking the stuff. First on my list this year includes Reading Between The Wines by Terry Theise, a legendary American wine importers passionate and award-winning testament to the beauty, enjoyment, and place of wine in our lives.
Through my career, whether Ive been at a formal sit-down tasting, or a big stand-up affair like the l, Ive taken various approaches to writing notes, from detailed academic paragraphs to being jostled in a crowd while scribbling down three or four hastily written descriptors that end up looking like an attempt to write Hebrew while having a stroke. Sometimes I write absolutely nothing, with the assumption that a wine is so memorable (or forgettable) that my mind will retain whats necessary. I find though, when trying to recall something wonderful tasted a year ago I sometimes draw a blank, and have no recollection whatsoever. Ive never looked at brief notes wishing Id written more, and rarely have I needed more than a sentence or two to jog the memory, plus technical details can always be found on a winerys website. Taking label photos with the camera on your phone is also great for personal records. A compact Moleskine notebook, a pen, and my iPhone shall be with me at all times this year. To alleviate that frustration of a good find quickly forgotten, try it next time youre sampling away.
2010 Blanc de Noirs Rosé ($23, private wine stores) from way out in the Kootenays was a surprise to me this year, with vibrant acidity and a juicy palate awash with raspberries, strawberries and mandarin orange. Who knew that tucked away in the mountains lurked such a gem? All the more reason to explore little-known, far-flung regions both home and abroad. From Israeli reds to the elderflower-scented Hárslevel? wines out of Pannonhalma, Hungary, Im gonna be forging some new paths this year.
I mean, thats what theyre there for, right? When youre dining out, the sommelier is a portal to discovery, and new discoveries in wine are always a good thing. In a chat with Wine Access magazine earlier in the year, Calgarys brilliant sommelier and wine writer Brad Royale summed up the sommeliers role perfectly: The sommelier, much like a museum curator, is there as an information resource. You dont necessarily need to talk to them, but youll usually have a better time if you do. Wine is a lot like art knowing the background story and the whys and whats can often give light to the appreciation of the piece youre looking at.
So thats the wine resolutions for 2012. Have any of your own? Head over to and let me know!
