An embarrassment of riches, or, drinking good wine with non- geek friends.

[T.L_Reasoner]

I rarely pull out expensive bottles for non wine geeks for two reasons A. Most would not pay over $20 a bottle and B. Mid priced Big full bodied wines are party pleasers. I like to introduce non geeks to Good daily drinker deals that are not fruit bombs the “hey got this for $12 at costco… too try this from Spain it is really nice and only $15”. To me this gets people interested more so then an aged Burgundy that is in triple digits.

But for people who appreciate wine I am happy to share anything I have on any occasion. Because the best thing to pair with good wine is good people

[Peter_Kleban]

@Sarah Kirschbaum

I have never held with the practice of saving best bottles for only those who can reciprocate, or for big d–k contests. Sure, sometimes you need to have the entry fee in hand if you want to participate in an event, but I derive much more pleasure from sharing my best bottles with my favorite people, and I get special joy from sharing with those who have interest but not access or means. You’ll rarely get the same awe and delight on the face of someone with a cellar full of great Burgundy (for example) as you will from someone who has never had the chance to taste a truly great aged bottle before. Of course, I don’t force wine on my friends who don’t like it, but I definitely support sharing with the non-geeks.

How thoughtful and nice, Sarah. Those people are lucky to have you as a friend!

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

Thank you, Peter. The downside is that they then have to listen to me talk about the wine. Sometimes it’s too great a price to pay.

[Peter_Kleban]

@Sarah Kirschbaum

Thank you, Peter. The downside is that they then have to listen to me talk about the wine. Sometimes it’s too great a price to pay.

Ah, the perils of knowing wineaux!

[Sherr1_Shap1r0]

@Sarah Kirschbaum

I have never held with the practice of saving best bottles for only those who can reciprocate, or for big d–k contests. Sure, sometimes you need to have the entry fee in hand if you want to participate in an event, but I derive much more pleasure from sharing my best bottles with my favorite people, and I get special joy from sharing with those who have interest but not access or means. You’ll rarely get the same awe and delight on the face of someone with a cellar full of great Burgundy (for example) as you will from someone who has never had the chance to taste a truly great aged bottle before. Of course, I don’t force wine on my friends who don’t like it, but I definitely support sharing with the non-geeks.

Well said and I couldn’t agree more!

[Robert.A.Jr]

@Sarah Kirschbaum

I have never held with the practice of saving best bottles for only those who can reciprocate, or for big d–k contests.

Should this now devolve into an AF thread of epic proportions, or does Sarah get a hall pass cause she’s a badd azz!? Note, Corey does not qualify for commentary.

I get what you are saying, Sarah, but I’ve given up trying to expose some of my friends and family, including my wife and dad, to Levet, Juge, Roilette, Raffault, Sociando, et al. It’s no different than them popping for me SQN. It just doesn’t register. I think the wine has be more in the middle and less on the extremes.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

To be sure, there’s no point in pearls before complete swine…

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

Yeah…save them for “big d–k contests”. Pad the results.

Where do these events take place, by the way? I’ve never heard of any before Sarah’s post.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

Yeah…save them for “big d–k contests”. Pad the results.

Where do these events take place, by the way? I’ve never heard of any before Sarah’s post.

Remember, she used to be in New York.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

@Robert Alfert

@Sarah Kirschbaum

I have never held with the practice of saving best bottles for only those who can reciprocate, or for big d–k contests.

Should this now devolve into an AF thread of epic proportions, or does Sarah get a hall pass cause she’s a badd azz!? Note, Corey does not qualify for commentary.

I get what you are saying, Sarah, but I’ve given up trying to expose some of my friends and family, including my wife and dad, to Levet, Juge, Roilette, Raffault, Sociando, et al. It’s no different than them popping for me SQN. It just doesn’t register. I think the wine has be more in the middle and less on the extremes.

You just have to know a bit about your audience. I would not have opened the Super Bowl wines if you were in New York. I would go with the mag of Raffault [OMG - he owns what?] and maybe the 1975 Gruaud and a 1982 Hospices Pommard.

[Sean_Moore]

@Jay Miller

Where’s the good wine?

And the fresh wine? Geez, the freshest wine you served is already years old.

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

@J a y H a c k

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

Yeah…save them for “big d–k contests”. Pad the results.

Where do these events take place, by the way? I’ve never heard of any before Sarah’s post.

Remember, she used to be in New York.

Oh, I don’t think I knew that. We’re different in Philadelphia.

And, we don’t tawk like Bernie.

Did Donald sponsor these contests?

[Steven_Brown]

@Robert Love

Over Christmas I opened a 1983 Château Margaux (TN here).

I want an invitation to your Christmas party this year! I promise to pour no more than half a glass of the next treasure you share!

Steve

[Mstanford]

I think back on how i came to appreciate the big boy wines…and it was incrementally. What I mean is that when I was drinking in the $25-$35 range, I could appreciate the step up to a 50-60 bottle and what that meant and really enjoy it. I didn’t need someone flashing a Harlan to show me how important they were - I wasn’t able to appreciate it anyway & would have just thought they were being a dou…bag, even if they weren’t trying to be.

So I try to think about that when we’re having dinner guests over that I know aren’t used to drinking higher end wines. I try to serve things from my cellar that are maybe a couple of clicks better than they normally drink…but not stuff that’d be completely out of their universe. With a smaller group we’ll move up the ladder some if they really seem to enjoy themselves. Once someone drops an ice cube in their wine, i know we’re done.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

@J a y H a c k

@Stuart BeauneHead Niemtzow

Yeah…save them for “big d–k contests”. Pad the results.

Where do these events take place, by the way? I’ve never heard of any before Sarah’s post.

Remember, she used to be in New York.

Oh, I don’t think I knew that. We’re different in Philadelphia.

Funny, I have been using that term to describe a certain type of wine dinner or event for more than 15 years now, and so far everyone else has known exactly what I mean.

They have such events in Philadelphia as well, but I am sure they fit into the commodious category of things Stuart doesn’t like or disapproves of or in which he doesn’t see the point.

[Stuart_BeauneHead_Niemtzow]

The descriptor Sarah used says it all.

I guess people in Philadelphia are different in not reporting on them on WB as if they’re not that. I can’t remember reading here of any such events.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

And perhaps people in Philadelphia are also different in their constant need to pass judgment on the choices or actions of others.

[Chuck_Anderson]

Hard to see where that might qualify as “different” in the context of this board - ofttimes that need to proclaim judgments publicly seems more the unifying principle here than wine.

[Jay_Miller]

@Chuck Anderson

Hard to see where that might qualify as “different” in the context of this board - ofttimes that need to proclaim judgments publicly seems more the unifying principle here than wine.

For a small but vocal minority only.

[Bob_Hughes]

Hey, I live in Philadelphia - how come I never get invited to these kind of tastings? Is it because everyone thinks I’m a “big d–k”?