Good bye 2021 & Hello 2022 - I need more wine!

Happy New Year Winelover!

This blog post offers three things:
1. thoughts about the experiences in 2021 hopes for 2022;
2. top wines for 2021;
3. a link to building community in 2022 with the World Wine Days.
Download a copy of the World Wine Days calendar. Link at the end of this post. 

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I need more wine!

These are extraordinary times. It's the global pandemic. Our days are filled with data, action and reaction. There is a climate crisis to boot. Flash - the province on fire. Then - the province drowning. How does one maintain personal balance when all seems to be upside down? I keep pivoting, pondering and reacting. Looking back over 2021, its been a rollercoaster. It went from great to good to wtf? From elation to trembling, soul-sucking shock with many layers in between. I'm so glad that wine has been consistent as have my amazing wine community. In this year of crazy, here are a few take-aways that I'd like to share with you.  I'd also like to share a few bottles of wine worth sipping. 

The 3 P's

Pivoting. There is a saying - the only constant is change. Looking back over 2021 we had forest fires, the severe storms, the lingering persistence of Covid19 with folks losing homes, losing loved ones  - yeah it's a disaster. Less dramatic but just as variable is my year. I moved twice, took a new job, and left my familiar neighborhood and routine behind. I was embracing hope and the future. It's never been more fluxy in feeling and I think it's here to stay. My new place didn't work out, my job ended and I'm now sitting with the results. I'm writing lots of short notes in my journal, doing plenty of yoga and meditation, and not letting go of my passion - wine - as tempting as it might seem. The exploration of how to turn my passion into a profession continues.  I challenge myself to keep pivoting, to find ways to accept flux and find a new path. How about you?

Pondering. Close your eyes and pay attention to your breathe. This is what yoga has taught me. In addition, I meditate brings a new way for me to get into that space of openness and acceptance. If you are new to wine you might want to take note that this is also an important step to evaluating wine. I'd like to think that the practice of pondering will improve not only your wine tasting experience but also your ability to deal with the stress of change and uncertainty. Do you ponder?
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Panic. Have you ever noticed that breathing stops just before shock sets in? As if holding our breath will allow a delay to what's coming. Without being trite, try not to. It's like when you are hovering over a glass of wine and you are inhaling aromas, sometimes it's hard to find the words. Instantly it's panic. I've found however that if you breathe through the stress, you may find the aromas that eluded you.

Drink good wine! Top Wines of 2021

Life is precious and precarious. It's never been more clear that deserve good wine - now! With this in mind here are good wines that stood out for me in 2021. These wines were tasted this year and most are available at fine liquor retailers near you!

World Wine Days 2022

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 Here's an idea to help get you off to a good wine start in 2022. The World Wine Days Calendar is a list of global wine dates that are celebrated online. It's also great way to join our community of fellow Wine lovers. ​

​Barb Wild of Good Wine Gal and Alison Kent of the Home Kitchen curated a list 37 wine days. We've taken 12 World Wine Days and turned them into online gatherings. Here is your free download so you can schedule by following the links to register on Zoom.

Join us for some sipping and chatting online about wine!  It’s free!

Shout Out!

A heartfelt thanks all of you who supported Good Wine Gal and the online community in 2021. A special note of thanks to Mark Shipway, Cynthia Opsal, Robert Stelmachuk, Van Doren Chan, Cassandra Anderton, Joanne DiGeso, Jeff Wong, John Clerides and Alison Kent. Our community has reached almost 400 winelovers and continues to grow. Thank you for continuing to share Good Wine Gal with your friends and family. Life is short. Drink good wine!