What’s that last wine you will not drop despite price run-ups?

[Ilkka_Vainio]

Léoville Barton
Have been buying it en Primeur since 2000 vintage.

[Alan_Rath]

There is always another good wine.

This is true. But there are wines for which there is no equal. They are few, but they do exist.

[Marcu_Stanley]

There isn’t always a stylistic equivalent, wines are obviously very individual. I think that’s true of quite a number of wines.

[AlexS]

With little exception, I tend to drop them all once they break $150 - much better to just buy older wines w/great provenance whenever getting spendy like that.

I agree with this in principle, in fact I’d go lower down to $100, but it is starting to look like all Burgundy premier and grand crus made by producers with any reputation and all Bordeaux Super Seconds (and right bank equivalents) will eventually cross the $150 line. Things are well advanced toward that point, we have seen another big upward lurch in prices over the last year or so, and my guess is that by the 2020s all of those wines will routinely be $150 and up. It’s really a shame, this is prohibitive pricing. Glad I started collecting before that happens.

Yeah, I’m basically down to $100 or less as well…still buy a couple $150ish wines from Myriad & R-M but that’s really all I can think of. For the cellar, my goal over the past few years has been stocking up on $35-$50 bottles of Burgs & N. Rhones that fly under the radar along with continuing to buy Bedrock, Carlisle, Sandlands & similar from CA. Also trying to buy more OR Pinot in that same $30-$50 range, which I’m really enjoying as I keep trying different producers and learning which are my faves.

To your point on 1er & Grand Cru Burgs and the better Bordeaux classifieds continually escalating in price, to reiterate what has been stated so often, it just doesn’t make sense to spend triple digits on recent releases when you can backfill on older vintages w/great provenance. Same with Napa.

[brodie_thomson]

Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre. I’m priced out of the GCs but still buy the MdT and will continue to do so.

Same for me, except I still buy the Valmur as well. Been buying it for 12 years and get an annual allocation (of 3 bottles each) at a really really good price. This will be last allocation I give up.

Brodie

[Jay_Miller]

The OP question was what is the last wine you would drop allowing each person to define whatever that threshold as you see fit but forcing a choice about what producer/wine is your most beloved.

Mine is clearly Mugneret-Gibourg and if I had to choose one wine, it would be the Chambolle Feusselottes. I’ve been buying this wine for as long as I’ve been buying wine and a recent 1996, that was a splurge as a graduate student, was magnificent.

I’ll eventually be priced out the timing of that depending on the trajectory.

That’s what he said in the body of the post (which I didn’t read) but not in the title which is “What’s that last wine you will not drop despite price run-ups?”. My bad, I answered the title question.

To answer the OP question instead it would be the Gonzalez Byass Anadas.

[Jay_Miller]

Is the question what’s the last wine we would drop. Or the last wine we wouldn’t. Because I’m confused.

So was I. Lawyers, hmph!

[Robert.A.Jr]

Is the question what’s the last wine we would drop. Or the last wine we wouldn’t. Because I’m confused.

So was I. Lawyers, hmph!

Yes!

[GregT]

I also eat the same thing for breakfast, day after day, rarely without change. And been married to the same spectacular person for 23 years this June 8. There are some things that just hit you a certain way.

My wife is like that. Would be happy to have the same thing for breakfast and dinner all the time. Maybe that’s why we get along?

Her attitude is - why try something new that you might not like if you can have something you know that you do like?

My attitude is - why not try something new that you might like more than anything you’ve ever had before?

My Dad was like that too - not particularly adventurous when it came to food and drink. I think there are clear and opposing camps on that issue. For myself, I worry that there are so many things I won’t ever get to taste.

BTW, in case you ever get curious - there’s a whole world of breakfast options out there!!

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

Lawyers adding words to increase confusion? Who knew?

There is probably no wine that I wouldn’t drop if prices increased “enough”…with requisite tears, gnashing of teeth, rending of clothes…etc. I’m pretty much done placing long term bets and they’re all sitting in the cellar. For short term or medium term (i.e.: 5 - 10 years) there’re so many good affordable alternatives to most everything.

RT

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

I also eat the same thing for breakfast, day after day, rarely without change. And been married to the same spectacular person for 23 years this June 8. > There are some things that just hit you a certain way> .

My wife is like that. Would be happy to have the same thing for breakfast and dinner all the time. Maybe that’s why we get along?

Her attitude is - why try something new that you might not like if you can have something you know that you do like?

My attitude is - why not try something new that you might like more than anything you’ve ever had before?

My Dad was like that too - not particularly adventurous when it came to food and drink. I think there are clear and opposing camps on that issue. For myself, I worry that there are so many things I won’t ever get to taste.

BTW, in case you ever get curious - there’s a whole world of breakfast options out there!!

Because honestly the more I taste and the older I get, the more the instances shrink that I am surprised in that particular way. Not that it never happens, so I remain open to the possibility, it just happens less and less often. So I buy for my cellar (in quantity when possible) mostly what I know I love - those things that “hit me a certain way,” - to be sure and always have those things available, properly stored and aged. They never bore me, since they are never truly the same from bottle to bottle. I think of it as having multiple conversations over the years with the same people. Then I mostly rely on restaurants and travel and wine dinners and friends’ cellars to try new things. On some few occasions, something new does impress to that degree, and we add some to the cellar.

I guess you could say I’m happy to go out and try the new place that does something innovative for breakfast, but there are always eggs in house.

There’s no wrong way.

[Shan_A]

So I buy for my cellar (in quantity when possible) mostly what I know I love - those things that “hit me a certain way,” - to be sure and always have those things available, properly stored and aged. They never bore me, since they are never truly the same from bottle to bottle. I think of it as having multiple conversations over the years with the same people. Then I mostly rely on restaurants and travel and wine dinners and friends’ cellars to try new things. On some few occasions, something new does impress to that degree, and we add some to the cellar.

…

There’s no wrong way.

This is worthy of a sticky. I wish I had that advice a year ago. Maybe there is no wrong way, but this sounds like one of the right ways to me.

[Robert.A.Jr]

I also eat the same thing for breakfast, day after day, rarely without change. And been married to the same spectacular person for 23 years this June 8. > There are some things that just hit you a certain way> .

My wife is like that. Would be happy to have the same thing for breakfast and dinner all the time. Maybe that’s why we get along?

Her attitude is - why try something new that you might not like if you can have something you know that you do like?

My attitude is - why not try something new that you might like more than anything you’ve ever had before?

My Dad was like that too - not particularly adventurous when it came to food and drink. I think there are clear and opposing camps on that issue. For myself, I worry that there are so many things I won’t ever get to taste.

BTW, in case you ever get curious - there’s a whole world of breakfast options out there!!

Because honestly the more I taste and the older I get, the more the instances shrink that I am surprised in that particular way. Not that it never happens, so I remain open to the possibility, it just happens less and less often. So I buy for my cellar (in quantity when possible) mostly what I know I love - those things that “hit me a certain way,” - to be sure and always have those things available, properly stored and aged. They never bore me, since they are never truly the same from bottle to bottle. I think of it as having multiple conversations over the years with the same people. Then I mostly rely on restaurants and travel and wine dinners and friends’ cellars to try new things. On some few occasions, something new does impress to that degree, and we add some to the cellar.

I guess you could say I’m happy to go out and try the new place that does something innovative for breakfast, but there are always eggs in house.

There’s no wrong way.

Same thoughts, you are just more articulate.

And over the years, I have explored many times, and yet always seem to come back to Bordeaux, Chinon and Northern Rhone. And then more of the same producers. I bet more than 25% of my “cellar” is comprised of four producers: Baudry, Gonon, Levet, Sociando. Perhaps over 1/3 if you add in Raffault, Juge, Clape and Lanessan. Funny that many of these wines have been $50 and under, only Clape going into $100 range.

I have other loyalties, brand-comfort so to speak, on other things. Every suit in my rotation is Hugo Boss. I’ve owned 5 Jeep Grand Cherokees, and then switched to Rover, and doubt I get another SUV, love it so. I’ve also owned tons of bikes, but have huge loyalty to Colnago and Pinarello. I’ve also used the same brand of writing pen for over 20 years. Maybe that one is a bit OCD, as I feel like I cannot even write with another pen.

And yet I consider myself pretty open to new things, exploring, travel, friends, etc. Some things, however, I just happen to like exactly what I like. And rarely find myself bored.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

So I buy for my cellar (in quantity when possible) mostly what I know I love - those things that “hit me a certain way,” - to be sure and always have those things available, properly stored and aged. They never bore me, since they are never truly the same from bottle to bottle. I think of it as having multiple conversations over the years with the same people. Then I mostly rely on restaurants and travel and wine dinners and friends’ cellars to try new things. On some few occasions, something new does impress to that degree, and we add some to the cellar.

…

There’s no wrong way.

This is worthy of a sticky. I wish I had that advice a year ago. Maybe there is no wrong way, but this sounds like one of the right ways to me.

It is always good advice to buy broadly and not deeply when you’re starting out. I’m pretty sure Sarah has been in the game for a good while by now.

[Sarah_Kirschbaum]

So I buy for my cellar (in quantity when possible) mostly what I know I love - those things that “hit me a certain way,” - to be sure and always have those things available, properly stored and aged. They never bore me, since they are never truly the same from bottle to bottle. I think of it as having multiple conversations over the years with the same people. Then I mostly rely on restaurants and travel and wine dinners and friends’ cellars to try new things. On some few occasions, something new does impress to that degree, and we add some to the cellar.

…

There’s no wrong way.

This is worthy of a sticky. I wish I had that advice a year ago. Maybe there is no wrong way, but this sounds like one of the right ways to me.

It is always good advice to buy broadly and not deeply when you’re starting out. I’m pretty sure Sarah has been in the game for a good while by now.

Absolutely, Brian, and thanks for emphasizing that point. This is not advice I’d give to someone just starting out, and certainly not the way I began, or think I should have begun, even in retrospect. I have, however, given even relative beginners the advice to at least try buying 6 bottles or a case of something to gain the experience, and learn the joys, of tasting over time as well.

[Robert.A.Jr]

I’d say “try” broadly before “buy” broadly. Lots of folks that have gone deep on wine list wines and other darlings only to learn later that they don’t hit the spot.

[Markus_S]

For myself, I worry that there are so many things I won’t ever get to taste.

Somehow I don’t think I’m missing much by skipping Lutefisk and sea cucumbers!

[Howard_Cooper]

Same thoughts, you are just more articulate.

And over the years, I have explored many times, and yet always seem to come back to Bordeaux, Chinon and Northern Rhone. And then more of the same producers. I bet more than 25% of my “cellar” is comprised of four producers: Baudry, Gonon, Levet, Sociando. Perhaps over 1/3 if you add in Raffault, Juge, Clape and Lanessan. Funny that many of these wines have been $50 and under, only Clape going into $100 range.

I have other loyalties, brand-comfort so to speak, on other things. Every suit in my rotation is Hugo Boss. I’ve owned 5 Jeep Grand Cherokees, and then switched to Rover, and doubt I get another SUV, love it so. I’ve also owned tons of bikes, but have huge loyalty to Colnago and Pinarello. I’ve also used the same brand of writing pen for over 20 years. Maybe that one is a bit OCD, as I feel like I cannot even write with another pen.

My top four producers (Truchot, Prum, Jadot and Dublere) only comprise about 16% of my cellar. On the other hand, 48% of my cellar is red Burgundy and another 15% from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, so I am not the biggest experimenter around.

As for the other thing, what is this “suit” stuff you speak of? I seem to remember knowing what the term meant at some point in my life, but I have long since forgotten. And, as for writing pens, my only brand loyalty over the years has been to the words free or cheap.

[Howard_Cooper]

I’d say “try” broadly before “buy” broadly. Lots of folks that have gone deep on wine list wines and other darlings only to learn later that they don’t hit the spot.

Agreed.

[Robert.A.Jr]

Ha. I don’t do business casual! I’m starting to realize more and more that many in my profession don’t look put together. Attention to detail should mean something.