By Tracie Howard Dickerson

Wine can be such a heady hobby. Pun intended. We’ve all seen the pompous connoisseur masterfully swirling a large glass of a velvety red wine, dipping flared nostrils in said bowl, tasting, gargling, and chewing the wine before thoughtfully exclaiming: “I taste the essence of wet sweat socks, dried under a Tuscan sun in mid-July.” Just when we all thought it tasted like — grapes! The often perpetuated misnomer is that wines are unapproachable and best left to snooty people who drink everything with a pinky out.

But Oswald Morgan, co-founder of Food & Wellness Solutions and known wine enthusiast, debunks this myth and shares some insight as we head into the holiday season, which is always the perfect time to share special wines with the people we love.

“I love wine. Wine makes everything else taste better. The acidity, the earthiness, the quality of the wine blends with the food, and the food, in turn, mingles with the wine,” Morgan says. “Wine is such a teaser for your palate and the perfect accompaniment to enhance the flavor of most foods.”

Once inclined, you may also think of wine tasting as a solitary journey across your palate and around the world. You may start by exploring local wines, followed by Cabs from California, Pinot Noirs from Oregon State, Malbecs from Argentina, Bordeauxs from France, or Montepulcianos from Italy. It’s an exciting adventure, and no passport is required.

The fun is in the experimentation. Start wherever you are by creating your own pairings, and recognizing that only through trial and error will you discover your palate. Along the way, you may encounter some duds, but will also likely find some gems that you’ll be ready to share.

There are many subtleties in a sip of wine that are the result of the specific varietal, the terroir (where exactly the vines grew), and the skill of the vintner, but you will gradually understand those nuances the more you taste. You will go from vintage to vintage to better understand how the wine evolves. You may move from varietal to varietal to understand the subtle and stark contrasts. So building a sophisticated palate isn’t an arduous task or a huge endeavor, it’s simply a process. The more you drink wine, the more you understand.

Once you start your exploration, you will discover plenty of fabulous wines under $20. To get you started, we asked wine connoisseur Oswald Morgan to recommend a few. 

Oswalds’s Recommendations

During the holidays and throughout the winter months, I like starting with an Argiolas Costamolino, which is a Vermentino white wine from Sardinia which is an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. The grapes here take on the salinity from the ocean, along with the minerality, and produces a wine with great acidity and fruit notes. I like it because it’s luscious and versatile enough to start with a glass and appetizers before leading into your meal.  

Up next, I recommend 2019 Radius Syrah from Washington state.  A syrah is almost always good for stews and barbecues; anything cooked slowly. This is why it’s perfect for a Thanksgiving meal. The structure and style of the wine can be likened to that of a Pinot noir because it has that much body.

Cabs from Napa Valley were already on the pricier side, and with fires in California wiping out quite a few vineyards while leaving those left standing “smoked,” the 2019 Oberon is an absolute jewel for under $20. It has supple tannins with ripe fruit flavors and an exceptionally silky texture. The pairing would be with richly flavored dishes, perhaps duck or lamb. The structure can stand up to a steak and complex cheeses.  

Don’t be shy when you’re surrounded by scores of bottles in wine shops.  Discuss it with the wine purveyor, buy a bottle for yourself to enjoy, and then confidently bring your “find” to the dinner table to share with friends and family.  So drink, eat, and enjoy the company you’re blessed with.