Agree.
I find having a bottle or two open before folks arrive often sets the stage (and loosens folks up). Bubbly or Cava and a Pinot usually. I usually set aside gift bottles for later (regifting, cooking often)
Most of our dinner guests like wine but are not geeks. They know I am big into wine and are almost always glad to enjoy/explore what I pour.
As others have mentioned, I tend to pour my wines for a sit down dinner, but we’ll open anything up that comes in the door if it’s a happy hour sitting around the fire pit gathering.
Almost invariably, ‘civilian’ guests bring wine that’s nice and warm. So, I mention that I will place it in the fridge for a bit and ask them to remind me in 30 minutes to go get it. Sometimes I ‘forget.’ I know that’s a bit evil, but I hate all wine at 72 degrees.
There are several salient points in this thread. I definitely agree that there should be no obligation to drink the wine if it’s brought as a gift. That said, there’s nothing pressing you to DRINK the wine in the event the gifter insists on opening said bottle. Have a taste. Who knows, perhaps you might find it drinkable and allow yourself to enjoy the thought behind the gift and the company of the person who brought it for you.
Open it as well as the other wines. Maybe they’ll drink it and you have leftover good wine. Maybe they’ll drink your wine and you’ll put it down the drain afterwards.
If you are really concerned, pour yourself a glass in front of them, go to the kitchen to check on the food and pour half out. Have two glasses each at the table and your half glass can just sit there.
As an economist, I understand the appeal of having people pay you to serve wine from your own cellar. But, as the host, I wouldn’t want anyone to feel that they had to bring anything or pay anything.
When people ask what they can bring, I reply dessert or a salad. When they bring wine, which is rare, I open it.
My examples are off lines. I have a lot of members in different wine clubs that like the gesture. One member who has way more money than me doesn’t have time to find a $50 plus Washington wine for an event in a few weeks and he would not find anything that good in the Minneapolis market so thanked me for taking care of an excellent wine.
Or you can do what I did once when someone in a group of mine who regularly brings wines as described began serving his latest swill: Without considering that my train of thought might be revealed, I blurted out, “Oh, I just realized that I forgot to put out spit buckets,” and ran to the kitchen for them.
The pourer, not noted for reading a crowd, said he hoped this was not a comment on his wine.
I’d save the bottle, pour my choice of wine in it the next year and tell her I have her covered, the mag of YT has been slow oxing all day…“can i pour you a glass?!”
This is really too funny. My neighbor has been giving me the same shitty wine for the past three years. I used one for cooking, as it was perfectly fine as a generic wine, but I still have 2 bottles. It’s the thought that counts and I like the guy.
If someone brings me a wine for dinner, I won’t insult them.
At least most of the time.
And I rarely believe that we have matched every wine perfectly with every dish. I know a lot of people do that and I’ve gone to many dinners where that was the idea, but it’s overdone. Many wines will be just fine with many dishes - there are precious few “perfect” matches. So the way I look at it is that it’s another wine to have. If it’s something like Meiomi, I would steel myself, take a deep breath, and thank the person. Stiff upper lip and all. But it never hurts to ask whether the person would want to open it today.
Whether or not there’s a rule somewhere that states a host is under no obligation to open a guest’s wine, the most important part of being a host is to be gracious.
I think this is a common strategy, and I’ve certainly used it.
But some care is needed - the flip side of this scenario is that they may not care for your carefully chosen selections. So I may tweak my selection accordingly. Also a unique bottle that may be under appreciated may be held back.
Offline tastings are always better when you can help a newer wine drinker take a suggestion on a wine. My neighbors and non-wine friends already know not to bring any wine as I will take care of them. Was at a newer wine group last winter and helped many bring a more interesting $100 plus wine. Let me know if you can figure out which wines I did not help influence:
2009 Argyle Extended Tirage Brut Rosé- USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Very elegant sparkling wine featuring rose petals, strawberry, chalk, minerals and Bing cherry notes. Medium finish nd good acidity. (92 pts.)
2015 Domaine Roy & Fils Pinot Noir Estate Iron Filbert- USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
First red of the tasting. Solid and offers iron of all things along with Bing cherry, minerals, raspberries and earth. Well made wine. (92 pts.)
2014 Sadie Family Columella- South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland
Excited to try this but fell a bit flat. Light style featuring floral, raspberries and minerals. Could tell blended with some Viognier but just not that exciting. (90 pts.)
2016 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Absolutely my wine of the night. Love the funk along with the floral, stone, earth, roasted meat and rose petals. Amazing wine and should have had this at a smaller event. (94 pts.)
2016 Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Mon Village- France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Decanted for 2 hours. Earth, funk, white pepper, minerals and red fruits. Solid wine and should improve with age. Decanted for 2 plus hours. 93+ (93 pts.)
2014 Château Montrose- France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Decanted 5 hours. Probably needed more but later in the tasting showing great potential. Chesnuts, gravel, dark cherry, spice, earth and mild oak. Medium to long finish and amazing potential. Should hold until 2028. 93+ (93 pts.)
2012 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero- Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Probably needs more time. Decanted this for 3 hours and offers floral, mint, earth, rustic notes and sour cherry. Medium plus finish. Tried it later in the tasting and improve some. (92 pts.)
2012 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Riserva- Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Wine was shinning tonight and the first bottle to be finished with the group. Bold with spice, leather, earth and granite. Not quite old world to a T but solid. This wine will benefit with time. (93 pts.)
2016 Leonetti Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley- USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Surprised this did not get more votes but I liked it. Plum, spice, cherry, floral notes and firm tannins. This is young but has great potential. Medium plus finish. 93 points (93 pts.)
2013 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Vogt Vineyard- USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Not a fan and had to dump this out. Oak, vanilla, blueberries and gritty earthiness to the wine. Just not balanced and lacked acidity. Normally like Beringer but not this one. (87 pts.)
2015 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Iridium- USA, California, Napa Valley
First of all don’t’ like Sterling and now their high end wine I can see why this was discounted. Bottle alone probably cost $15 but the wine was not impressive. Oak, sweet fruits, candied cherry and minerals. If it was $35 I could probably get it but well over a $100 no thanks. (88 pts.)
2017 Orin Swift Cabernet Sauvignon Mercury Head- USA, California, Napa Valley
This is not changing my opinion of their wines and this is their flagship. Sweet wine with cherry, plum and some earthiness. Medium finish and lacks acidithy. (87 pts.)
2018 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon The Pact- USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville
Of the cabs I liked this the best and if offered cherry, plum, spice, minerals and earth. A bit sweet for my palate but well made overall. (91 pts.)
2018 Kelly Fleming Wines Cabernet Sauvignon- USA, California, Napa Valley
Really not a fan of these type of wines and think they should cost about $40. Sweet fruit and not much substance. Shorter finish and some ripe fruit but lacks complexity. (87 pts.)
