QUALITY KEY ON NEW YEAR’S EVE

One of the common New Year’s resolutions for wine lovers and those working in the wine trade is to drink less, but better quality. Some express the same sentiment by saying they wish to drink less, but enjoy it more.

Essentially, the goal is to embrace mindful drinking. It’s a life plan to embrace moderation by considering how much and why they drink when they do. The desire is to reduce consumption, but not eliminate it completely.

So, instead of having a third glass of wine simply to prolong an enjoyable evening, they’ll opt for club soda or another nonalcoholic beverage instead.

Another take is to plan for New Year’s Eve or other celebrations by buying quality instead of a quantity. Select one truly exceptional bottle to savour as opposed to bringing home a variety of more conventional yet affordable wines for the same occasion.

With New Year’s Eve planning in full swing, if you’re looking to splurge on a top quality red, white or sparkling, here are three suggestions to start your search. The three feature three iconic wineries that aren’t resting on their laurels. Each producer continues to raise their quality and appeal, which makes them worthy of our attention at any time of the year. Christopher Waters is the co-founder and editor of Vines, a national consumer wine magazine.