Another Thanksgiving in the books! And now the rest of the holiday celebrations begin. Honestly, I might be having a little panic attack for the sake of my liver when I consider all of the parties packed into my December calendar.
We visited our daughter in Maryland for Thanksgiving. We took 2 cases of wine representing 7 New Mexico Wineries. There were also 2 bottles of wine from Maryland, 4 bottles of Prosecco, 1 bottle of Malbec from Argentina, and a Left Bank Bordeaux from St. Estephe. So, 28 bottles in total. We were there for 1 full week and when we left, there were 4 bottles of wine left! Granted, there were 16 people for the BIG DAY, but one friend brought Wassail (delicious) and the rest of the “guys” preferred beer. I probably should mention that we also visited 2 wineries during the week for tasting, glasses, and bottle-sharing. You see where I’m headed here, right? That was just Thanksgiving! The parties leading up to Christmas and on toward New Year’s is leaving my head spinning BEFORE any alcohol is involved.
I decided during one of my more lucid moments, I needed a plan to maneuver the holidays without giving up on wine tastings, pairings, and dinners. Not to mention that you can’t fully embrace the joy of a Hallmark Christmas Movie without a glass of wine in your hand!
Drinking during the holidays isn’t about “getting wasted” at the office Christmas party. I’m talking about the accumulation of alcohol from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. That’s 5 weeks of drinking more than we might drink at other times. When we’re laughing, eating, exchanging gifts, and just enjoying time with family and friends, we don’t pay attention to how many calories we consume and we, likewise, don’t really pay attention to how much alcohol we are drinking.
The good news is that there are ways we can maneuver the holidays without giving up on our favorite wines (or other alcoholic beverages). We all plan ahead for events, right?! Whether we are a host or a guest, we make a lot of decisions in advance of an event. What will I wear? What should I give as a hostess gift? What cookies should I take to share? How to responsibly consume alcohol should be part of your pre-party preparations.
Where possible, have a designated driver. I’m so blessed because my husband drinks very little and always serves as my driver. When my husband can’t go with me, I am very careful about what I drink. I don’t like to drive if I think there’s a chance I’ve consumed more than I should—even if I “feel fine.” Also, I really don’t like to drive at night so I keep the UBER and LYFT apps on my phone. They’re super easy to use and they aren’t terribly expensive.
BEFORE THE PARTY
Drink AT LEAST a quart of water an hour before the event. Water does wonders for helping control my wine-drinking. Water fills you up, keeps you from feeling thirsty, regulates your body temperatures and clears your vital organs of waste.
Eat a little something before you go to a party. Proteins are great to consume before and during drinking. Proteins digest slowly and can slow down the absorption of alcohol in your body. I try to stay away from carbohydrates and foods that are high in sugar—before, during, and after a party. Those kinds of foods often encourage more drinking.
Carry a Tide-to-Go pen in your pocket or handbag. Somebody is going to spill wine on you. It will happen and the likelihood is directly related to color of you dress. White=100% chance. Just sayin’!
DURING THE PARTY
I have to eat gluten-free. Just stick with me here. Because I have to eat gluten-free, I’ve learned how to manage cocktail parties, dinner parties, office parties, and any other kind of party/event/gathering to which I may be invited. Trust me. At the holidays, no one is thinking about food allergies, so I can either stay home and feel sorry for myself, or I can go and enjoy the party. What works for me when it comes to gluten, can work for all of us when trying to protect our livers from alcohol overload during the holidays.
#1 TAKE YOUR OWN “STUFF.” I have found the best way for me to maneuver a party is to just take my own food and/or drink. It isn’t unusual to take food or wine to a party these days, right? When it comes to wine, there are some acceptable-to- very good options available these days. People who are consciously trying to cut back on alcohol call them NoLo.
NoLo products are beginning to take a huge share of the wine and beer markets. NoLo refers to wine (or beer) that has NO or LOW alcohol. No before you scroll down to the next section, just read a little more. When it comes to wine, NoLo wines are REAL wines. They have been fermented and made just exactly like wine. The difference is that the alcohol (ethanol) has been removed. There are 3 different process that can be used to lower and/or (almost) completely remove the alcohol from wine. My holiday spirit won’t allow me to go into the science of it all now, but you can learn more about it from a nice article on the DECANTER website. In a tasting of average NoLo brands, a group of us thought the FRE brand—available almost everywhere—would do the trick. It is really inexpensive and comes in all the basic international varietals. I always have it on hand now for friends who need to watch their intake of alcohol, but would like to enjoy some wine. As with all wines, you can always look for a premium no alcohol wine. There are some great ones out there.
My preference for wine when trying to cut back on alcohol is to just find a great wine that is naturally lower in alcohol. The only drawback there is that those wines tend to be lighter bodied with more residual sugar. Although I rarely make sweet wine a choice, they can be great for me during a holiday party where I am not going to be able to eat all of the gluten-packed Christmas cookies and sweets. A sweeter wine makes me feel like I’m not having to give up anything.
My favorite naturally low alcohol wines are:
- Vinho Verde (7-8%) from Portugal. Vinho Verde is easy on the pocketbook and easy on the liver. It has a nice little sparkle and it isn’t generally as sweet as some of the other options.
- A Kabinett Riesling from Germany (8-8.5%) and lightly sweet.
- Moscato d’ Asti (5.5%) a nice little sparkle from Italy.
- Brachetto d’Acqui (6.5%) This is a sweet red from Italy with a nice holiday sparkle.
All are available from Total Wine.
#2 WINE SPRITZERS. I know people like to think of wine spritzers as a summer drink because they are so refreshing, but they can also be celebratory. For me a good wine spritzer starts with a wine that I already enjoy and is mixed with my favorite “soda water.” I like to use San Pelligrino. If I’m headed to a party where it isn’t appropriate to bring my own wine, I toss a bottle of San Pelligrino in my handbag and easily make my own wine spritzer. You can use club soda, Topo Chico, Perrier, or any other water of your choice. Most recipes say the trick is to make it 50/50. I probably lean a little more heavily on the wine side like a 70/30. Whatever way you choose, it still dilutes the alcohol.
#3 DRINK SOME WATER. As a general rule, I almost always consume a glass of water after I’ve finished a glass of wine and before going back for a refill. Easy, right?!
#4 SMALL POURS. In the years that I have been part of the wine industry, I’ve tasted hundreds of wines and gone to hundreds (seriously) of tastings. My eyes have been trained to see a 2 oz pour as a glass of wine. I rarely fill my wine glass. In fact, I would venture to say that I NEVER fill my wine glass. I like the way a small pour looks in the bowl of the glass. It’s sophisticated and I do have a bit of snob in me. There. I said it!
#5 WATCH THE WATCH. I love the fancy Apple Watch that I was given when I retired. It has quick access to a timer that goes off by vibrating on my wrist. I know that one drink per hour is more easily metabolized. I note the time on my watch when I pour some wine in my glass and note the time again when I finish. I make sure not to pour more than one drink per hour. And, did I mention the part about drinking some water? 😊
AFTER THE PARTY
Once I am home safely from an event where the wine has been flowing, I usually drink one more glass of water, eat some cheese or a handful of pecans—anything with protein—if I’m not stuffed from the party. Even if I’m exhausted, I’ll still do some kind of activity like loading/unloading the dishwasher, putting some clothes in the washing machine, or just doing some general straightening around the house. I’m sure there is no scientific basis for this, but I find that it helps me sleep better and wake up feeling ready to go to the next party!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I love the holidays with all the amazing (gluten-free) foods, drinks, lights, and laughter. I want to be safe and stay healthy during the holidays so I can start the New Year feeling great! I would LOVE IT if you would comment or email me with your favorite party tricks for staying sober(ish) and healthy!
I wish all of you the most amazing holiday celebrations and the very best that 2024 has in store for you!
Whatever your faith tradition, may you find a reason for the season. Merry Christmas!
Coming Soon: Pair your wine with Christmas Cookies!!
Please don’t forget to check out my ARCHIVE PAGE for all kinds of articles to help you live your best #winelife!
Until next time…
#Cheers
Wine of Enchantment 