I like the end of the year. And Christmas and New Year’s Eve oo. Now you know. No, this has nothing to do with consumerism, because I do not like “going shopping”, even more at this time of the year: too many people, too many lights, too much noise, too much plastic ...

On the contrary, I like if the world slows down in quietness, and the ritual to let the past year fade away and “start from scratch” next year. It’s refreshing. It’s is important. I admit that it lacks a bit of spice this year as compared to 2012, as there are no real “end of the world prophecies” running… But we will get along with that.

What I especially like at the end of the year, are all those bottles kept for the “right time”. Those that one would not dare to open on a Tuesday night in April, just on the pretext of wanting "a nice glass of wine”. No, these bottles are bottles that make you think and doubt. Is this really the right moment? So when we opened them, we take our time and prepare: The right glasses, a neat table, suitable room temperature and lighting ... Plenty of small gestures against mediocrity that invades our daily lives.

I like Riesling at the end of the year, as well as old vintages, bubbles and the eau de vie, all matched to a variety of fish and meat and spices. Every year, a few weeks before Christmas, the part of my brain dedicated to “the cellar” begins to make its inventory and draw its famous “wines to drink” list. Here is a draft:

What I will certainly drink:

I have already announced, there will be quite a number of of Riesling, German for the most of it, you will forgive my quest for perfection... Nothing better to face the awful weather and the stretching night. Riesling makes you feel alive and it prepares for the effort. Then there will Chardonnay bubbles, a still confidential Grand Cru out of the cellar of my friend Nathalie in Cramant. I am also sure there will be some old Malbec (but perhaps also a Malbec Porto Vintage Style from the Verhaeghe brothers), and one of those crispy flavourful young Grenache wines from Yves G. I’ll probably enjoy a Valpolicella Ripasso and approach the red wines of the Duoro. And late at night, facing the candles (real candles!), I’ll go for a smoky, majestic Syrah from 2002, one of my favourites!

Oh, wait a minute, I almost forgot about it. There will be rosé, too, for kitchen work periods, as “pre-apéritif”. This is the latest invention, the latest creation of Mr. Grape-Variety from the Minervois, a rosé named PARTOUZE (ORGY), in which young vines and old varieties (Aramon, black Picquepoul, Rivairenc, Grenache, Cinsault, Morrastell ...) happily intermingle.

You see, there are plenty of good reasons to love the end of the year, on Vinparleur and elsewhere!