Has the recession got you down? Are you hanging up your wine glasses and putting flowers in your decanter? I recently cleared out my closet of empty wine bottles to get a better return than I am getting in my investments. It is obvious that the recession means bad news for financial gain on monetary investments, and even poor stability in the dependable interest of savings accounts, so where is our money safe? The answer to your economic woes is in wine. Vino Veritas. I don’t just mean drowning your worries in a wine bottle; your wine purchases are the ideal liquid assets.

Start by taking stock of your cellar.  Separate the wheat from the chaff, if you will and set aside the wines that need a couple of years.  Better yet, open one of them and pour yourself a glass.  Now, you’ve likely got a few Christmas Sweater wines.  You know the ones: hostess gifts, reminders of bad dates, freebies… etc.  Although they are hardly quaffable, they are not for naught as they have the most value.  Here are a few savvy tips to make the most of your liquid stock:

The first are some favourite recipes that require a healthy indulgence of wine:

Frivolously Fruity Sangria

2-3 bottles of red wine (one cab, one merlot)
Juice of 2-3 fresh squeezed limes
Juice of 2 fresh squeezed lemons
2 Cups of fresh orange juice
1 liter bottle ginger ale or lemon lime soda
1 liter bottle club soda
1/2 cup brandy or gin
1+ Handful Strawberries, cut in half
1/2 Watermelon, in cubes
2 Thinly sliced Pears
1 orange sliced to float in final pitcher

Mix the wine, fruit, ginger ale, orange juice, lime and lemon juice, and brandy and let sit for 18-24 hours. Once the fruits and liquids have intermingled sufficiently, add club soda to thin the sweet consistency to taste. Garnish with slices of orange and maybe even some mint leaves for fun and then toast your new 750 mL stock broker for dealing you such a fine hand.

recipe inspired by Wine Esquire

For dinner, Drunken Tuscan Pasta is a favourite.   (On a personal note: you may wish to forgo the salt as the pancetta makes it salty enough.)  If you are ready to fire up the BBQ, try soaking a cedar plank in a bottle of red over night instead of water to add a rich flavour to your meats.  To finish off your meal of liquid gold, try a dessert of Maple and Wine Soaked Apple Cake.

Once you have satisfied your gastronomical needs, it is important to be aware of the many household uses of the reds and whites.

• Should you accidentally spill some red on your white shirt, let it be known that you have an abundance of stain remover at your disposal.  Simply pour a bottle of red into a large bowl or sink and soak your shirt until the stain is gone.

• Have your pets suffered the economic down-turn?  Perhaps it is time to exercise your eco-friendliness and share your wealth with those pretty little aquatic friends; top the tank up with a little Sauvignon Blanc.

• Speaking of topping up the tank, an aged Riesling or a Sauvignon Blanc with some Petrol in its character will sustain you through the wallet-pain after filling up your SUV at $1+ a litre.

• Falling stocks may cause to pull your hair, resulting in premature hair loss.  I came across information on stimulating hair growth by rubbing red wine or burgundy into the scalp.  True or not, you are bound to feel better about yourself after a few glasses.

Consider your wine purchases as a wine-stimulus package and support your local wine retailer with frequent visits.  Find your own ways of incorporating wine into your daily lifestyle and even if you would rather gaze at the wines that you have collected, you can always brag about your nice rack.