This post is very relatable to me.
Having two younger kids and having to balance family and work life is just damn difficult sometimes. I have periods where i drink less wine because the energy to put any focus into it just isnt there.
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To me the reltively most exciting wines are those that push the joyful buttons at a low cost - they make me smile and bottles emty quickly. Blank bottle familiemoord is one prime example - those kind of wines provide a nice break from more complex aged norther rhones. Wine is not always exciting and I typically bring out the really good stuff every 6th week or so.
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You should. I’m clueless as to how you or he did it.
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Maybe you are ready to give it up period? Doesn’t make sense to open pricey wine anymore.
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This never happened to you before? Count your blessings. I’ve gone through many such periods and they’ve always passed eventually.
My basic feeling is that if you don’t feel like drinking wine just now, don’t drink wine just now. When you feel like drinking wine again, start drinking wine again.
Not something to worry about.
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It’s here, in this how-to post, the master thread in the master ‘how to’ forum
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Maybe you’re finally becoming a normal, well adjusted person lol
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in that case it’s probably depression.
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It is really f’n hard to lose passion and excitement for something that has been an important part of your life. It is worse than being turned off by it (that at least has a strong feeling behind it).
I have been there at different times with music, food, and even wine. All of which were scary as *%^!@! because these are the things that bring me deep fulfillment, incredible connection, and with wine- my livelihood.
Each one of these losses of spark was an opportunity to pause, find some other way to fill that cup, and to grow. My love for all of these things came back stronger and the way I consume, think about, and make them has shifted radically. I also made some wonderful new friends in the process.
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I am 84 years old. You are talking about most of my passions. I started sailing when I was in my 20s. Got larger boats, competed, etc. After ten years or so sailing became a chore.Got into fly fishing. Made my own flies. Fished fresh and salt water. Got bored after 8 - 10 years. Got into photography. Developed my own work etc. 8 -10 years later had little interest in taking photos. I feel blessed that I have been able to enjoy so many passions at great levels. Maybe wine is just one part of your trip.
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I did it!!!
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[quote=“CFu, post:1, topic:301009”]
I’m not saying these wines aren’t good. I can taste there are good wines and why those around me are excited about them, but I have a couple sips and I’m done. They don’t spark joy, I’m drinking them cause it’s poured in the glass in front of me and they barely register a decibel in my head. Nothing sparks the light bulb in my head. At this point, I think any passable wine could be in my glass and it’d have the same reaction as say a Leroy Richebourg - just having some wine while hanging out with friends.[/quote]
Get up out of the chair and go conquer the world via cardio cardio cardio plus fasting.
Delete all of your social media.
Ditch your cellphone and use only land lines.
Learn slow cooking.
Spend 48 to 72 hours prepping each meal; meals which are solely the product of the sweat of your own brow.
Never eat processed food nor restaurant food nor any form of takeout.
Cook everything from scratch, using just raw ingredients [preferably from your own garden, to the greatest extent possible].
Only drink when amongst blood relatives at a dinner table [with an exception for a non-consanguineous female guest].
Never drink with strangers.
Never drink alone.
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One thing I haven’t seen mentioned - though I think is secondary to a lot of the other suggestions - is physical well-being. I’ve found that my enjoyment of wine declines when I haven’t been eating well (over-eating), exercising and generally taking care of my physical fitness.
I know you said you’re not sick and you don’t have covid, but have there been any changes to the way you eat and move?
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There it is! Classic.
Hey Charlie I’m late to the party but have been thinking about you the last couple days. You’ve gotten a handful of responses that basically fall into categories of 1) this could be a symptom of underlying depression 2) you’ve reached the mountaintop, there’s no more conquest to be had or 3) it’s normal, take a break
I’m curious as to where you feel the answer falls between those possibilities, or maybe it’s something else? When I first read the OP I thought it could be depression. But your responses don’t seem to suggest that, and it sounds like the absence of joy is limited to wine, so I think that’s your call. I thought about the mountaintop experience idea that @Andrew_K suggested first, and there might be something to that. I feel like I get to drink pretty well and with each great wine/experience the bar gets raised and it’s harder and harder to beat. A lot of things in life are like that. Which leads to #3 - it’s normal. I believe wine is for adding joy and to brighten us, but it can’t satisfy at a deep level, at least not indefinitely. I hope it’s a season or mood for you that passes.
Curious as to your take at this point.
I agree and hope you are wrong.
If anything, I hope this thread shows Charlie he is well loved.
And another thing, so he knows. His passion has made my life better, here and via BD and his wine and fish egg projects.
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One other thought.
I suspect that most folks’ tastebuds change as they age, and, in particular, as folks age, they tend to prefer increasingly bitter foodstuffs [as opposed to children, who love sweets].
If that’s true, then you might find your tastes changing away from the Royal/Regal varietals [Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc] and towards the Serf/Peasant/Condemned-Prisoner varietals [Chenin-Noir/Pineau-d’Aunis/Cot, Poulsard, Ribolla, Verdicchio].
By and large - unless they’ve been aged for half a century - the Royal varietals tend not to be particularly good accompaniments to food, whereas the Peasant varietals tend to be pop-n-pour intransigently uncouthly yummy accompaniments to bitter garden vegetables and bitter wild game and similar.
BTW, speaking of the sweat of your brow, wild game can take on the order of weeks to be properly cured before it’s ready for human consumption.
So go on your Deer Hunter vision quest, bag that big buck in the Catskills, bring it home on the hood of your pickup truck, and get to curing & seasoning it for about a month.
PS: I’m not sure how to classify Riesling [or Scheurebe or Veltliner for that matter].
Riesling seems to straddle the line between pauper and prince; somehow it’s able to keep a firm toehold in both worlds.
Can’t say I blame him! 
What did I just read.
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