As some the special bottles in my cellar are approaching maturity, I've been thinking more and more about this.

Question:
When you pull a special (rare, expensive, and/or "trophy") bottle from your cellar, what is the best number of people to share it with?

Choices:
a) Nobody. I want it all to myself.
b) Just one other person, that way we can savor it over several hours
c) 2-4. It's more enjoyable with company, but this way everyone can have a couple of glasses to really savor.
d) 5-8. A rare or expensive trophy should be shared among several friends
e) More than 8. PARTAYYYY!!!!

 

so hard to say

sometimes people just raid the cellar and take out random bottles.

Hard to answer for me. I've opened half bottles of 1953 Petrus for my wife and me. I've opened Imperials (6 liters) of 1979 Pichon Lalande and 1979 Leoville Las Cases for groups of 40-50. Assuming you're talking about a 750, it depends on the occasion. It could be for our anniversary and just the two of us, or it could be for a group at an offline. I would hate to open a special trophy bottle, like a DRC, for more than 6 people.

It' very hard to say.

Consider one extreme- the anniversary party this past summer during which our friends opened the '82 Latour, among many other trophies- there were 30 people in attendance, and everyone that wanted a taste got one- in fact a few of us got a couple of tastes. In fact, only a few of those wines were finished that first night. Yes, tastes were very small, but i don't think anyone cared much about the size of the pour- it was about celebrating a special night with friends and some terrific wines. So if a crowd is of one mind and respectful of one another, a trophy can indeed be enjoyed by a lot of people.

I would never open a trophy bottle just for Domino and I, unless it was an anniversary bottle...though even then I don't know if I could do it. I'd have to have already shared a bottle or have more bottles in the cellar to share another time- then I could burn one on just the two of us. Still, I think we'd probably invite a few friends to celebrate with us and share the experience.

So in my world, I think 5-8 is about right, perhaps three couples being ideal. Everyone can still get a fairly good-sized pour that could be followed over a couple of hours if need be.

I could really go with anything but choice E, (and even E is sometimes fun!), but ultimately, my favorite way is to enjoy with 2 or 3 close wine geek friends, so we can savor and discuss over a few hours while the wine evolves in the glass, usually with another bottle or two open for comparing and contrasting. Therefore, I chose C.

I was assuming 750 ml bottle for this question.

quote:

Originally posted by AllRed:
It' very hard to say.


I would never open a trophy bottle just for Domino and I, unless it was an anniversary bottle...though even then I don't know if I could do it. I'd have to have already shared a bottle or have more bottles in the cellar to share another time- then I could burn one on just the two of us. Still, I think we'd probably invite a few friends to celebrate with us and share the experience.

So in my world, I think 5-8 is about right, perhaps three couples being ideal. Everyone can still get a fairly good-sized pour that could be followed over a couple of hours if need be.

Agree with most of what you said, except that I would open a special bottle for just the Mrs. and I. But I think 5-8 would be a nice number in general.

My approach is a little different- I open whatever whenever. Life's short, if the wine is ready I might drink it on a Tuesday night in front of the tube. There will be other wines at other times, I'm not going to sweat it. OTOH if there are a few people to share with then even better.

Depends. I have a few special bottles that I am saving for special occasions that would probably be shared with my wife or my wife and another couple. I am also not afraid to pull special bottles out for off-lines with considerably more in attendance. So I vote f) all of the above.

I have often wondered about this when I read the posts here about the trophy bottles consumed at off-site affairs. I can't imagine experiencing the full effect and pleasure of a wine with more than 4-6 people sharing the bottle.

Yes....it depends. I only have a couple dozen bottles or so that I consider truly special, only in that I'll likely never be able to replace them. I've opened most of my previous "preciouses" with groups of 4-6 and one with two dear friends during a wonderful dinner.

I'm saving the rest for special moments. I don't know what they are yet, but I'll know them when I see them.

I voted "c" just because it's the closest to my track record so far.

PH

There are no special wines. Just special occasions.

There is no right answer to the poll.

quote:

Originally posted by grossie:
My approach is a little different- I open whatever whenever. Life's short, if the wine is ready I might drink it on a Tuesday night in front of the tube. There will be other wines at other times, I'm not going to sweat it. OTOH if there are a few people to share with then even better.

that just means you have no "special" bottles ;-)

though I'm with you on this, I've randomly opened a fonseca 77 just because I wanted something that was ready to drink.

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Yes....it depends. I only have a couple dozen bottles or so that I consider truly special, only in that I'll likely never be able to replace them. I've opened most of my previous "preciouses" with groups of 4-6 and one with two dear friends during a wonderful dinner.

I'm saving the rest for special moments. I don't know what they are yet, but I'll know them when I see them.

I voted "c" just because it's the closest to my track record so far.

PH

bring one up to NY and I'll cook protein of your choosing ;-)

I keep all special bottles to myself. I prefer to be like Gollum:

"It's mine, it came to me, I found it. My preciousssssss."

quote:

Originally posted by Gigond Ass:
There are no special wines. Just special occasions.

There is no right answer to the poll.

I'm with any man who quotes Epicurus, even if it's a loose quote.

quote:

Originally posted by g-man:

quote:

Originally posted by PurpleHaze:
Yes....it depends. I only have a couple dozen bottles or so that I consider truly special, only in that I'll likely never be able to replace them. I've opened most of my previous "preciouses" with groups of 4-6 and one with two dear friends during a wonderful dinner.

I'm saving the rest for special moments. I don't know what they are yet, but I'll know them when I see them.

I voted "c" just because it's the closest to my track record so far.

PH

bring one up to NY and I'll cook protein of your choosing ;-)

PH

5 - 8 in a tasting setting
One other person for a sentimental bottle

there was no option for all of the above.

maybe there are degrees of special bottles where one may protect its comsumption to a smaller number. But I can defintely desire for the 6 or less options.

Went with one special person. Better to mark an event or memory sgare

quote:

Originally posted by Gigond Ass:
There are no special wines. Just special occasions.

I'll be repeating that.

quote:

I am also not afraid to pull special bottles out for off-lines with considerably more in attendance.

+1

When your offline group is generous enough to reciprocate the gesture, there's no problem with sharing a special bottle with a larger group.

Like Grossie, we don’t designate wines as “special occasion” wines and will open anything, any day of the week. That said, I guess we do have a few bottles set aside for anniversaries and birthdays but those are more sentimental to us and not necessarily rare or expensive. My favorite person to share a special bottle with is my wife, but if it’s an offline than I think 4-6 is the perfect number to enjoy special bottles. With 4-6 you should be close enough to enjoy a nice conversation and everyone gets a good pour to take their time with. If it’s an offline that is about meeting people and having a relaxed time with good food and wine I say the more the merrier.

I do have a few special bottles that are earmarked for consumption with this or that person who I think would specifically enjoy the bottle. Often, that would be in a setting where there are a few others in attendance. And I also have other bottles in mind to drink with my wife. But my wife, I think, would rather drink something simple that she knows she likes, or something with sentimental value, than drink a "Trophy" expensive bottle of something that's not up her alley. For example, I think she would rather have another bottle of the nice Chianti we shared once on a date, than the Musigny sitting in my cellar.

I suppose that d) is closest to the "sweet spot", but as others have stated it's about the occaision and the people. Any of the answers except for a) could and have applied.