One is the Loneliest Number

CellarTracker Main Site

One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Cellar Talk] >> General Discussion >> One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons

Page: [1]

[Poll]

One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons

Buy Singletons often?

16% (13)

Occasionally Buy Singletons?

32% (25)

Rarely/Never Buy Singletons?

14% (11)

Pay attention when multi-bottle purchase reaches "Last Puppy" status?

18% (14)

Hold on to Last Puppies to keep verticals intact?

14% (11)

Hold on to Last Puppies regardless?

3% (3)

Total Votes : 77

(last vote on : 3/28/2024 11:14:34 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 9:41:38 AM

ChrisinCowiche

Posts: 7845
Joined: 12/16/2009
From: Cowiche, WA
Status: offline

Noticing a boat load in my own cellar I thought I'd survey others. Really about how you buy, then how you manage singletons, particularly when they reach Last Puppy status. Similar chats before on the subject, but we like to beat horses around here. I currently have 185 Last Puppies!

MULTIPLE SELECTIONS POSSIBLE (if I did poll creation correctly)

Do you:

< Message edited by ChrisinCowiche -- 3/13/2024 9:42:30 AM >

_____________________________

http://www.cellartracker.com/new/user.asp?iUserOverride=102173

Post #: 1

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 10:57:37 AM

Jenise

Posts: 1315
Joined: 3/20/2013
From: The Pacific Northest Westest
Status: offline

I'm somewhere between 'occasional' and 'rare'. Just yesterday I bought a Bledsoe Cab just to have an opinion about it, for instance, and that's something that I do frequently with Washington wines where, on the whole, I'm not looking to add to my cellar.

(in reply to ChrisinCowiche)

Post #: 2

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 1:23:22 PM

skifree

Posts: 3406
Joined: 3/14/2010
From: SE King County, Washington
Status: offline

Well, after a bit of work I figured out I have 459 singleton's in my cellar! Most of these are last puppies, but not all. I have been buying more singletons of wines I wanted to try, and have always bought singletons of trophy wines that I really wanted to experience (Grange, Unico, La La's, etc.).

I don't really manage when or for what occasion with most of my singleton's. The exception is the expensive wines, which I try to have when I am going to have time to focus on the wine. But as always with me, that's more of a guideline than a rule.

_____________________________

So much wine, so little time

(in reply to Jenise)

Post #: 3

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 2:06:41 PM

grafstrb

Posts: 8833
Joined: 11/6/2007
From: LAla land
Status: offline

I voted "often" and "pay attention". Verticals are worthless unless you're going to be opening them at the same time (or some portion thereof) --- since that was me being kinda loose with my words, I'll clarify as follows: I'll never hang on to a singleton solely to maintain a vertical because a vertical in my cellar is doing nothing besides taking up space.

I buy singletons, usually, to try new wines/vintages; if I'm interested in potentially having more, I'll try to open that singleton sooner-rather-than-later, so I still have the opportunity to buy more if I want to. As time goes by in this hobby, I find myself buying singletons a lot less than I used to, but I still voted "often." I buy lots of singletons in stores; when I'm responding to an email blast, my minimum ask is typically 2 bottles, and I'm often requesting more.

< Message edited by grafstrb -- 3/13/2024 2:07:19 PM >

_____________________________

Terroir is not a flavor.

(in reply to skifree)

Post #: 4

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 7:18:06 PM

MB1991

Posts: 63
Joined: 3/27/2023
Status: offline

Being new in the wine world, I buy a ton of single bottles to see what I like and don't while keeping inventory costs lower. Often regret not having more bottles once I can't get more

(in reply to grafstrb)

Post #: 5

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 10:06:48 PM

grafstrb

Posts: 8833
Joined: 11/6/2007
From: LAla land
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: MB1991

Being new in the wine world, I buy a ton of single bottles to see what I like and don't while keeping inventory costs lower. Often regret not having more bottles once I can't get more

You are absolutely doing it correctly if you're just starting out.

_____________________________

Terroir is not a flavor.

(in reply to MB1991)

Post #: 6

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/13/2024 10:29:10 PM

ericindc

Posts: 2081
Joined: 7/6/2012
From: District of Columbia
Status: offline

when I buy stuff to age, I never buy singles. For aged bottles at retail or auction, I will buy singles as its hard to find doubles/triples or some older bottles.

_____________________________

-Eric
Just waiting for my Grand Cru to age.

(in reply to grafstrb)

Post #: 7

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 8:40:18 AM

Sourdough

Posts: 1883
Joined: 12/23/2013
From: Austin, Texas
Status: offline

Rarely buy singles of wine I know and like. Mainly buy singles of wines to try or extra expensive.

(in reply to ericindc)

Post #: 8

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 8:49:53 AM

Ibetian

Posts: 3566
Joined: 7/15/2007
From: Sarasota, FL and the Berkshires
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: grafstrb

quote:

ORIGINAL: MB1991

Being new in the wine world, I buy a ton of single bottles to see what I like and don't while keeping inventory costs lower. Often regret not having more bottles once I can't get more

You are absolutely doing it correctly if you're just starting out.

Completely agree for those starting out.

I’m at a different stage of my wine journey, closer to the end than the beginning. Singles represent well less than 1% of my cellar, and I will often apply the coup de grace to the last bottle; I did so last night. have many more wines that I own a case or more of than just 1.

_____________________________

“I was a glutton at the banquet and spilt the finest wine,” Mick Jagger, Wandering Spirit

(in reply to grafstrb)

Post #: 9

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 11:38:18 AM

ChrisinCowiche

Posts: 7845
Joined: 12/16/2009
From: Cowiche, WA
Status: offline

I took a closer look at my current singletons. Most are last puppies from multi bottle purchases. I am one who holds onto those for unknown reasons. I need to drink them!

The single bottle purchases, which I do rarely, recently particularly, fall into a few groups.
- Yes, sample to see if I want more, that is for grocery store/wine shop mostly.
- The other big group are singletons that come with "club" or mixed case purchases, where the sellers distribute singletons. Sometimes I enjoy that, but normally not, as I like to be able to customize and buy what I know I like in multiples.
- I have also recently bought a few singletons to throw into blind tastings to compare with my bulk purchase wines, de Negoce or others.

_____________________________

http://www.cellartracker.com/new/user.asp?iUserOverride=102173

(in reply to Ibetian)

Post #: 10

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 12:58:11 PM

bretrooks

Posts: 2863
Joined: 9/27/2009
From: San Luis Obispo, CA
Status: offline

I/we generally like breadth of wine options versus depth, so I often buy singles (or, more and more often, twos or threes for wines I'm interested in aging). I don't tend to buy much more than that unless I've found a compelling sale on something I'm fairly confident we'll like. At the moment, a little more than 1/3 of our bottles are singletons, which I don't worry about too much unless the bottle has some sentimental value.

_____________________________

WSET L3 in Wines
My Cellar

(in reply to ChrisinCowiche)

Post #: 11

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 7:09:44 PM

peeks13

Posts: 470
Joined: 10/7/2009
From: Wilmette, IL
Status: offline

If I'm familiar with wine/producer and know I will probably like I will buy 3 minimum: one to drink right away, maybe one to bring to a friends and one to hold to see how it evolves.

My "problem" is when I get a 6/12 bottle case I'm really happy with, I'll drink all but one and hold that last puppy as a memory. Perhaps hold too long for just that reason. I wonder how many people would say that last puppy was held too long.

(in reply to bretrooks)

Post #: 12

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/14/2024 11:34:44 PM

eyewino

Posts: 367
Joined: 8/29/2018
From: Northern Iowa
Status: offline

OK. I'm calling myself out. Most of my bottles are singletons. I want to taste everything! Apparently I do not have the inclination or deep pockets of many of this group to buy 6-12 at a time.

I have had a passion for this goofy obsession for nearly 20 years and been a certified level II Sommelier for nine years. I feel very fortunate that through my reading, travels and education, we drink very well with reasonable expenditure. My cellar holds a maximum of 425 bottles. The average cost is just under $30 USD. My wife and I drink 275-ish bottles per year.

I appreciate those who will buy a case of something and check in on it from time to time, letting us know when the optimal drinking window may appear. But that's not me. I'm all about the adventure. Let's see what this bottle may say and what it might add to my journey.

Unpopular opinion. All brickbats and barbs welcome...

_____________________________

-Don

In Vino Veritas

(in reply to peeks13)

Post #: 13

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/15/2024 5:51:20 AM

DoubleD1969

Posts: 3594
Joined: 8/19/2008
From: New Jersey
Status: offline

There are many paths to enlightenment.

(in reply to eyewino)

Post #: 14

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/22/2024 12:03:21 PM

sastewart

Posts: 587
Joined: 8/16/2012
From: Greater Nashville
Status: offline

I have about 275 singletons but most were purchased in somewhat larger quantities and we have enjoyed watching them evolve over time.

(in reply to DoubleD1969)

Post #: 15

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/22/2024 2:42:32 PM

recotte

Posts: 6866
Joined: 1/19/2011
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sourdough

Rarely buy singles of wine I know and like. Mainly buy singles of wines to try or extra expensive.

^^^

Yikes! I just discovered that I have 271 singletons, almost a quarter of my cellar! That's a lot more than I was expecting. The majority of these are the last of multi-bottle purchases.

I answered:

1. Occasionally Buy Singletons: these are to try new regions/wineries/styles, or expensive/older vintage singletons.

2. Pay attention when multi-bottle purchase reaches "Last Puppy" status: for wines that I've been keeping track of the evolution on, when I get down to the last bottle, I try to make a mental note of whether that last bottle needs to be consumed sooner than later, or if I should forget about it for X years because it's my last chance to drink it at its peak, and it still needs time. Over the last few months, I can think of a handful of last puppies that I've intentionally opened because I knew or suspected it was their time. All of that said, the number of last puppies I have means I've been doing a **** job of this over the years.

3. Hold on to Last Puppies to keep verticals intact: I've done this intentionally with just a few wines, the idea being that I want to hold some vertical tastings. In practice, I have limited opportunity to actually do this, so I know this is mostly just a sentimental exercise because there's something in me that doesn't want to break the verticals.

Good thread, Chris. It reminds me that I've been remiss in my Last Puppy Day officiating over the last couple of years. 2024 edition coming out soon....

_____________________________

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to Sourdough)

Post #: 16

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/25/2024 2:53:39 PM

theebigjuan

Posts: 9
Joined: 8/3/2021
Status: offline

Count me in as one of the dabblers.

I generally only bought singles in multi case form to get greater breadth. About 5 years ago started buying 2, 3 or even 4 of the same bottle as I didn't want to suffer openers' remorse. For those that will sit for a few years, I never buy more than 3-4 of anything. Especially when visiting producers will buy a little of anything that I'd like to try again.

The cellar sits at 439 bottles and there are 325 unique producers/vintages.

(in reply to eyewino)

Post #: 17

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/26/2024 3:10:23 AM

dad300

Posts: 848
Joined: 1/5/2020
From: South Paris, Maine
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sourdough

Rarely buy singles of wine I know and like. Mainly buy singles of wines to try or extra expensive.

^
this

_____________________________

Red Mountain stole my wine stained heart

(in reply to Sourdough)

Post #: 18

RE: One is the Loneliest Number - Singletons - 3/28/2024 11:54:45 AM

prasm

Posts: 151
Joined: 10/20/2008
From: Bellevue, NE (via Minnesota)
Status: offline

I've been cellaring wine for about 16 years now. Over the years I've had numerous changes to my methods and types of wines I've collected. The one constant has been my cellar count at the end of each calendar year is higher than the year before. In recent years I've been more focused on drinking a variety of wines which has led to the purchase of mostly singletons. Combine that with my habit of hanging on to the last bottle of multiple bottle purchases and I now have 996 singletons out of the 1226 separate bottlings in my cellar - over 80%. I've also got an issue with the number bottles past their suggested consumption date, but that's another thread...

(in reply to dad300)

Post #: 19