Monthly check-in: Cellar inventory reduction plan

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#1 Post by **maureen nelson** » April 1st, 2018, 11:53 am

Ok we (well, the old farts among us) talk about owning too much wine, stopping buying, reducing our holdings, etc. So i challenge those of us to post on the first of each month whether during the month we increased or managed to decrease our holdings (or held stable). If you use CT, check your holdings today (including undelivered purchases) and record it somewhere (I won’t ask you to post it here but feel free to do so) and the on the first of each month tell us how you did. This will be hard for me as I don’t drink that much.

I will start. As of today I own 2545 bottles. Goal is to get down to 2400 by the end of the year.

#2 Post by **M. Dildine** » April 1st, 2018, 12:05 pm

As of today, I hold 703 bottles. Goal is to get to 675 by year end. We consume about 350 bottles per year (two year inventory).

My major purchases (mostly through mailing lists) come over two periods: Jan - March and June - Aug. My strategy is to purchase fewer bottles each month versus what I did the previous year.

Victor Hong · #3 Post by **Victor Hong** » April 1st, 2018, 12:07 pm

4/1/2018

Jim Erwin · #4 Post by **Jim Erwin** » April 1st, 2018, 2:29 pm

04/01/2018: 2898 bottles total cellared and pending
12/31/2018: 2680 goal to accomplish

#5 Post by **Bob Davis** » April 1st, 2018, 2:49 pm

Wow, I feel like a piker. I was happy to go from about 750 in 2010 to 275 today. Mainly college expense induced frugality. The goal it possibly get to around <200 next year before we retire and relocate.

We stopped buying wines to long-term cellar a while ago and are only maintaining 1 mailing list.

Philip N. Jones · #6 Post by **Philip N. Jones** » April 1st, 2018, 3:21 pm

Over the last year, I have cut back from 600 to 550. I hope to continue the decline. I am not getting any younger.
Phil Jones

#7 Post by **David Glasser** » April 1st, 2018, 6:33 pm

Some big dinners last weekend helped me in my goal.
Purchases in March: 0
Bottles consumed in March: 21 (counting a 3L as 4 bottles)

AAgrawal · #8 Post by **AAgrawal** » April 1st, 2018, 10:02 pm

19 bottles net negative so far in 2018. Goal is -80 by the end of the year, so actually very close to on track.

#9 Post by **J. Singleton** » April 1st, 2018, 10:34 pm

Sent 670 bottles to auction last month and kept around 375. Feels amazing.

#10 Post by **bryan c** » April 1st, 2018, 10:53 pm

Not an old fart but 2227 and trying to reduce significantly this year.

Jeffrey Neal · #11 Post by **Jeffrey Neal** » April 2nd, 2018, 5:49 pm

1137 bottles

Goal is to get down to 1000 by the end of 2018.

BTW, I am 61

#12 Post by **Monte Mast** » April 2nd, 2018, 7:36 pm

1037 currently (985 with 52 pending)

Hoping to relocate from Texas to Oregon summer of 2020.

Would love to get down to 50 cases (600) but 60 (720) is more realistic. That would be a minimum of a net reduction of 12 bottles a month or 17 to get down to 600.

#13 Post by **john stimson** » April 2nd, 2018, 8:00 pm

So how's this. I have no idea how many bottles I have.

#14 Post by **Randy Bowman** » April 2nd, 2018, 8:09 pm

The earthquake in 2014 reduced my cellar by about 200 bottles at home and destroyed my 500 bottle wine refrigerator. Haven't bothered getting a new cellar and just keep the 52 bottle under counter wine refrigerator nearly full, replacing as we drink them.

#15 Post by **alan weinberg** » April 2nd, 2018, 9:34 pm

john stimson wrote:So how's this. I have no idea how many bottles I have.

me either. And in no hurry to reduce.

#16 Post by **Robert Grenley** » April 2nd, 2018, 10:18 pm

I have about 2400 bottles or so. I know why I am not looking to increase my total (I am 63, my total number of bottles seems like enough, I am somewhat running short of space without cramming in bottles in a less organized fashion, etc.), but I am not sure why I would be looking to reduce the size of my cellar. Reasons I could think of (I will be moving and want fewer cases to transport, I have no heirs interested in wine so if any wine is left after my demise it will go to waste, I need to fund an addition to my house, I have too much domestic wine that is less reliable to age and may be getting past its prime, my tastes have changed and I need to get rid of the stuff I no longer enjoy drinking, I am paying for offsite storage and I would like to pay less, I have decided that I like fresh and not mature wine, etc.) do not apply in my case. So, as long as the wines are not getting past their prime, I see no need to divest. I do buy house drinkers, continue to backfill older Burgs in 1-2 bottles increments for fun and amusement, buy some OR pinot and Rhys and W-S, continue to age the Burgs and pull them out when appropriate, and have pretty much given up the idea of pursuing new Burg releases after 2010 (Ok, I bought some 12’s and 15’s) so I don’t need to make room for the latest vintage. Of greater import to me is when to drink the wines I have, how to make sure I get to the ones I have an emotional (and not just financial) investment in before I am too old to hold a glass, etc. i already have a plan of succession. I have printed out a cellar inventory and categorized the wines into various levels of absurd value so that, should any be left after I am done drinking through as many as I can manage, my family can decide what delicious wine they want to drink and what they might want to sell at auction. So,I think that if my cellar is the same size when I die as it is now, it will be OK.

#17 Post by **Bob Hughes** » April 3rd, 2018, 4:39 am

I have been trying to be more selective in my red wine buying this year, partly as a means to make the cellar less jammed/cluttered and more navigable.

I've slowly begun to inventory stacks since I started this at the beginning of the year, and have located a number of bottles that I was unaware I still had, so a nice ancillary benefit as well

#18 Post by **D@vid Bu3ker** » April 3rd, 2018, 4:55 am

I am failing miserably at reduction.

Not really sad about that.

#19 Post by **Howard Cooper** » April 3rd, 2018, 5:30 am

This seems like Weight Watchers for winos. Are there points?

#20 Post by **J a y H a c k** » April 3rd, 2018, 6:38 am

I need a legal ruling. Do I have to count the wines on the floor of the cellar that do not yet have a home in the slots and bins so I have not yet entered them into Cellartracker? How about the two cases in my office that I haven't brought home yet?

See photo below for more details.

: Cellar (00936247x9F683).jpg (32.62 KiB) Viewed 5662 times

#21 Post by **Jay Miller** » April 3rd, 2018, 7:13 am

Announcing a cellar reduction plan on April Fools Day? Very appropriate, for me at least.

I have 644 bottles and hope to reduce that to 600 by the end of the year. Same goal as last year but maybe this thread will help. I'm down 24 from January 2017 which counts as progress.

Pat Martin · #22 Post by **Pat Martin** » April 3rd, 2018, 7:52 am

Cellar at 2800 bottles.

Plan is to get below 2700 by year’s end, maybe even below 2600!

#23 Post by **Jeff Bloom** » April 3rd, 2018, 8:05 am

J a y H a c k wrote:I need a legal ruling. Do I have to count the wines on the floor of the cellar that do not yet have a home in the slots and bins so I have not yet entered them into Cellartracker?

I need that same ruling. Also do we count wines already purchased but shipments just coming in (several more cases due in the next few weeks)?

Victor Hong · #24 Post by **Victor Hong** » April 3rd, 2018, 8:43 am

J a y H a c k wrote:I need a legal ruling. Do I have to count the wines on the floor of the cellar that do not yet have a home in the slots and bins so I have not yet entered them into Cellartracker? How about the two cases in my office that I haven't brought home yet?

See photo below for more details.

Cellar (00936247x9F683).jpg

They do not exist, if you drink them beforehand.

#25 Post by **David Glasser** » April 3rd, 2018, 9:44 am

Howard Cooper wrote:This seems like Weight Watchers for winos. Are there points?

Yes. 93.

Peter Hirsch · #26 Post by **Peter Hirsch** » April 3rd, 2018, 9:57 am

Down about 4% so far this year.
Total purchases minus total consumption.
A great 3 months...

#27 Post by **Ken V** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:17 am

Howard Cooper wrote:This seems like Weight Watchers for winos. Are there points?

That's a good analogy. So far, I'm the fattest person here. Probably, literally and figuratively. I am trying to reduce both, but I'm not going to say where I am now (on either count).

#28 Post by **Joe B** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:43 am

I drank off about 15 bottles last month. Does that count?

#29 Post by **Robert Pollard-Smith** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:43 am

At the beginning of 2017, I was at an even 750, and said to myself, see if you can empty out one of the three offsite lockers. I got that locker down under 3 cases.

I am now at 749.

#30 Post by **Bryan Price** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:53 am

Woah woah you're introducing way too much accountability on these boards!

#31 Post by **M. Dildine** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:53 am

One thing that may assist me in cutting back - I'm primarily a North Coast California wine buyer. The 2017 vintage was relatively small and challenging (weather and fires) here.

#32 Post by **Joe B** » April 3rd, 2018, 10:58 am

M. Dildine wrote:One thing that may assist me in cutting back - I'm primarily a North Coast California wine buyer. The 2017 vintage was relatively small and challenging (weather and fires) here.

I don’t think we are supposed to mention the fires Mike.

#33 Post by **Diane Kessler** » April 3rd, 2018, 1:07 pm

My wake up call was when I crossed the 1000 bottle threshold this past summer. I sent 4 cases to auction (I should have sent triple that number) and am at 956 now. I am very serious about reducing my inventory, and since January, output has exceeded input.

Corey N. · #34 Post by **Corey N.** » April 3rd, 2018, 1:20 pm

I'm somewhere between 450-500 bottles as I don't always enter daily drinkers into Cellartracker. I bought a new house this year, so the goal is to cut back purchasing significantly (hopefully at 400 bottles by year end), though I plan on adding some higher end/older wines as I'm also trying to re-balance my cellar.

AndrewH · #35 Post by **AndrewH** » April 3rd, 2018, 1:45 pm

I have been happy simply slowing the rate of increase - an inflection point on the growth curve if you will.

#36 Post by **Robert Grenley** » April 3rd, 2018, 1:57 pm

I am still tying to figure out the desire to reduce the total amount of inventory...unless it is kept at a cost in offsite storage, they have exceeded the comfortable capacity of their cellar and have to navigate boxes in the middle of the floor (see above), the wine is to be sold and the money used for some other worthwhile or non-worthwhile purpose, someone's taste has changed and they wish to shift the composition of the cellar, they have too much wine that is getting old and past its prime, or their life's end is in site and they have no heirs who enjoy wine. But most posters here express their desire to reduce their inventory but it is not apparent that there is a purpose behind it.

#37 Post by **dsimmons** » April 3rd, 2018, 5:13 pm

I started at ~2800 bottles 4 years ago and decided that 2000 would be a good cellar size for me, based on my likes and drinking habits. Since then I have dropped to ~2400 bottles (including being stiffed for over 100 bottles by Premier Cru).

My plan is to continue with my cellar reduction efforts but I am not overly concerned about how fast I get there. A reduction of 50 to 100 bottles a year seems a reasonable goal.

#38 Post by **maureen nelson** » April 3rd, 2018, 5:21 pm

Jeff Bloom wrote:
J a y H a c k wrote:I need a legal ruling. Do I have to count the wines on the floor of the cellar that do not yet have a home in the slots and bins so I have not yet entered them into Cellartracker?
I need that same ruling. Also do we count wines already purchased but shipments just coming in (several more cases due in the next few weeks)?

Yes and yes sez the judge

#39 Post by **Howard Cooper** » April 3rd, 2018, 5:59 pm

David Glasser wrote:
Howard Cooper wrote:This seems like Weight Watchers for winos. Are there points?
Yes. 93.

#40 Post by **Russ Williams** » April 4th, 2018, 4:53 am

My wife had her first reality check conversation with me about the amount of wine I have and the fact we are planning to retire in a few years and go RVing full time. Much work to be done on the inventory reduction front.

jon leifer · #41 Post by **jon leifer** » April 4th, 2018, 7:01 am

To address Robert G's comments, I am well into my sunset years(some might say that the sun set a long time ago), hence the need to reduce inventory, neither my wife nor my kids drink reds, so I have been drinking down the reds and only buying(with a few exceptions) whites and rose for current drinking..Have reduced inventory by about 100 bottles/year over the last 3-4 yrs and hope to continue to do so this year..No purchases since January and still drinking 2-3 bottles/week.

#42 Post by **David Glasser** » April 4th, 2018, 8:07 am

Russ, I’d immediately begin negotiating for a second RV dedicated solely to wine storage.

AndrewH · #43 Post by **AndrewH** » April 4th, 2018, 8:08 am

David Glasser wrote:Russ, I’d immediately begin negotiating for a second RV dedicated solely to wine storage.

Indeed. Or refrigerated trailer.

#44 Post by **Russ Williams** » April 4th, 2018, 10:17 am

Thanks guys!! Yeah, I’m screwed from a storage cost perspective. Anyone have any good insights on a reasonably priced climate controlled storage facility? Domaine Wine Storage is a tad expensive.

#45 Post by **Kevin Porter** » April 4th, 2018, 11:33 am

If anyone needs any help I’m well ahead of schedule and will gladly take wines off your hands. I’m thinking particularly of Maureen who must have excess Truchot, but I’m an equal opportunity Good Samaritan.

#46 Post by **Mark C** » April 4th, 2018, 1:46 pm

Russ Williams wrote:Thanks guys!! Yeah, I’m screwed from a storage cost perspective. Anyone have any good insights on a reasonably priced climate controlled storage facility? Domaine Wine Storage is a tad expensive.

Russ, just get a self-driving refrigerated truck, put wine racks in the back and slave it to the GPS in your RV. It will follow you everywhere and you can put your entire cellar in it. Win-win-win . . . err . . . wine-wine-wine!

#47 Post by **Russ Williams** » April 4th, 2018, 2:02 pm

Mark C wrote:
Russ Williams wrote:Thanks guys!! Yeah, I’m screwed from a storage cost perspective. Anyone have any good insights on a reasonably priced climate controlled storage facility? Domaine Wine Storage is a tad expensive.
Russ, just get a self-driving refrigerated truck, put wine racks in the back and slave it to the GPS in your RV. It will follow you everywhere and you can put your entire cellar in it. Win-win-win . . . err . . . wine-wine-wine!

Brilliant!!

#48 Post by **Richard T r i m p i** » April 4th, 2018, 2:34 pm

J a y H a c k wrote:I need a legal ruling. Do I have to count the wines on the floor of the cellar that do not yet have a home in the slots and bins so I have not yet entered them into Cellartracker? How about the two cases in my office that I haven't brought home yet?

Wines in shippers on the floor or stashed at the office don't count. They're still "in transit". You're good.

Haven't done a cellar inventory in like 6+ months....ignorance is bliss.

RT

#49 Post by **dsimmons** » April 4th, 2018, 3:28 pm

Russ Williams wrote:My wife had her first reality check conversation with me about the amount of wine I have and the fact we are planning to retire in a few years and go RVing full time. Much work to be done on the inventory reduction front.

My wife and I started snow birding about 6 years ago. I will guarantee you that the thing you will miss most about home will be access to your cellar. Nothing beats the ability to grab that perfect bottle from the cellar.

#50 Post by **Paul McCourt** » April 4th, 2018, 4:10 pm

I guess I need to actually know how many bottles I have first before I can play, right?