Spring clean your wine rack. No, seriously.

We are already at 75% full bloom of the Washington cherry blossoms and daffodils are in full bloom. Before you know it, the lingering surprise snow showers will be no longer. Spring is finally here. As I write this, much of Virginia is experiencing substantial snowfall – schools already closing Monday. As we endure our Spring rituals – whether it's preparing for relatives for Easter weekend, cleaning out the garage, straightening up the attic (that's on my to-do list), or putting away the winter clothes for the warmer weather ones, there is an important task waiting for those who have a wine rack. Drink your wine. While we hope that most of our wine will age gracefully, most of it doesn't. Most wine labels will indicate whether or not your bottle will age. My bottle of 2007 Virginia Trianon Cabernet Franc (Williamsburg Winery) indicates on the label that it "will age gracefully for 5-10 years and will soften with time." Easy enough. But what about that bottle of 2011 Vidal Blanc from Horton Vineyards your aunt gave you for Christmas? My advice. Call the winery. Give them the year and the varietal. Gather all your bottles from that winery so that one phone call is needed. Don't guess if it's a good bottle. Because a bottle opened too soon is a bottle not given the opportunity to reach its potential. A bottle opened too late, yup, you got it. I tend to put my most drinkable wines at the top, wines still aging towards the bottom. Happy Spring!