It was interesting observing purchasing trends during Thanksgiving. No matter how many years I’ve been involved in the wine world, each year has its uniqueness and surprises. For instance, I read an article about a downward trend in wine purchasing in the United States. However, it stated that Prosecco sales are stronger than ever. Wouldn’t you know it, we sold more Prosecco this Thanksgiving at the store than I’ve seen in the past few years. Normally, sparkling wine (methode traditionelle) outsells Prosecco (charmat method) this time of year. I guess the aforementioned trend is true in the islands as well. If you noticed, I gave you a little homework in the parenthesis (you might want to look up petillant as well).
The big surprise for me was how hard the Cabernet Sauvignon section was hit. I don’t know about you, but Cab and Turkey do not seem to be a match. Now, that being said, it could be that there were more people going non-traditional with their meals this year. Or, people were entertaining guests and serving Cab days before the holiday. Either way, my Cab section is very depleted. Also, a bit of a surprise was the strong Sauvignon Blanc sales. This is a wine a lot of wine advisors are suggesting to serve with the traditional Turkey meal. I myself have not gone down this road. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t seem to be the perfect matchup. I know you have to have some acidity in wine to cut through the butter and creamy dishes so I’m going to give this pairing some serious thought over the next year. I may become a convert… Who knows.
December is party month. Christmas parties will be happening for the next three weeks. Companies will be throwing parties for their employees and many people will be having small parties at their homes. It’s certainly a fun month, culminating in the celebration of a new year to come. This means a lot of wine will be consumed over the next month. Because this can be expensive, I thought it would be a good idea to do a series of YouTube episodes featuring budget-friendly wines that are good quality and will be a hit. I have the first four reds selected for the first episode, all under fifteen bucks. This episode should go out around Tuesday. It is fun to search out wines of good quality that are reasonably priced. I have a reputation for finding them and I want to keep that reputation intact.
I’m working hard on my list, “Stan’s Top Twenty Wines Under Twenty Bucks,” which I want to publish around the first week of December. I’ve got my number one wine nailed! I’ve already consumed a few bottles of it and I am amazed at the quality-to-price ratio this wine delivers. Actually, this is one of the first times I’m starting from the top (Number one) and working my way to number twenty. I have one through five in the books, now I have to sort out the rest. It’s a solid list and I think you will find some gems in there. Although I skipped 2023, I will once again choose a “Winery Of the Year” for 2024. I have one that I’m leaning towards. Every wine I’ve tasted from this winery has been exceptional. It’s still up in the air, but I will make a decision soon.
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
