While I was back in Saskatchewan over the holidays I was presented with quite possibly the best New Years Resolution for 2014 by my former colleague and current morning show host at 980 CJME John Himpe. 2014 will be the year we should all vow to stop drinking bad wine! I realize that drinking wine is subjective so we all have a slightly different idea of what makes a wine “bad”. But to a certain extent we all fall into habits when it comes to what we consume whether it’s Red or White. Here are some suggestions on how to get out of our wine rut and start off 2014 on the right foot.
1. Stop drinking the same stuff over and over again! – We all find comfort in the bottom of the same bottle from time to time and whether it’s Yellow Tail or Wolf Blass Yellow Label moving from out usual wine to something new can be overwhelming. I’m a big fan of picking up a second bottle to go with the usual on a Friday night. By all means pick up a bottle of the same old, same old but it’s easy to branch out. For example, if your “go to” is the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon why not try another Australian Cab Sauv, or maybe switch to the Wolf Blass Yellow Label Chardonnay or Shiraz. There are lots of ways to approach picking up a new wine without having to spend more money, or stepping too far out of your comfort zone.
2. Increase your budget – I’m a firm believer that price doesn’t dictate quality, but to a certain extent it does, especially with wines on the cheaper end of the spectrum. If you’re used to drinking wine in the ten dollar segment, maybe it’s time to kick it up a notch and move to the fifteen dollar bottles. There are great wines to be had for cheap and I love finding them, but lets face it, they are far and few between. It was easy to put together a budget list for entertaining over the holidays (found here: http://tmblr.co/ZZ_vXw11qfgCY) but you will see most of these wines are just under fifteen dollars.
3. Drink more Rosé – If you haven’t rediscovered Rosé it’s time to get on board! What was once a sickly sweet pink beverage relegated to the same catergory as wine coolers and hard lemonade has been getting the serious treatment from some great wineries. The Malivoire Lady Bug Rosé, Sibling Rivalry Pink, and Pelee Island Pink are all staples around my house when it comes to entertaining because quite frankly they pair well with everything. Seriously, Rosé is the wine you want at your table during Thanksgiving it will pair just as well with a hot summer night on the patio.
4. Head down to Niagara or Prince Edward County – If you’re fortunate enough to live in Toronto or the surrounding areas it’s not that far to head down the highway in either direction to visit our find wineries. The bonus is that you will find many wines and wineries that you do not see on the shelves at the LCBO. Most of your discoveries will also ship right to your door. If you’re new to the world of wine you will find that the wineries will be more than happy to roll out the red carpet and guide you along.
5. Keep Reading my Blog! – Keep checking my site every week. I know this is a shameless plug, but I try to find great wines that are affordable every week. Beyond my blog it’s also a good idea to connect with wineries via Twitter (@andrewinereview), Facebook or even Google!
