Notelessness

Florida Jim

Florida Jim

Florida Jim
I was talking with Jeff recently and it came up that I have completely switched the way I buy wine.
These days I buy by the case. I almost never buy individual bottles any more.
I do this for several reasons:
First, I know what I like and don’t need to explore much,
Second, it gives me the chance to follow a wine over years of development,
Third, it often winds-up being cheaper as discounts on product and shipping are sometimes offered on case purchases.
And, on a strictly personal note, since I spend time in two different homes, having enough to supply two cellars is desirable and comforting.
So I don’t post many notes anymore because I’d just be talking about the same wines.

I suspect (but don’t know) this is not the rule among those who post/read here but rather, a little of this and a little of that is more the norm.
Is that right?
 
Jim, I long ago switched from buying 12-bottle cases to just buying 6-bottle cases. This provides a chance for tracking progress without overstocking my cellar given my diminishing lifetime left.

. . . . . Pete
 
Rather than regurgitate, here's the copy/paste from the other bored (with one change in the last paragraph).

Yup, a little of this, etc. I haven’t bought a case lot of any wine for 40-some years. I would get bored having 12 bottles of the same wine, at least the type I buy (that is, we’re not talking La T“che or anything like that).

I’m VERY patient so even if I have 4 bottles of some wine, I have enough similar wines from the same region/producer to gauge when to drink those 4 bottles. Chablis is the main area in my cellar for that. For example, I don’t own 4 bottles of any Chablis from 2010 and 2014. Periodically, I’ll try a lesser bottle from those vintages to gauge cellaring the others. As an example, 2014 Fevre “Champs Royaux” Chablis AC (a Costco purchase) isn’t ready yet. Based on that, there’s no way in hell I’m touching my other '14s.

Beaujolais is the same. I’m down to my last 2 bottles of 2005s. I used to have 2-3 cases and figured out when best to drink them. Sure, I was never 100%, but I’m pretty happy with my educated guesswork.

My cellar is just shy of 1100 bottles. There are only 6 wines that I own 5-6 bottles. I do own one wine of which I have 8 bottles. A very close friend (50+ years now) has a hobby Pinot Noir vineyard in Soquel (Santa Cruz Mountains). The wine isn't bonded, it's made by Cole Thomas of Madson Wines. Tom got very lucky and there was no smoke taint in his vineyard in 2020. Great Pinot. Friends pay him what his cost is for materials and labor. Word of mouth kinda thing. I purchased 6 bottles and he threw in 2 extra.
 
Yes, I'm usually in "thrill seeker" mode. There's always more good wine out there!

I've bought a case, now and then, but end up selling the last 4 or 6.
 
I guess it depends how limited your range of wines is. Maybe daily notes on the same two wines would be a stretch. But, at least for me, the value of writing and reading the notes is the conversations they start and the thoughts they elicit on various related (or not-so-related) topics.

Buying-wise, I guess I'm inbetween. I like to focus and get to know wines over multiple tastings, but because of limited storage, I rarely buy full cases. And, there are lots of delicious wines out there to get to know!
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
I guess it depends how limited your range of wines is. Maybe daily notes on the same two wines would be a stretch. But, at least for me, the value of writing and reading the notes is the conversations they start and the thoughts they elicit on various related (or not-so-related) topics.
!
Click to expand...
You have better luck getting responses than I.
And while I agree, the conversations are the best part, lack thereof isn’t.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Rahsaan:
I guess it depends how limited your range of wines is. Maybe daily notes on the same two wines would be a stretch. But, at least for me, the value of writing and reading the notes is the conversations they start and the thoughts they elicit on various related (or not-so-related) topics.
!
Click to expand...
You have better luck getting responses than I.
And while I agree, the conversations are the best part, lack thereof isn’t.
Click to expand...

Huh. I hadn't noticed any more responses to my posts as opposed to yours. I wasn't keeping track. You're clearly a central part of the community!

But yes, it can be frustrating when the effort required to write doesn't translate into engagement. I've gone up and down over the years. But, writing is a core activity for me in general, others might feel differently.
 
I think of buying wines like I do reading books or listening to music. There are certain authors/musicians whose works I always buy. Some change a lot over time. Colson Whitehead comes to mind. Often I read about an artist, listen to some of their music, and start to follow them. Most recently on this list are Larkin Poe and Yola. (Check out Blood Harmony if you like blues.) One of the things that inspires me to try new wines is reading about them on this forum and other sites. The latest thing I've tried is a Greek skin contact wine made from moschofilero by some folks who go by Troupis Hoof and Lur. It was 18 bucks and absolutely delicious. Clearly not something for the cellar. On the other hand, I just brought home from the cellar one of four 2014 Chidaine Les Choisilles. I don't think I can by wines by the case, as there are still too many things I want to try.
Brad
 
I like buying cases because that's about the starting quantity it takes for me not to feel compunctions about opening a bottle whenever I feel like it. But for the wines I'm interested in cellaring, cost usually makes it prohibitive. And I am trying to cellar less of the everyday stuff because those I'm just as happy (if not moreso) drinking young than old, and I'm not going to drink a case's worth of the same wine over a year or two.
 
I get a good deal of everyday stuff by assisting local wineries in bottling. Much of that (but not all) gets drunk sooner than later. 2 days this week and potentially a third if my body is up to it.
 
Like you, Jim, I have two locations, although they are different from yours. One is in SF, the other in Paris. But in basic philosophy, I agree with you completely.

In SF, I have a full cellar and only buy cases if I see a wine at a stupid price (which for my interests/taste hasn't happened in a while) or if I find a bargain wine that I want as something to drink when it doesn't seem right to open a fancy wine (e.g., last year I went through 2+ cases of a great 2019 Barbera d'Alba at $14.99/bottle and I can't wait for the 2020 to come in).

Paris is a totally different scene. Most wine shops are there to supply a wine for drinking tonight as opposed to selling cases to generate cash flow. As a result, they often have a good selection of older wines at interesting prices, and of course they have a selection that includes lots of wines that never make it to the US or in some instances, only make it with a small number of bottles in one or two markets). So I'm very much for experimentation there. And then once you get to know the restaurants with the good wine lists and good prices, why bother to cellar wine? So in Paris, I never buy more than 3-4 bottles of any wine (and then only if I see it at a great price).
 
originally posted by Claude Kolm:o the other
...last year I went through 2+ cases of a great 2019 Barbera d'Alba at $14.99/bottle and I can't wait for the 2020 to come in.
Click to expand...

This. I love nebbiolo, but same region, same great vintage, different wonderful grape. It's shocking how the crowd can flit from one to the other over a few decades. Barbera and Rosso di Montalcino are some of the few case buys for me.

Also fascinating how we go from a love of sweet to an aversion to it. Maybe that's another thread.
 
originally posted by Claude Kolm:


Paris is a totally different scene. Most wine shops are there to supply a wine for drinking tonight as opposed to selling cases to generate cash flow. As a result, they often have a good selection of older wines at interesting prices, and of course they have a selection that includes lots of wines that never make it to the US or in some instances, only make it with a small number of bottles in one or two markets). So I'm very much for experimentation there. And then once you get to know the restaurants with the good wine lists and good prices, why bother to cellar wine? So in Paris, I never buy more than 3-4 bottles of any wine (and then only if I see it at a great price).
Click to expand...
Oh, this just sounds wonderful.
I forget that location influences buying habits so much.
If only . . .
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

I forget that location influences buying habits so much.
Click to expand...

Indeed. When I moved to NC, the local selection was so much narrower, and I don't really love shipping wine, so I had extra incentives to be more focused in my purchasing.

I've tried to maintain that mentality going forward. But returning to Nyc gave me so much temptation from so many regions/producers.. Especially as it came after 12 months in Berlin, pretty much only drinking German riesling and spätburgunder.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

So I don’t post many notes anymore because I’d just be talking about the same wines.
Click to expand...

Full disclosure is an admirable trait. I am still going through the singletaries and twosies, threeons I bought eons ago. I've only ever bought cases of single wines a few times over the years, probably the worst time being burned by getting an assortment of Byrd wines (Maryland) in my early explorations that did not, ahem, stand the test of time. But I admire one who knows what he wants and sticks with it, just as Warren Buffett love his Coca Colas and McDonald's burgers: it will save much consternation over your remaining years (and heaven knows you've explored the wine universe at this point!).
 
By the case was Kermit Lynch's exhortation long ago, in his book. I used to buy at least six bottles as often as possible, and cases of confirmed favorites, but eventually realized this approach yields way too much wine (especially since I've become a bachelor again). So for a while I generally bought four at a time, so as to follow each wine's development to some extent. Then three.

Over the past two years or so, I've stopped buying altogether. For one thing, my rate of consumption has diminished. For another, collecting wine started to remind me of Moses Mendelsohn's comment on chess: "For a game, it is too serious, for seriousness, too much of a game."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top