The new year is the perfect time to explore new wines and cocktail trends that everyone will be trying in 2022. Toast the possibilities of a brighter year ahead with these seven new wines and fun cocktail trends to help you celebrate.
Ring In the New Year With New Wines
While many of our recommendations are not technically “new” this year, many of them might be new to you. The wines on our must-drink list were bottled between 2016 and 2019 and have been aged to perfection, making them wonderfully drinkable in the year 2022.
Grounded by Josh Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
A delightful blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot, Grounded by Josh Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, is featured on many top 10 wine lists this year. Enjoy its flavors of cherry candy, clove, and black pepper with notes of dried herb and cedar.
Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Memento mori is Latin for “remember you must die.” However, the founders of the Napa Valley winery from which this Cabernet Sauvignon hails put a twist on the phrase, translating it as “remember to live.” Drinking this full-bodied wine with its flavors of dark fruit, cassis, black tea, and spices might just qualify as an existential reminder.
19 Crimes Snoop Cali Rosé 2020
For the Gen Z crowd who love the lightness, sweetness, and cherry and strawberry flavors of Rosé wine right now, 19 Crimes Snoop Cali Rosé ticks off all the boxes. For added fun, the label features a scannable app that makes Snoop Dog pop up on your phone exclaiming phrases like, “This is how we Rosé.”
Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Previously only available to wine club members, Adaptation Cabernet Sauvignon is a welcome addition to a wine lover’s cellar. It’s a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Merlot produced from the grapes of five different Napa Valley growers. You’ll savor the flavors of wild blackberries, mulberries, sweet cherries, and cocoa-dipped blueberries, along with a whisper of bittersweet chocolate.
Et Fille Palmer Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
Discover savory cherry and plum flavors with earthy, woody notes in this medium-bodied Pinot Noir. With its smooth, silky texture, it's the ideal wine to pair with salmon, roasted chicken, or pasta dishes or to sip with your favorite cheese and charcuterie board.
Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot 2018
You’ll find a luscious combination of red and black fruit, caramel, and licorice flavors in this juicy Merlot. The winery and vineyards from which it comes sit atop Spring Mountain between Napa and Sonoma counties. It’s this high elevation that imbues the wine with its terroir signatures.
Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2018
Aged in French oak barrels to add complexity, this slightly buttery Chardonnay boasts flavors of apple, pear, peach, apricot, lemon, cream, and vanilla with scents of honeysuckle and baked apples. It is a rich Chardonnay that finishes well.
Other Drinking Trends Trends To Try
If you’re not a wine drinker or just enjoy mixing things up when it comes to libations, there are some exciting trends to explore in the year ahead.
Tequila Is Trending
A recent survey of retailers shows 80% plan to carry more tequila in 2022. Sales have shot up 13% in just the past few years, seriously challenging vodka’s top spot as the most popular spirit. With its versatility as a cocktail base, you’ll be seeing a lot more tequila drinks on cocktail menus in the coming year.
Putting On the Spritz
A spritz is nothing new, but one spritz cocktail in particular looks to be all the rage for the foreseeable future—the Aperol Spritz. Refreshing, light, and bittersweet, this cocktail is easy to make with just three ingredients. Simply add three parts Prosecco to two parts Aperol in a stemmed, ice-filled glass. Add a splash of soda and garnish with an orange slice, and there you have it—the perfect cocktail for celebrating or just sipping.
Convenient Cocktails
Sales of ready-to-drink cocktails (RTD) made with fine spirits skyrocketed during the pandemic and don’t look to be coming back to earth any time soon. In fact, many industry experts see RTDs as the fastest growing alcohol beverage category in the U.S. Following on the heels of popular hard seltzers, there’s an ever-increasing range of RTD varieties, from classic cocktails like rum punch to more summery drinks like mojitos. What’s more, many are sold as loose cans, so you can buy as many or as few as you’d like.
