January 2025

I’m here today in defense of a wet January. I know, I know: we’re coming off the annual holiday opulence. We’ve dined and drank our way through the darkest days of the year, and we’re craving balance. There’s a multi-billion dollar industry at work telling us the new year marks a time for change; this year, you will suddenly be different. But let me remind you: you do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting. I’m starting to believe the soulless nature of January is arbitrary, propelled by our guilty human consciences desperate to atone for something we never did wrong in the first place.

I wonder how the new year would look if we didn’t feel the need to make up for December’s joy by stealing it from January. What if we still have dinner parties and open bottles of sparkling wine? What if we continue to celebrate oyster season and meet up with friends for mollusks and vibrant whites? Or special bottles of Spanish juice with tinned fish and Manchego? Imagine the sheer joy of opening a cheeky red on a Wednesday evening just because the label is fun, or a singular bottle from a place you’ve never been before. I want to reserve a whole weekend to braise short ribs and drink deep, dark French reds. As I write these words, I start to think it’s possible: January can be wonderful.

While the solstice has come and the light is creeping back in, we are still firmly in the dark days. It’s so important to find joy where we can. For me, that’s as easy as a bottle of wine with friends. I’m guessing that brings you joy, too, and I think this month’s wines are especially well-suited for the task.