How Often Do You Drink Stickies?

WINE TALK
#1

Random musings on a Friday morning…

How often do you find yourself drinking stickies? That area of my collection is probably growing the fastest, in part because I so rarely pull a bottle. I like sweet wines, but unfortunately, a little goes a long way. In real life (vs. offlines), I almost never have the occasion to grab anything more than a 375ml and even that often seems far too much.

Anyone else with similar problems?

#2

Usually only pull one for a group of 4 or more, and I just don’t like that many people in my house at one time, so very rarely. The good thing is the vast majority have really long shelf lives and are constantly evolving, as well as being nearly bullet proof to iffy storage.

PS: Phrasing…

#3

When you have 4, I imagine you’re pulling a 1/2 bottle?

I suppose the other thing that gives me pause me about sweet wines is that they develop seemingly forever, so I dread opening them to early, which is kind of a farce, since most sweet wines (I’m thinking particularly of Sauternes and Port) tend not to appreciate much and they are readily available.

I prefer Giroud stickies to Guiraud stickies.

#4

Not often enough. To be fair, the heat and humidity of the South is not conducive to unctuous, concentrated wines. I love most dessert wines, particularly Madeira and NZ stickies.

Then again, consumption of Dr Pepper and Crown Royal is greatest in the South, so maybe I am the only one who struggles with sweet stuff in the heat?

#5

Once or twice a year usually around the holidays. That’s it.

#6

About once a month. I’ll drink a 1/2 bottle over a couple of nights.

#7

Not as often as I’d like.

It will be more often starting this Autumn when my auction lot of Climens arrives.

#8

It is a type of wine where I have to monitor purchases. We usually have some when we have wine friends over and when we go to wine dinners. Most of mine are 1/2 bottles.

#9

I’m thinking I need to stop buying – not that I buy that much anyway – until I can figure out a way to drink more.

#10

Depends on what you want to call sticky. If it’s Sauternes/BA/TBA/Eiswein/Port then once a month or so. More in fall/winter.

If you include Auslese, then I am almost at weekly.

#11

I don’t open them enough. While I own a good amount, it’s an area that I’m starting to concentrate on for additional purchases.

BTW, I only include sweet whites in my definition of “stickies”. I do not put Port in that category.

I think the issue is that most people compartmentalize these wines unfairly. These wines aren’t just dessert wines. They go very well with a lot of different types of savory dishes, so they can be drunk at different times of the meal. Here are some examples:

  1. Foie gras - Most everyone knows that foie and a Sauternes, an Auslese, or another late-harvest alternative go extremely well together. Classic.
  2. Oysters - Raw oysters as an appetizer or starter work very well with an aged “sticky”. It surprised me the first time, but it worked. The brininess of the liquor tie it together.
  3. Caviar - see my comment on Oysters.
  4. Asian dishes - For me, spicy requires a wine with sweetness to balance. I usually go with an Auslese or a younger Sauternes with Asian fare.
  5. BBQ - Similar comments as the asian dishes. I find that a Spatlese or Auslese go well with baby backs, BBQ pork, or brisket.

Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. The pricing on these wines is so favorable due to the lack of interest that great stuff can be found relatively inexpensively. That includes moderately aged wines.

#12

Yeah, in the wake of an impulse buy, I’ve planned a birthday dinner for my wife starting from the need to open a bottle. I don’t buy a ton, but drink even fewer.

#13

A couple of times a month

#14

Not often enough. I love Sauternes and on occasion get to taste some excellent ice wine. My wife thinks its too sweet so I’m not likely to open a bottle unless I have at least a few takers. I love 375ml’s for this reason.

#15

Almost never now. The older I get, the less and less I enjoy anything sweet, and it doesn’t matter in what form the sweet sense appears (dessert, wine, ice tea, whatever). I have some Quarts de Chaume in my cellar, I wonder if I will ever enjoy that again.

#16

If I include Port which is 99% of “stickies” I open, I open on average two bottles a week of the stuff.

#17

I used to buy and pop quite a lot of Sauternes, but not much these days.

Cannot recall the last time I opened a dessert wine.
Had a glass at a restaurant recently, and enjoyed it.

#18

I always have a Sauternes open, and I average about a half a week.

#19

Dinner parties and offlines. Rarely open one other wise.

#20

On the edge for type 2 diabetes keeps the sugar intake low. I take a sip of a Vin Santo on occasion, Sherry open for cooking. Some port and monbazillac I made years ago gets opened maybe once a year. I would drink more if I could.