Dry January? Think Again.....
Happy New Year from the Little Grape
Happy New Year’s Eve readers! I hope you’re feeling refreshed and ready for 2024.
I love that January is an opportunity to get into something whether that’s an exercise goal or a new hobby.
What I hate about January is the constant stream of Dry January chat. It’s a tricky conversation to navigate as usually The Dry are sanctimonious and The Wet are left feeling down in the dumps. Dry January has become such a thing, fuelling water cooler chat and marketing campaigns. Over the years, it’s made me think about how, as a wine-lover, I can keep my nearest and dearest interested in wine in a month where the world is telling them to hate it (and themselves!).
I have no issue with the concept of a sober month, year or life. I know as well as the next person how well you can feel and how good you can sleep but the droning on about it in January makes a cold, dark, long month even longer.
There’s got to be a better way for everyone to feel great without complete abstinence. I think we should celebrate the New Year rather than beating ourselves up, so my proposal to you is: Drink Better Jan. The premise is simple: drink less but better. Cut out those mid-week pints and poorly poured G&Ts, and replace them with one really nice bottle!
Here’s my plan:
Go sober during the week. You’ll save money and feel incredible everyday, ready for world domination.
At the weekend, head to an independent wine merchant (message me for tips) and buy a special bottle that is usually a touch out of your price range. You don’t need to spend a fortune, my sweet spot for an amazing bottle starts at £30.
It will be worth it - the quality at this price point is exponentially different to a £10-15 bottle. Plus, you’ll be expanding your wine knowledge.
That’s 4 bottles over 4 weeks that you can really engage with.
Open the bottle; savour it. If there’s two of you, have a few glasses each on Saturday and Sunday but make it last the whole weekend. Pop the cork back in or use a stopper, but don’t worry, the bottle will be fine in this state over a weekend, if anything it will get better. A tiny bit of oxygen contact will open up the wine (this is why people decant wines).
Discuss what you like or don’t like about it. All comments are valid so express yourself - don’t be scared saying you can smell tennis balls because I’ve smelt that before in wine!
There’s a psychological element to my proposal as well, of course. Opening a bottle that’s more expensive than your usual, means you will naturally drink it more slowly rather than knocking it back. Trust me, this works! You really get value for money here if you draw the experience out over the weekend.
If you follow Drink Better Jan, here are a few recommendations for the weekend bottles. You can either order online or pop into the merchant and buy:
‘Latiutde’ Extra Brut 1er Cru NV, Larmandier Bernier - £53.95 per bottle
Lea & Sandeman have a great selection of ‘Grower Champagnes’ (think of the Grower category as the more artisanal, smaller production side to the Champagne region). I’m a big fan of opening Champagne and treating it like a wine. I serve it in wine glasses, drink it with food and if you have a stopper you can enjoy it all weekend. This wine, called ‘Latitude’, is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes and it is on the elegant, pure, flinty end of the spectrum.
2018 Riesling Clos Häuserer, Domaine Zind Humbrecht, Alsace - £32 per bottle
Domaine Zind Humbrecht is part of the top tier of Alsace (France) wine producers and if you want to get to know the Riesling grape, this bottle is an excellent place to start. High acidity with an oily texture and notes of lime and honey, they often say you can smell petrol but I find this more in Australian Rieslings. There’s no oak used in the wine-making process for this bottle, so this is a lean, stripped-back Riesling at its best. A grown up, subtle wine.
2020 Chardonnay, Luke Lambert, Yarra Valley - £32 per bottle
This wine is from the Yarra Valley Region in Australia. It is made from the Chardonnay grape and is crisp and fresh with lemon peel and hay notes. Less buttery, more lean but seriously delicious. This wine is made by trendy winemaker, Luke Lambert, and showcases Australia’s new generation of winemakers. Try it with Julius Roberts’ Tarragon Roast Chicken recipe, which I made the other day and highly recommend.
2019 Ripa Rosado, Jose Luis Ripa, Rioja - £31 per bottle
You might be thinking: ‘Rosé in January?!!’, what is she on about? But, hear me out, this Rosé is savoury, saline, and slightly natural. It comes from the Rioja region in Spain where all the more interesting Rosés are made at the moment. This wine is made from Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, which are the same grapes used in traditional red Rioja wines. Pair this with Asian dishes.
2016 Brunello di Montalcino, La Serena, Tuscany - £39.50 per bottle
In my opinion, Brunello di Montalcino is the King of Italian wine regions (I think the Barolo region is the Queen), but the wines need time. They are predominantly made from Sangiovese grapes and therefore they come with big tannins and intense flavours. This bottle with nearly 8 years age on it has mellowed so it won’t knock your head off. 2016 is one of the best vintages the area has seen and considering that Montalcino is one of Italy’s greatest wine regions, I don’t think £40 a bottle is a crazy price (look at the equivalent for wines coming from the Burgundy region in France, you’ll be shocked).
2019 Geyserville, Ridge, California - £60 per bottle
This might be pushing the boat out but the producer Ridge has had my heart ever since I started out in the wine industry. Geyserville is one of Ridge’s ‘Field Blend’ red wines. Imagine a vineyard planted randomly with lots of different grape varieties, which is then picked and made into wine - this is a field blend. The Zinfandel grape makes up the majority of the blend so expect wood spices, blackcurrants and gravel.
Let me know how you get on and even if you are going fully dry this January, I salute you. Perhaps you can save this selection for February!
It's in my free time that I research interesting grape varieties, taste new wines and travel to wine regions. My mission is to keep sharing these adventures and discoveries with you for as long as possible through this newsletter. If you’d like to support me, you can donate any amount via the button below. I’d be forever grateful.