12 New Year’s Resolutions for Wine Lovers (You’ll Stick To!)

New Year’s Resolutions don’t all have to be about losing weight and going to the gym. Why not this year make some resolutions that you’ll stick to? Obviously if you’re here reading this, then you love wine so I say that we all make resolutions that we’ll stick to because they’re on a topic we love – wine!

As they say, life’s too short to drink bad wine – so here’s a dozen wine New Year Resolutions to make the year ahead a good one (and maybe a little bit of a tipsy one too!).

1. Say yes to trying new wines

The next time someone offers you a wine you’ve never heard of say yes! Or if you’re offered a wine you tried 2 years ago and didn’t like, say yes to trying it this year.

Our tastes change and develop and sometimes preconceptions get in the way of judgement. So this year I say have an open mind and try everything you’re offered or if you see something new in the bottle shop, give it a go!

Perhaps try some Pet Nat wines or maybe a wine made from a not so typical grape like Pinot Meunier.

Why not try out a wine club, like our affiliate partner – Good Pair Days. Simply take their special Palate Wine Quiz and let them match wines to your tastes.

2. Improve your wine knowledge

Stop procrastinating about doing a wine appreciation class or course. This is the year to sign up and learn more about what’s in your glass!

Personally I have completed my WSET levels. 2 and 3 which are fantastic, although, they can be pricey.

I have a list of wine appreciate courses in Perth here and I will be adding a list of online wine courses soon – sign up to my email newsletter to find out when it goes live!

Alongside the above there are a myriad of wine events you can attend to try new wines and further educate yourself on the world of wine.

3. Stop being so judgey aka a wine wanker

This doesn’t apply to everyone, but I just want to put this out there that everyone needs to stop judging people on what they drink. I don’t care if Passion Pop or Penfolds is your favourite tipple of choice – at the end of the day we all have different tastes and we should embrace that. Stop being a wine wanker.

This point comes about as I remember a few years ago reading an article judging frosé drinkers by Rob Broadfield in The West – in my opinion he should keep his thoughts to himself. I am going to drink and make as much Frosé as my palate wants this year thank you very much Mr. Broadfield. I have even come up with what I think is one of the best Frosé recipes!

And please stop judging me for drinking Sauvignon Blanc (you know who you are) – I love it so shut your mouth and stop telling my taste buds what they should and shouldn’t like.

Okay time to end this point before I get even more worked up and write a book 🙂

4. Visit a local winery

If restrictions allow, get out and about and visit some of your local wine regions. Stop by a few cellar doors and meet the people and places behind the wines.

5. Quality over quantity

Give it a go! Instead of buying 3 bottles for $10 each, try a $30 bottle and see if it agrees with your taste buds. Who knows you may like it! Plus, who doesn’t want a life with less wine hangovers right?

6. Drink local wine

This is pretty self-explanatory but why not focus on supporting your local wine industry this year. The thing with drinking local as well is that typically local produce and dishes go exceptionally well with the wine that is made in that region. Therefore it makes wine and food matching easy!

7. Try more wine

The more you try, the more you understand about what’s in your glass and what you like. As with point 1, be adventurous – try new wines and try as many as you can. If you’re worried about all those alcohol calories then make sure you check out my post on how I drink wine every night and stay healthy.

Or why not make an aim to celebrate all the international wine days of the year!

8. Buy a case of wine & taste it as it ages

It’s so hard to cellar and keep wine, I personally know the struggle. However if you can do it then I would highly suggest to find a wine you like that will develop over the years and then open a bottle every year. Write down each year what it’s like on the eyes, nose and palate and compare your notes over the years. It’s quite interesting to see how a wine can change from year to year.

Alternatively if you lack patience like me you can try to track down a winery were you can buy some of their museum stock and create your own vertical tasting at home.

Or, you could always look to invest in a Coravin Wine Preservation System and if it’s a cork. closed bottle, you can take a sip out of it every year instead of buying a case of wine.

9. Write tasting notes

There is a reason I write tasting notes – of course there is the fact I want to share with you what I am drinking but there is also the fact that it helps me learn. I am a bit like Dory, my memory is pretty shocking so by writing down what I think about a wine, it helps me to remember. It also makes me think more deeply about what I am drinking.

Most of the time when I write a tasting note it’ll also provoke me to research the wine in more depth online and look up the grape varietal in my Wine Folly book thus educating myself further.

10. Discover great food and wine pairings

When you have that perfect wine and food match, there is nothing quite like it. You can’t imagine the wine or food without the other – they are simply made to live happily ever after together. So this year why not explore wine and food matching to find those perfect combinations.

There are plenty of online resources that can lead you in the right direction. I have done a few myself on the blog such as my bacon and wine matching post and my Easter food and wine matching post.

11. Drink wines that support a good cause

There are a number of wines out there that support a good cause such as Goodwill Wines. By buying these wines you’re not only stocking up your wine fridge or cupboard but you’re also donating money to a deserving cause. It’s a double whammy of feel good juice!

12. Drink bubbly even on non-occasions

Bubbly, sparkling wine, champagne, etc should not only be reserved for New Years Eve or special occasions. Today is an occasion and so is tomorrow! Life is definitely too short to not drink your fair share of bubbles. So throw caution to the wind and go and buy a bottle of bubbles today and don’t feel like you need an excuse to pop that cork – the fact that you bought a bottle of sparkles is enough of an occasion.

And if you’re brave enough, why not learn how to cut the bottle off the top of a champagne bottle with a sabre or knife!

So there you have it, a decent dozen of New Year’s resolutions to help you kick of the new year in wine-loving style! Let us know what your resolution is in the comments below…