By Tiffany Ritchie,  CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional at Morris Financial Concepts

Wine lovers know that the perfect glass of wine isn’t just about the drink itself, but the moments of cherished celebrations it represents. Read Tiffany’s wine philosophy for enjoying every toast cherishing life’s day to day celebrations.

While Ross and I do enjoy wine, we value the shared moments when a glass of wine is enjoyed as much as the drink itself. When making a toast, we usually are taking a moment to reflect on what is happening around us and celebrating the joys in that moment of life, while adding our best wishes for what is to come. I think that this is the perfect place to start. Then I urge wine drinkers to take that toast and expand on it. Instead of ending the introspective celebration at the clinking of the glasses, take moments to reflect on: the memories made over that meal, the joys of the shared time with friends, the fun of the wedding that you’re celebrating, or the travel experience you’re having, or soak in that evening with your significant other.

In our household, we like to celebrate with a glass of wine, and we choose to try different wines from different places, but the wine itself is not the point. You might prefer craft beers or mixed drinks, that’s okay. You might prefer La Croix, soda or mocktails, that’s okay. The drink is not what matters, but instead the company, the reflection, and the intentionality of the moment. That is what we decide to celebrate. And, if wine is what you’re choosing to celebrate with tonight, I’ve outlined a couple of our suggestions to consider when choosing your bottle.

Our Wine Philosophy:

• Venture out and try new wines.
• An unknown varietal is an opportunity to taste & learn something new.
• Spending $8 at a wine store can buy you a significantly better wine than spending $5 at the grocery store.
• Our sweet spot tends to be around $12-15 bottle. (That’s 4-5 glasses at the price that you might pay for 1 glass at a restaurant!)
• Feeling fancy? That’s when we spring for a $20-25 bottle. Personally, we rarely spend above the $30 mark. (Hey, I am a financial planner after all!)
• Trust your own palate, drink what you like.
• There’s always something to cheers!

Are you interested in venturing out from your go-to bottles and want a springboard for where to start? Here are some of our favorites wines that you might want to try.

White Wines – we tend to prefer a refreshing, crisp white in our Charleston, SC heat!

• Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand or Columbia Valley, Washington) – light, herbal, grassy
• Chenin Blanc (Stellenbosch, South Africa or Vouvray, France) – dry or slightly sweet, apricots
• Pinot Gris (Alsace, France) – light citrus
• Vinho Verde (Portugal) – light citrus, refreshing
• Grüner Veltliner (Burgenland, Austria) – crisp, grassy, saline
• Unoaked Chardonnay (Central Coast, California) – light, refreshing and not your typical buttery chardonnay flavor
• Riesling (Alsace, France) –stone fruit & subtle floral. Tend to be dry or semi-dry, not sweet like a typical German Riesling

Red Wines – we tend to prefer dry wines, accented the classic berry and cherry flavors with spicy, peppery or herbal notes.

• Barbera (Alta, Italy) – herbal dry
• Tempranillo (Rioja, Spain) – black cherry, dark plum, with a “spicy” kick
• Carménère (Maipo Valley, Chile) – strawberry, cherry, with a “spicy” kick
• Nebbiolo (Piedmont region, Italy) – rose, cherries, coffee, leather, tobacco
• Red Blend (Côtes du Rhône, France or Valpolicella, Italy) – try some Red Blends, a wine with multiple grape varietals!
• Sangiovese (Chianti Classico, Italy) – savory, cherry, can be spicy, earthy or fruit-forward
• Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – softer dark berry flavors
• Montepulciano (Abruzzo, Italy) – spicy, black pepper, herbal

Our favorites wines may not be your favorites, and that’s okay! Maybe you’ll at least be willing to try something similar yet different from your favorite wine or beverage of choice next time. Why? Well, I think that this simple shift from the norm can help cause you to pause and be more intentional in appreciating the drink and the moment. Remember, there’s always a reason to cheers!

Here at Morris Financial Concepts, our Charleston, SC  CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professionals are dedicated to helping you live abundantly so that you can enjoy each and every toast life has for you to celebrate. Contact one of our wealth management experts to get started on the path to financial empowerment today.

About the Author

Tiffany Ritchie is a Charleston, SC  CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional with Morris Financial Concepts. Passionate about people and numbers, Tiffany feels fortunate to merge both in her work. She enjoys discovering patterns and pulling all the pieces together to solve puzzles, especially ones that help others live their lives to the fullest.