As I began my Diploma in Wine journey, I joined a tasting group to expand my knowledge. I often found myself discreetly jotting down the names of wines others recommended or spoke about with enthusiasm. Many of these wines were completely unfamiliar to me—a humbling reminder of the sheer vastness of the wine world. It’s hardly surprising, considering there are over 4,200 bonded wineries in California and more than 90,000 worldwide.

Searching for these recommended bottles was a source of frustration, as the majority were not available locally and often not available online. Living in California, I soon realized that while local distributors carry an impressive selection of California wines, a significant percentage of imported wine enters the U.S. via the East Coast and doesn’t always make its way to our golden state. I knew I would have to put in some serious effort to explore different wine shops and distributors for access.

Fortunately, the Bay Area offers many shops and importers that pride themselves on providing quality and diversity in wine. Kermit Lynch in Berkeley (https://kermitlynch.com/) and K&L Wine Merchants (https://www.klwines.com/) are two such stores/importers. The Rare Wine Company (https://www.rarewineco.com/) is also a gem, with extremely knowledgeable and helpful staff. Of course, there are many other establishments with strong portfolios and sound advice. During my Diploma journey, these players were instrumental in helping me source wines I needed to access and experience.

I’ll admit it: I have since gotten lazy and fallen into the rut of purchasing the same wines I know I will enjoy and have easy access to. Had I lost my spirit of adventure? Then, in October, I spent three weeks visiting wineries and meeting winemakers in Spain and Portugal. If ever you need to rekindle your zest for discovery, driving through vineyards at harvest will do it. The magical aromas of freshly picked grapes being crushed at the winery, the stunning scenery, the historic towns and buildings, and the traditions shared while tasting across their portfolios were a gift for all the senses. So many wines, so little time.

I recently came across a post where a site administrator asked readers to share an interesting wine they enjoyed in 2024. The bottles didn’t have to be rare or expensive, just the wines that brought the most joy. Pictures were encouraged. The following is a small selection of the wines posted:

• Turley Zinfandel
• Prima Donna Tannat
• Chave Saint-Joseph
• Flaccianello Della Pieve
• Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon
• Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial
• Rinaldi Barolo
• Vega-Sicilia Único

(Full disclosure: this list comes from a site where most participants work in the wine industry and have access to wines I generally cannot afford to experience. However, these eight wines represent five countries (USA, Uruguay, France, Italy, Spain) and showcase a diversity of grape varieties. While “the moment” can often elevate your experience with a wine, all of these are solid offerings and far less expensive than most  California cult wines.)

My joyful wine of 2024: Clos Mogador Manyetes from the Priorat region of Spain. I tasted it with the winemaker, René Barbier, at the winery in Gratallops. René is passionate about his craft, humble, and open-minded, drawing on knowledge gained over many vintages and the wisdom of the land to create beautiful wines. This wine, 100% Carignan, is a blockbuster and was a definite favorite. To learn more about Clos Mogador, visit their website at: http://www.closmogador.com/index.asp?idioma=EN.

As we welcome 2025, let’s make a resolution to broaden our wine horizons and make time and put in the effort to source and taste interesting benchmark wines of the world.

Cheers to 2025…