When is a Tuesday Wine a Saturday Wine?

[s*d*r]

I imagine just about all of us have a few bottles that are very special to us, whether because of how we acquired them, the pleasure they gave us in the past or even the cost or difficulty they were to acquire. We save them for special occasions, such as a BWE convention or a birthday or anniversary.

But otherwise, are all bottles you own about equally important or valuable to you? Are the wines you choose to share with others always “better” than the ones you drink yourself or with family? Is Saturday night all the excuse you need to open something of a different level than a weekday tipple?

A few years age a wealthy new wine friend brought an extremely modest Sicilian white to a high end restaurant when the rest of us were bringing something considerably more rarified. Of course none of us criticized him but I wondered why he chose that one from his large collection. He later explained that he thought it would be “interesting” and that his wine drinking goal was to try as many different wines from all over the world as possible, not to chase the “best” wines.

That strikes me as a laudable strategy even if it is one I can’t say I share. Yet since every day above ground is a reason to celebrate, isn’t it better to drink every night like it’s a special night?

[jckba]

I base my wine selection on what I am eating that night and while I do have bottles that are special / rarer / not as easily replaceable / costlier; I will open what I feel like drinking on any given day.

With that said, when getting together with my wine group and/or with wine friends, we all generally bring something good and with some age on it and if on the off chance I were to bring a Sicilian white b/c I thought it would be fun, interesting and/or would pair well with the cuisine; that selection would be in addition to my regular selection.

Now when having non wine people over, that is when I intentionally pull out less expensive options otherwise commonly referred to as those midweek bottles or cellar defenders. Wines that I buy as I think they offer excellent QPR and that I really don’t mind drinking myself. Thinking Chave CdR or Terre Nere Etna Rosso or Rodano Chianti or a Cru Bourgeois.

[SF Ed]

I'm definitely in the "special bottles for special occasions" camp, as I want to be in the right mindset when I drink the good stuff. I also like sharing the good stuff, so that typically means dinners with folks, especially BWE folks.

That being said, I have more and more good stuff ready to drink now that I have been cellaring wine for 25 years. I will reach a point in 10-15 years where I will have drunk most of my good stuff, but that's OK. Much better than leaving it, especially since we don't have any kids.

There is no time like today to open something good.

SF Ed

[Dandersson]

Interesting topic, as I generally don't drink during the weeks, I do separate between weekend wines (my normal consumption) and special occasion wines, say anniversary or birthday. Most of the wines I have in my "cellar" are designated for special occasions down the road, and for nicer drinking when older. Besides the "cellar" I also have wines that I bought for consumption. When having guests (lately only in-laws) I generally make sure to have wines that fit their taste. As I have not yet attended a BWE event, in the future for a BWE event I would most likely have to buy something interesting to bring, as my small and young collection most likely doesn't contain anything worthy of bringing to such an event.

Best, Dan

[Gerry M.]

I'd be curious to know what the Sicillian white was. I recently discovered a 2018 Tasca D'Almerita Grillo Cavallo Della Fate Tenuta Regaleali that was eye opening. It was a great match with shellfish, light on its feet, crisp and full of tart granny apple with a hint of floral notes. I liked it so much I bought a case to have at my son's wedding rehearsal dinner later this year.

Back to the question, I have general framework of bottles I hold aside for special occasions like anniversaries, etc and I do buy and set aside others with the intent of fulfilling a potential tasting theme. Everything else is fair game to be opened at any time.

[JCNorthway]

Stu, you raise an interesting question. I would say my cellar has three general catagories of wine. I have maybe about 10 cases worth of what I consider my top shelf wines that I tend to reserve for special occasions - birthdays, anniversaries, certain family gatherings. Then I have a much larger supply of what I consider to be good quality wines. I tend to use them for meals where we are doing something nicer than most nights, or with friends when it is not a special occasion. And if that is on a weekday, I will gladly open one of those bottles. The third category is what I buy that I'm willing to drink any day, regardless of circumstances. These tend to be more recent vintages from producers that I have confidence can consistently produce a good quality wine for a reasonable price - what reasonable is depends on the region, but it is almost always under $40, and mostly under $30.

From a career/income perspective of buying wines, I have sort of lucked out. I purchased most of my "top shelf" and "good quality" wines when I was working in management consulting and making a decent living. Now that I'm winding down and working in academia (not teaching) at a different income level, I'm buying more of those everyday wines. As I use them up, they get replaced. The better wines are likely to just get consumed and not replaced. Hopefully they will last as long as I do.

[JimHow]

There's going to be a tipping point when I'm going to go from drinking "good" stuff several times a week to "great" stuff, as long as I stick to my goal of living only to 80. If I live past 80, well, that's where the 2019 vintage comes in....

[Nicklasss]

Very good question Stuart.

I tend to keep my best bottles for good wine loving company. But in my case, it is a bad strategy as i don't have that much of these people around. I still open very good bottles with MC but she doesn't really needs it, as a 25 $ good Bourgogne or Bordeaux is good for her. My family too are very happy with 25 $ bottles. So i don't open the expected good stuff often, so end up drinking blindly lot of inexpensive wines that are good, but of course without too much passion.

But i don't need a lot of teasing by other, after a long dinner and good quantity of inexpensive bottles, to open also serious stuff. My friends feel always bad when I do that, but when i have let say a 2001 Tertre Roteboeuf or a 2016 Domaine des Perdrix Nuits Saint-Georges and i ask them do we finally drink it or i'm better smashing the bottle in the street, they find back their wisdom quickly.

[Dandersson]

But i don't need a lot of teasing by other, after a long dinner and good quantity of inexpensive bottles, to open also serious stuff. My friends feel always bad when I do that, but when i have let say a 2001 Tertre Roteboeuf or a 2016 Domaine des Perdrix Nuits Saint-Georges and i ask them do we finally drink it or i'm better smashing the bottle in the street, they find back their wisdom quickly.

Awesome!

[dstgolf]

Soon any night will be a Sat after I retire end of month. During work nights over the last few years bottles have been few and far between because of effect on my sleep and spend half the night up and down to the bathroom. This getting old sucks.

On weeks off though any night was game for a nice bottle and it was more based on what we were eating and we tend to eat well when I'm off because I like to cook and hence good bottles aren't just kept for special people or occasions. Yes there are some bottles that I'd consider treasures that are for those extraordinary occasions with family, friends who are mutual wine lovers and of course BWE'ers. No point having a cellar full of good stuff if you aren't going to enjoy it yourself or with friends. After all it's not supposed to be a trophy room that many have for show and not for personal enjoyment but to each his own. Can't remember smashing a bottle good or bad in the street though Nic! Is there a story behind that comment?

[stefan]

We don't distinguish between weekend wines and weekday wines. Whatever goes with the food and our meal and, of course, our company if we have guests.

[DavidG]

When you’re retired?

When the cellar is full of more Saturday wines than you’ll ever get through if you only drink them on Saturdays?

[AKR]

More and more of my family drinks very little now, and when they do, their preference is for commercial whites so my opportunities to enjoy reds with company are getting slimmer. This was trending this way even before the pandemic.

A lot of the good stuff is more enjoyable when discussed with other wine geeks, and sadly, my nuclear family gets tired of debating whether this is a sandalwood or spicebox bouquet.

I've been reluctant for all these years to consider one, but I'm now thinking about a Coravin.

Great topic, thanks for starting sdr!

[stefan]

>>
I've been reluctant for all these years to consider one, but I'm now thinking about a Coravin.
>>

Have you tried Repour, Arv?

[JoelD]

>>
I've been reluctant for all these years to consider one, but I'm now thinking about a Coravin.
>>

Have you tried Repour, Arv?

I'm a big coravin fan, under the right conditions. I have now started to move off of it for anything more than 20 years old and other specific exclusions. But its great for almost all white wines, and young reds such as bordeaux and napa. Still wary with lighter grapes like pinot from most regions.

I am completely unsold on the repour as i have not had good luck with this. Maybe DavidG can chime in? Are you supposed to leave that gel like substance on it after you peel the foil?

I have found that the stoppers that you pump the oxygen out work the best for me, saving just a glass for the next day that way with very little fall off.

But for anything that isn't a special or older bottle, Coravin is best. I just finished off two previous coravined bottles last night, that were first poked over a year ago. Both were great. There are some specific exclusions with this, especially with wines known for their freshness like Cos d'Estournel. I don't Coravin those anymore.

[AKR]

>>
I've been reluctant for all these years to consider one, but I'm now thinking about a Coravin.
>>

Have you tried Repour, Arv?

I know you have rec'd it in the past but have yet to do it yet

Maybe after we get the world reopened it will be better.

It is much more fun to drink elite wines, and talk about them, with other cognoscenti.

I guess all collectors have to reconcile themselves to the reality that some of the precious elixir will be enjoyed only as a toast to our memories.

[DavidG]

I’ve been very happy with Repour for 2-5 days. Joel, what gel-like substance? Either there is some residual goo that’s messing up your bottles or my aging senses have diminished to the point where I am unable to detect either the goo or it’s effect on the wine.

I haven’t been able to master using the Coravin without stirring up sediment, which makes it problematic for many of the bottles we open.

[Blanquito]

Coravin did little for me when I tried it. I noticed deterioration on old wines even after less than 24 hrs, and I don’t need a preservation system besides my freezer for younger wines.

[JoelD]

I’ve been very happy with Repour for 2-5 days. Joel, what gel-like substance? Either there is some residual goo that’s messing up your bottles or my aging senses have diminished to the point where I am unable to detect either the goo or it’s effect on the wine.

I haven’t been able to master using the Coravin without stirring up sediment, which makes it problematic for many of the bottles we open.

Every time i peel off the foil on the bottom, there is some sort of what i thought was adhesive and I always peel that off. Thought maybe there was a small chance that I was doing that and shouldn't and thats why my results werent great.

I trust your palate completely, David. Hence why I am questioning myself

Totally agree about the Coravin and sediment so I only keep it to wines that generally don't have much.

[DavidG]

Yeah, I would get rid of any residual adhesive if I noticed it. Hmm, maybe I should check more carefully.