Many of us in the wine trade make New Year’s resolutions regarding how can we better balance our own collections, sharpen our palates, or promote hot categories to our collector/enthusiast fan base. I usually stick to my wine related resolutions better than my personal ones, but heck I’m a Wine Geek who is passionate to stay the course and spread the gospel. Below you will find my Ten Resolutions to make 2008 a worthy one for collecting and for exploring the unknown. The wine world is getting smaller and smaller and there’s no better time to think outside of the box.
1. Purchase more wines using alternative closures. It’s time the wine world woke up and examined the alternative closure i.e. the Stelvin screwcap or Vino-Lok (http://www.vino-lok.de/). Save a cork tree! Your precious wine doesn’t have to be tainted anymore.
2. Buy exclusively from projects that stress organic farming practices. 100% Certified Organic is a bigger plus, but doesn’t mean to exclude all the wineries that haven’t registered with the governing body for an official certification. Stay with smaller producers and avoid bulk production out there!
3. Taste and buy more Single-Grower Champagne and stay away from the large Luxury Houses that have to charge high prices to support their marketing costs and high-fashion packaging. Many Single Grower Champagnes are a third to half less than the noted “Big Boy” labels. More often than not, the juice is from highly rated Premier and Grand Cru vineyards.
4. Touch base with us and your other reputable retailers to get the skinny on up-coming great vintages to stock in your cellar. 2002 Champagne, 2004 Tuscany, 2004 Piemdont, 2005 & 2006 Rhone, 2005 Red Burgundy, 2006 White Burgundy, 2006 Austria, 2006 Sweet Germany and 2006 California Cabernet Sauvignon.
5. Make a point to learn more about Vinfolio’s VinCellar. It’s free to use once you sign up for an account. VinCellar is revolutionizing the way we track our collections of any size, from the 100-bottle newbie collection to the 1,000-bottle portfolio of a serious collector.
6. For those who use VinCellar, take a moment to contact Vinfolio to get an assessment of your collection. Certain wines are gaining value, but more importantly, know what wines need to be drunk now. Plan on that “Drink ‘Em Up” Party over the next year. Some of those wines are not getting any better!
7. Stay away from the 16.0% and above for wines labeled as table wines. One more degree and you’re talking fortified. How to match foods with these wines is beyond me!
8. Try more of the bizarre from ancient lands that have been making wines since Antiquity. In your market, look for more dry whites from Greece, Slovenia and Austria. They make for wonderful food pairings.
9. Spain is the new European Power House! Branch out and try old-vine wonders from areas that have been too long overshadowed by Rioja and Ribera del Duero. Great entries from Bierzo, La Mancha, Toro, Montsant, Calatayud, Costers del Segre and Jumilla are redefining the category.
10. Time to really explore Italy with over 2,000 native varietals grown from Valle d'Aosta in the northeast to Calabria in the south. There are more flavors and price points than you can imagine. It’s not just about Pinot Grigio and Sangiovese anymore!
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