6 Quarantine Wine Essentials & How to Shop for Wine During COVID-19

Let’s talk about quarantine wine: How to shop for wine during quarantine, and the 6 wines and spirits you need to keep stocked at all times. If you’re new to the show, leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud! Please tell me what you're sipping by using #bribooks on Instagram, and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter.  

During COVID-19, my wine budget has definitely...ballooned. I’m learning more about natural wines via my favorite local wine shop Simple Syrup Wine and Spirits in Brooklyn, NY, my go-to for wine delivery and pickup. 

But first, I’m sharing 3 wine buying tips for how to buy wine during COVID-19.

4:20 - #1: Get to know your local wine and spirits community on Instagram. It’s one of the fastest ways to find out what’s new, hours of operation, and other vital information. Now more than ever, so many wine stores need to maintain that human connection—part of the magic of wine shopping is wandering the aisles and getting recommendations in real-time. That’s not always possible right now, so people who work in the liquor industry are turning to social media tools to get the word out about what’s happening, what’s new, and how customers can connect directly with the source. 

• 5:53 - #2: Pick a budget and do not budge it. Calculate the average price per bottle that you’re willing to pay. For me, I try to keep my purchases at $12-$15 a bottle. Setting a budget is crucial to keeping you from spending hundreds a month on wine.
• 8:00 - Tip #3: Thinking about meal prep when buying wine is a great way to make sure you’re buying wine that you’ll drink and that goes with what you're eating. 
• 9:30 - BREAK
• 9:45 - Let’s chat about the 6 wine essentials you need to have during quarantine! 
• 9:45 - #1: Bubbles. I'd recommend Lambrusco wine, an Italian style of sparkling red wine. The Lambrusco I’ve been drinking since the holidays is Vigneron Saetti Lambrusco Salamino 2019 ($22) from Vigneto Saetti Vineyards. The wine is imported by Bowler Wines. I pick it up and get delivery from Simple Syrup Wine and Spirits. 
• 12:40 - #2: Red wine. You can really take on flavors around the world with red wines. Pick a red wine that’s dependable, drinkable and can last a few days. A few grapes like montepulciano lasts long. I can get 2,3, 4, nights out of a bottle without having to worry about it getting sour. I recommend montepulciano grapes. I love Cirelli Montepulciano 2018 ($18). It comes to us from Azienda Argicola Cirelli run by Francesco and Michela Cirelli. this wine pairs with dinners that are slow-cooked. If you’re easing into your stews, soups and cornbreads, this wine is a wonderful choice. It’s imported by Zev Rovine Selections, and you can buy it from Simple Syrup here.
• 15:00 - #3: Rose wine. I want us to get into Cirelli “Wines of Anarchy” Rosato. This wine is part of Azienda Argicola Cirelli, and it’ll take you from summer to fall effortlessly. Imported by Zev Rovine Selections, think of this Rosato as the spunky younger cousin of your traditional rose. Rosato has a lot of rightness and pepperiness in it. 
• 17:15 - #4: Experimental white wine. I want us to dig into pinot gris, a white wine with a grey-blue fruity tint to it. The one I’ve been enjoying during quarantine is Michel Nartz Alsace pinot gris 2018 ($20).  Michel Nartz is a family winery established in the picturesque village of Dambach-la-Ville, in Alsace. Imported by Communal Brands, the entire winemaking process is now in the hands of Michel’s daughter Laurance Nartz. If in the NYC area, you can pick it up from Simple Syrup Wine & Spirits here. 
• 19:15: #5 - Select an old-time or new favorite! Whatever you remember tasting ocne but want to try again, this is where you have permission to say I love Mas Théo “Le P’tit Gaby” 2018 ($15) from Mas Theo vineyard in Rhone France, imported by T. Edwards. This wine has a bumpy, grippy finish--you’ll feel a bit of a hold on your tongue as the flavor develops/ unwraps on the palette. Pick it up from Simple Syrup Wine & Spirits here.
• 22:00 - #6: Liquor! Grab a spirit and mixer and make the party happen for yourself. I’m loving Letherbee Distillers Charred Oaks Absinthe Brun ($39.) It’s a white absinthe, it reminds me of Moulin Rouge just because there’s an otherworldly brightness and herbaceousness to it that you can't place. It’s aged for 6 months in a full sized charred oak cask. Grab it from Simple Syrup here.