I'm bonkers

[ajva]

I just finished the Germany TV entry.

So I celebrated by getting out my credit card and doing something I've never done before.

I just ordered a bottle of 1982 vintage red Bordeaux wine, a snip at £75 (inc p+p). That's *one* bottle. But I don't care. I want to see if good wine is all it's cracked up to be. Fuck it.

I hope it isn't corked. I shall be so pissed off if it is.

Comments

[random-goblin.livejournal.com]

sadly good wine is all it's cracked up to be if you've acquired the taste for it... and that taste does get stupidly expensive. A misspent youth in the wine industry has left me with a palate that definitely exceeds my wallet. However in terms of "good wine" after about £15-20 you are paying more for the rarity than the quality... one of those frustrating diminishing returns affairs. Not to say that a 75 quid bottle isn't worth it, just that it isn't going to be twice as good as a 40 quid bottle... (it should however be very very nice, which is probably the point after all.)

'82 was a very good year and it should be delicious about now, which chateaux have you gone for?

[ajva.livejournal.com]

Chateau Clos Fourtet, but I don't claim to know enough about wine to have selected it specially. The bottle actually costs £66, but the delivery charge is £9, 'cos obviously they don't send it Royal Mail. :o)

In other news, I have a bad hangover.

[random-goblin.livejournal.com]

mmm if you like dry chocolate and cassis, then you should enjoy it... how far up the expensive red ladder have you climbed? (if that's not rude... i have no idea on ettiquette?)

oh yes, and atmosphere is the most import thing with wine.. good people and good food MAKE good wine sublime

[ajva.livejournal.com]

how far up the expensive red ladder have you climbed?

With this bottle, you mean? Not that far, I don't think. But as you've pointed out, I'm not after rarity value - I just wanted to see how it differs from Sainsbury's Chateau Hello Sailor Merlot. I will have a think about how I am going to dispose of it. It will certainly be in good company, at any rate, as it would be a bit sad to just guzzle it one Monday night while watching University Challenge on the telly - the only programme I watch, as lolliepopp pointed out this week.

What's the best wine you've tasted, then? :o)

[random-goblin.livejournal.com]

I think it would have to be Opus One 1983, which i think you can get for about $450 these days, it was the first vintage of the mondavi- rothchild joint venture, and I believe ranks as the the finest wine america has produced.

unbelieveable complex and very very long, you could just sit and breathe in the vapours and be transfixed. I drank it about a year ago, at a dinner party celebrating my friends house buying. It was the last of my cellared wines from my winetrade days.. i won in in a staff competition in 89, and had carried it round from house to house ever since...

good amarone is worth the money too most twenty+ year old amorne is pure sex in a glass.

if you drink a lot of hello sailor merlot, you might be dissapointed in the top claret, most "un-educated" (hah i'm still such a snob!) palates find expensive claret too dry and astringent, prefering the more familar glugging fruity stuff. i'd recommend weaning yourself up through the 15-20 quid range of mid age claret, (the second wines of the great chateaux are a good start), if you haven't already dabbled.

oh DP is over priced
though Krug isn't and neither is Belle Epoque.
and always go for vintage in champagne wherever possible...

[ajva.livejournal.com]

Well, I'll let you know what I think of it. But even if my palate is a bit vulgar I'm still curious to try it. I think actually getting into good wine properly is probably something for the future, when I'm very rich and can afford to buy a bundle of £25 bottles at a time. Your advice is interesting and I'll bear it in mind for future reference. :o)

[random-goblin.livejournal.com]

hell yes, curiosity is wonderful.. nothing wrong with a common palate.. the most important thing is that you enjoy what you are drinking, regardless of how much it costs.

for best value for money i recommend between 5 and 10 quid a bottle.. the first 3 quid of every bottle in this country is tax and shipping costs, once you break the 5 quid mark you start really paying for the wine quality, however over the 10 quid line you start paying for the rarity.

i think i'd rather have a coke habit than a fine wine habit to be honest though... much much cheaper!

sigh why didn't i do more drugs in my youth..instead of the demon drink ;)