Hello New Year

Here it is again, the beginning of a brand new year.  I always look at this time of the year as a clean slate.  It’s exciting, we get to write what we want 2014 to look like.   There’s a quote that says, and I’m not sure who said it, but it goes something like this… “Never too old, never too bad, never too late, never too sick to start from scratch again”.   And although I am not one to make resolutions, I do have some ideas of what I would like to do in 2014, especially as it relates to wine!

As most of you know, I take a big trip every year, and this year I have the opportunity to travel to Tuscanny.  A group of new friends I met through my Old World Wine Class this past year are going on a guided trip, headed by our teacher.  Mark DeWolf is the President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, and he also owns a company called By The Glass, which does guided tours through Italy.  It’s a fantastic opportunity and the only thing I have to check on, is because most meals are included, I have to see how much seafood fare is on the menu, as I am allergic.   But there are 9 winery tours lined up – how exciting will that be!

I would also like to continue my wine education in 2014.  Still awaiting on my mark from Old World Wine, but I am seriously considering taking New World Wine through the CAPS program this year.   That would be very exciting for me, as I am a huge fan of New World wines.   United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (just to name a few)… I would love to discover new wines from these regions.   That’s one of the things I enjoyed the most from the Old World Wine course, was the new wines I discovered, that I probably wouldn’t venture out and buy unless I had the chance to try them… For example a $76 Pomerol from France.  It was a beauty though.

And how about a Tokaji – I would never have discovered the luscious taste of Tokaji without taking a wine course.

And of course every time a person takes a new course, there’s always the interesting people you meet.  And it doesn’t have to be about wine.  Take a course in anything that interests you, and I guarantee you will meet a new friend… or two!  It’s also a fantastic way to break up those long winter months.

And then of course there are the new wines waiting to be discovered in 2014.  I follow several wine blogs, and wine loving people on Facebook and Twitter, and I love when they throw out a recommendation on a great new wine.   Just recently on twitter, I had someone send a great soundtrack to enjoy while enjoying a glass of wine.  Would you believe there are many people who read this blog that I have never met in person?  Yet we have become friends through social media and our love of wine.  And I am always learning from these wine loving, haven’t met yet, friends.

I love to eat almost as much as I love to drink wine, and look forward to discovering new recipes and experiences in 2014 as well.    So there you have it, some of the many reasons I am excited about 2014.  I would love to hear from you, what are you excited about in 2014?

Till next week, Cheers

Darlene