Chinese New Year 2023 is celebrated on January 22, 2023, with this year being the Year of the Water Rabbit. The sign of the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture, and 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
According to Chinese astrology, Rabbits are predicted to be gentle, quiet, elegant, and alert as well as quick, skillful, kind, patient, and very responsible, sometimes reluctant to reveal their minds to others and having a tendency to escape reality, but always faithful to those around them.
In Chinese astrology, water means longevity and peace, and the Rabbit is a symbol of vigilance, wittiness, cautiousness, deftness, and self-protection. People born in the year of the Water Rabbit year are predicted to enjoy good fortune and have a peaceful mind throughout their lives.
The Year of the Rabbit 2023 is expected to be more relaxed and peaceful, with less anger and frustration. Additionally, it is predicted that financial success will come more easily during this year. Those born under the sign of the Rabbit are known for their calm and decisive nature, which helps them to navigate difficult situations effectively.
People associated with this Water element act with the characteristic fluidity of water, influencing the environment with their strength and discreet charm. Creative and engaging, diplomatic and intuitive, these individuals are masters of subtle manipulation. They will win the trust and affection of those around them without even seeming to try.
(from www.thechinesezodiac.org)
We all need some peace in 2023, considering how disruptive 2022 was with the war in Ukraine, plus economic worries. Hopefully, the Year of the Water Rabbit is the remedy.
Famous People Born in the Year of the Rabbit
Here are a few famous people born in the Year of the Rabbit, plus me!
| Famous Rabbit | Birth Date | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Einstein | March 14th, 1879 | Earth Rabbit |
| Michael Jordan | February 17th, 1963 | Water Rabbit |
| David Beckham | May 2nd, 1975 | Wood Rabbit |
| Lionel Messi | June 24th, 1987 | Fire Rabbit |
(from chinahighlights.com)
Wines with a Rabbit Theme
Here are some wines and spirits that I found in Canada and abroad that have the rabbit theme. You may want a bottle to enjoy with your Chinese New Year dinner.
Canadian Wine
Rosewood Estates Winery, Lincoln, Ontario. This winery, located west of Niagara, has their 2021 White Rabbit. It is a white wine blend of 67.7% Chardonnay, 18.6% Sémillon, 8.6% Riesling, and 5.1% Savagnin. 100% wild fermented and aged in stainless steel. Bottled unfined (vegan friendly). Buy from the winery at this link.
The Hare Wine Company Jack Rabbit Special Blend Red 2019 is a wine made in Ontario, a blend of Baco Noir and Cabernet Franc, for the LCBO. It is on clearance. Grab the last few bottles. There is also The Hare Wine Company Jack Rabbit Special Blend White 2019 and a Jack Rabbit Special Edition Rosé 2020 available at LCBO stores.
Waupoos Estates Winery from Ontario makes a White Rabbit blend and a Red Rabbit blend that is available at LCBO stores. Waupoos has a rabbit on all their labels. Being in a bilingual country, some labels use the French word “lapin”. They have a wide selection of red, white, sparkling, ice wine, and rose wines, as well as a wine spritzer.
Wine from Around the World
White Rabbit Riesling from Germany. I could not find out which winery in Germany makes this wine, but it does show up in liquor stores across Canada. Everything Wine in BC sells this wine as does Cascadia Liquor in Victoria.
From the Central Otago region in South New Zealand, Rabbit Ranch Winery has a range of wines for you to choose from. According to the winery, “The original owner of the Rabbit Ranch – Mr McGregor tried a number of measures to rid the land of the rabbits at the turn of the century but was unsuccessful. In the end, he decided to plant some vines and make wine.” They produce Pinot Noir, White Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Rose, and Sauvignon Blanc wines. You can purchase the wines online from the winery, if allowed in your country. The Pinot Noir is available through Total Wine in the United States.
Whiskeys
I did find a distillery in the USA called Rabbit Hole that makes two Bourbon Whiskeys that are available at BC Liquor stores. One is also available at Ontario’s LCBO. Plus, if you are in Ontario, there is a Johnnie Walker Blue CNY Year of the Rabbit Whiskey.
