Drink This Weekend Edition: Resolving to drink better in 2016

  Happy New Year! Now that the party is over, it’s time to consider your new year’s resolutions, particularly when it comes to alcohol. Here, what to drink in 2016 when you’ve resolved to drink better, cheaper or less. If you resolve to educate yourself on wine... Excellent! Head to your nearest reputable bottle shop and ask the wine professional for a world tour in six bottles. Keep your budget at $15 or less per bottle and ask for tasting notes on each wine. In the meantime, head to Reeds American Table and try the Quinta de Vale de Pios Excomungado: juicy and balanced with dark fruit and nice complexity. Not only is this wine affordably priced to go, it also comes with a highly knowledgable drink team to answer all your questions. $16. Available at Reeds American Table If you resolve to drink on a lower budget… Bargain hunting for great bottles can be a fun challenge. Segura Viudas Brut Rosé is the perfect bottle to get you started. Sparkling wines are not just for New Year’s Eve toasts. They make great pick-me-ups and add a celebratory feel to an ordinary day. This excellent dry cava is made in the Champagne method and holds strawberry and mineral notes. $9. Available at Starrs If you resolve to drink less… Did last night’s revelry leave you vowing to cut back on the booze? Lower ABV wines are readily available. Some of my favorites include gamay from France’s Loire Valley or its Jura region, as well as new-school California wines. Folk Machine Valdiguié is light, bright and at 11.5 percent, won’t knock you off your feet after a glass. $22. Available at Cork & Rind   Ben Wood has more than 10 years experience in the wine industry. He currently works as shop manager of Cork & Rind.