Palette passions abound. Flamboyant and friendly, or elegant and closed? Peppery and mischievously tart, or crisp and angular? A perfume so voluptuous and seductive that it sings and makes love to you? A bounty of bubble gum and mulberry that swirl and twirl, or whispers of woodsmoke and sage that caress the senses.

A relationship comes in many forms, not just with people. And a love affair with the pleasures of the palette is one of them. When we succumb to the thrills and complexities of the grape, it thanks us back for allowing it to realize its full potential as wine.

With wine streaming through us, cheeriness and even love seem easier to attain. We can’t deny its power. Once it’s flowing through our wit and our beauty, we resign to it, and all the heaviness of life becomes suddenly acceptable.

My husband Javier is always surprised when waiters in a restaurant first ask for our choice of water. In his opinion, the first and foremost question in line of importance should be the selection of wine.

Get to know your wine and hear what it has to say to you. Discover its soul. And engage in its dialogue…

Of course it’s easy to indulge the palate with the likes of an expensive or prestigious wine. Any of these options would easily do more than speak wonders to its sipper:

Château Hosanna 2010
Vega Sicilia Unico 2004
Château Costes D’Estournelle 1995
Château Leoville Les Cases 1993
Sassicaia 2015
Unico 2017
Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2016
Cabo de Hornos
Remírez de Ganuza 2004
Leoville Les Cases 1995
Domaine de Trevallon
La Capilla, Crianza 2017
Château Grand Ormeau 2007

BUT there are sundry wines much gentler on the pocket (<$100) which are just as enticing. The Blog recommends any of these to fully engage your curiosity, and your indulgent heart:

Les Baraillots, 2018
Marques de Riscal 2018
Imperial 2004
Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
San Vicente 2015
Remelluri 2014
Nuiton-Beaunoy Bourgogne 2020
Chacra Cincuenta y Cinco
Lagarde Primeras Viñas (Argentinian)
Le Marquis de Calon Sègur
Château Lilian Ladouys
Château Pez
La Dame de Ducru Beaucaillou
Vigna Masso Reiner, Reserva 2020 Donà Noir, 2015
Philippe le Hardi Vieilles Viqgnes
Chateau des Laurets 2017
La Croix Ducru-Beaucaillou 2015

And if I, Nicole, sweet-craving female, may recommend a faintly sweeter wine to all, it would be Rivesaltes, Riveyrac Vin Doux Naturel 1966. A cross between a tawny port and a sherry liquor, it brims with the robust flavors of butter, tobacco and balsamic. And appealingly, Rivesaltes offers a kick with an alcohol percentage at 17.5%🙃