My answer isn’t an option in the poll: when they’ve got somewhere to store them.
I keep them and open them with her. Though she likes and understands wine, she doesn’t have storage and likely never will. If that changes, I’ll give them to her then. Otherwise she’ll figure out what to do with them when she inherits them.
Our son turned 20 this summer and has thus far not developed a taste for wine. I will hold the small parcel of ‘98s I’ve acquired - all age-worthy - for him as long as it takes for him to develop his palate. If they start to age out before then (a few may), I will serve them to him so he at least has a chance to try them and if I croak before then he’ll get them anyway. And I’ll probably continue to add to the parcel!
He’s already turning into something of a foodie and cook so I’m pretty sure he’ll come around.
And I agree that the wines are to be shared with him but can see giving some to him for special occasions.
things change alan. Things change. ;p
Birth year wine should be for the parents and not the children
We do not have kids, but I have purchased wine for my wife’s nieces and nephew. Mine were too old by the time we got into wine and quite frankly, two have no interest in wine and I have no interest in them for various reasons. One of my nephews has an interest but smokes so I am not going to waste wine on him when I do not think his palate will appreciate it.
If my wife’s nieces and nephew do not appreciate wine when they get older, we will keep it for ourselves. If they do, we will share at least some of it with them over a meal and then give them the rest if they are interested. We plan to give them until 30-years of age to make a determination.
My answer is that they should have just consumed it all, since my birthyear is very bad wine-wise (1965).
I started opening my sons’ birthyear wines during their respective birthday dinners years ago (drinking laws here are nothing like those of the US). Like my father did with my siblings and I; my children grew up with wine being served at home/at restaurants.
C. Mc Cart wrote:
Drink the birth year wines WITH your children, don’t just give it to them. I bought a bunch of 2000 & 2002 wines for the kids, assuming I would give them a cellar starter someday (1st home, wedding, 1st career job, etc), but I’m pretty sure the idea of pulling bottles for dinners with them throughout the rest of our days is more valuable to all of us. If there’s anything left when we either pass or move into the old age home, they get whatever’s left. Hopefully to enjoy with those they love.
We have followed this advice. Our daughter turned 21 this year, and our son turned 21 a few years ago. We opened some birth year bottles with both of them when they turned 21. We still have some birth-year bottles that we will share, hopefully over the next few years, and the Vintage Port from both years will probably outlive me! What we have learned is that our son enjoys red wine, and our daughter likes white wine and Champagne. And they both enjoy learning a little about wine. For my wife and I, being able to share and enjoy a few bottles with them has been a lot of fun.
Thanks,
Ed
+1. Why no option for "before legal drinking age [in the U.S.]? It’s not necessarily illegal to serve wine in the house to children in the U.S. (and often is legal at restaurants in Europe). And a birthday celebration might be an appropriate opportunity if you’re not stridently opposed to such things.
We prefer to say “redshirted.”
My first answer was to when we should give birth-year wines to our kids: drink it with them but don’t hand it over en masse unless and until they are settled and have enough interest to install proper storage. I suppose these days moving back in with the parents might count.
As to my parents, I was born in 1956, so I’m glad they didn’t waste any money on birth-year wines.
I’m not going to read the thread, but my answer is 16 if you rephrase the question more appropriately for us older guys, “At what age should you give your children birth year wines?”
The better question is “At what year should you give your grandchildren birth year wines?” I have already considered that issue because my grandson will be 18 in 2032, when I will be 81 (hopefully). I think I will wait until he is 16 when I am 79, but I might cut that down a bit depending on personal health.
Ha! I was 1951, which was even worse. I just had a very nice 1951 Rivesaltas two weeks ago. Somewhere between blue moons and hen’s teeth, I find one. The only still wine I have seen is overpriced Latour.