Ready for Red Season?

Cellar Stories part 8.

A look at the mid September forecast has me singing a different tune than previous years. On the tail end of a short heat spell, I see lovely days and evenings ahead for red wine.

This Summer we exclusively opened whites, sparkling, roses, and some light beer. But in September we've already opened two, yes two!, bottles of red.

A bit caught off guard by this new reality, I began spending more time in the wine cabinet. I thought "I need to prepare for the Fall" and felt, quite amused at myself for the analogy, that this was like pulling out the sweaters and coats of a winter wardrobe.

This year I'm reminiscing of old favorites, anxious to see what's still good, and often surprised by how my tastes have changed. I'm still talking about wine, not my wardrobe.

I'm stocked in a few areas, but already see gaps in my lighter reds category. There's a clear need for more Pinot Noir, lighter Italian reds, and classic California Zin.

As other varietals make their way into the zeitgeist, I'll need some of those too. Valdigue? Mencia? Definitely.

I'm excited for some big reds hitting 10 years of age, and will continue to open more in that 15-20 year category. The 2007 Grad Reserva Rioja was a promising preview to get the season started.

What about you... are you red-y for red season? What are you excited to open and what gaps do you have to fill?