Any general advice and tips for first-timer ?

[Jim_Stewart]

Exactly !!!

[ToddFrench]

Eh don’t listen to these people, jump in with both feet and buy as much as you can and then some! Then enjoy your rewards later After my first BD the next morning I found a note from my wife on my keyboard that said “DON’T BUY ANYMORE WINE!” Hey we’re still married

What will happen (and this is pretty much guaranteed) is that you’ll cut yourself off, like a hard cut, no more wine, for sure. Then, another offer will show up, and you’ll need that one, and you’ll rationalize it. Then, another will pop up because you’ll notice you went too heavy on Pinot Noir, so you need some Cab, then you’ll buy that to balance it out…and so it goes

[Scott_Watkins]

Eh don’t listen to these people, jump in with both feet and buy as much as you can and then some! Then enjoy your rewards later After my first BD the next morning I found a note from my wife on my keyboard that said “DON’T BUY ANYMORE WINE!” Hey we’re still married

What will happen (and this is pretty much guaranteed) is that you’ll cut yourself off, like a hard cut, no more wine, for sure. Then, another offer will show up, and you’ll need that one, and you’ll rationalize it. Then, another will pop up because you’ll notice you went too heavy on Pinot Noir, so you need some Cab, then you’ll buy that to balance it out…and so it goes

So I guess i’m not the only one

[Todd_Hamina]

Get stuff you know your SO will enjoy.

[RDHudak]

Sometimes it helps to review the wine offered on Cellartracker. You’re looking for previous vintage history.
If the particular thread has a very positive buzz, I’d factor that in to your purchasing decision.

There are several winemakers that offer good value wines. You can’t just pop a $75 wine every night, but the $15 - $25 bottles ie Sandler, Navarro, Paetra will open your eyes to good wine at a great price. It’s callled QPR.

Absolutely agree.

[sdfruman]

I always try two or three new to me wineries each year. I always blow through my budget, even with preview day planning. I love small producers so this is my favorite day of the year. There are a lot of great offers to be found for under $100, many with shipping free or included. Try something out of your comfort zone. I opened a The Princess and the Peasant Carignan over the weekend and it was amazing! Jean Edwards Cellars, Cabot, Lagier Meredith, Ladd, Kendric, Sandler, Vincent and Sojourn have been consistently wonderful year after year. Franny Beck, Longplay, Zoetic. Young Hagen, Betwixt, and Paetra have been recent finds that are all wonderful. Veleta has the best sardines, tuna, and olive oil! Use preview day to plan, but read comments from fellow Berserkers about the offers. I’ve been swayed by others more than once, and I love enticing others to try something I’ve enjoyed before. Most important, HAVE FUN! Save some money for auctions, that’s how I’ve built my collection of magnums!

[Jeff_Bloom]

I always try two or three new to me wineries each year. I always blow through my budget, even with preview day planning.

This is exactly my pattern, leading to between 10 and 15 purchases a year (even the year I was laying in a hospital bed with a new hip). I’ve never been disappointed in any of the new wineries but unfortunately haven’t been able to buy more from most of them just because I have no more room.

It’s always a great day (actually two) and I’m getting my credit card warmed up for this week.

[Jason_T]

I’ll repeat my advice from a different thread:

As a BD veteran, I’ve found that the best way to manage the mayhem is to become a Grand Cru Crü member. My strategy is to use the Preview Day and Early Purchase Offers to prepare a spreadsheet outlining everything I want to buy. It is much easier to budget and plan when you can review the offers in advance instead of having to react to them as they appear (though I still haven’t figured out a way to completely avoid at least one or two impulse buys in the excitement of the actual event). Remember, these are mostly small producers, so quantities are limited and I’ve seen in recent years that some wines offered by BerserkerBusiness members get sold out to Grand Cru Crü members as Early Purchase Offers and never make it to the actual BerserkerDay event.

If you want some insight into wines being offered, the “Has Anyone Been Drinking BerserkerDay Wines Lately?” thread is a good resource, as are the forums from past years. Looking at the forums from the past few BDs will give you an idea of how things look once the dust has settled.

I would tell you to embrace Mike’s plan however that level of organization risks leaving less wine for me.

[Jason_T]

Get stuff you know your SO will enjoy.

Smart. Can also work from a budgeting perspective. My wife and I have somewhat overlapping tastes. Any purchase we agree on together we split. However if it’s stuff that she knows I won’t like or vice versa, we absorb those costs individually.

So, sitting down with her and planning on what wines she may like means more money for the wines that only I like.

[Scott_Brunson]

Drinking lowers your resistance to temptation.

[Mike_Stoneking]

Have your BD credit card statements sent to an address besides your home if you are married. Life saving move!

[brigcampbell]

It’s quite simple. Only spend your disposable income on berserkerday offerings.

Use the kid’s college fund for auction items.

Problem solved. You’re welcome.

[Craig_Haserot]

The $25 you will pay for the Grand Cru “early look at the offers program” is well worth it.

Also, being new, find a wine buddy or two to split some of the offers with. Many wineries will ship at no charge for a 4 or 6 bottles purchase or so - by finding someone to split offers with you will get more new (to you) winery looks and be able to find more new cool producers much faster.

[Mark_Maddox]

I joined 3 weeks before the last BD, bought 31 bottles…almost all from new to me producers. I have no intention of informing my wife after I top that number this year at BDX. I plan to repeat my favorites from last year and try 2-3 new producers. Just an awesome day!

[Jason_Crawford]

I told my wife that Berserkday was coming up. She told me to buy A LOT of tuna from Veleta. Pay attention to things other than wine as well.

[JoeDaniels]

Is it too late to go grand cru and see preview day? New to site but certainly looking forward to tomorrow.

[ToddFrench]

Is it too late to go grand cru and see preview day? New to site but certainly looking forward to tomorrow.

You aren’t the first one to be last minute, let me tell ya! You should be fine

[JoeDaniels]

Thanks Todd. Just made my donation(?) so will refresh in a bit.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

Pick at least one producer out of your comfort zone and buy a small amount just to expand your horizons/

[Won_H_L_e_e]

man… i didn’t realize preview day close at 4:30pm PST. was working all day and came home to find those forums were closed. poop