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Wine Reflections from 2007 | Sort: |
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jaimetown  
DC area
Wine Labeler
Posts: 3535
 | | 01-03-2008 12:13 PM |
| As another year has passed, I realized that again I spend too much time thinking about wine  but have also noticed some changing patterns in my wine consumption/purchases. What has changed (or is new) for you going forward? - I buy a lot more QPR mixed cases - 2005 Burgundies that I've tasted (lower level wines) has been excellent (but needing patience) and constituted the bulk of my 2007 purchases - I've rediscovered that I really enjoy Bordeaux wines with elegance - Some really tasty 2005 Cru Beaujolais have been opened at our house - I've bought more in 6 and 12 bottle increments this year for cheaper, earlier drinking wines - I've committed the least amount of infanticide since I started drinking wine - I drink Rose like water during the summer  - I need to drink more Loire valley wines - To quote Ted Lemon from a GrapeRadio broadcast, "I'm not impressed with being impressed" anymore And finally, Vinocellar still is my favorite place to "hang out" with winos online. Thanks for a fun 2007 - here's to a better 2008!  | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts: 9430
| | 01-03-2008 12:29 PM |
| Interesting thread!
- I buy less QPRs in general, focusing instead on fewer, higher quality wines
- I still buy way, way too much wine
- I've discovered Italy in a BIG and dangerous way
- I still buy way, way too much wine
- I am enjoying wines of maturity, elegance, and grace much more than wines of brute power
- I still buy way, way too much wine
- I am more and more interested in enjoying wines in relaxed settings, with food and friends, and less and less interested in structured, formal tastings
- I still buy way, way too much wine
- I like the Ted Lemon quote 
Agreed, VinoCellar is still my favorite wine place too
| | | 2008: the end of an error | |
| kpak
Alaska
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3021
| | 01-03-2008 12:41 PM |
| Agreed
"I still buy way, way too much wine "
I'm buying more a broader, more diverse range of wines, and thank my online friends for sharing.
and VinoCellar is my favorite wino place too
| | | In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is
.ps - friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon. | |
| tanglenet
Oakland, California
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3263
| | 01-03-2008 02:10 PM |
| I also agree that this is my favorite wine site to share, discuss and read. Seems more mature and thoughful.
I also agree I buy way too much wine.
I'm also buying and drinking better wine realizing that I'm getting older and life is getting shorter.
I find I really enjoy sharing wine, except for the occasional greedy guest. Always seems to be a young guy around 25 and never the same one.
I hope to expand my vocabulary greater than the same 14 words I use to decribe what I taste.
I hope to expire before my wife so she has to deal with the inventory and expenses incurred.
I can hear her now: I've been dead for six months and she gets notification of a wine shipment! WTF!
| | | TN posted on Cellartracker"
I drink no more than a sponge." François Rabelais | |
| Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11024
| | 01-03-2008 03:11 PM |
| It's good to have others go first on this one.
In 2007:
I finally went through a "I'm bored with wine" stage. It passed.
I was finally happy with most of the wines in our cellar. Sure it's still young but the variety and quantity is pleasing. I don't feel like I'm missing the boat when I don't buy the "it" wines.
There are some wines that are becoming actually and perceptually too expensive to drink.
I can still enjoy drinking a wine under $20.
I drink champagne like water all the time. Luckily my husband helps a lot.
Others' statements that I totally agree with:
The Ted Lemon quote -that's great
"I still buy way, way too much wine "
I'm buying more a broader, more diverse range of wines, and thank my online friends for sharing.
and VinoCellar is my favorite wino place too
Thanks to those folks who so generously share their knowledge and wit. It's all good. Kumbaya. | | | |
| Appreciative
Beaverton, OR
Grape Puncher
Posts: 810
| | 01-03-2008 05:04 PM |
| -Didn't earn that much this year, so I bought very little. I did buy a wine rack that holds magnums.
-Visits to wine country must include a stop at Heater Allen!
-While drinking down my collection, I can allow myself to a few more gems in between the everyday wines.
-When celebrating with co-workers, their immediate attention is to the bottles I brought.
-Thought I had come up with a great line-up of wines to open when I turn 40 in 2008, but after tasting a few of them, they need more cellar time. I have other great wines to open and can look forward to turning 42.
-Whoopee! I found another box that hasn't been inventoried on cellartracker. | | | |
| Pete
Left Coast
Wine Thief
Posts: 2943
| | 01-03-2008 08:58 PM |
| I learned to say NO to buying wine - I really don't need anymore wine.
I still spend way too much on wine.
Some the finest people I've met in my 60 plus years on the this earth have been wine friends.
The best decision I've ever made was marrying Barbara - she likes wine and has a better palate than I do. | | | ''Life's tough.....it's even tougher if you're stupid.''
John Wayne | |
| saut
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1018
| | 01-03-2008 10:54 PM |
| I realized that I am more interested in wines that tell a story rather than wines with snob appeal. I'd rather drink Sandler than Silver Oak. I'd rather drink Bressler than Chateau Montelena. I'd rather drink Loring than Adrian Fog.
I've read blogs or communicated with more winemakers this year than the rest of my life combined. VinoCellar is a large part of that.
I realized I can't collect everything, so I'm learning to focus on a few areas and depend on some regulars everywhere else. I've picked my favorite producers of Petite Syrah, Pinot, and Cab and will stick with those. Sauternes and Champagne, however, are open season.
I can't participate in as many wine events as I'd like to, or read as many blogs, or taste as many wines. Focus is the name of the game in 08.
Cheers! | | | |
| Randy Wigginton
Master of Wine
Posts: 10797
| | 01-06-2008 11:05 PM |
| I've discovered there is nothing wrong with drinking QPRs. Every night is not an event.
I refuse to grow my cellar anymore, so I've discovered winecommune in a big way, and finally understand (and believe) David when he said he didn't spend more than $500/month NET on wine.
I've given up on serving great wines to guests. They get the QPRs as well.
I wish I had more time. | | | |
| Winoman
Herndon VA
Grape Sorter
Posts: 391
| | 01-08-2008 08:25 PM |
| 2007 - for me was Spain - big time...followed by Germany. I too have been enjoying some great 2005 (and still some 03) Beaujolais...(my "everyday Pinot Noir" as it were). VinoCellar rocks! I really apreciate the maturity level and the lack of snobbery. | | | |
| Vine
Milwaukee, WI
Grape Puncher
Posts: 809
| | 01-09-2008 12:24 AM |
| 2007...
First, I'm happy that I was able to find Vinocellar. Great threads, TN's, and most importantly, people! As for a few other thoughts:
-. I had the chance to try more "prestige" wines in 2007 than any other year of my life. Many were memorable...but really, they made me appreciate great QPR's even more.
- On that note, I now love the cheap thrill of finding a great QPR!
- Need to devote more capitol to Bordeaux...
- Need more capitol...
- Despite the fact that mailing list prices have soared, I now have a greater appreciation for the wineries and the effort they put into their wines. And although I may still cringe at release prices those feelings are somewhat alleviated with the knowledge of the potential return these wines will bring at auction.
- I also buy way too much wine...
Well, I guess that's all for now.
Cheers to everyone into 2008!
Vine
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| Stefania Wine
San Jose, CA
Grape Puncher
Posts: 725
| | 01-09-2008 01:37 PM |
| 2007 has been the most amazing wine year of my life.
I finally had wine to sell. For years now people have asked, "where's the wine?" To be able to open a bottle for them was fantastic.
The wine didn't suck. No small feat. I try a lot of wine from new wineries that sucks.
I actually sold the wine. All of it. I really thought it would be much harder than it turned out to be. What a relief. I still worry about the next release like crazy.
Random phone calls can lead to great things. Bradley Brown called me out of the blue in January looking for Grenache. We'd never met, never talked before. We spent almost three hours on the phone that day, what a great stroke of random luck. Working with Bradley has been fantastic. After some bumpy years in other people's facilities, I finally feel like I've got a partner I'm working with who understands exactly what I want to do. Being the only other person in the facility is huge too.
More random good luck. The Woodruffs call Jim Schultze looking for help with thier vineyard, he refers them to Mark Alfaro, who refers them to Bradley, who refers them to me. I can't help them in 07, but they like what I'm doing, and we do sign a deal in December for me to manage their 10 acres of old vine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In a business where getting any good Pinot lined up year to year is hard, I've now got a long term source of great grapes.
And that's minor to Anne and Jerry Anderson asking us to run Chaine d'Or.
I tell people that if last January I had written out my plans for the year as : 1. Work with a winemaker trained by John Alban. 2. Take over 10 acres of 30 year old Pinot Noir, 3. Have someone give you a winery and 4 acres of Cabernet and Chardonnay. Any reasonable person would have laughed and said; 'That's not a plan that's a fantasy!" But, that's exactly what happened.
There's been nothing better about 2007 than overfilling the settling tank or forgetting to close the valve when racking. That means I'm doing everything now, making my own mistakes, doing things exactly like I want them too. It feels so good to turn off the lights in the cellar after a long days work.
Picking fruit this October, the Elandrich vineyard was the nicest looking vineyard I got fruit from, I do know what the heck I'm doing.
I found a sales partner, well they found me really, who looks like they can take on the part of the business I know the least. They love the wine and are excited to sell it. That's huge for me.
It's been an amazing year. If 2008 is 1/10 as good, it will be a great year.
| | Paul Romero - Owner/Winemaker Stefania Wine
www.stefaniawine.com | |
| Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts: 9430
| | 01-09-2008 02:24 PM |
| | Congrats Paul! The good fortune couldn't have fallen on a more deserving guy, best wishes on continued success. | | | 2008: the end of an error | |
| Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11024
| | 01-09-2008 02:36 PM |
| | Paul, that is a really nice post. Congrats on your success! | | | |
| juggernt
Tampa, FL, USA
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3459
| | 01-09-2008 03:39 PM |
| --Being a wine retailer is WAY more dangerous than I thought it might be. I mean, how bad could it be to fill my cellar at wholesale?
--Wholesalers are not to be trusted. Every invoice must be put under the microscope.
--Marquis Philips Sarah's Blend may be the best $15 wine I've ever had
--The discovery of Ruinart may lead me to financial ruin(art)
--Really good wines can come in a color other than red
--Still can't get enough Tuscan blends
--There's a downside to having to taste wines for a living
--Screw caps aren't terrible
--Bob Bressler rules
--It needs to be 2012 soon so that I can start cracking my good '00 Bordeaux. They currently taunt me every time I open the cellar doors.
--I feel incredibly fortunate that I'm in the position to regularly spoil my friends, in large part by sharing great wine with them
--Rocket Scientists rule even more than Bob Bressler
| | | Visit The Butcher Block at http://www.butcherblocktampa.com/ | |
| jason
Napa Valley
Wine Addict
Posts: 6840
| | 01-09-2008 03:58 PM |
| Posted By juggernt on 01/09/2008 3:39 PM
--Wholesalers are not to be trusted. Every invoice must be put under the microscope.
No kidding. I used to spend hours trying to get credits, pricing changed, having to return shipments that arrive at the end of the month so your rep can make his/her sales goals when you never ordered it in the first place.
--There's a downside to having to taste wines for a living
I haven't figured this one out yet, unless you swallow all the time and become and alcoholic. | | | |
| jaimetown
DC area
Wine Labeler
Posts: 3535
| | 01-09-2008 04:46 PM |
| Nice posts everyone!
A few more things for me - 2007 was the first year that I was entirely out of the wine business (wholesale or retail) since 2001 and I do realize I miss it quite a bit. Whether it is developing friendships, expanding my tasting horizons, honing my blind tasting skills, or eating at my accounts (the good ones!).
Also I learned that no mailing list is untouchable. That's why I dropped Kosta Browne and now Quilceda Creek (based on price hike and recent proliferation of notes on its lack of balance) - since I don't flip wines anymore, there's really no need for me to buy these wines or stay on the list.
I'll also cross my fingers for a great vintage in 2008, as my wife and I are expecting our first child - along with that, I've been served a good helping of perspective (to quote ratatouille), which is sometimes easy to lose when we spend so much time on this passion of ours. | | | |
| JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5168
| | 01-09-2008 05:37 PM |
| I learned that it is possible to set a budget and stick to it. (Barely). Now I have to see if it is possible to cut a budget.  I came to fully appreciate the fact that one cannot obtain every new wine that comes out, even if the new wine is "supposed to be great". I have learned to be satisfied with my current producers and will buy more from them instead of 3 bottles here and 4 bottles there of new stuff. The jealousy that I might encounter when I see others posting about getting in on the ground floor of some new venture should be offset by the size of allocations I get from the producers I am sticking with.  I have come to embrace the notion that if I broke into a sweat when I plopped down $100 for a Cab a few years ago, I really must say good-bye when that same wine now sells for $135+. So I am no longer buying Insignia, Les Pavots, Harlan, Buccella, Blankiet, and Hundred Acre, and Merus is in real danger of suffering the same fate. My records reflect that I pop an unbelievable and "special" bottle of Cabernet only about 4 or 5 times a year. My purchases of Hourglass and Sloan (which I net out to a much lower price by selling some at a modest mark-up) should do the trick, along with what I have on hand. The rest of the time, I am more than happy to open bottles that I buy from Bressler, Match, Jones, Drinkward and other wines that I buy retail for under $100. The quality increase over these wines is neglible to me. And while I would love to drink Harlan and the like, the cost increase is simply not worth it.
As posted by others above, as much as I enjoy wine, I enjoy the backstory every bit as much. Maybe more. So I will continue to favor wines with which I have a personal connection.
I am learning that Syrah is the new Pinot, now that Pinot was "outted" by the movie "Sideways". It is amazing how many quality CA Syrahs are out there for less than what many Pinots have crept to. I used to look to Pinot as the high quality, low cost alternative to Cab. But as many of these wines reach and pass the $50 mark, looking for $35-$40 Syrahs will occupy more and more of my time.
And finally, although this is nothing new, no matter how much I further my wine knowledge from various sources, I still learn more about wine in general, and producers specifically, from this site. Thank you all. | | | Beta testing a new signature. | |
| Budman
Philly Suburbs
VinoCellar.com Extraordinaire
Posts: 23632
| | 01-09-2008 07:44 PM |
| | JimmyV... repeat after me... Olson-Ogden!!! | | | |
| Daniel Bailey
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1476
| | 01-09-2008 08:02 PM |
| I confirmed that there is no need to have any Bordeaux (except Yquem)Â in the cellar.Â
I confirmed that Zinfandel really doesn't need to be in the cellar either.
I finally had to admit to myself that some of my favorite producers of wine (see for example Harlan Estate) have simply priced themselves out of what I (a fanatic who spends way, way, way too much on wine) am willing to spend.
I finally had to admit to myself that the secondary market has priced some of my absolute favorite wines of all time so high that I can't in good faith drink them anymore. | | | |
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| | Proposed Change to American Viticultural Area Naming Standards Monday, March 10, 2008
| Wine Primers - Links to Your Wine Education Tuesday, February 12, 2008
| Wine Country Report: Day trip to the Willamette Valley Monday, February 11, 2008
| VinoCellar's Favorite Wine Links Saturday, February 09, 2008
| Wine Retailer Reports - Thanks Winetex! Monday, February 04, 2008
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