Did you make some resolutions for 2018? I was thinking about my own New Year’s Resolutions, as I’m committed to making myself a better man this year. Like, losing some weight (number-one NYE resolution, statistically), declutter the basement storeroom, make more time for writing that novel…and try more wines.

Wait, what was that last one? Yes, try more wines. I’m not hoping for the most storied and expensive wines available, just a wider variety of wines for 2018. Lately we’ve found ourselves stuck full-throttle on the California Cabernet Sauvignon track. We stick to what we love, and haven’t branched out lately, so it’s almost always full-bodied Cabs.

We need to dig deeper: explore the scores of Spanish wine regions,  the unique wines of New Zealand, more delicate Pinot Noirs, more earthy and unspoiled Piedmonts, and more vivacious South African Sauvignon Blanc.

I know, it’s a bold commitment. Undoubtedly, you’re impressed with my fortitude. This New Year resolution is more than an appreciation of wine: it’s a commitment to the environment and a celebration of our viticulturally diverse planet! Very solemn.

And, once I ramp up our world of wine (and the history of wine – bet you didn’t know that the corkscrew was designed in the mid-1800s), I can then make a solemn stab at another important 2018 New Year’s Resolution: salty snacks!

What are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2018? How many have you been able to keep so far?