Recession Casualties

I’ve had to cut back significantly this year. Some choices have been easy and some have been really difficult. Right now, I’m more worried about keeping my job than buying wine (not that it has stopped me). Some $85 experiment from Ovid has no bid from me in this environment.

2 that I continue to recommend, but can’t fit in my cellar anymore are APVin and Rhys. It kills me not to buy their wines, especially as they hit their stride. Big Basin may be the next casualty. If those guys are online, sorry.

What are you guys’ casualties?

Nice Avatar Ben!

Hmmm for many reasons. No more Pax.

Cut back on Copain and KB

Lists I made but never bought but wish I did if I had less wine. Zepaltas, Rhys and a handful of others.

Still taking whatever they want to offer me (Copain and KB would be on this list if they had less bottlings): Saxum and Switchback.

Glad I am low on the list or I would be in a mess of trouble: Carlisle.

Lists I signed up for: Rivers Marie and Wind Gap.

I just have way too much wine as well. This will be a good time to align my cellar closer to my consumption.

I blew off the Fall release of DuMol because of bundling, price increases, and absurd shipping costs. I have enjoyed Pax syrah for a while now, but I passed on the last few offers because the prices got out of hand. Tough choices, but I am certainly focused on value more now than last year.

Cellar Space.

There’s been way too many good deals laying around for me to resist, and now I got nowhere to put any more I did laugh at the Alban “Lorraine” mailer when that came, though. [stop.gif]

Rhys, Shane (although I spoke with him and hopefully there will be some when I can order,) Biale and that Ovid Experiment pack.

I almost forgot, Turley is axed as well.

After excessive consumption over the holidays and a light buying month I found myself with some unexpected room in the cellar. And while I had every intention of cutting/dropping off some lists I don’t feel like I have done very well. I took my 5 plus mag of QC cab; 9 total bottles of Pride Reserve; 10 bottles of KB; case of assorted Dehlinger (first time buyer). I have also found some very nice deals on WineBid as the bids seem to be drying up. Add that to some irresistable deals on commerce corner and my budget is stretched to the breaking point yet again.

I haven’t ordered my Turley yet so there is still hope for me. I also canceled my Jarvis wine club after seeing they jacked their price on their SVD chardonnays to $90/bottle (up from $70 which I thought was way to high to pay for any chard). Makes the $4 KB price hike look like pennies. And looking at last year’s purchases I see Williams Selyem will be coming in soon…damn!

I am fortunate that my and my wife’s jobs are (seemingly) secure. Unfortunately like many others I have lost significant value in my retirement accounts, home value, etc. But hey, those assets are for the “distant future”, right?

Kosta Browne & Kutch are axed…you’re welcome to those wish list members who’ve consequently received an allocation.
Keeping Rivers-Marie, Rhys, Inman, and Peay. Period. Even amongst the keepers, I’m scaling back in qty. taken

Sadly, all of them so far. well… except some RM and then only a few of the cheap stuff. damn recession!

merus, ovid, melville, pax, copain, and lewelling all had to go. of those i did keep, i am buying in much smaller quantities.

Does it count if I haven’t added anything to mailers’ wishlists?

I’ve very recently made the decision to cut the wine buying budget. I know, I’m late to THAT party.

Looking back on what I bought last Spring versus what I am/will be doing this year:
All in on Quilceda Creek CS but skipped Merlot this year.
All in on Stefania offering
All in on Kutch
All in on Keefer Ranch
Skipped Radio-Couteau
Will probably go lighter on Barbour.
Will skip Snowden.
Will skip Radio-Coteau
Will probably skip Outpost
Will probably skip Shafer 1.5 and Red Shoulder Ranch Chard
Will probably skip Neal though sure would like to get some Zin. Jury is still out.
Will go lighter on Karl Lawrence.
Will order only white wines from Peay.
Will go lighter on Sea Smoke. I like their wines, but my current allocation level has me getting more of their wine than I need.

It’s a shame. I like/love every one of these wines and consider them good values and fairly priced. Just got to cut back. 'Course, I reserve the right to change my mind and buy like there is no tomorrow. [d_sunny.gif]

With my cellar growing more than 50% in volume in the last 5 months, I have been read the riot act last evening by the Mrs.

I will need to pass on Merus. Since I am not actively on many list, this is the one I will miss most. I will save my nickels for Maybach though.

On internet and retail purchases: I need to cut back big time. The dead & exhausted Roman on my AMEX needs a long vacation. My new budget kicks in on March 1st, giving me 23 days to clear-up, and than him and I may part ways for a very long time.

The only thing I ordered from the January onslaught was Kutch.
hate to pass on many others, but I hope to pick up again on next mailers.
Still buying odds and ends here or there, but I can’t commit $500-$1000 to any one mailer right now.
For the next coupla months I’m living real tight. As most of us are.

I’ve already passed on AP Vin, August West, Outpost, Benovia, Kosta Browne, and Rochioli Estate in the last two months. It’s been tough, but I do feel better about my buying habits now, buying much less and concentrating on my favorites: Inman Family, Rhys, Anthill Farms and Cedarville.

I just got my first Merus mailer, but I hear no love for them at all. $405 to find out for myself? I think it will be a pass. Passing on WS also. Bought sprinklings of PAX, Radio C, QC, Copain, and Turley all in on Saxum, KB, Outpost so far…we will see…

So far this year, I’ve had to pass on the following:

Quilceda Creek
Aubert
Kistler
Loring
Herb Lamb
Rhys
Wind Gap
Le Cadeau
Bressler
Pride
Pali
Outpost
Anomaly
David Arthur
Kosta Browne (this one was the most painful)

Shafer HSS (just made the list and I am gone already [suicide.gif] )
Kosta Browne
Bressler (>$100 with shipping )
Took only 3 of 20 QC
Ordered then cancelled Ketcham (shipping location issue) will look for at retail.

Check in on an 05 Inman, rocking stuff.

I’ve had my finger on the trigger for Carlisle, Turley and Rhys but am trying to resist pulling it. (the trigger lol)

First time for both Carlisle and Turley - Jeb I’ll hit you soon with a PM once I decide if I buck up on Turley.

So far passed on Harlan, Bond, Schrader, Aubert, L&M, Merus, QC, Ovid, Maybach, Rhys, etc.
Kept R-M, Kutch, S.Hillside, KB (gave allo to a friend)…

Thanks PMC…I had one a few months ago, and wish the oak would settle in a little bit more on the finish. It’s such a delicate wine that I find some of the nuance can get lost amidst the structure. I’m going to wait a bit more, and enjoy my 04’s in the meantime. They’re taking names right now, just a beautiful, soft, well-balanced wine. Interestingly, there’s talk on eBob about how the 06 is showing even better than the 05 right now, which I would have never predicted.