It struck me the other day that I was accumulating some fairly expensive wines for the cellar (for me anyway) that were over $50 and pushing upwards of $100. I don't mind cracking a $50 bottle on a Sat evening Whim but what about $100 wines?
When do you get to drink these wines?
I have been keeping them for special occassions but have found a lot coming into drinking windows and not enough special occassions!
what does everyone else do?
When do you drink $100 wines
I have a bunch of quaffers (sub $20) on hand at all times, for when I feel like a drink but couldn't really care less what it is - as long as I like it.
But I'll crack a $50 or $100 wine "on a whim", no special occasion needed, if I feel like having something special. If I'm "in the mood" for something better, then something better it is. Normally, I just have to be satisfied that I'm giving myself a fair crack at appreciating what I'm about to open. Right food, or right evening, right company, no rush, feeling well, nose and palate working properly etc. Otherwise I know I'm wasting the bottle and will go for something less special. I got over feeling guilty about having my Giaconda pinot or Leeuwin Art Chard on an "ordinary" evening long ago. I've learned instead to appreciate that I'm enjoying such a fabulous drop, and in so doing turning an "ordinary" evening into a better one! Sans budgetary constraints, I'd be decadent every time. I'm with Gary on this one.
But I'll crack a $50 or $100 wine "on a whim", no special occasion needed, if I feel like having something special. If I'm "in the mood" for something better, then something better it is. Normally, I just have to be satisfied that I'm giving myself a fair crack at appreciating what I'm about to open. Right food, or right evening, right company, no rush, feeling well, nose and palate working properly etc. Otherwise I know I'm wasting the bottle and will go for something less special. I got over feeling guilty about having my Giaconda pinot or Leeuwin Art Chard on an "ordinary" evening long ago. I've learned instead to appreciate that I'm enjoying such a fabulous drop, and in so doing turning an "ordinary" evening into a better one! Sans budgetary constraints, I'd be decadent every time. I'm with Gary on this one.
Let the kids out!
Walshy prefers to drink really expensive wines when he is 3/4 cut. 
Personally, I prefer to share em with a few people I like and who appreciate what is being opened for them. That means for me and the wife usually. No special occasion required, it's usually just a matter of "I feel like something really good tonight".
Personally, I prefer to share em with a few people I like and who appreciate what is being opened for them. That means for me and the wife usually. No special occasion required, it's usually just a matter of "I feel like something really good tonight".
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Baby Chickpea
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 12:17 pm
Gary W wrote:Drink them whenever it pleases you most. I am just has happy to drink a $100 wine on a Tuesday as a Saturday. Life is too short to muck about with this sort of thing (finances permitting of course).
GW
Correct. I got over this many years ago
Often a special wine can improve the outlook and current situation
Danny
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes. We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond - Marcel Proust
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes. We must never be afraid to go too far, for success lies just beyond - Marcel Proust
Gary W wrote:Davo wrote:Walshy prefers to drink really expensive wines when he is 3/4 cut.
The most memorable wines I have ever had are usually the ones I can't remember.
GW
Well, there will be more of that happening as you head towards your alcohol fueled premature senility, so you should have some great unmemorable wines to look forward to hehe
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bacchaebabe
- Posts: 1222
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:04 pm
- Location: Sydney
Interesting question and something I'm still trying to come to terms with. I have no problems opening even $300 bottles for special occasions (or even offlines when I know it will be appreciated) but I find my cellar full of $100+ bottles and still feel the need to justify opening them when not a special occasion. Doing it a lot more with friends but I still find it an issue.
I'll eventually get over it as many are approaching drinking time in a hurry!
I'll eventually get over it as many are approaching drinking time in a hurry!
Cheers,
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
Kris
There's a fine wine between pleasure and pain
(Stolen from the graffiti in the ladies loos at Pegasus Bay winery)
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JamieBahrain
- Posts: 3754
- Joined: Sat Aug 16, 2003 7:40 am
- Location: Fragrant Harbour.
Most days of the week.
This is my local Hong Kong bottleshop's specials this week-
PRODUCER FOCUS - PENFOLDS
PENFOLDS THOMAS HYLAND CABERNET
148.00
PENFOLDS THOMAS HYLAND SHIRAZ
148.00
PENFOLDS BIN128 COONAWARRA SHIRAZ 2002
228.00
PENFOLDS BIN 407 CAB SAUV 2001
268.00
PENFOLDS BIN 389 CAB SHIRAZ 2002
388.00
PENFOLDS BIN 389 CAB SHIRAZ 1999
398.00
PENFOLDS ST HENRI SHIRAZ 2001
598.00
PENFOLDS BIN 707 CAB SAUV 2002
1088.00
PENFOLDS RWT SHIRAZ 2001
1128.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1999
2988.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 2000
3518.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1992
3638.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1991
3998.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1983
4188.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1990
5288.00
Divide by 5.7 for AUD.
This is my local Hong Kong bottleshop's specials this week-
PRODUCER FOCUS - PENFOLDS
PENFOLDS THOMAS HYLAND CABERNET
148.00
PENFOLDS THOMAS HYLAND SHIRAZ
148.00
PENFOLDS BIN128 COONAWARRA SHIRAZ 2002
228.00
PENFOLDS BIN 407 CAB SAUV 2001
268.00
PENFOLDS BIN 389 CAB SHIRAZ 2002
388.00
PENFOLDS BIN 389 CAB SHIRAZ 1999
398.00
PENFOLDS ST HENRI SHIRAZ 2001
598.00
PENFOLDS BIN 707 CAB SAUV 2002
1088.00
PENFOLDS RWT SHIRAZ 2001
1128.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1999
2988.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 2000
3518.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1992
3638.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1991
3998.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1983
4188.00
PENFOLDS GRANGE 1990
5288.00
Divide by 5.7 for AUD.
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Serge Birbrair
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Mike Hawkins
- Posts: 2747
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:39 am
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Serge Birbrair
Mike Hawkins wrote:They're no good to you once you're dead .....
might not be the case!
1) I instructed my wife to open our BEST bottles for the party after my funeral.
2) after death, if you are a good moslem, Koran guarantees you GREAT wines:
Koran 47:15
Here is a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised. In it
are...rivers of wine...
Koran 56:7-40
They shall recline on jeweled couches face to face, and there shalt wait on
them immortal youths with bowls and ewers and a cup of purest wine:
Koran 83:23-26
The righteous will surely dwell in bliss. Reclining upon soft couches they
will gaze around them: and in their faces you shall mark the glow of joy.
They shall be given a pure wine to drink, securely sealed, whose very dregs
are musk...
My only concern is the last promise:
are the bottles securely sealed with corks or screw caps? What are the percentages of TCA affected corks in Paradise?
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KMP
- Posts: 1246
- Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2004 4:02 am
- Location: Expat, now in San Diego, California
- Contact:
Serge wrote:Mike Hawkins wrote:They're no good to you once you're dead .....
might not be the case!
My only concern is ..........are the bottles securely sealed with corks or screw caps? What are the percentages of TCA affected corks in Paradise?
Serge ... This in one reason why I give a generous tip to the wine waiter at the Saturday tasting I attend. Not only do I get good service but he knows I appreciate it when he doesn't question that a wine is corked, and opens a fresh bottle. If he doesn't make it upstairs before I do I'm hoping my name has been passed on among his older professional friends.
Mike
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Serge Birbrair
Mike,
salut! I don't know about others, but you are definatelly guaranteed good juice "upstairs!" When I was a student in USSR, I used to live with 2 Palestinians in the same room and I made the deal with them:
I traded my allocations of virgins for their allocation of wine! I'll be celebate but very happy nevertheless...and my better half doesn't mind the arrangement.
salut! I don't know about others, but you are definatelly guaranteed good juice "upstairs!" When I was a student in USSR, I used to live with 2 Palestinians in the same room and I made the deal with them:
I traded my allocations of virgins for their allocation of wine! I'll be celebate but very happy nevertheless...and my better half doesn't mind the arrangement.
I think the consensus is reached as a function of another disease wine freaks tend to have which may be an even sharper point of conversation:
We buy way way too many top flight wines for the number of real occassions that demand them! Too many 'must haves', 'too many icons'
I must admit to being one of these people. My average $$ cost is stupidly high as I find it easier to resist buying cheaper wines!!
I tend to drink them mainly on special occassions with those that appreciate them (this includes most my friends and family)
As my total cellar size isnt anywhere near the size as most here (been at 300-350 for the last 8 years), my 'problem' is managable. With the size of many cellars about it must just becomes statistically necessary to drink something good on a 'monday night' or risk an eventual tidal wave of 'you need to drink me soon before I decline' wines clogging the cellar.
We buy way way too many top flight wines for the number of real occassions that demand them! Too many 'must haves', 'too many icons'
I must admit to being one of these people. My average $$ cost is stupidly high as I find it easier to resist buying cheaper wines!!
I tend to drink them mainly on special occassions with those that appreciate them (this includes most my friends and family)
As my total cellar size isnt anywhere near the size as most here (been at 300-350 for the last 8 years), my 'problem' is managable. With the size of many cellars about it must just becomes statistically necessary to drink something good on a 'monday night' or risk an eventual tidal wave of 'you need to drink me soon before I decline' wines clogging the cellar.
