As an unofficial goal of 2017, I’ve been drinking more red wine.  Not drinking more in general, but when given the choice, I’m making a conscious decision to choose red wine over the alternatives.  I actually haven’t yet had a glass of white wine this year!  I always thought that red wine seemed very “grown up.”  I still haven’t decided if being a grown up makes you like red wine or if liking red wine makes you a grown up…but either way I appear to be there!

The decision to do this was not driven by anything in particular.  When I was really into the Primal Lifestyle, Mark Sisson touted the benefits of having a glass of red wine and a square of chocolate each night.  I never got into it, but should I ever go back to Primal, I now have this part down.  Although my main goal when I drink isn’t to be healthy, it’s true there are a number of health benefits to red wine over beer and other sugary drinks.  I do like the idea of getting an abundance of antioxidants with one glass, or the thought that it may help prevent heart disease or cancer.

Simply put, I didn’t like red wine, and I wanted to.  I thought if I could make the choice once for the year (in January), that I would always choose red wine when given the option, my taste buds would have no option but to change.

And I was right!!  I actually really like red wine now, and in fact prefer it to white wine (though it’s relation to beer remains undefined as of this writing).

As a fun aside, my fiancé and I had a blind wine tasting event at our engagement party last month where we bought 7 different bottles of red wine and had our friends taste them, guess the type of wine it was, its price, and pick their favorite.  People were objectively TERRIBLE at recognizing wines, which is funny in and of itself, though not surprising.  What was more interesting, however, is that the overwhelming favorites of the group were the two bottles of Lindeman’s $4.99 wine (one Shiraz and one Cabernet Sauvignon).  Goes to show that you don’t need to serve them expensive wine for them to be happy (so long as you don’t show them the bottle or tell them the price)!

My palate is not refined, and my goal wasn’t actually to even become a true wine connoisseur – if you ask me what my favorite kind of wine is I’ll say “the six dollar bottle at Costco” or “the $8 glass at the restaurant” or “a red blend.”  Maybe one day I’ll get there.  For now though, I live by the following quote…

“The best wines are the ones we drink with friends.”

San Francisco Wine Tour with Katie Kayser (Dickinson), 2013