I did recently have an opportunity to try some Dom Perignon for the first time. Yes, champagne, not wine, and I did not pay for this $100 plus bottle. It was good. I'll never pay for it. Unless I have silly money to buy silly things.
One thing that I appreciate about the microbrewing movement is that price rarely plays a role in the quality of the beer, or the effort to make it. Once you are willing to pay a $3-4 more dollars for a six-pack, the a world of diversity is open to you. Also, wine is not refreshing. :)
That's one of the reasons I got into the craft beer movement as much as I did. You're never looking at a six pack for more than 15, and the top end bombers are $20. And then you make the mistake of falling in love with sour beers too and that will hurt your wallet.
I fell in love with a girl who knows perhaps 500-600 beers, for her job. To everyone looking to have a better retirement fund... if you can just delude yourself in the world of boring/cheap domestics, more power to you. Just try not to die young.
One of my favorite aspects of the wine list at a restaurant I once helped run, eve -the restaurant, was its "excursions" section of its wine list. All of the bottles were specifically sleceted to be awesome AND under $30. I would argue that wine can be far more refreshing than beer at times. White wines can be wonderful on a warm day. The acidity, the cool temperature, the light body of a nice white can make it a better quencher than many beers.
I hear ya, but the truth is I'm not looking to chug a beer either. Very rarely do I ever want a beer because I'm thirsty. When I'm thirsty I want water. Otherwise, I'll take a beer/wine.
I'm not a drinker of wine so often, so I can't really comment on the video. But sparkling's a whole 'nuther story. I might not be able to tell a $50 from a $100 champagne, but I can sure as shit tell either from a $20 bottle. There is no question that when it comes to sparkling wine that there is a clear correlation between price and quality. I don't think there's a way to make good sparkling wine inexpensively. At least, nobody has yet found one. The most expensive wine I've ever purchased was a Krug Grand Cuvee (non-vintage), and it was in celebration of selling my house. I could afford it, and I wanted to have something special to enjoy the moment. It was unlike anything I'd drank before, and very tasty. However, I wouldn't say that it was worth 3x a bottle of, say, Taittinger. But Taittinger is sure as shit worth 3x as much as a bottle of Asti or whatever shit they peddle for $15 at the liquor store. That said, I wouldn't buy a bottle of Taittinger every day or even every month. It's a special occasion thing, and I'd rather buy quality every now and then than shit all the time. To address your broader point, though, beer >>> wine. I could give up wine, even champagne, and not feel like I'm missing out on too much in life. I would never voluntarily give up beer.
Agreed. Micro-brewing seems to be far more about adventuring into new tastes of a great beverage, than reaching new levels of exclusivity. Not that wine need be exclusive either. It's all in what we make of it. I don't have two buck chuck available near me, dammit. I've been paying upwards of $4.50 per bottle for some pretty good red Zinfandel at Kroger instead. Tough huh?
The crappy corner convenience store on my block has a $200 bottle of Dom sitting on the shelf behind the counter with all of the knock-off scotch and dubious tequilas. The bottle is encrusted with dust and looks like it's been there for about ten years. I've always wondered what would happen if I bought it — would doing so upset the natural order of the universe, offend God with my arrogance, and summon the horsemen of the Apocalypse to rain down their terrible works upon the Earth?
I will never forget the first time I tried Dom Perignon:
That was 1200 days ago? I remember that I was still lurking on this site when I read that first. Great story
...not that Dom Perignon seems silly itself. Definitely a great detail to add to a huge life event like an engagement. Silly for a guy at my stage of life and salary to spend too much time pursuing fine wine and champagne instead of enjoying what I do have and the people I'm with.