Feeling inspired to post a few thoughts about the year, seeing that it’s winding down. I’d enjoy hearing from some other WBers as to anything they want to post for how the year impacted your wine life. For mine…
Champagne. I made an intention this year to get cracking on champagne and get all the way into the pool. I bought more bubbly than ever, at the expense of still wine that I had to buy less. Being able to drink champagne with my wife, who doesn’t drink red wine, has been cool. On election night, we crushed a bottle of Camille Saves rose, and while red in color to a degree, the bubbles seem to convince her it ain’t red! I’ve read the David White book now, and working through the Stevenson book, as well. Bubbly is glorious: full of acidity, refreshing, low alcohol and goes great with about anything. Dethune, Vilmart, Gimmonet, Bereche, Gerbais. Same strategy for 2017 is the plan, lots of bubbly filling the cellar.
Less Is More. I simply cannot drink like I used. I take care of myself, I try and get water and food with my wines but my body doesn’t love the booze anymore, nor does my palate. Dinners when we used to do 20 wines…not much fun for me anymore. 8-10 over a nice, long meal is what thrills me now (and saves me from feeling like crap). And, of course, these meals gotta have champagne.
ABV. I know it may be seen as trendy or cool to drink low booze wines. Maybe that’s true. But, a few weekends ago, I drank what is a highly rated producer that gets a lot of points for their wines, big critical love. The wine was loaded with alcohol, it was unpleasant and hard to drink. I just can’t do it anymore, I can’t drink these wines with any passion. Probably explains why #1 above is what drives my passion now!
Appreciation. As I have said in different years past, I really appreciate the friends and relationships I have made through wine. So much generosity, good times and great people have graced me, once again in 2016. Thanks to those of you during this year that have enjoyed meals with Jill and I, our blind tasting nights and all the great friends. Thank you!
Beautiful thoughts, always focusing on the positives. Just as we have come to expect from you, Frank.
Zinfandel. I continue to find that a cellar full of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont and other wines mostly continue to age, whereas I keep reaching to open bottles of zinfandel. Carlisle in particular, with Ridge, Scherrer, Cabot and Turley very much in the mix. The zins I buy are always tasty, everyone likes them, they go with the generally bolder and more seasoned foods that I tend to prefer eating, they work at the table but also before and after dinner, and they don’t fuss that you opened them too young, didn’t stand them up for a week, didn’t decant them for hours, didn’t filter out sediment, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I like being challenged by wines and contemplating wines, but as a dad of kids doing a million things, holding a full time job, trying to exercise, etc., I’m at a place where far more often, I like being able to open a bottle and just have it be delicious.
White Wine. I am also finding my percentage of white wine on the rise. Sometimes for the same reasons as I drink more zinfandel - most white wines you can just open and drink without a ton of production (other than needing to get it to the right temperature). But I think my wife and I seek whites more often, particularly here in our warm climate, than we used to. Also, one great benefit of years of wine geekdom has been to discover more and more whites that really hit my sweet spot - Copain, Rhys, Arcadian and now Kutch chardonnays, Loire Chenin (mostly Huet and Chidaine), grenache blanc from Tercero and Curran, and much experimentation with whites from all over.
[A minor point - my points 1 and 2 highlight why the “what percentage of your cellar is what” threads really distort what you’re actually buying and drinking. I have way more Bordeaux in my cellar than chardonnay or zin, but I drink way more chardonnay and zin than Bordeaux.]
Brunello di Montalcino. These are not really in fashion on WB, but I love Italian wines and again, I can usually pull these from the cabinet on the way to the car heading out to a restaurant and have it be great with dinner (see a theme here?). I think they marry delicious fruit with complexity and character, the QPR is excellent for many good wines (notwithstanding the de rigeure comment that Chianti is so much better for cheaper), and I love the bright Italian acidity. I’m sure I’m also influenced by memories of really special trips to Montalcino - to my mind, a highly underrated destination for the wine loving visitor.
Diversity. I continue to love the exploration and discovery of wine. I love finding an interesting Etna Bianco, a Sandlands Mataro or Carignane, a Patagonian Malbec, a tannat from Madiran, a Koshu from Japan, Aligote from Burgundy. I get that some people find one or two grapes or regions and just want that, but to me, the diversity of grapes, regions and styles is what keeps wine from ever getting stale in my life.
The Wine Community. I continue to be humbled and appreciative to get to travel in the circles into which my love of wine has drawn me. There are so many kind, generous, and interesting people. There is the exception here and there, but those are rare, and more often about someone’s online persona than what they’re really like. It’s funny, wine people have a reputation to the outside world as being so snooty and stuffy, but I so rarely see that in person.
Frank,
First of all, I love the positive attitude.
For me, 2016 was about
-breaking out the well cellared bottles because I felt like it, regardless of occasion
-drinking more whites
-making less wine but working harder at my craft
-understanding the concept “enough;” whether it be amount, abv, price, cellar inventory or whatever.
Cheers to you, Jim
Chris, drinking with you has always challenged me to think differently, as you do haul around some eclectic stuff, and you maintain things that I don’t buy, so that helps me keep my lens open to some other things. Plus, you’ve got an insight into wine that is unique, bigger picture and thoughtful. I appreciate that about you, it comes through very well in your post above–dead on who you are.
Jim, thanks for the comments, too. I know folks around here appreciate your wines (and I hope you will join Falltacular in February). Funny, if we all waited for the right moment to drink our best bottles, I wonder if that moment would truly arrive, enough times to honor those bottles we own. Cheers to you, buddy.
Hmmm…these ‘end-of-year lists’ can be either depressing or uplifting. Let me try to end on a positive note.
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t in the hinterlands and there would be more like-minded individuals to share a glass with. Alas. I do what I can and try to be a beacon to the local wine community, being what it is.
I am finding reds a bit pedestrian lately, but find that I need to spend a pretty penny to find whites that excite.
Alto-Piemonte is where it’s at.
Portugal is perhaps the best value country these days, full of interesting stuff that you’ve never heard of. Shhhhh!
The ‘traditional areas’ are pricing themselves to a billionaires’ market, perhaps appropriate in this age of Trunp. Luckily, I have a few I bought before. I cannot do so now, so this is a lament of sorts.
The State shipping ban will help me to drink down the cellar. See? Sometimes the government can do something good!
Sometimes I wish I lived closer to all the cool action in California. A lot of this stuff never comes east. But this is offset with…
The Finger Lakes are finally hip, and have reason to swagger. Yayyy!
Frank, you’ve got such a great attitude. Here are a few of mine.
Self Control - At the beginning of this year one of my mine goals was to substantially reduce my wine spend this year, so that I could focus on other, more important (at least for 2016!) life goals. Despite my best attempts, I’ve largely done that. I’ve spent less than 1/2 of what I did last year and less than 1/3 of what I did two years before. Now with the non-wine goals met, 2017 will be a year where I can scratch a few itches. Further to that…
Freedom!!! - I freed myself from all mailing lists. Next year is the first year I won’t have been on a list since 2012. And no intent to get back on one. What a great feeling.
Gratitude - While none of my friends and family are as wine-crazy as me, they are happy to indulge me (or, humor me, I can’t decide which). I was blessed enough this year to have TWO separate birthday dinner parties thrown for me, and this year wasn’t even a milestone for me!
The first dinner we popped a magnum of '79 Clos du Val and a bottle of '86 Mondavi Reserve, among others. The second we popped a '97 Togni, '93 Dunn Howell Mountain, and '81 Pichon Lalande.
All of the bottles were absolutely magical, and were even moreso because I was fortunate to enjoy them with my closest friends and family. As an only child it took me a long time to say this, but sharing is so much more rewarding!!!
Good topic, Frank, always enjoy when you start one of these.
Having reached a milestone birthday this year, I’ve been thinking more about what I buy, particularly wines that really do need quite a few years of age to reach their prime. So one of the things I’ve been doing is passing up buying much from new releases, and dabbling in backfilling older vintages when I find them. Hasn’t stopped me from purchasing latest vintages altogether, but it’s definitely down from past years.
Letting go: many of the wines I love to drink have climbed in price so much that it often becomes a mental battle to justify continuing to purchase. I’ve more or less accepted that there are just wines I can’t afford to buy any more, and instead found other wines I love that are less in demand and a bit more affordable.
Dropping lists: I haven’t been on a ton of lists, but have dropped off a few the past year or so as their prices go up, and I realize I have plenty of their wines to last quite a while. It’s liberating to get a mailer and not feel guilty about having to buy from it.
Continuing the journey: have had the chance to try a number of wines that were new to me, which is one of the biggest pleasures of this “hobby” of ours. Sometimes that leads to a door opening to another part of the wine world, sometimes it ends up being frustrating as I stumble on something that’s already well known to others and in high demand. But either way it’s nice to continue adding experiences to my wine knowledge.
Community: am lucky to be part of several groups of winos here in the Bay Area, with opportunities to gather over food and wine. That’s really the best part of being a Berserker, making these connections with people who share your passion. In fact, I’m still recovering from a dinner with a real Berserker last night
Such great posts, thank you guys for hopping into the thread.
I am though wondering…over 600 views and just 6 posts? Come on everyone, you went through nearly a whole year of wine in 2016 and nothing has inspired you? if that’s the case, are you drinking tap water in your wine stems?
Life: It’s short, mortality is real, enjoy every moment, every person, every opportunity and every wine. And if you aren’t enjoying that wine open something else. If you are enjoying it then share it with everyone you know. They deserve to experience the good things in this short life as well.
Purchasing: Wish I could figure out what self-control and living within ones means is. So much to experience though, See Life. I’ve got a decent stash of young wine so now I am backfilling with older vintages and appreciating what a little age does to fermented grape juice.
Consuming: No problems there. Except for that stark dose of mortality earlier in the year. Can’t take it with you so find a drinking (tasting) buddy or two or ten and pull some corks.
Wineberserkers/Winegeeks: They are some pretty righteous folk. Made so many friends by hanging out in this place and others. Good people, giving people, humble people, fun people. I dug every opportunity I got to spend time with you in 2016. Let’s make sure we multiply that effort in 2017!
Great topic, Frank! Thanks for starting it. I have a few…
Champagne/Sparkling: My wife has always loved Champagne. I am also getting the bug. We have been enjoying some of the offerings from Bonville and Ariston Aspasie. We also enjoy the Roederer Brut and Gloria Ferrer for domestic sparkling wine.
Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay: My current favorite white wine. By a lot.
Zinfandel and Field Blends: We buy Zin from the likes of Carlisle, Ridge, Turley and Rafanelli. As Chris said, it is easy to grab a bottle, open it, and have it compliment a lot of the meals that we usually make. Especially during grilling season. Lots of good bottles to choose from in the 2013 and 2014 Vintage.
Etna Rosso: I don’t know what I don’t know about Sicilian wines, but I am enjoying the journey, learning about the wines and drinking them. Very food friendly and nice lively acidity.
Half bottles: What a great format for Champagne and Sparkling wine, especially. Great for a Sunday night, since we generally don’t drink any leftover wine during the week.
Going to Wine Tastings: We continue to do this and it is a great way to meet people and learn. My wife and I prefer to go to tastings in San Francisco because we are close by car or BART and we enjoy walking around the City.
The Wine Community: Treat people like you want to be treated. That is my motto and it is shared by most in the wine community. It make this hobby of ours so much more enjoyable.
Two things helped this year. The best was the Copain offer for half bottles. Picked up my order yesterday and combined with my Sinskey 375’s we are in good shape. Second was a return to drinking Zinfandel. Got away from it for a few years but recent bottles bought on a whim have proved tasty and enjoyable.
My resolution to spend less this year held up pretty well. I had hoped to spend half as much as last year, I managed to spend 1/3 less but am quite happy with that. It translated to fewer bottles purchased and almost no increase in cellar size. Now to start shrinking it a bit…
While my move out of Chelsea Wine Storage was incredibly annoying and expensive in the long run I’ll be saving money. My break even point is around September of next year at which time I’ll be spending about $1000 a year less on storage.
I’ve stopped saving most bottles for “special” occasions. There were so many bottles I had hoped to open with someone that is now no longer with us that I’m just opening bottles and enjoying them. Though it helps if you shut your eyes and ignore price appreciation .
Lots of wonderful wines and lots of great dinners with wonderful people. This hobby has led me to meet so many of the latter.
Whites
I really didn’t have much experience with white wine other than chradonnay prior to 2016, but this year I have had great bottles from diverse grapes from France, Spain, Cali, Portugal, Greece, and Italy. Now I’m trying to further refine what I like and don’t within these broad categories. It has been a revelation!
French Rose
Between the summer heat and the time I like to spend at the grill, 2016 was loaded with lots of different refreshing French Rose’s
Local wine stores
Here in Nashville we don’t have easy access to a lot of the bottles that folks on WB rave about, but we have a few shops like Woodland Wine Merchants that have a very carefully curated, thoughtfully chosen, great selection. It’s always fun to see what’s new.
Wine glasses
2016 was the year I bought some Zaltos and Gabriel Glas stems from Chris Freemott. I’ll never go back!
California makes great Cab.
Some of the mailing list only wines are starting to hit Denver wine stores.
Unoaked reds are a great alternative to rose’, see Tercero
The more I “unfollow” on Facebook, the better I feel.
Great thread, this has been a pretty hard year and it helps to count your blessings once and a while!
I’d say that the biggest wine-thing I’ve enjoyed this year is the community I’ve become a part of. I’ve attended my first offlines and have made some new friends who are just as geeky as me! Wine is great but it’s even better when shared with friends! I’m excited to carry this through into the years to come.
Another thing I’ve loved this past year is all the wine-travel I’ve gotten to do and all the new wine I’ve discovered because of it. There’s always something new to try and somewhere new to see, I never want to lose my sense of adventure and travel is a big part of it, pocketbook be damned! California wine is actually really good!
Big hat tip to Sonoma Pinot, this was my first year having any and it’s knocked my socks off.
Honorable mention to Paso Robles, didn’t know what to expect when we went down there and we were so impressed, it’s always fun to be surprised!
Can’t forget champagne, this seems to be a theme so far in this thread, but I think this year I really started to GET champagne, I think there’s a lot more bubbles in my future!
Also my fiancee, she’s as on board with this wine thing as I am and it’s nice to have a teammate you can count on to always answer “of course not!” when you ask: “is this crazy?” about a purchase
Frank- Oh the Champagne. It’s amazing how versatile it is. Julie and I have a habit of sharing a bottle after a day of work and hauling kids around… sometimes two…
I also am fully committed to the ABV standard that you espouse. Less is so much better for me.
Chris- Ditto your white wine paragraph. I love Riesling and Chenin!!!
I have to say that I am completely enamored with US Point Noir. I am smitten with the likes of Biggio-Hamina, Vincent, Rhys, Kutch, and Sandler wines.
Focus My wine-buying continued to tighten its focus on trusted producers/bottlings. Well over 60% of my budget now goes to a select number of producers who wine I love year in and year out (LDH, Fourrier, Chidaine, Kelley Fox, Vajra, Schloss Gobelsburg). I like this because it helps me stay under budget as I have less “random, take a flyer” purchases. And a focused cellar maked me happy.
Continued openness to new areas/grapes I still continue to try new grape varieties and producers though. This keeps the hobby interesting and fresh. This year, I discovered Assyrtiko. I also discovered white Bordeaux. But I only tried the latter because I was stuck overnight in a hotel which had a half bottle of white Bordeaux in the minibar. I grudgingly tried it, and was blown away by how good it was. So I have to remember to stay open to the traditional, even “fuddy duddy” wines as well as the hot new-ish things… Staying under Budget This year I cut my budget considerably and still managed to stay within it for the first time ever, largely due to (1) above.
Reaching Cellar-size equilibrium After some years of collecting, I am happy with the size of my cellar, and bought almost exactly the same number of bottles as I drank. It’s a modest size (600-ish) but feels right to me. Not too excessive and out of control, but I have lots to choose from.
Moving Away from K&L Wines This store used to attract the bulk of my wine budget. I feel as if their prices have really gone up since the big store move. As a result, I’ve diversified away to stores like Sec Wines and Europa wines in Oregon. Their selection is more interesting anyway, and the savings can be quite considerable.
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