Thursday, January 8, 2009

12 Reasons to Drink Wine in 2009


I don’t ever need a reason to try wine. Sitting and watching television, reading a book, chatting on the phone, while I’m surfing the net, eating, cooking, baking are all good reasons, if you need one, to pop the cork and pour yourself a glass of wine.

But what if you’re not the adventurous type and need to plan your wine drinking. Well, how about making a sort of calendar, with a date and a wine to try?  You can make up your own, or feel free to steal my ideas.

January.....Big, big month....I’m having a big, big wine in honor of Barack Obama’s swearing in as the 44th President of the United States. I’m having a 1955 Chateau La Fleur Pomerol Bordeaux. It’s the oldest one that I own...I was saving it for my 60th birthday, but Obama’s election is one of those freeze frame moments that you simply have to celebrate.. Okay, you don’t have a wine like that...

Why not some champagne....like a Roederer Estate....It’s about 29-bucks a bottle, and is a very good wine. It’s made by the folks who make Chrystal. In fact, the only difference besides price, between the two, is name...they taste the same...

February.....I plan to find a new California Cabernet Sauvignon that I’ve never had before. My default position is Kendall Jackson or Mondavi.  For white wines, maybe a sparkling white in celebration of Black History Month.

March....This is the month that I’m going to begin drinking my way through Ohio. For those of you who may not know, the vines that grow California grapes, came from Ohio, because Ohio used to be the American capitol of wine making. It’s still damn good, too.  You might check out the website, myohiowine.com.  

I particularly like the wines of Woodstone Creek and Valley Vineyards. Firelands and Meiers are pretty good, too. 

April...Choose Australian wines....good bang for the buck...Black Opal, Jacob Creek, Alice White, Yellow Tail...to name a few brands.

May....Spring and summer, I go light on everything, food and wine, so I will probably start mainly with white wines. My favorites are German kabinetts and spatleses.  Very light, go almost anything kind of wines. I would also begin to mix in white zinfandels, too.

June....Try some California riesling, or pinot grigio, or chardonnay or Cava for celebration of LGBT Pride month..I will be drinking merlot, or pinot noir, as well.

July....Something light...with grilled foods...anything on the grill and a chilled chenin blanc or white burgundy.....summer evenings, I like scarlett o’haras...but that is good Kentucky bourbon...

August.....My birth month...so anything goes. I usually treat myself to something expensive and white, like a mersault...which is white burgundy...I’m not really a champagne drinker, so I don’t need it to celebrate. Any excuse will do, especially in my birth month..

September...I plan to get acquainted with Chilean wines. The few that I’ve had, have been pretty good. I plan to explore more and to develop my tastes.

October.....I have reserved for South African wines. I have a friend there who tells me I am deprived because I have never tasted the wines of his country. I will rectify asap. It will be my coming out, since this is the month of Coming Out day for LGBT people...Another reason to celebrate.

November....Red Zinfandel month...no substitutes....White Zin my other choice

December....All of the above....Enjoy!


Salud!