We’ve accumulated a nice collection of age-worthy wines over the years, which are typically more expensive than most of the wines my wife and I routinely drink. We both tend to save drinking the more expensive wines for a special occasion or a dinner out with friends. The result is that we rarely have a really super great wine at home just for the two of us. Not a complaint, just an observation. And sure, an economic consideration as well.
When we have a notable wine, we take it literally and make notes. Reviewing those notes, I see we’ve broken our customary routine five times so far this year, having wines at home that we expected to be really special. Just for us.
There’s usually a bottle on the dinner table every evening, but why only five so far this year that we’ve anticipated being extra special? Why the wait? For starters of course, there’s the aforementioned economic impact. Then there’s the ageability factor. More expensive wines generally need much more time to reach their peak consumption window. There’s also the desire to save something special to share with friends who will appreciate and enjoy it. And what of the possibility that a particular wine might actually yield a significant profit if you think of it as an investment? We’ve never bought any wine as an investment, but I honestly can’t deny being aware of what a special bottle might be worth on the auction market. It sounds mercenary, but it’s also human nature.
There’s more. Some special wines are extra special because of the circumstances around when and where they were purchased. For example, one of those five we’ve had this year was a 2007 PlumpJack Cabernet Sauvignon. It surely stands on its’ own as an exceptional wine, but the fact that we bought it in 2010 while visiting PlumpJack’s winery in Napa surely adds to its ambiance 13 years later when we opened it. (Just for us.)
So, we’ve made a decision. We’re going to drink those special wines a little more often. By ourselves. If you’ve got a few bottles saved for special occasions, perhaps you might try one sans occasion, just to treat yourself for being you.
Ernest Valtri of Buckingham is a sculptor, painter, graphic designer, and a former member of the PLCB’s Wine Advisory Council. Please contact Erno at ObjectDesign@verizon.net.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
