---on your Wine-budget. Don’t get me wrong, these Holidays are GREAT, of course. But, is your Wine-spending budget suffering the last 6 weeks or so (& well into January)?

Mine is. Very much so. Not going to be back in the saddle until February (@ the earliest).

And, YOU???

Nope. Holiday wines all come from my cellar. The tough time of the year for my budget is release season not the holidays.

I agree. Release season is TOUGH. They (Mailers) come all @ once (just about).

It is the entertaining that wrecks my budget.

We have some fairly fancy meals and of course, we pop the Arbor Mist Special Select Reserve for our friends. Nothing but the finest at our house.

The problem is all the holes that remain are pricey to re-fill, particularly of similar (better!!) quality. The secondary issue is that many of the items I am replacing with are not going to be "ready" for some time.

But nothing beats sharing a nice meal with a truly fine wine with good friends. That is what it is all about anyway.

Ho Ho Ho!

Real problem is that I can't get on the Arbor Mist Reserve mailing list

I will withdraw a few bottles from the celar for Open House parties and dinners. Seldom do I go out and buy.

Next year will have to buy and fill the empty slots. Of course with better bottles. - read that higher cost.

Edward -

LOL. I've been on their wait list for what seems like an eternity. Maybe Jones has tasted the Reserve?

Release season kills me. And those pre-paid futures. For the holidays, good (read: pricier) bottles get pulled from within. Cheaper "everyday" wine does get purchased. But that doesn't sink me all that much. And besides, only two more months until my tax refund!!

Holes are getting pretty bad. I wanted to have an everyday Chardonnay with the Risotto last night and zippo. Gone! My every day (white) wines stolen! Some swine broke in and, oh....sorry.... I drank them.

Back to the store for more, hi ho, it's off shopping we go.

I'm trying to fill the better Red Wine holes with 1997s whenever possible. Most of what my fellow Forumites indicate is that the 1999s still have some time to develop. I'm drinking some, but trying to lay down most.
2000s I'll pass on most.

Bring on the '01s.

what's a tax refund?

IRS. Uncle Sam owes me alot of $$$ this year. Wife stayed home with the kid this year, so household income got cut in half, and I never bothered to re-do my W-2. Will file as early as humanly possible, and should have my money by February.

You said that right, gfleener. Although, this year---may be.

WDoT

No Chardonay for dinner???? Sounds to me like you need a cellar plan. I will convert you.

No "everyday" Chardonnay. Just couldn't pull the cork on the better ones. And those are mighty low as well. But the upper righthand corner is looking very very sparse!

Reds are holding their own for now.

Yes, my sipping is getting waaaay ahead of my planning.

WDOT - time to go to the store! You know how much fun the wine stores are during the holidays (not...).

Thanks to JW1we will have a very Kistler Christmas. I'm going to the cellar to add the recent additions and pull out some that are ready to drink.

Good for you. Chards or Pinot?

TNs required you know. We'll be waiting.

Yes, dropped into Sigel's the other day during lunch and I couldn't believe the activity. All that Beringer White Zin going out the door at one time was scary.

I ran away.

I'll probably head to a store in Plano this next week and reload.

Cheers!

Alas only my Kistler chards are ready to drink. TNs forthcoming of course!

Happy holidays and cheers!

WT, give those Chards a good 30-45min. open before you dive in. You'll be enjoying it more in the "hot zone" of the wine.

jb

JB - you are so right about giving them a little time. I occasionally briefly decant my white burgs for the same purpose. It's interesting how much the wines change through the process.

I have been on wine budget hold for quite a while. I am hoping Santa brings me a wine storage unit. If not, I will fart in Santa's general direction and go buy one finally. That is when thius disease ramps up to the next horrible level.

BUT, I do tend to break out the good bottles during the holidays and other special occasions. Filling those holes will be awfully difficult to do, but, somebody's got to do it.

Kistlers. That reminds me, I better PM LCC....

lcc-my wine buying never suffers. i just change my appetite. if i see something i want and the price is good, i buy it.