That’s right – as much as it may seem contrary to what most people think, collecting wine has saved me a ton of money over the years. One of the merits of having a collection of wine is that you have the luxury to add to it and subtract to it at will and usually additions are well thought out and involve purchases at great prices. By having cheap alternatives available at all times, you have the option to drink cheaply at anytime. Furthermore, once one acquires knowledge of how wine ages, one can save thousands by buying great vintages and storing them rather than purchasing them five or ten years later at an extreme markup. Finally, if things are tight around your household, you can manage your wine budget more effectively when buying in advance. If you already have a storage plan worked out for your collection, you are in a great position to take advantage of moving/closing sales of wine stores and road trips to states with lower alcohol taxes (read: South Carolina).
The beauty of a diverse wine collection is how convenient it makes things at home. It allows you to match a bottle of wine with just about anything. If you cook Italian, you can go to your collection and grab a Chianti or Valpolicella; for Greek, you can grab a Nemea or Naoussa. The flexibility is amazing and can save a ton of trips to the wine store when you are planning out dinner. It also enables you to easily go grab an additional bottle if the first one goes down easily with dinner guests while enabling you to showcase and/or compare different wines throughout the course of a meal. I personally love having multiple options available to me to match with my food. Sometimes I want a Zinfandel, sometimes I want a Pinot Noir . . . . taste changes on a daily basis and it helps to be prepared.
After flowers and possibly chocolate, wine reigns supreme as a gift to give. It is an acceptable and beloved gift both in private and professional circles. Having a ready display of great wines at multiple price points makes gift giving extremely simple. Get invited last minute to a dinner party? No problem – grab a bottle from the stash and put a bow on it. I’ve utilized my collection numerous times when needed to provide a quick gift.
In Europe, when a child is born, parents stock up on cases of wine that was grown the same year as their child was born. They later pull out the bottles for special occasions throughout that person’s life and the results are amazing. What better way to celebrate your 21st birthday than with a 21 year old bottle of wine that was purchased for less than a bottle costs today? An anniversary is that much more special if you can pop open a bottle of the vintage served at your wedding. I love this tradition and it makes sense in many ways. Many wines get better with age and buying now not only saves cost later, but also enables it to age and develop better flavor profiles for when needed on special occasions. I have personally invested in multiple bottles of wine that were grown the years my children were born and I plan on celebrating in style. It’s also kind of cool to know what wines were great the year you were born and which ones weren’t (for me it was port – the best vintage in a century!)
I’ll focus on the male perspective here - let’s face it: You go out to a nice dinner and bring your date home. Would you rather say, “Hey I think I’ve got some beer in the fridge if you would like some” or would you rather say, “Hey baby, I’ve got just the right wine for you. You remind me of this Cabernet – strong and elegant with lush ripeness that is waiting to be explored.” Really there is no comparison. I know the above was cheesy, but honestly if your date orders a certain type of wine at the restaurant, isn’t it reassuring to know that you have a bottle or two at home that fits her needs. Same goes for you ladies out there trying to increase your chances . . . . .
