Dry January Is for Quitters

A Trade-Friendly Way to Talk Wellness Without Killing the Mood

Dry January is a tough month for the wine industry. Buyers go quiet. Consumers announce they’re “being good.” And suddenly, everyone is acting like pleasure is a bad habit that needs correcting.

But we all know how this story ends.

By mid-January, most resolutions are already unraveling. Nearly 88% of people give up on their New Year’s goals within the first two weeks, and 43% quit before January 31st. Gym sneakers collect dust, salads wilt, and resolutions disappear like smoke from those cigarettes they meant to give up.

Meanwhile, the French quietly raise an eyebrow and keep their glass of wine at dinner. They also live about six years longer than Americans, with an obesity rate roughly half that of the U.S., and studies show they spend more of those years in good health.

“Dry January” may sound virtuous, but the psychology is clear: extreme restriction doesn’t create wellness. Research from Ohio State shows 95% of dieters regain lost weight within two years, and new reviews show restrictive eating increases binge-eating. Low-calorie diets have also been linked to higher depressive symptoms and weakened immunity.

What does work? Pleasure. Moderation. Community. Decades of research show people with strong social connections are happier, healthier, and live longer. Those who meet friends a few times a week are up to 16% more likely to report good health. A life that includes joy, shared meals, creativity, hobbies, and time with friends isn’t indulgent. It’s protective.

That’s the lane JP Bourgeois Wine Imports is leaning into this January: wines that fit naturally into real life. Bottles that work with food, conversation, and community. Wines that feel good to sell because they feel good to drink.

With this in mind, we have a few suggestions in mind!

  • Domaine de Châteaumar Châteauneuf-du-Pape has power, depth, and layers of dark fruit and spice. A bottle for long, laughter-filled. Perfect for reconnecting with favorite customers or hosting a proper winter dinner. 
    • January resolution? Reconnecting with old friends
  • Gönc Starman: A contemplative, low-intervention white for quieter evenings and new hobbies.
    • January resolution? Learn something new
  • Bodegas Latúe Tempranillo: Bright cherry, soft texture, forest-fruit aromatics. Serve slightly chilled and settle in with a new book.
    • January resolution? Read More Books
  • Bodegas Latúe Airén
    Fresh, fruity, tropical, and crisp enough to make healthy eating feel joyful rather than punishing.

    • January resolution: Eat more veggies
  • RAW Red Blend
    An organic, vegan, chill-friendly red for easy dinners and card games.

    • January Resolution: Host a dinner party
  • Chêne Vert Crozes-Hermitage Rouge
    Elegant Syrah aged in Burgundian barrels. The wine that gets everyone around the table.

    • January Resolution? Community > endless scrolling
  • RAW Frizzante playful frizzante that reminds people that wine doesn’t need an occasion.
    • January Resolution: Enjoy every day.

Let 2026 be the year we focus on connection, creativity, and the small rituals that make life feel good again. Good food. Good company. And yes, good wine.

Wines Featured in This Story

Domaine de Châteaumar Cuvée Secret de Nos Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Cuvée Secret de Nos Vignes represents the Souret family’s mastery at its most refined. A Châteauneuf-du-Pape of quiet power and depth. Layered with dark fruit, herbs, and spice, it unfolds slowly, revealing both warmth and grace. This cuvée honors the strength of its terroir and the patience of generations, capturing the soul of the southern Rhône in every glass.

A blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre the wine is deep garnet in color, with aromas of black cherry, fig, licorice, and wild herbs. The palate is full and expressive:  ripe fruit, supple tannins, and a long, savory finish that lingers with spice and earth.

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Gönc Winery Starman, Štajerska

Blend: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Riesling
Aging: 15 months on fine lees

Single vineyard, grapes handpicked under the morning stars. Funky native yeast, maceration done with bare hands, pressed in the moonlight. With French oak, mixed on lees with sheer will for 15 moons, and a journey to bottle with no filtration.

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Bodegas Latúe Tempranillo, La Mancha

Blend: 100% Tempranillo
Aging: 6 to 8 months in stainless steel tanks

This fresh and soft but still juicy and fruity wine is a welcome respite from the omnipresent overripe, over-extracted, sweet, and highly alcoholic La Mancha Tempranillo that’s become the standard these days. Its luminous Bing cherry color telegraphs the same fruit that dominates the clean and radiant nose, with forest fruit and tropical floral aromas lending additional complexity. Despite its gulpable body and texture, there’s solid structure here and a very long finish. Serve cellar temperature or even chilled a bit with pizza, burgers, or any everyday meal.

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Bodegas Latúe Airén, La Mancha

Blend: 100% Airén
Aging: 7 months in stainless steel tanks

A rare chance to taste one of the world’s least known but most widely-planted grapes vinified all by itself. It has a bright yellow color with aromas of tropical fruits and green apple. It’s fresh, fruity, light but not too light, with a persistent and lively finish. A subtle mineral cut heading into the finish lends some backbone to this easy-drinking value wine that’s a fun cocktail wine or an all-round companion to just about any dish that calls for a glass of white wine.

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RAW Red Blend

Blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot
Aging: 6 to 8 months in stainless steel tanks

Deep purple in color with the aromas of dark fruit and spices on the nose. Cabernet Sauvignon’s richness is evident in the array of chocolate, spices, and dark fruit that explodes on the palate. Tempranillo’s ripe cherry serves as the juicy, thirst-quenching core. Merlot’s graceful texture makes it hard to put down the bottle. Serve slightly chilled and what could be a better pairing with friends around a table of tapas? Certified organic and vegan.

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Chêne Vert Crozes-Hermitage Rouge

Blend: 100% Syrah
Aging: 12 months in Burgundian barrels for added complexity

Domaine du Chêne Vert’s Crozes-Hermitage Rouge is a rich, intense red with a vibrant ruby color. It opens with sweet spices, and as it aerates, it reveals an elegant violet note. The palate is finely tannic, smooth, and fresh, with coated tannins and a beautiful length, without any heaviness. This wine will gain more complexity with a few years of aging. The winemaker recommends to pair it with a rib of beef from the AOC fin gras du Mézenc either with a caillette as an aperitif or with a Valrhona chocolate coulant heart.

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RAW Frizzante

Blend: 50% Airén, 50% Sauvignon Blanc, with 16g sugar added in the form of unfermented Muscat
Aging: 7 months in stainless steel tanks

The most fun you can have drinking wine, and with the handsome swing-top closure you can look good doing it, too. Pale yellow in color, with a greenish iridescence. Light and invigorating flavors of white fruit, fresh grapes, spring flowers, and a hint of tangerine, all brought to vivid life by a gentle fizz. Pop that top and serve chilled with tapas, seafood, risotto, or sushi. Certified organic and vegan.

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