Imbibe’s Tasting Notes Newsletter, 11.10.20

It seems like just a few days ago I was enjoying the last of the summer sunsets, but here we are with Thanksgiving and the holiday season coming up fast. Blame it on all the distractions during this particularly tumultuous year, but time has been speeding past, and soon we’ll be up to our elbows in shopping lists and preparations.

This holiday season is going to be considerably different for many of us. Longstanding travel traditions are being delayed or canceled, with families and friends instead gathering distantly via Zoom or FaceTime, and seats left empty at the table. It’ll be a change from past years, and a somber season for many, but despite all these challenges, it’s still a time to celebrate, share, and be grateful. 

We can help you get in the festive mood. Maybe start by raiding the spice rack for your home happy hour, putting together a seasonally appropriate cocktail like the Cardamom + Banana Vieux Carre. Sip it as you settle down to work on your Thanksgiving to-do list, making sure to note reminders to pick up bottles of Gamay and Lambrusco for the table. You’ll also need cocktails for the long holiday weekend, so check out our suggestions for whiskey-based holiday drinks in the November/December issue (I’ve personally bookmarked the Quick Wit Old Fashioned), and if you’re thinking about alcohol-free drink options, queue up Episode 7 of our Radio Imbibe podcast, for which I chatted with Julia Bainbridge, author of Good Drinks: Alcohol-Free Recipes for When You’re Not Drinking for Whatever Reason. 

We’ve got plenty more stories and recipes here at imbibemagazine.com, and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest to keep up with the drinks world’s day to day. We’ve got a new episode of Radio Imbibe today, featuring sommelier, winemaker, and restaurateur André Mack—subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to keep up with future episodes. And right now we’re hard at work putting together our January/February 2021 issue of the magazine—if you’re not already a subscriber, click here and we can change that.

This year has presented no shortage of challenges, but we’re becoming adept at pivoting in more promising directions, and finding our way forward to better days. Hang in there, and let’s make this upcoming holiday one to remember.