You know, overall I have to say that wine geeks are on average some of the most generous people I have met. Sometimes opinionated, sure, sometimes despairing that others don’t always care as much about the topic, but seldom have I encountered outright hoarders of the stuff. Give most geeks I know a chance and they are ready to share amazing wines.
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I will open great stuff with non-wino great friends. Happy to share, and they sometimes love it, and almost always at least like it.
I might hold the obviously less accessible stuff (Vin Jaune, Joly Savennieres, BAMA, Musar Blanc, etc) for people who know what they’re signing up for.
You have way cooler friends than me 
If they are digging Musar then I think it’s safe to open anything
I could definitely open anything, I just am not sure if some people would appreciate the more expensive wines more than good quality but less expensive wines.
A true Berserker! 
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Good discussion.
I agree with all, including sharing good wines (I was the recipient in the beginning but hopefully paying it back a bit now).
I have shared good wines with geeks and non-geeks and enjoyable in different ways.
I guess my initial post was more focused in that if you have a few bottles of one-off bottles, how do you share those, with the primary focus being an occasion to drink and enjoy those myself, but obviously in a situation where I am not like Miles in a diner.
I will never buy one of those 1989s again, so want to maximize enjoyment of the wine and company. I have had max enjoyment with wine weeks and non-wine geeks depending on the occasion.
Based on the above, I’m thinking of wine friends for these bottles and other events with my lifelong friends (there are plenty of pretty special bottles to share).
Bottom line, wine is something to share and enjoy with others, and I have been the beneficiary of many very generous wine drinkers. It kind of is surprising how unselfish this hobby is.
Easy choice. Both. Do it all the time.
I never pass on the opportunity to open good wines for friends, geeks or not. Back in 2000 Flight 261 went down off the coast of California. On that flight was Tom Stockley a noted Seattle wine critic. A friend made the comment, “never save your best wines for tomorrow.” I’ve since lived by that mantra and will open any bottle in the cellar with friends. It has served me well. Case in point, I had dinner with some very close friends on December 19th, 96 Shafer HSS, and a 96 Insignia. Wines were fantastic as was the dinner. On February 3, I lost that friend to a significant cardiac event. The memories of that night together, the great wines, the food, and the conversation have been my salvation in processing the loss. In my opinion wine is the catalyst to bring good food and good people together to share the best in life. Why skimp?
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Randy, I am sorry for your loss. It is a somber reminder to not skimp. All of the wines we own are sunk costs, and yet I struggle to get past that.
This is something I’m trying to figure out and balance while adapting to living in a new city and making new friends. But as I have limited space for storage, I often lean more towards the camp of “just open the bottle”.
It’s a very nice sentiment. Though I don’t think anyone is suggesting “skimping” on people. It’s just a question whether specific friends would appreciate specific wines in a way that makes it worth opening those bottles for them.
In your example, it was the right thing. But would that have been true for every friend and relative of yours, and every great bottle you own?
If my mom died next year, I could say “I should have opened a Haut Brion for her,” but in actuality, she wouldn’t have enjoyed that at all, it wouldn’t have created any special moment, and she would have disowned me if she knew how much I spent on it. 
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