The last day of 2025 is today and I hope the new year brings you good health and enjoyment in life. The word “enjoyment” hits a chord close to my heart, because, on a personal level, I am currently taking a few months to improve some of the numbers that have climbed in my recent blood analysis, and this effort includes not consuming wine. The long-and-short of it is that I am currently postponing some of my own enjoyment. 

The process has been educational for me.  I’ve learned to do without some thing that I like very much, learned to insert a non-alcoholic substitute into Happy Hour, and learned focus on the conversation I’m having rather than deeply analyzing whatever fizzy drink I am consuming. But I’ve also gained a deeper appreciation of how much a few glasses of wine in the evening  improves your life. From the sensory aspect of appreciating the look of wine in a glass, to enjoying its fragrance, to that feeling of having the day’s stress being lifted off your shoulders after the first sip; these are all things I miss right now.  I just keep telling myself that it is for the sake of good health and look forward to return to my passion after seeing improvement on the next round of blood work.

In the meantime, for our January Wine Club release, we have landed on two popular blends plus a favorite single varietal wine.

You frequently hear about wine blends that are known as GSMs.  They are typically produced in the drier viticultural regions of the world, such as in parts of France, South Africa, Australia, and of course, here in California. GSM wines are always composed of three varieties: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, and are almost always “cellar blends” (meaning the wines are first made, then they are blended together in the cellar, rather than the grapes being blended in the field at harvest, as a field blend). Grenache brings bright fruit and fragrance, Syrah dark fruit flavors and depth of color, the Mourvedre, earthiness and a touch of tannin.  Often wineries keep their proportions of the three a secret, but usually, the Mourvedre is of a smaller amount than the other two. Together, however, they usually make a complete, well-rounded package. 

You will find this wine to be of medium density in the glass, with a slightly floral bouquet with hints of clove and spice. On the palate, I get a big burst of fruit up front, with a pleasant balance of acidity and tannin, tapering to a clean finish. Serve it up with any food you like or on its own.

Sangiovese is one of my favorite grapes to grow and to make wine from.  In the vineyard, Sangiovese vines produce loose bunches that seldom rot and their thick skins always produce nice color.  I love the beautiful red hues and the  fruit flavors that hint of red cherries.  After fermentation, it is also a great blender, and I use it in my Zinjo (Zinfandel and Sangiovese) and in Triolo, (my Italian blend which has Sangiovese, Barbera and Zin). It is a wine you want to be careful with so as not to detract from the fruit expression, so during aging I look for older barrels to put it in. 

I find this wine to be of medium depth of color, but fragrant with red fruit flavors and good acid/tannin balance. Enjoy it on its own or with a plate of cheeses and fresh fruit.