I’m never quite sure whether to point you to the EP threads (although I believe someone already has in the VCP thread you started) or suggest you run away fast! It’s oddly compelling and addicted, but is the ultimate in delayed gratification. There’s a few “How to start buying EP/How to start a cellar” threads on here (e.g. this one and this one). I think my advice on top of these would be “buy something earlier drinking!”. I’m not saying a straight away drinking, which isn’t really buying EP, but something you can have the first bottle of after a couple of years rather than 10!
I joined the WS last year, because we couldn’t get to France. I should have done it decades ago.
We mostly drink French wine, but also like Spanish, Italian, German etc. Not really a fan of New World wines. A few current faves from what we have bought so far are the Plaisir d’Eulalie, the Domaine Félines Jourdan Picpoul, the Château Lary Tagot Bordeaux and everything we have tried from Domaine Jaume. Having said that, we haven’t bought anything we haven’t liked!
I suspect that we are buying more wine than we have space for at home.
Welcome to the Community @CaroleLovesRed . If you have just joined us here then please be aware that the temptations to buy wines will be greatly increased with all the recommendations, tasting notes and alerts about wines newly available on the web site.
One of the facts of life. But there’s always room. Turf out your kids - that’s a solution.
Just think of all those accumulated treasures you’ll not drink before you die that you can leave them in your legacy - major compensation.
Hello everybody, Dave here. A relatively new member, joined over Christmas 2020. I would say I “got into” wine during an Erasmus exchange year in Bordeaux in the 2000s, coming back to the UK was rather a rude awakening, no more €3 glasses of Cru Bourgeois from the Bar a Vin or dawn oysters and tariquet at the end of a raucous night!
Gradually working my way through an ever expanding wish list and broadening my horizons a little. Top finds so far are the Martin Wassmer Spatburgunder and Xinomavro in general, I feel I’ve wasted a number of years in ignorance of this grape!
Does anyone have any experience of the virtual tastings? I’m eyeing up the two on the WS champions with tasting kits…
Welcome @DrDave! Glad you’ve found us and I think your experience will expand quickly - the recommendations on here can be very tempting. I think we’re all getting to know a bit more about Xinomavro, especially through some of the interesting and detailed TWS videos on YouTube - these are well worth seeking out.
Tying your two bits together, I did the Xinomavro tasting recently, which was excellent. Really well presented the wine arrived securely and when it turned out one of them was corked I was treated to a whole bottle.
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone, and the replies from @VinoVeritas and @strawpig!
One question on tasting if it’s OK to ask here. I’ve seen a few people talk about tasting and aroma wheels, are these useful for helping to train your perception of different flavours and aromas? I often find it difficult to move much past very general descriptions like fruity/citrusy/oaky, and that’s if I’ve even got more complex than “well that’s bloody delicious isn’t it”
Dave. Welcome. I sympathise having had a similar rude awakening on wine prices when I returned from Argentina. On the tastings, you can view past one on YouTube, which will give you an insight into how the are delivered. I have joined a number but enjoy the explanation and discussion more than the actual tasting. That said, I have just bought the tasting pack for the north v south blind tasting in August - tasting blind is fun and removes most preconceptions.
By way of introduction I responded to a message from Nick, aka Bluebeard, for a casual offline at Crouch End Cellars this week organised by The Wine Society (TWS) forum after a couple of people had to drop out. I have been a member of a couple of other forums, one based in the US and another based in the UK, since 2001 and 2006 respectively, but I have been a membership of TWS for much longer - so it is only appropriate that I join TWS community after all these years - in fact since 1986, from a tender young age, when my first boss invited me to a burgundy tasting at the World Trade Centre near Tower Bridge. He also used to drag me along to Beaujolais Nouveau tastings in November, which meant I did not start to develop an interest in wine until two years later when I tasted some exuberant Australian numbers. It was then I realised that wine wasn’t just something to drink strictly with food, but could be pleasurable on its own. Since then my tastes have evolved and, fortuitously, I started collecting more seriously in the early 1990s. I have accumulated a fair bit of wine over many years in many different locations, including at TWS, but I have rarely regretted buying anything. Much more, I have regretted the ones that got away. These days I buy more from TWS than anywhere else. I would say my tastes are quite eclectic but most of my holdings are in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont and Northern Rhone. Living in London N1 I am ideally placed to attend a lot of wine tasting events and dinners throughout the year. As a natural hedge against my Bacchanalian vinous and culinary pursuits I am a keen cyclist, which ostensibly helps to restore a sense of equilibrium. Last night’s gathering at Crouch End Cellars was a resounding success , as each wine shone in its own inimitable style. I very much look forward to future interactions with TWS community.
Hello @ComteFlaneur . Great to have your company - beware of being drawing into expenditure for which you hadn’t planned. Lots of exciting opportunities will be drawn to your attention.
Welcome Ian and great to meet you in person last night. I’ve certainly found this community to be an eye- (and wallet-) opening experience. Perhaps Greece and South Africa should be the theme of the next North London gathering
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