I know $20,000 is a made up number, but I must admit it’s magnitude influenced my responses. Esp given the likely prices of college and housing in the future. I also am influenced by the fact that my children (34 and 32) have many interests for money more significant than wine - my son does not drink any alcohol. By contrast, my wife and I were married in 1982 and it has been wonderful having 1982 Bordeaux for special occasions. This is why I suggested emphasizing year married over birth years.
Very nice Sarah. I love the European like approach to introducing wine to the children at the table and to be shared amongst the family members.
My daughter was born in 1998, and my son in 2000. I stocked up on wines from both vintages that should age: Barolo, Bordeaux, CdP and California Cabernet. Also across a mix of price points. I also have a few magnums tucked away.
We set aside a mixed case of special bottles from each vintage in a nice wood Bordeaux box that has their birth year stamped on it. For example in 1998 there are 2 bottles each of Mouton, Haut-Brion, Giacosa Faletto, VT, Ridge MB and Dunn Howell Mountain resting in a 1998 Haut-Brion wood box. Before I sealed it up, I tucked a letter into each box, written when I assembled the box and sharing my hopes for them and why I chose the specific wines. I think of it as a time capsule. Once they settle into their lives I will give it to them.
What we also find really fun is to open a birth year wine on significant occasion family dinners (think birthdays, high school graduation, college acceptance, first paycheck etc.) we typically linger during these dinners and discuss what was going on in the year they were born.
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Larry, I am going to have to steal this idea. I just love the idea of creating a time capsule with a letter from mom and dad.
Agreed, Blake. It seems to me that making wine a regular, shared and enjoyed, never abused, experience helps teach children to respect it, as well as perhaps developing an interest. I don’t know if the practice will keep him from at least some questionable behavior among friends when gets older and rebellious. We’ll see. For now, though, it makes him feel grown up and special to get his own small glass of something he likes, and his dad and I love hearing things like “it’s a little watery through the mid-palate” come out of his mouth.
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My first son was born in 2016.
I will try and get my hands on a 2016 Rayas when it is released. If he does not like it… lucky me.
The safe bet would probably be to get some sweet’ish riesling. At a young age they might prefer a little sweetness if they are not used to drink wine.
Else i already have enough 2016 now to pick something when that times come.
My second soon is three months old. So who knows.
Feel free. One additional idea for you, take a picture of you and your kid with the box of wine as you’re assembling it. You can include that picture in the time capsule. I didn’t do this but wish I had.
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Absolutely agree Sarah. Introduce children to wine, art, food, cultures etc. early. They will learn to respect and appreciate them.
My daughter is starting to develop a good palate at 2.5 haha. She tells me when things taste like wood haha
With that budget see if they want to sell them when they hit 21! That would be a nice down payment on a house.
Hi Robert, lots of good advice here. Our sons were born in 1996 and 1999 and I did go a little crazy buying birth year wine for them. I have now whittled it down to about 4 cases for each son.
The wines selected are a mix of wines that can be enjoyed after 20 years up to 60 years later. For me the first thing I did was try and figure out which wine regions (globally) had good/very good/excellent vintages in 1996 and 1999. The I started acquiring wines from the better performing regions that would have a good prospect of going the distance.
the wines are;
- Two bottle each of Chateau Yquem and German TBAs for their 50th and 60th birthdays. I choose these based on their proven longevity (Vintage Port could be an option if it is a declared vintage)
- The remainder mostly a mix of red wines from Bordeaux ( incl a few 1st growths), Barolo, Burgundy, Australia (specially Penfolds Grange and Wendouree) that cover the 20 year to 50 year range
- Good quality German Spatlese and Auslese that will comfortably go the 20 to 30 year time period
Another consideration I have come across recently - my younger son (now 21) is going to a lot of 21st birthday parties and it is really nice to be be able to give him a birth year wine as a gift to the birthday person. For this purpose you simply need a few cases of a decent well made red wine from a good region in the $30-$50 price range that has a good aging track record. A Rioja works as does a number of Aussies (e.g. Wynns Black Label Cab Sav) and there are heaps of Bdx chateau that will perform very well in this category not mention entry level Barolo and Barbaresco.
anyway looking for the wines is at least half the fun and for me it does not actually matter if they don’t end up liking wine or not. They can drink it or sell it - up to them
good luck Brodie
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Got married in 2016 and first baby in 2018. I try to pick a few here and there but I have no intentions in accumulating massive throngs of wines for these years. The thought is that I would just use these bottles for milestone years. 21st, 10,15, 20, etc. wedding anniversary
Plus you can find mostly any vintage these days of a desired wine so why pay now when this would be the case in the future (I know, price will mostly rise).
I turn 40 in 5 years. That is front and center on my mind for accumulation. 1986 Ramonet Montrachet anyone?
Very much agreed. We usually open a bottle of my kids birth year for dinner and it adds a little more nostalgia to the day as we get teary eyed and think about how much our kids have grown.
I’ve found that I gravitate to 2012 and 2014 when buying back vintages wines as a result.
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My birth year sucks (1987), though I’ve had a couple nice 1987 wines (old ESJ, Dunn Howell Mountain). But I’m no longer actively seeking anything out.
Donnhoff. Have not had them in years but my first Donnhoffs were 1987 Kabinett and Spatlese. Pretty good wines for a highly structured vintage with suboptimal ripeness.
I don’t think I would venture too far from my normal buying habits. I don’t buy wine over $300 for myself, so I probably wouldn’t go that route for my kids.
BTW, 11 cases of wine from a single year is too much? Am I on the right board? LOL
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Married in 2019, fingers crossed for a long-lasting Burgundy vintage.
Right, I would definitely not buy only Bordeaux.
ha. My year is legitimately the worst of the 20th century. 1956. Only some Tokay decent. My kids did well and have cases of birth year wines and, fortunately, both enjoy and collect wine now. I like the index fund idea—inside a 529.
1956 is tough. That’s my dad’s birth year and it’s been impossible to find any descent wines to purchase. Over the years I’ve managed to buy birth year wines for myself, and the rest of the family, but there’s been no descent wines I’ve managed to find from 1956. Closest I’ve come close to is some whisky and armagnac, but he’s not a big drinker of either, so it was more for just the symbolic gesture of drinking something from his birth year.