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- Military + Wine Cellar = Bust?
Hello,
I'm Active Duty in the Navy and became interested in wine about a year ago, when I started reading and drinking wine regularly. I bought a used 24 bottle wine fridge that's in great shape and have managed to almost fill it up. I've already moved twice since I bought it, and I'm worried that eventually my efforts will be for naught with all of the jostling about and temp. changes the bottles endure during moves. I still have 3+ years in, with the chance of re-enlisting again, so who knows how many times I'll move again, or if I'll even stay in the U.S.
I guess my question is, in your (Snooth users) collective experience, am I wasting my time trying to save wine at this time in my life? I wanted to start as early as possible, since saving and keeping wine is such a long process.
Fortunately, I don't have anything very expensive in there yet. Any advice would be great - for now I'm going to leave it plugged in, but if I'm just wasting my time I'd rather save the electricity and drink the wine (Oh darn!).
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28 - Reply by corskier, Jun 29.
I used to be in the military and experienced this problem myself. Personally, I chose the drink all of my stock option before I got out and moved back West from SC. It really does hurt the wine to go through all of the heat and jostling that is moving. If you buy anything that you deem worthy of cellaring, you may want to look into having someone else cellar your wine for you. A friend or family member you trust, or google "secure wine storage" or something along those lines and find one of many emerging companies that offer insured wine storage solutions.
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1726 - Reply by Gregory Dal Piaz, Jun 29.
Yes a friend or family member and a padlock!, would be the best option. Of course enjoying the wines now, while defeating the purpose, might be your best option.
And Jared, thanks for keeping us safe. If you ever visit NYC let me know, and we'll drink out of my cellar.
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1044 - Reply by dmcker, Jun 30.
Laying down wine almost never turns out to be a waste, in retrospect. Usually the contrary, and you end up kicking yourself about not laying down more when you had the chance.
That being said, both corskier and Greg are spot-on in focusing you towards other options than your present quarters. Any family or friends cellaring, or, as necessary, commercial operations, where you can lay down bottles that you want to keep for five, ten or even more years? If you choose the wines to lay down even half-way correctly, they'll repay you in ways hard to imagine when you're drinking wine only a few years old.
Keep your 24-bottle wine fridge for what you're drinking now or in the immediate future. Look for cellaring elsewhere even now, as you are beginning your wine drinking. It's a life-enhancing 'hobby' that will enrich your life for years, and properly matured wines will enrich it even more.
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0364 - Reply by GregT, Jun 30.
You guys are forgetting one thing.
He's got a gun.
He leaves the wine with a friend, it better be there when he comes for it.
To JeradHarski, people in my family managed to combine wine plus military service. They took advantage of the travel to find buying opportunities, and then stored the stuff Stateside. I'd advise the same. Maybe you've got family, parents, siblings where you can put a fridge. If not, you can find storage for a few bucks a case per month.
Buy the ready to drink stuff while your active. Put away the special stuff for when you get out.
And thanks for doing the service.
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- Reply by JeradHarski, Jul 1.
Thanks so much for the replies.
Funny that you mentioned taking advantage of travel Greg, I'm actually traveling right now after a deployment and might find myself in Germany on the way home. Hopefully I'll have the time to pop out of the airport for a little to grab a couple bottles or experience some local flavor.
Unfortuantely my wife and I are both from the west coast and the military has brought us east coast - but I'm sure I can find a trustworthy friend to take advantage of. I think I'll keep the fridge for stuff I plan on drinking within a few years and find a corner in someone's cellar for the permanents.
And as always, it's a pleasure and an honor to serve.
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0364 - Reply by GregT, Jul 1.
Hey if you're in Germany, you're in the land of the world's best white wines. But also in the land of great beer. Decisions decisions. If you could get a great sausage on a good Kaiser roll (not the fluffy soft things that they sell here) and pair that with a great beer, go for it.
