Hot Plates is half-Irish, so we have to admit to feeling slightly happy each March 17 even though it has become something of an annual excuse for bad behavior. Plenty of Americans don’t feel close to any particular ethnic group, but a lot of us have fairly recent ancestors and we celebrate our connection to “the old world.”

Maybe our Irishness is the reason we smile when we read recipes for “boxty” and “boiled dinner” in the food sections this week. Neither of these things could be called delicious; maybe they’re tasty in their way, but our taste buds need a bit more, quite frankly. Still, it brings a smile. If you should, for some godawful reason, want to actually make boxty or boiled dinner, see these recipes and the others offered by The Boston Globe.

But we have digressed. This entry here is supposed to focus on wine and spirits, not food. Actually, The Globe also had a cute Plonk column about hearty reds that will “keep you fortified.” The Irish, if we may say, were all about thinking that the drink kept them fortified. So this column of the Globe’s is timely, with the 17th on Monday. The article recommends some heavier reds for people who are looking for a glassful of big taste.

It’s a big flip from big reds, but we’ll pass on this recommendation for a Chilean Chardonnay from Rebecca Murphy at the DMN. If it is like others from the same region, it has lots of personality and flavor, which makes it a great choice in the end of winter. Plus, everyone loves a $9 wine that tastes like more.

There are two noteworthy wine articles to mention before we go. The first is the L.A. Times article on “Young Winos.” The paper’s not calling them that; they call themselves that name. The article’s about a group of kids in their 20s who love wine and get together regularly to taste it and learn about it.

Apparently the young/cool/sophisticated set would “rather Google ‘Rhone’ than read Wine Spectator. And they’re more excited about a racy Argentine Malbec than a tried-and-true California Cab.” If you’re a culture vulture of any stripe, this article is a must-read. Does this sound like anyone you know? “Unlike baby boomers … local loyalties mean nothing to this group. With quality wine no longer the exception worldwide but the rule, this new generation buys wines from anywhere and everywhere … They like to learn through experience, by drinking instead of reading or tracking point scores from big-name critics such as Robert Parker.”

Which brings us to the question raised by The Washington Post’s fun lead article this week: Which wine drinker are you? Are you tolerant, sensitive, supersensitive or sweet? You can find out what kind of taster you are by using the Budometer; follow up by reading the Post piece on the psychology of tasting.

Hot Plates guessed we would be a “sensitive” and confirmed it by taking the test; give it a try — we think it’s pretty accurate. If you are the type who likes black coffee or scotch (probably also Guinness!), you are going to like certain kinds of wine. Very interesting and fun stuff for anyone fascinated by the spectrum of preferences when it comes to wine.