Unfiltered, Unfined

An additional harbinger of spring is the sudden prevalence of white wines at tastings and in my sample bin. Whites often come out six-to-nine months before the same vintage’s reds, and a side benefit of this plethora is that, just as with my mountain weather gazing, I get an idea of what’s coming down the pike in the near future. So whether one favors bubbles or still whites, dry juice or sweet, now is the time to discover, learn about, and stock up on spring whites.

I’ve resisted penning a “2009 In Review” column until the very last moment, probably because I’ve come to realize that the past year has pretty much overwhelmed all of my expectations. Whether traveling to wine country, interviewing the fascinating personalities involved, or touring terroir and tasting barrels, I’ve truly enjoyed every minute. But even against such a sterling backdrop, a few moments stand out as particularly spectacular or meaningful in relation to my love for wine and the wine lifestyle. So what follows are my best wine moments of the year that was.

Wine has been with us since the early days of civilization. In some ways wine is a shorthand for culture itself, and it is always a profitable use of time to review the tried-and-true. So I thought I’d put together a list of wines I’ve recently tried that will work with various elements of traditional holiday feasts.