Resolution Deliciousness

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2021

'He who breaks a resolution is a weakling; He who makes one is a fool.'

The author of this quote doesn't sound like much fun, does he?

I much prefer actress Mae West's quip: 'You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.'

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And if living means making New Year's resolutions, as it does for many people, so be it. Personally, I find resolutions far easier to keep if they involve deliciousness. Here are a few.

They say variety is the spice of life and the same holds true for grapes. Treat your taste buds to new grape varieties in 2021, even if it's just one per season.

Have you tasted a velvety Dornfelder from Germany, like the semi-sweet Vogel stocked by CHEERS?

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How about an aromatic--think flowers as well as fruit like peaches and lychee--Viognier, like Jailbreak from South Africa? 

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Or a wine made with Marzemino, with its dark hue and lots of berry and plum flavor, like Rialto from Italy? Make some new grape friends this year.

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How about hosting a wine tasting? Pick a theme, get a few bottles, and invite your friends. During the winter, some richer and heavier reds seem like a good idea.

Why not compare a fascinating grape with two names? Primitivo, which can make full-bodied jammy wines in Puglia in Italy--CHEERS has one by producer Hiron--came to be known as Zinfandel in California, with the version by Tussock Jumper a good example. Get a bottle of each and you have an instant cross-Atlantic tasting loaded with grape history.

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And for the record, the grape originated neither in Italy nor the United States. Tap the blank space below to find out its birthplace. 

Finally, why not develop your senses this year? Everyone knows that you can get a bunch of wines and compare and contrast them. But you can put a twist on this idea even if you have only one bottle of wine.

Simply pour it into different glasses and see how the aroma changes. A traditional wine glass, a water tumbler, a baijiu shot glass, even a water bottle--you'll come to appreciate not only how vessel shape affects enjoyment but also the power of your nose.

It's even better if you choose a more complex wine, one that develops over an hour or two, so you can also see how the character changes. Try it with Chateau du Pavillion from Bordeaux producer Ponty.

Resolve to add more deliciousness to 2021 and make it a happier New Year!

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  Original by Jim Boyce, Grape Wall of China 葡萄围城

  Tap here to read more wine-tasting articles. 

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