If you’re opting for dry January, go for it! For many, it’s a great resolution that takes pressure off your liver, waistline and wallet, and I commend it!
Personally, I didn’t start drinking wine until I was in my late 30s, so I still feel like I have a lot to make up for. Hence, no dry January for me. Instead, I was thinking of a New Year’s resolution that does involve drinking but perhaps is outside the box. For those of you joining me and wishing to continue to imbibe into 2025, I propose a challenge/new fun resolution.
We all have our favourite go-to wines, but what if, in 2025, we mix it up a bit and say ‘yes’ to being more adventurous and trying new-to-you wines? Whether you’re a long-time oenophile or are just starting to expose your palate to the wonderful world of wine, why not let 2025 be the year to have an open mind and try anything that sounds divine?
To help with your New Year’s resolution, should you choose to accept the challenge, I spoke to the owners and industry professionals behind my personal local hangouts and asked them which bottle they’d recommend if you wanted to branch out and truly decide to go on a wine adventure.
Sofia, Mosto
Adega Monte Branco 100% Castelão from 2021 for 25.50€
A wine shop and wine bar that is an absolute must to visit if you’re in the Lagos area is Mosto! The wine program there is curated and directed by my good friend Sofia. Sofia’s experience as a winemaker and her time within the wine industry itself here and abroad makes her selection of wines unparalleled in the Algarve. Sofia is also absolutely the best at recommending wines suited to everyone’s proclivities, and her energy and personality are contagious.
Sofia wanted to recommend a vinho tinto from Adega Monte Branco, a winery located near Estremoz in the upper Alentejo. It is from a small family project that she respects. The winemaking team is Louis Louro and Ines Capão and the wine itself is unique from the beginning because it’s a single varietal and the adega’s latest bottling. In Sofia’s words, “It’s rough with edges that give the wine personality. It’s not rustic or refined but unique in its expression.” The wine is fresh, alive and, I can attest, undeniably drinkable to the very last drop.
Brandon, Grappolo Enoteca
Chiara Condello 2021 100% Sangiovese from Romagna Italy for 21.70€
One of my favourite wine shops to peruse international wines at great prices is Grappolo Enoteca. My friend Brandon owns and runs this surprising little wine shop here in Lagos. It always has an interesting, well-curated variety of wines from all over Schengen, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. It’s also always evolving, with new wines coming in weekly. Brandon’s familial roots originate in Italy so, of course, the Italian section of the shop is legit and has more than a few treasures!
I asked Brandon what his favourite “out of the box” wine was and without hesitation, he said Chiara Condello 2021. It comes from his grandfather’s region in Italy, from a new up-and-coming female winemaker. This wine is incredible; everyone who touches this wine falls in love with it.
Due to its specific terroir, this Sangiovese is more rustic than the other side of the Apennines in the Chianti region. However, it has character, unexpected nuances and an inexplicable energy that is evident in every sip!
Diane, Madame
Quinta Vila Rachel 2022 on offer for 28€.
An exciting recent addition to the bubbling night scene in Lagos is Madame. A wine bar and shop with stories, which I was thrilled about when they opened last year. The business is an organic reflection of two people coming together who just want to do wine. The focus is on the low content of sulfites or none added at all, and the mission is to remove the misconception that natural wine is all the same. From my experience of tasting and learning about their selection, Madame carefully and thoughtfully curates a natural fine wine collection with elegance, purpose, a story you’ll want to hear, terroir and reach-for-your-glass-again addictive flavours!
When I asked Diane for her recommendation for the new year, she answered Quinta Vila Rachel 2022 from the Douro. A red wine, the packaging of this particular bottle is entitled A União Faz A Força or Unity Makes the Difference.
The wine is 100% organic with zero sulfites added and in Diane’s words, it is her coup de coeur or wine crush from 2024. It is a blend of all of the quinta’s vineyards with more than 30 different varietals. Coming from an ancient line of artists, painters and sculptors, the winemaker Tiago is the first to make wine and it is truly an art. An untraditional wine from one of the most traditional regions, it’s fresh, almost salty, and even a bit animal. It evolves once opened, pulling and calling you back to it with every sip. Endlessly surprising and palette-provoking, it’s worth making a trip to Madame and taking the time to enjoy it there. Don’t worry, Diane will keep it in stock into 2025 just for you!
I love that all wines recommended are reds, in which in all honesty I had no influence. What a selection! All are absolutely perfect to sip and contemplate during the colder months. To give you a little nudge and help in your new adventurous selections Brandon, Sofia and Diane are offering a 5% discount on the purchase of the bottle they recommended! So go forth my fellow wine drinkers and revel in your new adventures with wine in 2025!
Candace Olsen is a wine consultant, sommelier and guide for wine tasting tours and events.
