We track everything kept off-site in a spreadsheet. 95% is California Cab or Cab blends. 119 bottles, average $94, max $285, and 10-12 in the $150+ range. Similar to you, most of these are being held for the future, and can be done so without issue. The $285 is scheduled for an anniversary, and the rest of the $150+ are being held for a "you earned this" type occasion or celebration (be it kids or something work related).

My wife's biggest issue is her daily drinker price creep. What used to be a nice weekend bottle 3 years ago is now a Tuesday night bottle. If it weren't for that, I'd get in BSD-buying range.

Quote:

---

If it weren't for that, I'd get in BSD-buying range.

---

Don't you put that on me, Ricky Bobby!!!!


I just pulled up Cellartracker. Thanks God for Rivers Maries Sonoma Coast Pinot or my average px/btl might be ridiculously stupid! As for now, it's just really stupid.

On a side note, my wife's daily drinker price is creeping up as well. It's just observational, as I don't keep those in cellartracker, but I'm noticing when she come back from the store.

752bro4 said:

---

If it weren't for that, I'd get in BSD-buying range.

---

I know he's definitely cost me more than anyone on here!

I don't know if it makes it better or worse, but I track daily drinkers as well, prices range from $13 to (gulp...) $425.

He's only cost me $300 - for 3 William & Mary Shifflett Vineyard Blends

I do blame the wife on the daily drinker creep, but it's not like I am saying no. But still like putting the blame squarely on her.

cecil77 said:

---

I don't know if it makes it better or worse, but I track daily drinkers as well, prices range from $13 to (gulp...) $425.

---

I recently stopped tracking those, since I am just using the tool to track stuff I am planning to age to make sure I don't drink it all too soon. I also enjoy the tasting notes, both writing them and reading others' notes on my wines.

Some of the wines I've enjoyed the most have been $10-20 wines that I've forgotten I had, that turned out to be pretty nice with a little age on them.

I am curious about that Lohr St. E cuvee that started this whole discussion. I've only had their grocery store cab, but it is pretty good for the money. We actually had a blind tasting several years back where everyone brought a sub $20 bottle. The J Lohr cab was the WOTN.

752bro4 said:

---

He's only cost me $300 - for 3 William & Mary Shifflett Vineyard Blends

I do blame the wife on the daily drinker creep, but it's not like I am saying no. But still like putting the blame squarely on her.

---

I've got a 3 pack of those too! He also turned me onto Realm, who I have bought a couple bottles from. And if it weren't for him I wouldn't know a thing about Aaron Pott or Mike Smith or TRB, or Spring Mountain vs. a hole in the ground... I have less cash on hand now, but I think my life is richer for it!

Or Roy Piper...


Glad I could help!

And a mag...

My daily drinking wine is between $7-$17. I've been getting more into beer now, which is a whole other world. It's just hard to drink a red wine when it's 100 degrees.

Herman Story and Sanguis releases are coming soon. Matthias is releasing his first 1/1 Grenache.

HTownAg98 said:

---

My daily drinking wine is between $7-$17. I've been getting more into beer now, which is a whole other world. It's just hard to drink a red wine when it's 100 degrees.

Herman Story and Sanguis releases are coming soon. Matthias is releasing his first 1/1 Grenache.

---

Only had a couple Herman story wines but liked what I had. I signed up a few years ago, but as I recall, you can't order online and my laziness took over.

HTownAg98 said:

---

My daily drinking wine is between $7-$17. I've been getting more into beer now, which is a whole other world. It's just hard to drink a red wine when it's 100 degrees.

Herman Story and Sanguis releases are coming soon. Matthias is releasing his first 1/1 Grenache.

---

Yeah, it's 103 today. We love cab, but a dry rose or a crisp (i.e. not heavily oaked, not heavy maloactic fermentation) Chardonnay is nice when the weather is like this. At least to start

Because our wine tastes have evolved, the problem is we don't have much cab or cab blends under $100, and nothing under $60. A lot in the $150-200 range, a good amount over $200, and enough over $300. I kept avoiding drinking it during the week thinking I needed to save it, and finally realized it was meant to drink (and share with friends), even on a Wednesday night. Just means we keep buying more. I also discovered the secondary market, and realized I could get some great stuff, with some age, for pretty good prices.

My wife slowed her red drinking down back in May. The ebbs and flows of our cellar mean that the summer inventory is much higher than it needs to be. We are at 390 cellared bottles (plus a few from total wine). Once next spring hits, I bet she'll be around 300 bottles. And then it'll creep back up again. But even when I could go heavy, I drank beer during the summer because I just couldn't do reds in the heat, no matter how cold I had the AC. I rarely drink beer anymore and I have a lot of it...good stuff too! I just like wine more, so if I get to taste, it's going to be the good juice.

JCA1 said:

---

HTownAg98 said:

---

My daily drinking wine is between $7-$17. I've been getting more into beer now, which is a whole other world. It's just hard to drink a red wine when it's 100 degrees.

Herman Story and Sanguis releases are coming soon. Matthias is releasing his first 1/1 Grenache.

---

Only had a couple Herman story wines but liked what I had. I signed up a few years ago, but as I recall, you can't order online and my laziness took over.

---

The way it is set up now, as long as your address doesn't change or credit card expires, you'll get wine. Their tasting notes are something. I think they are drunk and high when they write them.

BigAg95 said:

---

cecil77 said:

---

I don't know if it makes it better or worse, but I track daily drinkers as well, prices range from $13 to (gulp...) $425.

---

I recently stopped tracking those, since I am just using the tool to track stuff I am planning to age to make sure I don't drink it all too soon. I also enjoy the tasting notes, both writing them and reading others' notes on my wines.

Some of the wines I've enjoyed the most have been $10-20 wines that I've forgotten I had, that turned out to be pretty nice with a little age on them.

I am curious about that Lohr St. E cuvee that started this whole discussion. I've only had their grocery store cab, but it is pretty good for the money. We actually had a blind tasting several years back where everyone brought a sub $20 bottle. The J Lohr cab was the WOTN.

---

We love anything J Lohr. The St E. is a merlot/cab franc blend with a little cab sauv, in the St, Emilion style. They also have a Pomerol style, Cuvee Pom, that's even less cab sauv.

Our fave, though, is Cuvee Pau, a cab heavy Pauliac style. Tonight's selection is a 2013 cab that's so good we finished the bottle tonight (usually two nights per bottle).

I think the most expensive bottle I have right now is a Silver Oak cab that I got for my birthday, $125 or so. Our daily drinkers are $50 at the top end, usually $20-30.

HTownAg98 said:

---

My daily drinking wine is between $7-$17. I've been getting more into beer now, which is a whole other world. It's just hard to drink a red wine when it's 100 degrees.

Herman Story and Sanguis releases are coming soon. Matthias is releasing his first 1/1 Grenache.

---

I am excited about the Sanguis cab blend. I just get three bottles per release, so I am hoping I can get one of those.

BSD said:

---

I rarely drink beer anymore and I have a lot of it...good stuff too!

---

Let me know when I can come by and pick up the Rare Barrels.

jh0400 said:

---

BSD said:

---

I rarely drink beer anymore and I have a lot of it...good stuff too!

---

Let me know when I can come by and pick up the Rare Barrels.

---

At this point, any time. I have enough of em and the bottle share never really seems to take off.

Tonight we are enjoying a half-bottle of 2014 Maybach Materium.

We drank a $9 2017 Altovinum Evodia Garnacha. It's probably the best $9 red I've ever had. The past several vintages of this have been excellent.

My wife followed up the Maybach with a 2013 Becklyn cab sauv by Mike Smith. Not bad...

Had this rose tonight. It did not last long.

wtmartinaggie said:

---

great times with cecil out here at italics this week! Thanks so much for coming by!

It's been great meeting y'all when you make it out to Napa. Be sure and shoot me a note when you're coming out, we'd love to show you around and share stories for a bit.

---

Bb06 and I are about to open a bottle of Italics cab

We had this Friday night. If you like big Syrah, this is your wine.

Sounds right up my alley, I will have to check it out!

We had a big wine weekend (for us, anyway):

NV Cremant d'Alsace
2015 Justin Isoscoles
2014 Dylan's Ghost Del Barba Red (Pott-made bdx blend)
2012 Douro
2016 J Lohr Cab
2014 Mondavi Oakville cab
90+ cellars Languedoc Rose

BigAg95 said:

---

Sounds right up my alley, I will have to check it out!

We had a big wine weekend (for us, anyway):

NV Cremant d'Alsace
2015 Justin Isoscoles
2014 Dylan's Ghost Del Barba Red (Pott-made bdx blend)
2012 Douro
2016 J Lohr Cab
2014 Mondavi Oakville cab
90+ cellars Languedoc Rose

---

We love all things J Lohr, and Isosceles is an all-time fave. We stopped in at Justin when we were in the Paso area simply because that's our son's name. They have some good stuff, but the Isosceles is special.

I just read this month's newsletter. Very sorry for your loss.

wtmartinaggie said:

---

great times with cecil out here at italics this week! Thanks so much for coming by!

It's been great meeting y'all when you make it out to Napa. Be sure and shoot me a note when you're coming out, we'd love to show you around and share stories for a bit.

---

What a fun time. Just a beautiful facility, I highly encourage a visit. Also so cool for the wine maker to be in Aggie gear! And Taylor, again condolences on your grandad. Small consolation, but he went out celebrating! And (hope it's ok to mention) good luck on the new baby this week or next!

Heading to Central Coast for the weekend. Staying in SLO and catching Kacey Musgraves concert Saturday in Paso. Any suggestions for food and wine would be awesome!

First, stay west of Highway 101, with one exception (Tin City). These are all places I'd recommend, and I'd strongly recommend you have an appointment:
Linne Calodo, Adelaida, Herman Story, Clos Selene, Thatcher, Paix Sur Terre, Epoch, Law, Booker, Calcareous, Denner, L'Aventure, TH Wines.

Tin City is between SLO and Paso (about 3 miles south of Paso), and is a bunch of warehouses with smaller producers. You could spend all day here just walking to all of them. Places I've been to and recommend are Jacob Toft, Aaron, Benom, Brian Benson, Desparada, Levo, Monochrome, and Turtle Rock. Tin City Cider is good if you're tired of wine.

Firestone Walker is between Tin City and Paso if you want some good beers.

Dining options to look at in Paso are Artisan Kitchen, La Conchesa (best craft cocktails), Fish Gaucho (awesome tequila list), Il Cortile, Somm Kitchen, and The Hatch. The best by the glass or bottle wine selection in town is at Taste in the Alley.

Have fun! I'm looking at going back this spring.

I'd suggest Barrelhouse in Tin City over Firestone. Firestone is good but you can pretty much get it anywhere.