Do you have a price limit per bottle? A usual or absolute maximum?

Do you have a price limit per bottle above which you won’t go?

My price limit is supposed to be $100 a bottle. As prices have soared I have gone above it at times (rarely). However, I have never spent more than $200 for a single bottle.

What is your ordinary maximum price? What is the most you have ever spent on a bottle?

My limit is also $100. The only time a exceeded it by a lot didn’t count - a bunch of us bought a Chave rouge for friends who were getting married, so the cost was split many ways.

Quilceda for Cab
KB for Pinot
Carlisle for Zin

$25 but really like to keep it under $20. I screw up all the time though, but less now than I used to!
There is an ocean of great wine out there for south of $20. Trophy wines? no. Wines I like to drink daily? yes

Generally $100, but I’ll extend on occasion. The most I’ve ever paid is $139 for 00 Lafite at Costco (subsequently sold for $1,625 ea).

California Pinot generally doesn’t exceed $100 even at the highest end, nor does CA syrah. I’ll throw around $80-$90 at Corison/Arnot Roberts/Ridge Monte Bello cab. The world’s finest historic Zinfandel is usually available from the wineries at less than $50.

You guys are all making me feel like a total profligate. Could some of the Burgundy folks please chime in?

Could it be they are embarrassed?

I won’t seriously window-shop above $250.

My usual limit is about $100.

Average price paid is far below $100.

Lol. No way…

This. Purchases above $100 per bottle are mainly select Napa Cabs and Bordeaux.

Wow, this makes me feel very, very irresponsible. I am willing to go up to $400 for wines I plan to consume on special occasions, with drinking partners splitting the cost.

$450 is my current ceiling (DRC). Over $250 several times. Spent over $100 often.
Taking Cote de Nuits out of the equation, I’m usually under $70. Lots of daily drinkers under $25.

I’m a burgundy guy. I don’t set a limit per bottle. I set a budget and stay within a budget for each vintage. But I’ve definitely stopped buying wines that I used to buy every year because the price has gotten too high.
A

I’m thinking more about this question after already having posted my initial response. I assumed the OP was referring to retail purchases and not to marked-up bottles off restaurant wine lists; if including the latter my numbers would slide upwards a bit.

My philsophy is I pretty much have enough “$20” wine. I want to buy less wine but buy more special bottles, so I view things exactly the opposite…

Generally:
~$15 for daily drinkers (but most are at ~$8-$10)
$30 and over only when I expect something special/different.
I don’t think I’ve ever spent over $50 per bottle (or $30/375ml) on anything for myself…not counting a couple of restaurant experiences.

Hi Tom…sorry, Marcus.

My experience is that you can buy totally awesome wines like Montevertine easily for below $100. So that is where I focus my budget these days. Most of the time I’m buying below $60 but I do spurlge for a few Bonneau Martray Corton Charlies, Giacosa Barbaresco and the like occassionally because I absolutely know they’re worth their premium $100+ price.

I’ll also add that its really fun finding and drinking great wines at low prices and without much hype. I love a great terroir driven $8 Languedoc white.

I’ve never thought of putting a hard number on it, but I just shook my head at the '09 Chave in today’s PC mailer, pre-arrival at $389, so it’s somewhere south of there for sure. Probably $90/750ml although I do own a few bottles that were priced higher.

+1
This is pretty much the entire basis of my on-a-budget approach to wine. I was recently excited to pick up a few bottles of decent aglianico and godello for $8-9 per on closeout…