A Pinotphile’s New Year’s Resolutions
“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other”
1. Do not chase a high scoring wine: chase a producer with a broad work of excellence.
2. Drink Pinot Noir with food; Pinot Noir is a food groupie.
3. Ignore vintage hype, winemaker hype, retailer hype, wine press hype. Forget about scores. Trust your own
palate.
4. Support small family owned boutique Pinot Noir producers. Visit them and give them some love. Volunteer
to work crush.
5. Pay attention to alcohol percentage and adjust your intake accordingly to stay within the guidelines of
moderation.
6. Buy in 3s - 1 to drink now, 1 to drink in 1 year, and 1 to drink in 3 to 5 years.
7. Don’t be a label kisser, score chaser or cult worshiper.
8. If you get a corked wine, demand a replacement.
9. Never, ever be intimated by a winemaker; they welcome your criticism.
10. Don’t be afraid to decant young wines. Let your Pinot Noir breath; Pinot Noir needs time to open in the
glass and no other wine changes so constantly in the glass.
11. Don’t equate price with quality or quality with price.
12. Attend at least one Pinot Noir festival a year.
13. Read the PinotFile religiously.
14. Embrace Pinot Noir in all of its styles, variations and origins.
15. Drink Pinot Noir at 58 to 65 degrees, especially if alcohol is above 14.5%.
16. Look to Oregon if you want lower alcohol.
17. Buy more magnums. The wine ages better, tastes better and the impressive bottle is more celebratory.
18. Promise not to spend more money on wine futures than on your child's futures.
19. Avoid swirling and sniffing your water glass at dinner parties.
