The first days of January may inspire a “new year new me” mantra in some, but for others, me included, midwinter is less of a renaissance and more of a time for hunkering down and following nature’s quieter rhythm. At home and in the kitchen this might mean we slow our stride and find respect for processes. Less haste, more pleasure. I’ll be challenging myself with recipes that, despite a few extra steps, come with great reward. Winter is a time for honing patience, after all. In a pinch, however, there’s no shame in leaning on pantry staples; assembling them in creative ways to make something delicious is a huge success in my book. And to accompany all this great food, a case of versatile wines is a must! 
     In this winter’s “Essentials Pack,” we’re swapping out the wines we gravitated to during the fall—the dark rosés and light-weight whites—in favor of more brisk and breezy ones from mountainous regions like Alto Adige and Savoie where aromas intensify and minerality pulsates. Now is the time to warm up with peppery, grounding reds like Bouvier’s Bourgogne rouge and Breton’s “Trinch” or bright and easy ones to complement heftier fare (and portion sizes), like a Bardolino from the Veneto or Chanrion’s Côte-de-Brouilly. If you can park yourself somewhere in front of a billowing woodfire, all the better. Perhaps while sipping on wines with irresistibly smoky profiles like Félix Meyer’s Pinot Blanc or the Fumin from Château Feuillet in the Valle d’Aosta. The resolutions can wait until spring.