It is that time of the year again. A time for making New Year’s resolutions. If you enjoy wine, please consider this one of your New Year’s resolutions. Try a new wine each month. Like many, I have my favorites, and I enjoy them. Still, I often find myself in a rut, continuously drinking the same wine. There is nothing inherently wrong with sticking with what you like; it is just that given the vast variety of wines, you may be missing a wine that you may also enjoy as much or even more.   

A good friend recently discovered a wine that she particularly liked by chance. That wine was a Gewurztraminer from New Zealand. This friend’s preferred wines are white dry wines such as Sauvignon Blanc. As you may know, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines are some of the most famous wines in the world. But this is a Gewurztraminer, a wine usually associated with Germany and Austria. So, don’t judge a wine by its country.

New Zealand is also known for its Pinot Noir. However, Germany produces some delicious Pinot Noir. You may have to hunt to find it, but if you happen to run across some, you may want to take a chance and try it. 

Another example is trying a lesser-known grape variety. Ever tried Torrontes? Another friend recently discovered this white wine, which is mostly produced in Argentina. It is medium-bodied with moderate acidity and has hints of peach and apricot flavors.

The next time you have pasta and seafood or chicken, try a Vermentino from the Italian island of Sardina instead of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. Its crisp flavors of green apple and grapefruit offer a delicious balance to the creamy white wine sauce in that dish. 

How about trying familiar wines from an unfamiliar country? Consider Romania. As the blog “Drinksaisle” states, “Is Romanian wine any good? Yes, absolutely. Romanian wines enjoyed a breakthrough year at the 2023 Winelovers Wine Awards, with nine gold medals, 27 silver, and seven bronze and three ‘Best of’ awards going to Romanian producers. Both locally and internationally grown varieties are of excellent quality and value for money.”

So, take some chances in 2025. All of them may not turn out great, but enough may be a very tasty discovery. Cheers!