Wine - Where I am coming from

For my own reasons as much as anything else I will be making some comments about what I have seen and what I have tasted in the "New World". In order that you, the reader, has some point of reference to understand my comments I will try to paint a picture of where I am coming from.

We drink about 120 -150 bottles per year of wine at home. I aim to spend no more than Pnd 15 per bottle and I rarely spend less than Pnd 6 per bottle. Occasionally I will pay more but I can not remember ever having spent more than Pnd 40.

Both Marion and I like wine and are interested in drinking good wine. There are in my mind two ways in which I can improve the quality of the wine we drink, viz A) Drink older and more mature wines. To this end I can store up to perhaps 2000 bottles in good conditions, and B) Find wines that are good value for money. This means finding unknowns or largely unknowns or mis-appreciated in terms of wine makers and wine areas and that means being prepared to spend a little time and effort on our part. Its hard work but somebody has to do it!

My view of wines is coloured completely by the above. I may at some time be interested in investment wines but for the time being it is my intent to drink every bottle. Yes i know that this impossible if the above is executed but I think you can follow my thinking.

I am not interested in new wines like sweet reds or sparkling reds or indeed strange new blends, though I will always try them in case someone make a break through that is likely to last as opposed to just be another fashion.

So when reading any comments that I might make on future blogs please remember the above. What I am looking for in wine is one thing what you the reader may want is completely different and for certain what I want to do flies in the face of current commercial practices.