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"It's so-so oaky," I can hear myself saying.

SALEM, Ore. — Buttery, smooth, oaky.

Typically in the winter, my tastes tend to veer more towards bold, oaky red wines, but, as I texted my partner, "the New Year calls for champagne."

I discovered that I loved oaky Malbec that left my tongue dry and my lips tinged purple; I loved the punchy, vinegary white sauce kept in squeeze bottles on halal carts; I loved thin-sliced pulpo and how, no matter what, one's lips looked like they wanted to be kissed when they read it off the menu; and I loved elote.

Here’s a classic California chardonnay — rich, oaky, plush in texture and spicy with flavors of peach, apricot, anise and ginger and lemon curd and lemongrass and … well, you get the idea.