Liquid Love Letter: New Year’s Resolutions
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Courtesy of Unsplash | Photo by Tim Mossholder
For our last Liquid Love Letter of 2023, Matthew and I wanted to hover for a moment over what (if any) adjustments we’d like to make in the New Year to our overall beverage consumption. For me, it’s less about any specific wine or spirit or non-alc option, and more about the mindset as I approach the liquid in my glass.
In 2024, the drinks I’ll look forward to the most are the ones I haven’t experienced yet.
Partly this is about experimentation, adventure, and staying up-to-date on what’s new and newsworthy – all of which are part and parcel of this job as columnist. Partly, though, it’s about identifying the thing on the menu that classifies as close to “unknown” as possible.
I’m inspired in this resolution by a visit this past week to Bruges, the beautiful, cobble-stoned, canal-embedded, medieval capital city of West Flanders in Belgium. Yes, I’ve been there before (many times). Yes, the fine dining scene and its reputation are familiar to me, with what seems like more three-, two-, and one-star Michelin reviews per capita than any other country on the planet. And yes, I’ve been aware of their nascent and quickly-improving wine production for some years now.
The trick, however, is NOT to say been-there, done-that. If I had, I would have missed one of my greatest meal experiences in the last ten years. I would have skimmed over one of the most surprising (and environmentally relevant) wines I’ve tasted so far. And I would have missed out on a craft gin that is so unique, it catapulted me right out of a G&T rut that I didn’t even know I was in.
Details are below but, to be clear on my 2024 resolution for LLL: Refrain from saying been-there, done-that. The drinks I’m looking forward to the most are the ones that I haven’t tasted yet.
De Verloren Hoek (The Lost Corner restaurant, in English) is entirely unassuming, even though it has every reason to boast. The hosts and the atmosphere are casual and friendly in nature, but that stance betrays the seriousness of their commitment to their guests’ experience. The flavor of the tuna sashimi was so razor-sharp clean that I had to remind myself it was tuna; texture, and the raw horseradish grated on a shark skin paddle, ruled the day. At least until the eight (I counted eight) different preparations of dry aged beef. After that, I waved the white flag of surrender to the wine list. And the red Burgundy.
Wine writers, and consumers who are particularly enthusiastic, will have heard of “PIWI” wines and grapes. But not before I tasted the Mérula estate’s 2022 white wine, with its blend of Auxerrois, Johanniter, Solaris and Sjegerrebe grapes, did PIWI fully register on my palate and in my mind. Haven’t heard of those grapes before? You wouldn’t be alone. PIWI grapes are newly researched and developed – hello, climate change – and they only vaguely resemble their less-disease-resistant “parent grapes” like Riesling or Chardonnay or Gewürztraminer or etc. The Mérula estate is leading the way, not only on pushing the envelope for planting these vines in a new and upcoming region like Oostkamp in West Flanders, but also for making the resulting wines taste completely delicious. It is just-enough familiar, just-enough new, and just-enough relevant to ring a bell for interested and informed consumers, successfully bridging the gap between “unknown” to “comfort zone” to “newly in-the-know.”
Bobby’s gin isn’t from Bruges – it’s Dutch, to be clear – but my first taste of it was at De Verloren Hoek after we’d asked for Gin & Tonics to start and I’d chosen the most citrus-y of the options that were described. Bobby’s struck me, a little like a surge of adrenaline, as within the same friend group as the Los Angeles-based Pomp and Whimsy gin liqueur: gin, for sure, and also light, graceful, with lots of fruit and aromatics. For Bobby’s gin, its personality comes from traditional Indonesian spices like cloves, cinnamon and lemongrass, derived from a recipe by the founder’s grandfather Jacobus “Bobby” Alfons’ Pinang Raci recipe. It caught my palate, and my imagination.
Courtesy of Unsplash | Photo by Myriam Zilles
Traditionally I am not into New Year's resolutions. I work hard throughout the year to address issues in my life, make adjustments as needed, and keep myself on track.
But 2023 was a doozie. Overall, it was a real garbage year. The wine industry has been slipping as profits roll back, the younger generations are drinking less and pivoting to more non-alcoholic options as well as weed and mushrooms, and the governing medical bodies responsible for disseminating information about the health positives and/or negatives of alcohol consumption cannot seem to convey a consistent message.
This year I plan to stay consistent in my message: I want to keep giving shine to brands and regions doing great and inspiring work. I want to continue telling great stories while encouraging people to drink better. It's not about quantity, it's about quality!
My personal consumption of wine has been distilled down to when I am traveling, and in the second half of 2023 I was gone about 75% of the time so I definitely did some drinking. It's all about drinking local and new when on the road. I want to get access to things I wouldn't otherwise be able to sink my teeth into! A few amazing examples of this are Marquette from South Dakota and Coeur d'Est wines from New Jersey that I was able to discover on my travels this year!
I'm going to keep traveling to new locales and trying new wines! This year I hope to get to Michigan, Idaho, Texas, and Maryland to scope out their wine countries and get my hands on any and all local wines! Gotta keep an open mind to keep the learning going. There are inspired wines being made in most of our backyards, you just never know where your new favorite wine may come from.
As much as I love wine & food pairings, I tend to leave my glass of wine to the side until after I have finished my meal. One of my biggest resolutions this year will be to slow down my dining experiences and truly savor wine and food pairings. Every bite, every sip, together in harmony. These moments are unique experiences to capture bits of joy that can redirect your energy in a bad day, stimulate a conversation with a dining companion, and open your eyes to just how happy-making the perfect pairing can be.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 🍾 🍾 🍾
