A review of sorts

Last March - in my previous blog - I compiled a short "to do" list summarising the types of wine I wanted to try over the remainder of 2009:

1. Try more wines from other regions than just Baden and the Pfalz
2. Try more Weißburgunder - it is an underrated and beautiful thing
3. Try more wines from the best, and nearest, local producers (e.g. Schneider in Weil, Ziereisen from Efringen, Blankenhorn from Schliengen, Schlossgut Istein..)
4. Try more "international" varietals grown increasingly in Germany, such as Chard, Sauv Blanc, Cab Sauv - but don't overdo it.
5. Continue my quest for decent but inexpensive Spätburgunder

In hindsight, making such a list was a tad presumptuous (or pretentious!), I feel. Firstly, because things tend not to work out the way you expect. Secondly, because it imposes a needless straitjacket. Nevertheless, for the record, I would say I gave priorities 1, 2, 3 and 5 a fairly decent shot. However, no. 4 was an objective doomed from the outset. The problem is, whenever I see a wine from these climes with the words "Merlot" or "Cabernet Sauvignon", for example, my eyes still tend to glaze over. The world is awash with these varietals, so any desire to try yet another variation on a well-worn theme is scant.

So, although I'm usually a fan of lists, I think I'll just follow my nose next year.