Even in winter, white wines are a treat!

I don't know if it's a phase, a passing fancy, or a permanent preference, but the past couple of winters have been big on white wines for me.

When I was in the restaurant biz, I used to chalk up the fizzy glass of Prosecco, or the crisp glass of Pinot Bianco, to after work refreshment, but now that I'm out that field and still enjoying the same wines, I can see it's something deeper and not as simple as mere thirst quenching.

Granted, I'm not talking garden variety California chardonnay here; my wines of choice are always abidingly savory, and usually not overtly fruity.  They often taste like combinations of wet river rocks, sweet lemon, and salt.  Sometimes a bit of raw almond fits in there, or maybe some starfruit.

In any case, conventional wine wisdom says that during the cold months, I should be enjoying the rich, berry flavors of a hearty red, not the mineral tang of a white from the Dolomites.  Yet, even with the richer, seasonal fare-- tonight, sauteed chickpeas with prosciutto-- these kinds of whites deliver drinking satisfaction.

When it's all said and done, I guess it doesn't really matter where any of us fall on the winter wine question so long as where taking the time to relax and enjoy ourselves.  Particularly when the weather is cloudy, windy, and cold, it's easy for us to take refuge in our work, and forget the simple things that contribute so much to our overall well being.