At what vintage do you stop buying.

[Con J]

Of course this would depend on your age and what stage your cellar is at.
I feel that at my age and the size of my cellar that I should stop buying new releases. I must admit that I’ve been saying this for the last few years then cave in when I start getting offers.

So the last vintages I plan on buying will be 2014 for Burgundy, 2012 for Barolo, Barbaresco and Brunello, 2014 for Aussie stuff.
Already stopped with the 2010 vintage for Bordeaux and Rhone.

This doesn’t mean that I will stop buying altogether just back fill.

Have any of you thought about this?

Cheers Con.

[Polymer]

Probably once I lack the capacity to think about buying..(which is hopefully when I'm very very old)

New wine producers, style changes, etc...While I loved aged wine, I like young wine too..

There might be one exception to that...which is Semillon...given I think the screwcap versions are 25+ years before I want to drink them, I may need to plan that one out a bit more...

[brodie]

Hi Con,

great question. For Bordeaux I stopped in 2009, for Piedmont it was 2010. For North Rhone 2014. For Red Burgundies I have made huge cut backs but not quite zero. For Aussies it was 2004. For whites I continue to buy. As you say it depends on your age and your cellar situation. On both of these counts I should not be buying a single bottle. But the impulse to buy is so strong.

Brodie

[Benchmark]

Geez Con, you don't look that old.

[shauno]

Never!

But depending on the size of the cellar, you may need to buy at the same or slower rate than you're drinking.

I'm about 40 bottles above my ideal capacity (due to space, age, etc) so need to slow down (or sell some or drink more!)

[Red Smurf]

The world of wine is massive and ever changing so I will never stop buying because I never want to stop learning.

[Polymer]

The world of wine is massive and ever changing so I will never stop buying because I never want to stop learning.

Yeap...Every year there is something new/different...Not sure why I'd ever really want to give that up.

I might buy less but but stopping..not sure that'll happen (except with Semillon).

[mjs]

Geez Con, you don't look that old.

^^ +1

[Hacker]

I'm 56 and have a fairly wide and deep collection of around 3000 bottles. France, Italy, and of course a wide spread of beautiful Aussie wines. I have managed to manipulate myself onto some revered lists and connections where I get some great offers.
I have three grown children and in one sense when I buy I am thinking they will benefit when I fall off the perch. They all show interest in wine so that is good motivation for me. I notice though that my tastes are moving from Barossa bruisers to Margaret River cabs and (almost) anything Pinot related. So I just pick my purchases with care

[Waiters Friend]

I've stopped buying Grange for this reason. I'm 53, and my few Granges are 84-90, with a solitary 99 in case I make it to my late 80s. I intend to enjoy the older wines now, when I am still young enough to do so. A couple of Granges will be opened this April, not coincidentally when a close friend turns 80 and I turn 54. It's the occasion as well as the wine, and if I bought the current 2012 Grange, neither he or (probably) I will be around to enjoy it at it's best.

Apart from that, I'm all for trying different wines in their youth, adolescence, adulthood and middle age, and will continue to buy some wines every year (partially) to continue verticals.

[paulf]

This really depends a lot on what you like to drink. I'm attempting to not expand my collection greatly at the moment, but I'll continue to buy for the long term, as there is stuff I like to drink young like rose and riesling (I like this old too). I also like to keep a selection of quaffers around for midweek drinking or when you need a bit to cook with.
With a lot of the reds I buy, I work on a 10 year theory, although perhaps a little less for pinot, and I am really only just getting to the stage now where I can pull out a 10+ year old wine 1 or two times a week without worryign about depleting my stocks.
Where I have really put the brakes on is on vintage port. That may change with the 2015s likely to be generally declared, but I won't be buying in volume and the bulk of my collection there is from the early 2000s

[dave vino]

I'm 56 and have a fairly wide and deep collection of around 3000 bottles.

How do you decide what to drink?? I struggle with 1/7 that amount.

[Hacker]

I'm 56 and have a fairly wide and deep collection of around 3000 bottles.

How do you decide what to drink?? I struggle with 1/7 that amount.

I have the vast majority locked away in professional storage and can't easily access it. I have a range of stuff at home though. Such a first world problem.

[michel]

I
I have managed to manipulate myself onto some revered lists and connections where I get some great offers.
e

such as ?
I really dont know any lists you cannot get on without persistance and politeness......

[Matt@5453]

When the asking price of the wine becomes over inflated (in my eyes) and I see better value elsewhere.

[Con J]

Obviously everyone’s situation is different to each other.

I’ll be 53 and have about 1800 bottles.
I’ve got no kids to leave my wine to so this is probably why I’ve been thinking about this.

I drink most of my wine with my wine groups, a couple of times a month.
I’d be lucky to open a bottle a week at home and my wife’s not that interested in wine. If I do the math’s I’ve got more than enough to last me.

I’ve still got decent amount of Aussie stuff from the 90’s and 00’s to drink so I don’t buy drink now wine. The last few years I’ve been buying quality over quantity and mainly imported to age. my interest is in the regions I mentioned above and a little bit of German Riesling.

Cheers Con.

[Teisto]

Have pondered this first world dilemma many a time. I have around 1500 bottles of which dates back to mid 90's - although fairly skimpy as to what's left there around 20-30 bottles. I'm only 44 but worried some of the stuff when it comes round my palate will be shot and I can't taste anything.

I have pretty much mainly Aus wines which cover the range however need to diversify into more Italian (very little) and more french (somewhat more). I buy top ups for when I want to drink something that is easy and simple as opposed to spending time with and dissecting. Also wanting to experiment more with different styles so will often go buy a one off to see what it's like.

I'm fairly lucky that now I can regularly pull out stuff that is 10+ years old or settle for a 5 - 8 year old "quaffer"

I have a lot now that will last another 20-30 years so plan to cut back and buy more quality. I then worry I will run out because I have purchased something for X when I could have bought 3 Y for the same price

I too want to try more top end wine ie Burgundy, Bordeaux but need to educate myself more to determine where the value is. I am also finding myself getting annoyed at the top end of Australia and feel an obligation to give my money to the smaller guys that are passionate ie Alex Head and some of the wineries that don't take themselves too seriously but churn out a good product.

[Scotty vino]

this is an interesting question.
How long's a piece of string?
It makes it hard when local vintages such as 2007/2011 are followed up with 2010 and 2012.
One minute it's doom and gloom and the next we're being told it's the vintage of the decade!
So without the benefit of a time machine I don't think I'll stop buying based on a vintage.
This seems like a question of when is enough enough....

I wouldn't like to put a number or projected ceiling on my collecting or collection as such.
For me it's more of an encapsulating hobby than just a formula of volume versus age.
Whenever it stops being enjoyable across the board I'll give it away.
But for now I still really enjoy the regions, the people and the good times.
so giddy up!

[Ian S]

Never!

But depending on the size of the cellar, you may need to buy at the same or slower rate than you're drinking.

^ This

Building up the cellar I've always respected wines that were capable of improving over decades. They still have my respect, but at some point buying a wine that should be opened in 30 years is either unrealistic or just very ambitious. We'll see when that point is.

[GraemeG]

The world of wine is massive and ever changing so I will never stop buying because I never want to stop learning.

This.
Plus, I intend to live forever (the plan is going well so far!) so to stop buying is an admission that I'm ready to curl up and die.
Next thing you know, I'm buying a beige Camry and tuning to 'easy-listening' radio stations.

Oh, and KEEP OFF MY LAWN!

GG

[Benchmark]

Obviously everyone’s situation is different to each other.

I’ll be 53 and have about 1800 bottles.
I’ve got no kids to leave my wine to so this is probably why I’ve been thinking about this.

Adopt Shell.

Problem solved

[bdellabosca]

Adopt me!!

Ouch - I tune to 'easy listening' radio stations... but it's ok as my Camry is metallic silver rather than beige!

[bdellabosca]

Oh, and KEEP OFF MY LAWN!

[phillisc]

Beautiful commentary here chaps, Con J great thread, and not to have any kids to worry about...that's smart, particularity if they are always asking for bottles like my two are.
At a year shy of you and a cellar that resembles Hacker's numbers, but less of a spread...its a question that I often ponder.
I was on 60 mailers at one stage...before kids rolled around and living costs mounted up, but now are on about 5 or so only.
I was fortunate to be one of the first few through on the weekend that Robert got going and have been on the Rockford mailer for 30+ years now...BP from 86-13, Wendouree 86-14 and Wynns 66-14. You could argue that these three wineries alone are great VFM propositions ( even though the prices are silly for the Wynns premiums) and over the journey the wines have been pretty good too....hence they represent a fair chunk...and I will probably keep these three going.
My lads show interest...interest to take over the mailer...perhaps not.
What has been great in the last 5-10 years is I have brought a whole lot of other stuff (perhaps to compensate for the 55 wineries that I don't buy from anymore) so finally getting diversity at last.
I do think though and some disagree, but purely because I don't have nearly enough of either...wine to me is like coin, you can always do with more.

Cheers
Craig.

[GraemeG]

Indeed Craig. As I say to my wife "The money isn't spent until you open the bottle" and I confirmed that by actually selling some wine once (although it was just to buy more...).
What's tricky is admitting you have 600 bottles in the cellar but nothing to drink tonight, for all sorts of reasons...
cheers,
Graeme

[Waiters Friend]

Indeed Craig. As I say to my wife "The money isn't spent until you open the bottle" and I confirmed that by actually selling some wine once (although it was just to buy more...).
What's tricky is admitting you have 600 bottles in the cellar but nothing to drink tonight, for all sorts of reasons...
cheers,
Graeme

I have to disagree, GraemeG. The money is spent when you buy. Opening the bottle is free. That's a great excuse to open just about anything.