I love this.
I don’t fret anymore. I provide approachable ('merican) wines that the family might like and let them enjoy. It will be hard for me to geek out on wines as we will be hosting and I’ll do most of the cooking. Meanwhile, most of the attendees think of wine as an alcohol delivery device.
I used to open nice wine for everyone. Then all my and my wife’s nieces and nephews (who spend 4 days littered around my apartment) hit college age. After watching them plow through about $400 of wine in 15 minutes, it became cases o’ cheap stuff for them from then on. They could care less and we agreed I’ll supply them with unlimited wine, but that the bottle with the piece of tape stuck to it was off limits.
I think some Kutch is in order this year.
We’ll have a small Thanksgiving lunch with my parents. My wife and mother love champagne. My dad and I love Oregon pinot and Burgundy. My dad and I are both wine geeks, and my wife has an excellent palate. She vehemently denies it, but will call out bad wines and has a wicked nose for cork taint. With all that, I get to have phenomenal wines on Thanksgiving. The evening event at my in laws will be more cheap riesling, tasteless chablis, and chewy $12 rhones.
But I’m thinking 2002 Dom Ruinart BdB or a 2002 Bollinger GA, a 2008 Bergstrom Bergstrom, and a burg to be named at a later date.
I have a family with people who love good wine and know the difference. Frank obviously thought of his personal solvency when he picked his theme because it is not my sweet spot, but I should be able to cost him a sawbuck or two. Albert chard for my mother, Black Sears Zin for my wife, Saxum for me. Bedrock because it’s my new acquisition.
Are the pinots for. Frank US only, or can I bring some French stuff?
Global pinot, Jay.
I cook, I open whatever I want to drink.
Definitely some Bojo and a Rhys or young village Burgundy
For many years, I’ve served an Alesia PN (which were my father’s favorite wines) and a 1997 Pinon Vouvray Cuvée Tradition (a nice sec-tendre).
I’m surprised there aren’t more people who feel the way I do. To me holidays are great times to open one great bottle ( that I keep near me) because it’s an environment where I can stay in the same place for a few hours and enjoy the wine without having that days work stress or tomorrow’s work stress affect my appreciation of it. And family really appreciates being able to try a great wine they haven’t had before. Holidays to me aren’t for great food and merely serviceable wine. But that great bottle does stay near me LOL. I walked away once from a Rousseau Mazy I had just opened and I returned five minutes later to the empty bottle and I didn’t even get to brag about what a rare bottle (for me) I had brought LOL. I did say I can’t believe you guys just chugged this.
Actually I see family so seldom that bringing really good wine every time is not a lot of wine annually and they now know every bottle I bring is something I really look forward to drinking. With them I mean LOL.
But those bottles are always within my line of vision once opened unless it’s a magnum. Sometimes this means tactically I open them well before the meal, maybe hanging out in the kitchen, and the leftovers go to the table.
There’s maybe nowhere else I’d rather drink my best bottles.
Doesn’t that mean you’ll be wanting wine even more?
George, I tried to avoid rambling in the OP but I agree- we also open some stunners. YOLO. We have people coming from a far and thus also have a very nice dinner on Wednesday whereby we open memorable bottles and savor. We also have a Friday event. 'Hole lotta family time.
Found a lonely magnum of 1993 Schloss Schönborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spätlese in the cellar that will also hit the table. A visitor who joins us for the weekend also steps up and brings the goods. Tempted to pop a double mag of 1990 Grande Dame. We will see how things shape up next week- more gameplanning to come.
Zin
Albini Family 2005, 2008 and 2013
Always zin.
It always depends on who is coming, and how much they will appreciate the wine. I have no problem opening stunners, but I don’t want them to end up in a glass full of ice. This year, it’s just a small event, so we’ll probably open some fun items including a Kopke Colheita.