Withholding

My lovely wife and I just returned from the Favre 40-fest. There was a plethora of exceptional wine, several days in a row. Impressive generosity.

Our daily fare is far more modest. My wife popped a bottle of 2011 Dupeuble Beaujolais ($12) on Tuesday night. It was bought on a whim and it was fine, but…the quality drop was precipitous. Rather than slog through a second glass last night, I grabbed a 2010 Rampolla Chianti Classico ($25) and started in. Not exactly earth shattering (raspy tannins for the first hour or two) but more acceptable. I left the Dupeuble on the counter and put the Chianti in the fridge.

The wife returned home after work last night, with Lebanese take-out, and got stuck in 6" of slush on the driveway. Kubota to the rescue and 20 minutes later, it was meal time. She poured herself a great big glass of the Bojo, made it half way through and remarked: “This really isn’t that great”. I reminded her that “great” wines are hard to afford every night of the week. She seemed to accept my response and finished most of the bottle.

The meal ended and she spotted the Chianti in the fridge. The reaction sent both myself and the dog scrambling for cover. You’d have thought it was a bottle of DRC! I pointed out that 2/3rds of the Chianti was remaining, plenty for her tomorrow night. It was made clear that I was “missing the point” and that a certain amount of groveling was both expected and required. She taunted me about my claim that “everything I buy for her box is a wine I’d be happy to drink myself”…Ouch! How does one buy experiments and still maintain a perfect record?

Rough night for QPRs at the Trimpi house.

RT

“everything I buy for her box is a wine I’d be happy to drink myself”

I don’t follow that. What is her box, and is that where these two wines were pulled from?

Chris, there’s a fair amount of wine in the cellar. Most in need of longer term slumber.

To prevent pillaging the stock, we have two areas to draw from regularly:

1. Drink Now Rack, which is a rack I stock whenever I get around to it, typically filled with QPRs or wines ready to go for fairly guilt-free consumption.

2. My Wife’s Box, which is actually 2 x 12 bottle boxes that are NEVER empty as I replenish them often. Sometimes she adds to them. These are wines that I’m typically willing to open and enjoy myself but are designed to be taken with her to “Girls night out” gatherings where the palates can be less discriminating.

The Dupeuble came from her box. The Chianti came from the “Drink Now” rack.

RT

Busted! This would be even funnier, if it did not hit so close to home.

In other news, I’m relieved to see that my rack did not make the list of “areas to draw from regularly.”

Talk about not easing yourself back into reality. We at least went to the Blazer game last night and then came home and had a glass of the cheaper Ar. Pe. Pe. with some pho. Not a great match but it tasted good all around nonetheless. We did have a couple of rose wine only nights our last 2 days in Tucson mostly because we exhausted ourselves hiking.

Rich,

Wives talk! Some of us may end up “under close observation” as a result of this!

I used to buy a lot of daily drinkers until I realized that they were uninspiring and I’d rather pay $30-$40 for wines to drink whenever I want rather than spend money on more inexpensive and less exciting wines. That’s not to say inexpensive wines can’t be fun and enjoyable. I just would prefer to enjoy a really good bottle of something more expensive than to spend that same amount of money of lesser wines that don’t inspire. Anyone else feel that way? Why have 100 daily drinkers if they’re just kinda so-so when you could have 30-40 really enjoyable ones?

This.

Yes, but I try to find GOOD $20 and under daily drinkers, which is why a lot of my money goes to folks in the Loire and Beaujolais. What you can get for $15-20 is insane.

But I agree generally with what you’re saying: it’s better to have fewer good bottles than a lot of eh bottles that cost less individually, but add up to as much (if not more). The problem for me is, with having a young cellar but liking old wine, that much of what I own is off-limits for the time being. Trying to buy 30% old wine (at affordable prices) to drink now and 70% stuff to age makes it tricky.

Yup. Its why i have beer and tequila in the house. When i want wine i dont want to have to sacrifice. Because i know after one glass of cheaper wine i will dump the rest of the bottle and then open a good one, or like i said grab a beer or a shot. Or both.

don’t mess with Joanne! She deserves her own box of Montrachet. Get to work.
You going to La Paulee?

Fortunately my wife is quite happy drinking a decent Pinot Gris. I have given up with getting better whites that I just end up drinking myself, and just buy a case of the best cheap wine that she likes and keep the fridge loaded.

Greg, we would happily add your rack to list…yes?

Jim, it was a fiery re-entry. Definitely Rose weather in Tucson, even if they might’ve been based on lesser varietals.

Andy, you’re always up to something. No wonder you’re under observation.

Jeb, we probably consume 250+ bottles of “daily drinkers” per year, some destined for less discriminating palates. I often find reasonable value < $30. The trick is finding it consistently < $20.

Doug, I’d have no problem with you treating Joanne to some Montrachet this Summer. Since we did Tucson, no La Paulee SF this year. Reminds me of the last SF Gala Dinner, a tablemate used some of the young Montrachet that I brought…to rinse his glass!

RT

I’ve dealt with this issue by giving some thought and attention to the daily drinker purchases.

Current Daily drinkers examples: 1997 Bordeaux, 2006/2007 Burgundy, 2005+ Turley, Bedrock, etc…

Lesser vintages of good quality producers provides us withthe needed cost relief for “daily drinkers” status while keeping the quality and experience desired from good juice.

Rich, is this what you mean without all those extra words?

Sorry, but I could not resist.

That’s what makes those varieties perfect for Rose and Pinot Noir usually a disaster for it.

One of the big advantages of this forum for me is exposure to wineries that I had not previously had any information. Good deals can still be had on high quality but yet still affordable wines. My wife and I are pleased to be able to enjoy these wines.

P.S. I just ordered 12 bottles from Bedrock for $274.00. I think that is a pretty good deal.

There are some great deals on condos not to far from my house RT! My cellar is always open to you so start planning on where you guys will semi-retire to .

Thanks Jon. Slushfest tomorrow with more snow and freezing weather next week. It’s safe to say, J & I both wish we were still in Tucson!

RT

we wish we were still there too. Choose carefully for Joanne’s box. She does indeed have a palate.