It is time to hit a refresh button. We have a few new year wine resolutions that will help change the way you enjoy wine in the next decade.
Expand your horizons
Don't limit yourself! Get out from underneath that rock and try wines from new regions. If you are keen on learning and honing in on your wine expertise, the only way to really understand the value of good quality wine is to drink more wine, from all corners of the world. Eventually, your palate will become accustomed to familiar flavors and you will be able to dabble between your ideal preferences.
Attend a food and wine pairing
This may sound like wine snobbery, but there is nothing more enjoyable than to sip on a wine perfectly paired with a cuisine that takes you on an intriguing culinary journey...(at a dinner table). You will be surprised to learn that the notes and texture of wine rely heavily on how it is paired with a meal.
Some examples: Light foods are best paired with more delicate wines, while heavier foods call for fuller body wines. Another simple trick is that acidic wines match well with acidic foods. Dishes that have citrus will make a tannic red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon taste more bitter. However - a red wine that you can pair with a fish dish is an earthy or creamy Pinot Noir. We suggest the - the hatch 2016 Screaming Frenzy Pinot Noir paired with a fatty salmon. There's nothing more delicious!
Try dessert wine with dessert
No dinner party should end without a decent serving of dessert and dessert wine.
Some of the most esteemed wines in the world are sweet wines. When produced with care and quality, they can offer intensely aromatic, concentrated flavors that are perfect for slowly sipping after a meal or, is an ideal pairing with dessert.
The key is to choose a wine that is sweeter than your food pairing. This will allow the wine to stand up to the food rather than coming across as overly bitter and acidic.
An icewine paired with a pear galette or a sweet, rich, nutty fortified wine after dinner is going to impress your guests beyond belief! You can purchase a few exceptional dessert wines on our online store, including the 2007 D'oro Fortified Walnut wine which is an elegant blend of Marechal Foch, Merlot & Cabernet Franc, Fraser Valley Green Walnuts and Okanagan Brandy. 13 months in French and American oak. A truly unique offering.
Host a wine tasting party
Let's go wine tasting...on the couch! If you love the art of pairing, and you're willing to put yourself in the position of rushing to find delectable finger foods and good value wines for guests on a Thursday at 6pm...than you absolutely should host a wine tasting party. Why Thursday? Well, you can keep it casual and kick everyone out by 9:30pm and use your Friday morning spin class as an excuse.
When you're scouring the aisles to pick your poison, pick wines that have intriguing reviews. We recommend keeping up with wine industry folks on your social media streams for inspiration. From there, at least try to pair a few nibs of cheese with your selection.
The best people we know love food, wine and detest big crowds. Creating an intimate wine tasting experience for yourself and others close to home will definitely enhance the way you experience wine. The best is catching up at a later date for wine, to discuss the wines you tried at your previous tasting. Everyone wins!
Taste Canadian wine
This is not a sales pitch; but it is meant to be enlightening.
In 2013, Huffington Post named Okanagan Valley the #1 wine destination in the world out of 10 other regions. Similarly, it was listed by USA Today as the second “Best Wine Region to Visit" in the world in 2014 following behind Alentego, Portugal as number one.
"Canada's wines are underrated, without a doubt. Great wine regions across the country are just a short flight away for many Americans, offering hundreds of exceptional new wines to discover." - Why Canada Should Be Your Next Wine Vacation. - Forbes Magazine
Even better - if you can't hop on a flight to Canada, you can purchase from a specially curated selection of Canadian wines on our website www.kascadiawinemerchants.com. Your wines will be packaged and shipped conveniently to your preferred US address within a few days.
We hope you enjoyed our suggestions. Sometimes, it's not the technicalities of wine that change the way we see or taste this delicious grape juice. It is also the experiences we get to indulge in with other people, good food and great wine. So slow down to sip, and enjoy the next decade of wine escapades.