What do you do with wines you’re not interested in drinking?

Finally did an inventory of my collection as I move my wine from offsite into a new cellar. Found a good number of bottles that are low on my priority list for drinking for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few examples:

  • Received in a mystery case: ‘13 Janasse CdP Vieilles Vignes. Not a big fan of CdP and this isn’t a great example anyway.
  • Received as a gift: ‘11 Cascina Adelaide Barolo. Have no idea where I got this, and I’m not a fan of Italian wines.
  • Impulse buys: Old Cali cabs from a school auction. The Opus One was a score, but the rest are middling
  • Winery visits and wine clubs: Too many to name.
  • Board darlings: Rhys bottlings from 10 years ago come to mind.

I probably have 50-100 bottles that fit this category for me. So, what to do with them? Lately I’ve been popping things just to try, but 75% go down the drain. Selling really isn’t an option, unless I take 10 cents on the dollar AND can find someone to take them. Cooking wines? Gifts? Socially distanced cellar reduction party?

I’m sure many of you have plenty of bottles you aren’t excited to drink. What do you do with them?

I throw them into charity auctions or charity tasting I do. Someone always wants Sauvignon Blanc, and I hate it. Works fine.

gifts, Commerce Corner, wine store consignment, auctions, cooking, in laws . . . long list of options.

My kids’ school had an annual fundraiser (pre-Covid) that always solicited wine, so that was my go-to for disposing of such bottles.

I tend to avoid bottles for a while, but am sometimes pleasantly surprised when they exceed my expectations. There must be some psychology in there. If they are turkeys they become marinade or sauce.

Might want to re-think this. Italy is probably the world’s most diverse wine country. Grapes, regions, styles, etc. So many. Saying you don’t like Italian wines (while saying you like wine) is a little like saying you don’t like the food in the USA?

I gift these bottles, and/ or drink them on a random night when I don’t want to open something ‘good’ from my cellar.

Hell ill give you 25 cents on the dollar and pay for shipping if its something I want. I’m sure there are plenty in commerce corner that would go higher than that. It may be worth putting up a list.

Of course, you may get significantly more satisfaction out of auctioning them for a charity you support…

Ditto! Especially for those Italian wines…

I sometimes box up a case of wines which are decent but I don’t really want, and bring them to my parish for the priests to have. They always seem to appreciate that.

Well of course YOU would like Italian wines.

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winebid is where mine go

Ok, this might have been too broad a statement. However, I did attend a Wine Berserker Italian wine themed dinner with >20 bottles from various producers, vintages, and varietals. Maybe 2-3 were appealing to me, and I’m assuming since Berserkers were supplying the wines that I got to try good examples. So, if I get gifted Italian wines I assume I won’t like them based on passed experience. But, to someone else’s point, maybe I should just open them during the week and maybe I get a gem.

Has this been successful for you with sub $40 bottles? I guess I look at Winebid as a way to move higher end stuff, but I’d be happy to send them a few cases if they can sell.

I’m guessing 70% of the wine I’ve purchased in the past 5 years has been Italian. Making up for lost time, I guess.

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make them the last bottle of the night opened

Mix them in with stain for a unique colour on furniture and your deck.

“Wow, what color is that?”

“2011 Napa Cab Walnut.”

That’s a good one. How about Rolland Red.

at prices under $30.00 I believe there is a $5.00 additional fee charge. I did sell a bunch of value bottles $30-$50. Wines that did not pay for me to keep in offsite storage.

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