Is it weird that I only want to drink my good wines with others?

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

I really like sharing special wines/bottles. So many of my early and formative experiences were shared bottles from a more experienced palate(them sharing with me). Now I just enjoy offering what I have come to really appreciate with others

[Bob_Hughes]

>>>>>>>Life is too short to save every “special” bottle for a “special” occasion.<<<<<
Bingo!

Not to get morbid or anything, but guys my age are listed in the Obits every day. As I said earlier, I love sharing fine wine with good friends, but I’m not doing so while also refusing to ever open a “special” bottle on a Wednesday night because I felt like it.

[M_Nguyen]

It’s not weird. I feel similar, although I will pop the occasional nicer bottle for myself if an occasion calls for it and people are busy. Wine is just way more fun with others.

[Mark_B]

@alan weinberg

@c fu

@alan weinberg

not weird, but I will also drink a fine bottle alone. One of my top 5 Burgs ever was a 90 Leroy Musigny I drank by myself, the entire bottle over several hours. Well, not entirely alone–I was joined by two angels who arrived near the end of the bottle, hoisted me on their shoulders, and flew me about the room. An epiphany wine.

tell me more about those angels.

I am sure my post was archived on ebob. It was probably about ten years ago.

[Barry_L_i_p_t_o_n]

not weird


but start buying a few cherry 375s!

[mike_pobega]

As much as I like treating f&f, I find at my ‘advanced’ age I enjoy treating ‘moi’ as well or at least as the need fits.

[Kirk.Grant]

I have specific wines that I have set aside to drink with specific friends…that no matter what, I will not drink them alone. However, I will also snag a “special” bottle for myself when the mood strikes me. Hell the last '82 Bordeaux I had the only other company I had besides the cats in the room was a steak covered in mushrooms.

[g.colangelo]

When drinking with friends and family I always try to choose a good wine for the occasion and for the food, but most of the time not one that steals the show.

For special bottles it’s usually me and my wife, or a very small group of friends, and it’s clear from the start that the focus of the happening is that bottle of wine. If it’s only me and my wife, then I also wish to have enough time to follow the evolution of the bottle: meaning at least a day sampling it several times on its own and drinking it over meal(s).

[Markus_S]

I say why not do both? Treat your friends AND treat yourself. Unfortunately for me, there are not many, if any, wine friends around around anymore. No, they didn’t die, but mainly moved away and moved on. In my small circle of locals, there are a couple of guys who won’t drink any wine alone, it always has to be ‘justified’ through tasting with others only. I find this rather limiting. If you have the bottles already, it is a sunk cost. If something matches what you are cooking that night, go ahead and enjoy. You have my blessing!

[I_Howe]

@Tom Moore

Does your wife not count as someone to enjoy a bottle with?

Should have included that info, my wife does not like wine. Or really any alcohol for that matter. This is great when we go out, there is always a designated driver. But when we are home, if I am drinking red wine, I am drinking alone.

[Loren_Sonkin]

@alan weinberg

@c fu

@alan weinberg

not weird, but I will also drink a fine bottle alone. One of my top 5 Burgs ever was a 90 Leroy Musigny I drank by myself, the entire bottle over several hours. Well, not entirely alone–I was joined by two angels who arrived near the end of the bottle, hoisted me on their shoulders, and flew me about the room. An epiphany wine.

tell me more about those angels.

I am sure my post was archived on ebob. It was probably about ten years ago.

Here ya go. For posterity: 3/17/05

1990 was the first big year of Burgundy purchases for me and I reveled in the wines, having discovered this expression of the Pinot Noir grape about a year before. I traded/sold much of my California and Bordeaux for Burgundy and haven’t looked back since. As many know, Leroy bought her domaine in 88 and the 90 Leroy wines were highly touted by Tanzer, Parker and Coates. Due to the high prices, they languished on shelves and I was able to trade and buy them at leisure. I remember trading two cases of California Cabernet for a full case of the Parker 100 Leroy Clos de la Roche 90. I was able to buy 2 bottles of the 90 Leroy Musigny; production was 292 bottles or just shy of a barrel. At that time, the wine cost $350; now–if you could find it–I’d guess $1500 would be the price.

1990 was the year Leroy used a lousy wax capsule that chipped just by looking at it, exposing the cork. She needs to take lessons from Raveneau or Dunn! She switched to foils and now, with recent vintages, is back to wax. One of my Musigny bottles had no wax left on the top of the bottle, no big deal to a wine drinker, but an irritation to a “collector.” It just made pulling the cork easier tonight.

I expected a great wine. What I drank, and am drinking, exceeded all expectations. Many say these wines aren’t true Pinot, that they’re caricatures of Pinot, strange dense wines that don’t express the grape and terroir. This wine was gorgeous. And it’s Burgundy. Headspinning amazing Burgundy.

I sit here looking at the glass that holds a few ounces and I really don’t know how to explain the wine. The density and texture, the fruit, the balance, the finesse and aristocracy–the whole experience is mindboggling. It’s a wine I could just fall into, like Alice in Wonderland, with a melange of amazing flavors and smells.

This wine is ageless, but it drinks very, very well right now. It’ll last, and improve, for decades, and is testimony to Burgundy, to Musigny and to Leroy. I’m stunned.

alan

[Loren_Sonkin]

Are you saying that you won’t open up something special for just you or even for you and your wife? It is the two of you, then I disagree. definitely include just the two of you in special bottles. It makes this hobby/obsession even better if you can share it with her. Sure, its great to share with friends, so why not who is hopefully your best friend?

[Jay_Miller]

Not strange at all. I will think twice before opening anything by myself ( so and so would really like this wine…) especially since I usually buy in quantities of one to three bottles.

I can open good Riesling when it’s just the two of us but that’s not a large part of my collection (yet)

Of course there’s the alternate problem to the one mentioned above. I’ve saved wines to open with friends who have since passed away.

[spkaiser]

@mike pobega

As much as I like treating f&f, I find at my ‘advanced’ age I enjoy treating ‘moi’ as well or at least as the need fits.

Sadly, I’m beginning to see the light…

[David_Glasser]

If you’re passionate about wine, it’s natural to want to share your best stuff with others. Nothing strange about it at all. I have a few bottles set aside for special occasions, where special occasion means the presence of certain people.

OTOH, I don’t hesitate to open a rare or great bottle when it’s just my wife and me. If it’s just me, I’m unlikely to open a rarity, but I’ve got no problem opening a great bottle if I’m in the mood for one. I can Coravin it or finish it the next day.

[alan_weinberg]

@Loren Sonkin

@alan weinberg

@c fu

tell me more about those angels.

I am sure my post was archived on ebob. It was probably about ten years ago.

Here ya go. For posterity: 3/17/05

1990 was the first big year of Burgundy purchases for me and I reveled in the wines, having discovered this expression of the Pinot Noir grape about a year before. I traded/sold much of my California and Bordeaux for Burgundy and haven’t looked back since. As many know, Leroy bought her domaine in 88 and the 90 Leroy wines were highly touted by Tanzer, Parker and Coates. Due to the high prices, they languished on shelves and I was able to trade and buy them at leisure. I remember trading two cases of California Cabernet for a full case of the Parker 100 Leroy Clos de la Roche 90. I was able to buy 2 bottles of the 90 Leroy Musigny; production was 292 bottles or just shy of a barrel. At that time, the wine cost $350; now–if you could find it–I’d guess $1500 would be the price.

1990 was the year Leroy used a lousy wax capsule that chipped just by looking at it, exposing the cork. She needs to take lessons from Raveneau or Dunn! She switched to foils and now, with recent vintages, is back to wax. One of my Musigny bottles had no wax left on the top of the bottle, no big deal to a wine drinker, but an irritation to a “collector.” It just made pulling the cork easier tonight.

I expected a great wine. What I drank, and am drinking, exceeded all expectations. Many say these wines aren’t true Pinot, that they’re caricatures of Pinot, strange dense wines that don’t express the grape and terroir. This wine was gorgeous. And it’s Burgundy. Headspinning amazing Burgundy.

I sit here looking at the glass that holds a few ounces and I really don’t know how to explain the wine. The density and texture, the fruit, the balance, the finesse and aristocracy–the whole experience is mindboggling. It’s a wine I could just fall into, like Alice in Wonderland, with a melange of amazing flavors and smells.

This wine is ageless, but it drinks very, very well right now. It’ll last, and improve, for decades, and is testimony to Burgundy, to Musigny and to Leroy. I’m stunned.

alan

thanks so much for pulling that old review. I can taste the wine and the angels are smiling.

[Anthony_Lombardi]

Alan- I loved reading every word of that.

[Peter_Simpson]

Ian, I thought I had solved this problem when I stopped buying inexpensive wine. However I still have great difficulty opening “wow” wines when it’s just the wife and I. To make things worse she feels exactly the same way. The net result is that in order to drink the good stuff I am forced to socialize more than I otherwise would.

[Jeffrey_Neal]

Good wine, like good food, is more enjoyable with friends and family. I think it makes for a better experience, so I don’t think your approach is weird. That doesn’t mean I won’t open something good when I am in the mood for it, even when it is just for me.

[Robert.A.Jr]

We may have ruined Ian. Got a text that he is drinking solo right now, sounds like he started before end of work day. And we just hooked him on Baudry. LOL.