Wine at Year-End Parties

Dan Berger
Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:00:00 -0800
Lifestyle

Wine industry veterans say that more wine is sold in two seven-week blocks than at any other time of the year, which makes perfect sense when you think about it.

In the last weeks of May and through the end of June, people tend to celebrate weddings and graduations, often with special parties calling for things like Champagne. And then, of course, there are holiday festivities surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve, all of which generate celebrations.

In this country, Champagne and domestic sparkling wines are most heavily purchased during both periods. And though I don't know what the numbers might be, I suspect that pain-killing medications like aspirin and acetaminophen also show increased sales.
Updated: Tue Dec 16, 2025

Wine industry veterans say that more wine is sold in two seven-week blocks than at any other time of the year, which makes perfect sense when you think about it.

In the last weeks of May and through the end of June, people tend to celebrate weddings and graduations, often with special parties calling for things like Champagne. And then, of course, there are holiday festivities surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve, all of which generate celebrations.

In this country, Champagne and domestic sparkling wines are most heavily purchased during both periods. And though I don't know what the numbers might be, I suspect that pain-killing medications like aspirin and acetaminophen also show increased sales.

Teetotalers might not relate, but anyone who has nursed a hangover certainly knows that the impact can last a lot longer than the theoretical enjoyment that caused it.

Instead of chasing the ghost of a hangover cure, the best strategy is to take preventative measures to eliminate the morning-after problem, or at least to avoid its worst impact.

My first rule of thumb when heading for a year-end party at which alcoholic beverages flow like Niagara Falls in the spring is to start the evening with an eight-ounce glass of water and something with carbohydrates.

A friend once told me to eat a small potato (raw if necessary) before going to an alcohol fest and chase it with 8 ounces of water. Water helps dilute some of the alcohol and the potato will absorb some of it.

Another friend, who is a physician, said carbohydrates might have some effect, but he recommended that for every 8 ounces of alcohol consumed, you also consume 8 ounces of water. It may mean visiting the water closet frequently, but it's a lot better than nursing a fierce headache.

Wine lovers may not appreciate adding water to fine wines, but I have been at functions where a wine or two is served that has 16% alcohol. In such cases, I always add at least an ounce of water to my glass because it actually makes the wine taste better. Most high-alcohol wines do not benefit from excessive alcohol.

Even better than that, however, is a ritual I have followed for decades and one that I always look forward to. When I am headed for an event at which wine is a focal point, I speak to the host and suggest that I bring a few bottles of wine. Almost no one refuses.

And the ones that I almost always bring are low-alcohol German rieslings. These are not aberrations. Germany specializes in great riesling and several of their finest are intentionally produced with roughly 7% to 10% alcohol.

Flavors of these wines are usually exotic and so fascinating that they match nicely with all kinds of diverse foods that are frequently found at such parties. The typical aromatics of these lighter styled rieslings are floral — tropical fruits, lychees, notes of honey, blossoms and berries.

Also, wines like this are usually slightly sweet, but typically are balanced by good acidity. They're frequently served cold, allowing them to work nicely with all kinds of foods.

Adding a glass of water to the routine in the middle of the evening and focusing on German Rieslings usually helps to avoid any morning-after pain and suffering.

Wine of the Week: 2023 Villa Wolf Dry Riesling, Pfalz ($15) — This is one of the most widely available and attractive German Rieslings available today. And although the label says that it is dry, the wine has just enough sweetness to make certain that the acid is not too tart. The flavors are of peach, apricot and pear and although the wine is listed at 12% alcohol, I have tasted it several times and suspect that it is closer to 11%. Gorgeous flavors and excellent balance and frequently discounted. (The 2024 vintage may already be in some areas of the county.)