You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk...

CellarTracker Main Site

You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk...

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 >> You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk...

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 11:23:58 AM

champagneinhand

Posts: 10286
Joined: 5/30/2011
From: Upstate New York, California born.
Status: offline

So on a wine specific-like thread,
I was wondering of the old-timers, and yes, if you have been drinking wine for at least 20+ years, you are in my old-timers group, like it or not. So, back to the thread, how many seasoned wine people are slowly phasing out the daily drinkers and switching to smaller portions of wines that can pull through a few days in the fridge with help or solo?

I ask, because I have had 2 of these massive QPR bottles of 2008 Saint Laurent Syrah, over the past 2 weeks, and am blown away buy the quality and price. Yes, like Olsen they have gone the way of the Dodo bird, which is awful, because great people. but still, I almost cringe when I get offers for those $15 wines that I don't know about, and think...[(to self)if you know me you will get that,] should I gamble.. or spend case money on a single fantastic bottle. I fall into buy a single/double of guaranteed(as best there is at least) of a fantastic wine experience.

I make my own Backyard Blancs, as of late, so plenty of cooking wines and enjoyable white to drink when making foods, but I have a load of Southern Rhones and Bila-Haut, that seem to need some more cellar time, but I am running out of room. I have stopped buying, for the most part, qpr dailies as a bottle a day doesn't make the doctor go away. However good 2-3 glasses are still a good thing. Yes, I still prefer my calories in bacon, meats and wines, so I have scaled the bread back, a travesty I know. A man can only change so much in such a short time.

Anyhow, what say you?

Scaling back the QPR? or

Still piling up the cellar defenders for as long as you can? or

Something in-between?

< Message edited by champagneinhand -- 9/5/2014 11:24:51 AM >

_____________________________

As I age my finger tips seem to be bigger, my iOS keyboard seems to be less kind, and my need for wearing reading glasses has never been greater. I hope you are forgiving and can read between my lines.

Post #: 1

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 11:45:51 AM

bacchus

Posts: 1136
Joined: 7/25/2004
From: Staten Island, New York
Status: offline

I tend to up the ante more than usual lately considering that I am projecting 10 years to complete a lengthy bucket list. But, I still feel guilty going over $100 although I will probably make exceptions for milestone celebrations. I have given up the quest to find miracles hiding in $20 bottles. But still enjoy experimenting with qpr in the $20 to $40 range.

_____________________________

A Country Gentleman

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 2

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 11:46:57 AM

pbilling

Posts: 334
Joined: 1/17/2012
From: Southwest Michigan
Status: offline

Still looking for and buying the cellar defenders / daily drinkers whenever I can find them, love the Bila-Haut, my biggest problem is keeping it around long enough to get a little age on which definitely helps it out.

I have to say the hunt for daily drinkers is what keeps me in the game. I love popping a really nice expensive bottle as much as the next guy, but I really love finding a killer inexpensive bottle and surprising people with it.

PB

_____________________________

The secret to enjoying a good wine.
1. Open the bottle and allow to breathe
2. If it doesn't look like it's breathing, give it mouth to mouth.

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 3

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 11:59:29 AM

Eddie

Posts: 6242
Joined: 12/17/2012
From: central Kentucky
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: pbilling

Still looking for and buying the cellar defenders / daily drinkers whenever I can find them, love the Bila-Haut, my biggest problem is keeping it around long enough to get a little age on which definitely helps it out.

I have to say the hunt for daily drinkers is what keeps me in the game. I love popping a really nice expensive bottle as much as the next guy, but I really love finding a killer inexpensive bottle and surprising people with it.

PB

Ditto. I could have written that post.

_____________________________

V horam in quodam loco est.

(in reply to pbilling)

Post #: 4

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:02:25 PM

BobMilton

Posts: 2877
Joined: 1/29/2010
From: Newbury Park, CA
Status: offline

A bit of both. Over time my cellar defenders have tended to get a bit better in Q with a bit higher P, but since we drink wine with dinner almost every night (and can't afford the high P stuff that often) that is the choice.

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 5

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:13:26 PM

ROEL

Posts: 972
Joined: 4/18/2007
From: Linsmeau, Belgium
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eddie

quote:

ORIGINAL: pbilling

Still looking for and buying the cellar defenders / daily drinkers whenever I can find them, love the Bila-Haut, my biggest problem is keeping it around long enough to get a little age on which definitely helps it out.

I have to say the hunt for daily drinkers is what keeps me in the game. I love popping a really nice expensive bottle as much as the next guy, but I really love finding a killer inexpensive bottle and surprising people with it.

PB

Ditto. I could have written that post.

+2

_____________________________

Beauty lies in simple things

(in reply to Eddie)

Post #: 6

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:23:56 PM

Sourdough

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

quote:

ORIGINAL: BobMilton

A bit of both. Over time my cellar defenders have tended to get a bit better in Q with a bit higher P, but since we drink wine with dinner almost every night (and can't afford the high P stuff that often) that is the choice.

Pretty much a ditto for Bob. Drink wine almost daily. Q and P are up. But still buy some lower price Bordeaux futures and selected daily drinkers from preferred sources to keep the tab from going through the roof! Err... probably more like stratosphere! And definitely stretching bottles with more regularity than when younger....i.e. drinking over two days.

< Message edited by Sourdough -- 9/5/2014 12:24:36 PM >

(in reply to BobMilton)

Post #: 7

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:39:45 PM

Old Doug

Posts: 8279
Joined: 5/12/2011
From: Atlanta, Georgia, US
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: champagneinhand

So on a wine specific-like thread, I was wondering of the old-timers, and yes, if you have been drinking wine for at least 20+ years, you are in my old-timers group, like it or not. So, back to the thread, how many seasoned wine people are slowly phasing out the daily drinkers and switching to smaller portions of wines that can pull through a few days in the fridge with help or solo?

Don't think people with less than 20 wino years under their belt should be excluded. I started no less than 33 years back, but it was much more off-and-on until I came upon a certain "CellarTracker" place, after which it was much more 'on.'

However, yes - less daily drinkers and more really kick-butt wines. Less alcohol overall is a good thing, here, but even if I fail in that, there are numerous known ales and hard liquors which give proven pleasure to me, without the risk that those deals on a case of $15 wine or less bring. There was a time when I fell victim to well-written advertising copy, but those years fell by the wayside. Much better, in my opinion, to look for mentions of value wines right here on CellarTracker, if one is so inclined.

< Message edited by Old Doug -- 9/5/2014 12:40:38 PM >

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 8

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:44:29 PM

schwank

Posts: 950
Joined: 11/26/2011
From: Portlandia
Status: offline

My cellar is still expanding, so I am buying a bit of both. Still buying daily drinkers, though I am a bit more targeted now as I have a pretty good handle on what we like. Nowhere near as many flyers from the various retailer emails. I don't really find it that difficult to stay under $25 or so and could drink from that range all the time. Lots of wines available including Cote du Rhones, German Riesling, Loire Chenin Blanc, AVA-level Oregon Pinot, etc.

However, that said I have also gradually be buying more bottles between $50 and $100, and on rare occasions >$100. Most of these are to cellar for long periods which is why I find it harder... not worth killing babies for that price. But Champagne, CdP, Rasa, Huet and Baumard stickies, Produttori, and single vineyard OR Pinots take me to those higher price points.

Earlier I would buy cases of random QPR drinkers... not so much any more though. Between auction purchases and 5 years of collecting I am starting to turn some wines over from the cellar which helps. But I still am buying at a rate far greater than consumption. I really need to get my cellar finished!

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 9

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:49:43 PM

pbilling

Posts: 334
Joined: 1/17/2012
From: Southwest Michigan
Status: offline

Cellar Tracker has saved me from buying a case clunkers on more than one occasion. Also pointed me in the right direction more than once. Just ordered another mixed case from Andrew Will thanks to CiH mentioning in a deal they were having a few years back that got me started with them. This is the 3rd case I think. Thanks again CiH.

PB

_____________________________

The secret to enjoying a good wine.
1. Open the bottle and allow to breathe
2. If it doesn't look like it's breathing, give it mouth to mouth.

(in reply to Old Doug)

Post #: 10

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 12:50:04 PM

f22nickell

Posts: 1997
Joined: 7/13/2011
From: From CA, living in Maple Valley, WA.
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: schwank

My cellar is still expanding, so I am buying a bit of both. Still buying daily drinkers, though I am a bit more targeted now as I have a pretty good handle on what we like. Nowhere near as many flyers from the various retailer emails. I don't really find it that difficult to stay under $25 or so and could drink from that range all the time. Lots of wines available including Cote du Rhones, German Riesling, Loire Chenin Blanc, AVA-level Oregon Pinot, etc.

However, that said I have also gradually be buying more bottles between $50 and $100, and on rare occasions >$100. Most of these are to cellar for long periods which is why I find it harder... not worth killing babies for that price. But Champagne, CdP, Rasa, Huet and Baumard stickies, Produttori, and single vineyard OR Pinots take me to those higher price points.

Earlier I would buy cases of random QPR drinkers... not so much any more though. Between auction purchases and 5 years of collecting I am starting to turn some wines over from the cellar which helps. But I still am buying at a rate far greater than consumption. I really need to get my cellar finished!

This ... Mainly onesie,twosies in the $50-$80 price range, but mainly older stuff on auction. Planning to retire in 10 years and move out of state for most of the year (snowbird to AZ or NV). I don't want to buy wines today that will be drinkable in 10+ years.

Still ... The average age of the bottles in my collection are going up, but so is the quantity of bottles in my collection.

Drink faster?

_____________________________

“ Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. ”
— Ecclesiastes 9:7

F22nickell on CT ...
S_Nickell on WB ...

(in reply to schwank)

Post #: 11

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 1:49:51 PM

Posts: 14828
Joined: 11/12/2011
From: Wandering between Coastal SC and South FL
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: f22nickell

Still ... The average age of the bottles in my collection are going up, but so is the quantity of bottles in my collection.

Drink faster?

That's crazy talk.
Get a bigger cellar.

We're overflowing so I don't enjoy the hunt for the daily drinker as much as I did in the old days. $15 southern Rhones are pretty boring and spoofy to me right now.
I think my daily drinkers will become Italian and Languedoc-Roussillon whites (for shellfish).
And Muscadet.
And Loire Chenin.
And German Riesling.
(and more German Riesling).
And Jura of course.

_____________________________

Tous les chemins mènent à la Bourgogne!
"One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and -- one talks about it!" (in memory of drycab)

(in reply to f22nickell)

Post #: 12

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 2:41:55 PM

champagneinhand

Posts: 10286
Joined: 5/30/2011
From: Upstate New York, California born.
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: S1

quote:

ORIGINAL: f22nickell

Still ... The average age of the bottles in my collection are going up, but so is the quantity of bottles in my collection.

Drink faster?

That's crazy talk.
Get a bigger cellar.

We're overflowing so I don't enjoy the hunt for the daily drinker as much as I did in the old days. $15 southern Rhones are pretty boring and spoofy to me right now.
I think my daily drinkers will become Italian and Languedoc-Roussillon whites (for shellfish).
And Muscadet.
And Loire Chenin.
And German Riesling.
(and more German Riesling).
And Jura of course.

I to am leaning towards blanc as the daily drinker. Reds are more of a meal specific item and letting my Gran Crus age. I love the reds but the lower priced less ABV wines are a bit of a rarity, which is why I listed the defunct 2008 Saint Laurent Syrah.

More Loire Chenin and Chenin mixed with my backyard grapes make up my Backyard blanc. There is far to little Chenin available these days. Mnnn Riesling and Chardonnay. Muscat,,... I am working in especially Alsace to find want I want from other areas. I use Alsace a standard bearer for many whites and stickies.

_____________________________

As I age my finger tips seem to be bigger, my iOS keyboard seems to be less kind, and my need for wearing reading glasses has never been greater. I hope you are forgiving and can read between my lines.

(in reply to S1)

Post #: 13

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 2:47:08 PM

mjobtx

Posts: 1250
Joined: 11/20/2004
From: Plano, TX
Status: offline

Still searching for and buying the daily drinkers. Why? Because I drink them daily. It is great fun to discover what I consider to be a QPR wine although the price point of QPR tends to vary with the type of wine. We probably don't go to Costco or Central Market (in our area) without bringing back a few bottles of wines we have never tried. Sometimes we are lucky. Sometimes we aren't.

We certainly have wines that we have held for 20 or 30 years. The older ones are gone. I am having trouble making the decision to pull the corks on some of my oldest and dearest bottles of old Bordeaux because I can't afford to replace them at today's prices. Latour I purchased for $125 - $500 now costs $600 - $2000; not in my price point. My problem is getting over the sentimentality and just opening those wines knowing I can't replace them. Time for me to grow up and do it I guess. At my age, I better hurry.

Anyone else having trouble pulling the last special corks?

_____________________________

PlanoWino

(in reply to S1)

Post #: 14

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 3:10:12 PM

Ibetian

Posts: 3586
Joined: 7/15/2007
From: Sarasota, FL and the Berkshires
Status: offline

I'm with the group that the Q and P have both increased for my cellar defenders. I haven't bought cote du Rhone in years, and have none left in the cellar. My cellar defenders are wines like 2009 Lanessan, pretty good juice.

There are some exceptions. I still buy basic Sancerre, Muscadet and other whites. We tend to prefer simple, crisp whites to more complex wines, regardless of price. I also have concluded that for my tastes chianti Classico or CCR can feed my Sangiovese jones with Italian food just as well as Brunello at a third the cost and without the 10 year wait.

For many years now the quality of wines I've purchased has been better than the wines I've drunk. That means the cellar just keeps getting better. By next year I could choose to only drink wines with 10 years of age, and keep that up for more than a decade.

(in reply to mjobtx)

Post #: 15

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 5:18:09 PM

dsGris

Posts: 4712
Joined: 8/31/2009
From: Portland, OR
Status: offline

The expanding cellar is akin to the expanding waistline. I have it under control, sort of.

Not that I have discovered there are more OR pinots that I like than I can drink in the $20+ range, I must be ever diligent.

_____________________________

DennisG
Granpa Wino

(in reply to Ibetian)

Post #: 16

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 5:25:55 PM

lockestep

Posts: 1964
Joined: 2/12/2012
From: Unionville, PA
Status: offline

I still buy defenders, but they tend to be summertime wines generally for times when I would not want a bigger or more nuanced wine. Cru Beaujolais, "little" whites like Wind Gap Trousseau Gris, Graves Blanc, Good quaffing stuff for warm days. Once the temps start to drop and we get back to comfort foods and wines, I lean to quality over quantity. I usually only pull bottles on the weekend, and have more than enough older stuff to cover us.

_____________________________

My Wine of the Month (2/24)
2016 Vincent Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard

(in reply to Ibetian)

Post #: 17

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 7:38:51 PM

mtpisgah

Posts: 3570
Joined: 6/7/2012
From: South Carolina
Status: offline

I am in between. I am trying to build a cellar with age worthy wines but still buy a number of bottles in the $20 range for mid week wines. The only wines we are buying for less than that are CdR Blanc and some rose for the summer. The CdR rouge do not do much for us.

_____________________________

Paul

I read books to pass the time until the next bottle of wine.

(in reply to champagneinhand)

Post #: 18

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 8:58:44 PM

BornToRhone

Posts: 3131
Joined: 2/14/2012
From: The Big D, Texas
Status: offline

I am lost. i have no idea what I'm doing. I buy more than I drink by far, and I drink more than I should. I drink $100+ bottles during the week and $20 bottles on the weekend. I have recently purchased a twelver of keystone light because it is only 100 calories and 3.2%. Then I follow up with a 15% Zin with my dinner BBQ. What was I thinking? I think it's the Tejas heat!

_____________________________

-- The answer may not lie at the bottom of a bottle of wine, but you should at least check. --

(in reply to mtpisgah)

Post #: 19

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 9:26:24 PM

fingers

Posts: 8261
Joined: 8/26/2006
From: Santa Ana, CA
Status: offline

That's funny, right there

(in reply to BornToRhone)

Post #: 20

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/5/2014 9:43:50 PM

dsGris

Posts: 4712
Joined: 8/31/2009
From: Portland, OR
Status: offline

I moved over to the dark side tonight and opened a WA red and loved it. A bit like visiting an old lady friend who suggested I could spend the night.

< Message edited by dsGris -- 9/6/2014 8:43:53 AM >

_____________________________

DennisG
Granpa Wino

(in reply to fingers)

Post #: 21

RE: You wanted wine talk, I'll give you wine talk... - 9/6/2014 6:41:24 AM

Sourdough

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

quote:

ORIGINAL: mjobtx
Anyone else having trouble pulling the last special corks?

Hi Michael!

I have a few bottles that I just can't seem to pull the cork on. Used to have more trouble with that but scaring myself silly when a cork practically fell into a 25 year old two high end Cali Reserve CS bottles reduced the problem. Both wines were lovely but the experience led me to be more cautious about long term aging. So I am more open to pulling corks. Have a 1970 mag of Pichon Longueville Baron I really need to pop. Not a great wine by any means but...and past time to pop the cork!

Salud!
Jay

< Message edited by Sourdough -- 9/6/2014 6:43:39 AM >

(in reply to mjobtx)

Post #: 22