How do you protect the special wine from gulpers ?

Im sure we have all been in this situation

Your at a gathering say a dinner party with ten people, now a couple of you are real wine guys and youve brought special bottles, i dont mean a Bedrock or Carlisle which your OK sharing around im talking a Harlan, SE, DRC etc. What do you do when the guy/girl who you know could not tell SE from Screaming Yellow Tail reaches across with the intent of filling up their their 20 oz glass and basically taking a good 30-40% of you SE in one go and you know they will do something stupid like put ice in it or say OH thats to dry and throw it out.

I try and predict and swap out the bottle quickly telling them i think they would prefer this nice Four Vines zin i brought specially for them, but if they sense like some people do that its special and they want to try the DRC even though you know full well they would hate it or have zero appreciation is it OK to say politely to them " get lost this is for us winos only " ?

Would you let the ignorant drink your whole bottle of prized wine because your were to nice or would you speak up ?

if you plan on opening up a wine that’s pushing a high-dollar threshold (or a wine of high personal attachment), i would purposely design an evening where these types of considerations aren’t necessary.

Don’t bring it if you aren’t happy to share with others. Or be willing share with all. Simple.

Know your audience. Don’t bring to the table something so precious you cringe when people pour it. Save that stuff for us ‘pros’…hiccup!

If I am serving bottles like this, I am also the one pouring and not leaving them out on a common bar area. Even as it is being poured making sure they know it is a special bottle (no mention of price, just special)

What if you only see the winos at the same time as the gulpers ?

Perhaps explain to the gulpers that this is a very special bottle and you want to make sure everyone gets their fair share – and then control the bottle.

+1

who knows, maybe that taste of “special wine” is the one that turns the light bulb on for the Gulper, and they make the transition to Geek?

But the “gulper” is the one who is not sharing by taking so much others don’t get a taste. John’s suggestion is the correct one IMO.

POSI-POUR

Pat

Yes, control is key. If that isn’t possible…you need to make a choice: to serve or not to serve. If I am concerned and “control” isn’t possible…I often opt not to serve something really special. But, control is usually not that difficult.

lots of variables here…including how to satisfy the “gulper”…with something equally wet.

1. Put those bottles somewhere out of reach.
2. Bring muzzles.

Sometimes the gulpers have a drinking problem. We had someone in a group of mine who always overpoured his glass and then went back for seconds before anyone else had a chance. He had a problem. In our group, “a Hunter pour” was named in his honor. Turned out the guy was diabetic and had a drinking problem and he has now departed us.

Just something to be alert to – and another justification for controlling the bottle.

+1 My Apothic Red drinking neighbor knows no difference. We hide the good stuff and only a select few get a pour. Bad, sneaky, I know, but that’s life.

Just because someone doesn’t know what they are drinking doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy it.

I usually attack the situation head on. Go straight to the gulper(s) and tell them you’ve got a special, rare bottle to share and you’d love for them to try it. Pour them a small taste. Explain what it is and why it’s special. Let them be part of the enjoyment. Pour a small taste for everyone. Let everyone enjoy it equally.

Better to have everyone see how generous you are and join in the special moment than for someone to secretly feel excluded and ruin the party.

That’s what wine is all about, right? Sharing the good times. If the answer is ‘no’, then just open the bottle at home and drink the whole thing yourself.

If it is a really special bottle I whip out fresh glasses and give everyone a taste, noting what it is( and who was nice enough to bring it). Whatever is left of the bottle is fair game.

Either that or I point to something outside and while they are looking away I chug half the bottle first

The second you put the bottle down in the “help yourself” area, you need to stop caring. If your special bottles are supposed to be something between reserved or fetishized, don’t bring them to that type of event.

So much nice wine out there in the world that one can bring to a party for general consumption without worrying about it.

Also- before you pull the douche move supreme & try to pour off plonk to someone you think doesn’t know. Imagine if someone there thought you didn’t know food & didn’t allow you to eat the Wagyu & directed you to a frozen pizza they made.

Put it in a Thunderbird bottle - no one will touch it, right?!!?

Or better yet, just put it in ANY screw cap bottle - it’s like the plague, right?

Cheers.

Do not bring the “wine” to an occasion where there will be gulpers!!

Always reminds me of the guy who grew up drinking e&j brandy who really really liked my 30yo cognac. He liked it so much that he poured himself a 4 oz “traveler”* in a plastic cup when he left the party.

• I learned that is a Wisconsin term for a “to-go” drink at a bar.