With the start of the new year comes everybody’s favorite tradition: the new year’s resolution. Maybe your resolution this year was to try new things, to be more open-minded, or our personal favorite, to drink more wine. Regardless of what exactly you’ve resolved, 2020 is the perfect year to expand your wine profile and broaden your wine experience. While that may seem complicated, lucky for you, we’ve put together this quick list of 7 foolproof ways to broaden your wine experience in 2020.

1. Try a new flavor profile

One of the easiest ways to broaden your wine experience is to pick a new flavor profile and experiment with it. You can do this in a variety of ways. For example, say your go-to wine is a sweet red. Next time when you go to buy wine, pick out a dry red blend instead, like Burklee Hill’s 2017 GSM. You’re not completely jumping ship on flavor profiles, but you’re slowly transitioning from sweeter reds to dryer reds. Keep experimenting like this until you’re able to enjoy different flavor profiles. Another way you can vary your flavor profile is by switching from white to red or vice versa. If you already know that you like dry reds, try out a dry white Pinot Grigio instead. The variations of how to do this are limitless and will surely end with you enjoying different flavors.

2. Experiment with different varieties

It’s pretty common to find a variety you like and stick to it, especially if you’re not a huge wine experimenter. But, it’s definitely possible to have your favorite variety while still enjoying the others. An easy way to do this is to try out blends first, instead of completely changing wines. If you know you love a Riesling, try out this Riesling/Chenin Blanc so that you can start to taste a different variety but know you have a flavor you already enjoy. Another option is to try out varieties from similar regions. While the flavor may be different, there may be some similarity in the flavor because of where the grape was picked. Or, if you’re feeling bold, just try a new grape! New decade, new variety, right?

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3. Test out different brands of your favorite grape

Okay, so maybe the “new decade, new grape” thought doesn’t always have to be true. In this case, another way to broaden your wine time is by trying different brands of your favorite grape. No two wine brands taste the same, just like no two grapes taste exactly the same. If you’re sure of what type of grape you like and don’t want to deviate from it, then don’t. Instead, broaden your horizons by trying out different vineyards and brands. We may be biased, but Burklee Hill Vineyards is a great place to start.

4. Do a wine tasting

If you’ve never done a wine tasting, you’re missing out. 2020 is the perfect time to try something new or redo something fun and go to a wine tasting. Luckily, wine tastings are not only fun and delicious, they give you exposure to a variety of wines. Most wine tastings also include some sort of food or snack, so you can try new wines and learn about pairings as well. There are different options of tastings, ranging from private tastings to group sessions. You can find wine tastings at vineyards, tasting rooms, or even just wine stores.

5. Experiment with different pairings

What’s better than wine? That’s right, food and wine together. Trying out different food pairings with different wines is a great way to expand your wine portfolio. Maybe a dry red is too dry for you usually. But, if you pair it with the right cheese or meat, you might learn to enjoy different flavors that you wouldn’t normally like. Wine pairings are a great way to explore different flavors, especially because there are so many different ways to pair foods and wines. For example, many people always pair fish with white wine. In reality, there are a bunch of wines you can pair with fish. This way, you can experiment with both pairings and wines.

6. Ask your friend about their favorite wines

If you can’t be bothered to do research or blindly order different wines, tap into your network and ask your friends what their favorite wines are. While your taste preferences may be different from theirs, this is a great chance to be bold and experiment. Reach out to your “partners in wine” and ask them what their go-to wine is. Compile a list and start to try them out - easy as that.

7. Join a wine club

Perhaps the easiest option on this list is to join a wine club. If you’re the person who loves wine, wants to broaden their experience, but wants to do it passively - join a wine club. Burklee Hill Vineyards has three options (3 bottle, 6 bottle, and 12 bottle) that you can choose from for a quarterly subscription. Joining a wine club gives you access to good quality of wines and the opportunity to try wines out without lifting a finger. What more could you possibly ask for?

Now that you know how easy it is to broaden your wine experience, go ahead and add this onto your 2020 new year’s resolution and get started. Whether you try different grapes, experiment with different flavor profiles, or join a wine club, you’ll be able to find different wines and flavors that you enjoy. If you’re still not convinced, just think to yourself: wine not?

7 Ways to Broaden your Wine Experience in 2020