BUYING WINES DURING THE 2020 BUYING MORATORIUM

[Racer Chris]

I just purchased more BAMA. 2009 vintage. Yum.

There's a different thread for posts like this.

[JimHow]

Ian..
I can easily grant you a mixed case exemption if up to 36 bottles.
That is the only provision that I believe is available to you at this time.

[DavidG]

Four days down, I was tempted by the praise for 2016 Sociando.
Just two clicks away from using half of my exemption on a half-case.
I remained strong! Zero purchases.

[OrlandoRobert]

Maybe Sociando itself should be excepted. Because it is Sociando. An exception in its own right.

[Blanquito]

And maybe we should give a blanket exemption for all past BWE WOTY winners?

[Comte Flaneur]

Is that 36 bottles for the year?

[JimHow]

Yes, Ian, up to three mixed cases.
Either 12, 24, or 36.
I recommend the 36 bottle option.

[JimHow]

Other than what I will refer to as the “Winona Chief Champagne Exemption,” I just don’t see any available precedent to grant blanket exemptions....

[Blanquito]

My granted plan:
-1 mixed case for the year (7 bottles down already if I count champagne)
-1971 and 1980 vintages exempted as birthyear wines of my local wine group
-up to 2 cases, sourced in Europe during our trip to Bordeaux in March

I think I will count champagne against my purchase, which means only a little more than 3 cases max.

[JimHow]

Wow, counting the champagne against the 36 bottle exemption, such restraint!

[DavidG]

I’m standing with Patrick. Not using the Champagne exemption, those bottles count.

[JimHow]

Wow! I had assumed the Winona Chief Champagne Exemption would have been a popular exemption option.

[OrlandoRobert]

I love exemptions, caveats, qualifications and reservations. To paraphrase Waldo, rules are the hobgoblins of little minds.

[JimHow]

We have to always keep in mind the overriding goal of The Great 2020 Moratorium:

To dramatically reduce 2020 wine buying in a REALISTIC manner.

A complete ban on wine buying is obviously not realistic.
Thus, liberal interpretation of reasonable exemptions, even nunc pro tunc, to help facilitate success of the overriding goal.

[Gerry M.]

I've been silently trying to test my willpower to abstain from purchasing any additional wine for the new year and I'm already being tested 5 days in. It's not like I need anymore wine since my small cellar is already exceeding its capacity at around 1100 bottles. My only known purchases planned for the year were going to be futures club purchases of Ridge Monte Bello and Chateau Montelena Estate cab. No more Bordeaux futures were planned and neither were haunting a litany of upcoming auctions.

My first test of willpower is visiting Costco and seeing a mountain of 2008 Dom Perignon for $129.99 a bottle in Nashua NH. Ughhhhh, I say to myself " you don't NEED any more, you've already got 16 bottles!" But I've had it at least twice already and firmly believe it's the greatest young Dom I've ever had, even next to 2008 Crystal. I walked away but I visit this place at least a couple of times a week. I don't know if I can hold out much longer before I succumb to the weak knees and grab another 6 pack. I'm praying it sells out quickly!

[Comte Flaneur]

Understood, Jim. That’s sensible. If I keep to 36 bottles that will be a reduction of around 90% year-on-year in bottles purchased.

My aim for consumption is 100% year-on-year reduction in Jan-Feb, and a 60% reduction for the rest of the year, for a third-two thirds reduction for the full year. The last week in March will be a challenge.

[JimHow]

Yeah, the 2008 Dom is really special.
It's even a little cheaper at NH liquor stores with this month's discount.
You have several options, Gerry, including the Winona Chief Champagne Exemption.
I truly believe my New Years Day purchase of Cristal, Dom, and Chasse was the cleansing get-it-out-of-my-sysem purchase that put me in the proper frame of mind for The Great 2020 Moratorium.

[JimHow]

Well, all bets are off for the last week of March, Ian.

[Comte Flaneur]

Re Gerry: I think any purchases of 2008 Dom and Cristal should be exempt. For these there should be a special unlimited exemption. As long as accompanied by vague pledges to bring to future conventions.

[jal]

Ian, there is a loophole, er... exemption, for all wines purchased for consumption with fellow BWE'ers at BWE dinners. I suggest you bring new purchases or buy wines in Bordeaux in March and drink them with the traveling BWE France group.

[OrlandoRobert]

My first test of willpower is visiting Costco and seeing a mountain of 2008 Dom Perignon for $129.99 a bottle in Nashua NH.

Possessing the most creative legal mind on the Board, in addition to by far the most handsome face, I would posit that this would not be a purchase. It is tantamount to theft, and therefore does not fall under the moratorium, and no exemption is required.

[OrlandoRobert]

So notwithstanding that I am exempt, I am looking at these right now:

2005 Sociando Mallet Cuvee Jean Gautreau @ $125
2005 Chateau Magdelaine @ $165

Are these stoopid pricing? I seem to have lost touch with reality.

[DavidG]

These are no longer widely available so it’s really down to what it’s worth to you. I see Magdelaine pre-arrivals for $110 but I’m not familiar with the merchants or if they ship to FL.

[marcs]

Guys, guys...this is not the "mock and taunt non-buyers by talking about the bitching wines I am buying thread", and it is not the "discuss the half dozen cases of wine I am buying as an exception to my so-called moratorium" thread. It is for providing mutual support in NOT BUYING wine. I would strongly suggest that all posts devoted to buying Chateau Magdelaine or any other wine be deleted from this thread and reposted in the "what I am buying lately" thread or any of the numerous other threads on this site that are devoted to the purchase of wine.

[JimHow]

Marcus, chill out bro.
If you want censorship or telling people what they can/cannot say, go over to berserkers.
This is BWE. Stop being so uptight.
You don’t create threads on BWE and then tell people what they can/cannot say.
We'll post what we fucking want.

[Blanquito]

This thread is seriously making me wonder if my 6 bottles of 08 Dom Perignon are enough.

PS. And I haven’t even tasted it!

[JimHow]

Easily within the Winona Chief Champagne Exemption, Patrick.

[Gerry M.]

Damn, I'm weak. I never even made it to Costco for the Dom before I caved in at the NH state store for 6 bottles each of 2016 Meyney and Sociando. It could have been worse, I could have just bought a case of each, lol.

The NH sale price of $127.50 for the 08' Dom is almost too much to resist.

I must say though that beyond these temptations I really dont see anything that would excite me enough to go over the hill over.

[JimHow]

Very well done Gerry...
Yeah one of the big things that is helping me with my 2020 moratorium is that I've already bought up my 2016s and I have no interest in the 2017s....
I was hoping to get a single bottle of 2016 Pichon Baron but NH didn't carry it this year.

[Gerry M.]

This thread is seriously making me wonder if my 6 bottles of 08 Dom Perignon are enough.

PS. And I haven’t even tasted it!

I have to say the 08' Dom is scary good in that with a little air it is already delicious with great lift and expression while the 08' Crystal is quite linear and will need years for it show its stuff. My only dilemma is if I have enough to last until it peaks.

[JimHow]

I have 5 bottles of the Dom and 9 of the Cristal.
I need to buy more for the Benevolent Dictator Champagne Reception in Bordeaux in March but those will fall under both the Winona Chief Champagne exemption and the BWE Event exemption....

[Gerry M.]

Very well done Gerry...
Yeah one of the big things that is helping me with my 2020 moratorium is that I've already bought up my 2016s and I have no interest in the 2017s....
I was hoping to get a single bottle of 2016 Pichon Baron but NH didn't carry it this year.

I found it odd that they have the Pichon Lalande but not the Baron. The Pichon Lalande I think will net to about $180 which is a great price post release.

[JimHow]

I wasn't aware they have the Lalande, I don't see it in the inventory.
I'm assuming the $180 price is with 15% off?

[Gerry M.]

I have 5 bottles of the Dom and 9 of the Cristal.
I need to buy more for the Benevolent Dictator Champagne Reception in Bordeaux in March but those will fall under both the Winona Chief Champagne exemption and the BWE Event exemption....

Given my one side by side of 08' Dom vs Crystal I'm happy with the 7 bottles of Crystal I have. I was ready go buy more when i saw it at Costvo in MA for under $210 but decided to pass after trying it. The 08' Dom is another story, if I had the space I'd buy another 2 cases at the right price.

[Gerry M.]

I wasn't aware they have the Lakande, I'm assuming the $180 price is with 15% off?

Yes, that's net. I didn't see it on the web site but I did see it at #50 for about $210 if I remember correctly.

[OrlandoRobert]

Marcus, chill out bro.
If you want censorship or telling people what they can/cannot say, go over to berserkers.
This is BWE. Stop being so uptight.
You don’t create threads on BWE and then tell people what they can/cannot say.
We'll post what we fucking want.

Thank you for defending my honor, kind Sir.

I’m not one of the insiders here, or long-term boys, so if I am not aware of some etiquette, I’m always happy to be educated. I will say, some of the nicest wine bloggers that I have crossed paths with have been on this board, and this is about the best, most civil bulletin board of any type that I have been on. Of the various boards that I have been a member of, those that are the most successful - like this one - have a very collegial group of civil people that genuinely like each other and the subject matter, participate collectively, don’t chastise or try to censor, and appreciate humor. And poke some fun at each other. All in good fun.

I mean really, how many boards can have a political thread that does not devolve into an abject disaster. That thread alone tells everyone what kind of people are on this board.

If I rankled anyone with my humor or some modest thread drift, my apologies.

[JimHow]

Amen, OB.
As we all know, wine appreciation can sometimes descend into smarminess and snobbery.
We have a great group here generally because nobody preaches, everybody is entitled to their opinions, nobody is better than anybody else. I’ve been moderating this board for 20 years and have had to do virtually no deleting or censoring.
The best aspect of the site is that we don’t take things too seriously.

[brodway]

JIm

is there a way to see the inventory of 2016 Bordeaux that NH carries? i'm tempted to add to a few 2016's now especially the Sociano, but may hold off is NH has it in stock and i can certainly wait to August to acquire them. no plan to drink them any time soon.

[JimHow]

Emil:

Their website is here:

http://www.nh.gov/liquor/

You gotta do a couple clicks to get to the inventory. Just click the "Too easy mate" caption and it will lead you there.

It's a pretty accurate inventory, although occasionally they have glitches, like right now they don't have the 2008 Dom listed even though we know they have dozens of bottles in stock. And Gerry reports that 2016 Pichon Lalande is in stock but I don't see it listed. But otherwise, it is a very up to date inventory. Their prices really only make sense when they have their 15% off and gift card sales.

[brodway]

thanks for the link...will peruse and get a wish list ready for August....