Happy New Year!

Some contemplations & thank you ❤️

Yes, it’s here – one of THE most built up days/nights of the year…when we are supposed to magically release the past year and go forth with goals, resolutions, etc. for the new year. I am sure most folks can laugh with me at the preposterous nature of all this, and I hope you go easy on yourself with all the new year’s “stuff”!  (This includes putting undue pressure on tonight’s meal and drinks; just enjoy the moment – whatever it may be!)

I am the queen of going easy on myself with new year’s ponderings. In the past I have simply been too tired from working full time in restaurants and retail to get too worked up! But I will admit that I do love some quiet contemplation and loose goals (mostly centered around pleasurable things – like listening to more vinyl or taking more bubble baths!). 

So, as I look back on this last year, I will admit it’s had some major highs and major lows… Highs: meeting/hosting events with wine heroes like natural wine guru Alice Feiring and the incredible wine writer Jon Bonné; taking my partner in all things to France for the first time (we’ve been together 15 years, and we’ve never visited my favorite place together?!?), and this trip also contained my first trip to the region of Champagne (more on this in a later newsletter!). 

Of course, the lows held just as much meaning and sentiment – losing dear friends, closing the wine shop/bar I helped create over the past six years, and thus saying good bye to so many amazing customers/teammates from this chapter… So yes, there is reflection and sadness, but I will also say that this newsletter and all of you dedicated readers have been a solace. I have always wanted to return to my writing roots (and often wrote this down as a new year’s goal). And look, it's happening!

So thank YOU for this gift, and I do hope that all of you find some gifts in looking back AND forward. 

Cheers and much appreciation to all of you 🥂 Sarah

P.S.I will be taking this coming week off from the newsletter to brainstorm future content and would love to hear what y’all are looking for… Recipes? Wine advice? Travel advice? More stories? Videos? Please comment with any and all ideas!

P.P.S. You can find all of my Substack content by clicking here – basically a little Grape to Table website created by the great folks at Substack. Two pages on that website that might be of interest if you live in Charleston: my wine club page and my wine class page (there are still a few seats left in each of my winter classes).