How many times have you told yourself, “I didn’t really need that last slice of pizza,” or “I wish I didn’t have that last glass of wine”?

The more you fill your plate—be it a party, a buffet or even at home—the more you almost always eat. The same goes with drinking: No matter how high your glass is filled, you’re likely to finish it.

As someone who attends a lot of wine shows and tastings, I’ve gotten used to one-ounce pourings (two ounces at the max). It’s more than enough to sample and enjoy a wine. Forget those snobby-sounding wine reviewer notes about examining its colour, nose, texture, taste and finish—the fact is, one to two ounces is simply more than enough for me to swirl, smell, sip a few times and decide how much I like the wine, all while conversing about it for five minutes with the winery representative who’s pouring the bottle.

My wife and I used to be able to routinely polish off a bottle together over dinner, dessert and TV afterward. But then we started emulating the enjoyable experiences of wine tastings and simply pouring less into the glass. I know some will think, “Well, duh! Obviously you drink less is there’s less in the glass.” But I’m not talking about that one glass; I’m talking about the entire meal or social gathering. Even when you’ve actually poured less into the glass, your mind eventually starts to plays tricks—”Hey, this is my third glass!”

It’s important to remember that wine is not water—we’re not consuming it to quench a thirst and then no longer desiring it; it’s an intoxicant, and often simply something we consciously or unconsciously do to kill time while chatting with someone.

I’m not advocating for everyone to suddenly start filling their wine glass with half of its usual contents, but to try pouring less than you typically would and see how it goes. There’s a practical reason for this as well: It allows you to truly swirl the wine in the glass. Introducing oxygen into the mix by swirling is like a mini-decanting—it allows all the aromas in a wine to release and for you to better enjoy the whole experience. When you fill a wine glass too high, however, you can’t physically swirl it without splashing wine out.

I almost always fill my guests’ wine glasses less than they’re accustomed do, and it’s sometimes awkward, as though I’m being cheap while their glass is still lingering there in their outstretched hand. My position is always—”Hey, I’ll keep filling your glass all night if you ask, but just try this.”

So give it a try. I bet you find yourself consuming less than normal, enjoying what you’re actually drinking more, and spending less in the process, since you’ll have wine left over for tomorrow night.

And if your head feels a little clearer and your body healthier the next day than might otherwise have been the case, so much the better.

 

NEW AT THE LCBO

A few new releases at the LCBO to consider, including a great value from Portugal and two very dry, consistently solid values from Australia.

Casa Santos Lima Colossal Reserva 2019 — Lisboa, Portugal ($14.95)
I like the understated clean black label of this vegan-certified Portuguese blend of Touriga Nacional, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet and Tinta Roriz. As a 2019 vintage with eight months of aging in French and American oak, this wine has already spent a good deal of time in the bottle, so drink it up now. The nose is way more impressive than the $14.95 price tag would suggest—a rich, aromatic dark fruit compote of blackberry, blackcurrant and plum with spice and olives in support. Medium+ in body, there’s more of that brash, dark, ripe fruit on the palate. The finish is a little thin, but all and all, a superb value. Pair it with ribs. 14.2% alc. 8 g/L of sugar. 88

Wakefield Estate Chardonnay 2022 — Clare Valley/Limestone Coast, Australia ($17.95)
A new release today at the LCBO, this is once again a finely balanced, lightly oaked Chardonnay from Wakefield. Lemony citrus as expected, but with tropical notes and peaches all in the mix, with secondary notes of almonds and butter. The texture is lightly creamy, while still offering crisp acidity. A good pairing for vegan dishes, chicken and fish. 13.5 %% alc. 2 g/L of sugar. Serve at 11C. 88

Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 — Limestone Coast/Clare Valley, Australia ($19.95)
A smooth, restrained Cabernet that’s at ease in its medium+ weight skin. Look for cassis, blackcurrant, cedar and a dusting of baking chocolate on the nose, while the traditional eucalypt seems (happily) dialled back in this vintage. The same primary blackcurrant and cassis fruits can be found on the palate, with fine-grained tannins helping to make this a very sippable wine. It says 14.5% alcohol on the bottle, but there’s no sense of that heat in the glass. 3 g/L of sugar. Serve at 17C. 89