What Are You Drinking During Social Distancing?

When my sister posed this question to me, my glib first response was EVERYTHING. This first week of social distancing has been really stressful in our household trying to meet the new homeschool requirements for our two kids while both Ryan and I continue to juggle the demands of our full-time jobs. Much less the anxiety around the largely unanswered questions of how to keep your family healthy and safe, how long is social distancing really going to last (have you seen this article?!?), and should I be stockpiling more food and household provisions.

But, aside from my off-the-cuff response and the black and tan cocktail I had to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day last night, what I am drinking during social distancing is WASHINGTON WINE. And right now happens to be Taste Washington Wine Month, so you can get great deals on Washington wine at Metropolitan Market, QFC, Safeway and more. Especially if you buy six or more bottles at a time.

Growing up, my father collected a lot of Washington wine. In fact, if he weren’t part of the high risk COVID-19 group, my sister and I would likely be camped out with our parents taking full advantage of his well-stocked wine cellar. In this time of social distancing, however, he did teach me three wine lessons that I can share. 

1. Drink Washington. My dad’s reasoning was given the ever-growing number of wine labels in the world, it is impossible to be an expert on wine generally (unless you are a sommelier, of course!). Learn a lot about a smaller subset of wines and what you like and/or don’t like in this group. And, if you are going to pick a territory or region to focus on, especially given the great quality of wine we have in Washington, why not buy local?!

1. Good wine does not have to be expensive. My dad typically does not buy really expensive bottles of wine. Instead he looks for quality and value that he knows he can stick in his cellar for a few years to create a really good bottle of wine. Indeed, he has told me that part of the goal in tasting wine should be to find the least expensive bottle of wine that you really like (and then, when you find it, to buy a lot!). 

1. Find Great Second Labels. Keeping with the value-seeking concept, my dad taught me that second or alternate-label wines can deliver budget-minded drinkers with great value. The second labels to search out are those made with the same care given to their main label and occasionally blended with some other finished wine purchased from friends and neighbors in the business. If you are interested in knowing more about the second label trend, I recommend reading either of these great articles by Seattle Magazine and Growler Magazine. 

Here are some of the great alternate or second labels that am I drinking during social distancing and, with Taste Washington Wine Month still going on, would be a great time for you to try:

1. Tranche (Cabernet Franc is my favorite wine varietal, and I love theirs!)
2. Secret Squirrel
3. The Unnamed Series
4. Boomtown

And, as an email from a friend yesterday reminded me whose family started Airfield Wines, in this difficult time it is important that we take care of small businesses that mean a lot to us.  Many of the Washington wines that I patronage are indeed small businesses that COVID-19 is hitting hard. The best way to support these wineries is to buy (and drink) wine. Right now, Airfield Wines is offering free shipping with the purchase of 12 or more bottles. (And did you know that Airfield Wines also has a second label named Lone Birch!)

Cheers Friends! Buy Washington!