Recounting the fine true story of a Passionate American Connoisseur

[Roy Hersh]

The collector mentality ...

http://www.gq.com/food-travel/alan-rich ... z1j1nC0bcH

I would love to know what made up the 10% that remained!



Your thoughts?

[Tom D.]

I confess I never made it through the whole story, as these kinds of snobbish reminiscences tend to nauseate me (I could just read a Suckling blog to get that kind of stuff). But of course that's because I'm jealous

And I'm not implying we should all go occupy this guy's cellar and claim it for the 90%, he's entitled and I'm happy for him.

Still, the sycophantic tone of the writer seems to echo the frequent presumption that people who drink trophy wines like water must be the most passionate of wine lovers. No, they are just the most wealthy of wine lovers. I know a number of wine lovers who will just never be able to afford to drink like this guy, but I can guarantee they are equally or possibly more passionate about wine than he is.

[Roy Hersh]

Tom,

See what happens when you draw conclusions without reading the whole article?

It was mentioned, that he is THE COLLECTOR, because more often than not on a typical night, he's drinking under $10 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. So maybe, your SHOULD read the rest of the story.

[Ray Barnes]

While I almost never swear except when in pain, my reaction to the price inflation of 1966 Ch. Latour was the impolite synonym for excrement.

Very nice story - and it puts Burgundies in their exalted place.

[Tom D.]

Well Roy, at least you got me to go back and read the rest of the article. Still strikes me as just another wealthy dude buying expensive stuff for himself and his friends (so he drinks $10 SB when there's no one around to impress).

Okay, no need to stir the pot too much here. I think this will make for a good discussion over several glasses of Port one day...

[Andy Velebil]

I confess I never made it through the whole story, as these kinds of snobbish reminiscences tend to nauseate me (I could just read a Suckling blog to get that kind of stuff). But of course that's because I'm jealous

And I'm not implying we should all go occupy this guy's cellar and claim it for the 90%, he's entitled and I'm happy for him.

Still, the sycophantic tone of the writer seems to echo the frequent presumption that people who drink trophy wines like water must be the most passionate of wine lovers. No, they are just the most wealthy of wine lovers. I know a number of wine lovers who will just never be able to afford to drink like this guy, but I can guarantee they are equally or possibly more passionate about wine than he is.

Yeap, my thinking is the same as yours Tom.

My favorite part is when he gets upset because some didn't sell at auction for what he thought they were worth. That summed up a lot for me....

[Roy Hersh]

I don't disagree, the guy sounds like he is pretty full of himself ... and the guy who wrote the piece, a bit of a butt kisser. That said, a very interesting piece, nonetheless.

[Andy Velebil]

I don't disagree, the guy sounds like he is pretty full of himself ... and the guy who wrote the piece, a bit of a butt kisser. That said, a very interesting piece, nonetheless.

Yes, and well written too.

[Tom D.]

That said, a very interesting piece, nonetheless.

Agreed Roy. To me, the whole "collector" mentality is interesting, whether it pertains to expensive old wines or expensive old cars or whatever. The issue resonates because, in addition to the many possible esoteric debates pertaining to the specific items ("Is that bottle of Coche-Dury really that good?"), it also strikes a lot of interesting chords: psychological, economic, sociological, ethical, etc.

Like I said, this will one day make for a lively amateur discussion over a few glasses...

[Eric Menchen]

I read the whole thing, and interestingly I think I bid in that auction, but I don't recall if I won anything, and if I did, it probably wasn't from the Passionate American Connoisseur.

When he drank at home, without guests, it was usually a Sauvignon Blanc that barely made it into double figures.

Yes, that line caught my attention as well. Is he really a passionate connoisseur then, or just a collector that likes to show off? I'll open a nice bottle when no one is around. More often it is beer instead of wine, but I have many of those that are in double figures, sometimes for a sub-10 oz. bottle.

Wine-collecting is a satisfying hobby only for those who don't think about the value of what they consume.

Maybe it is a flaw of mine, but I'm always conscious of the value of what I consume. At the same time, I don't let it stop me from opening a nice bottle. And I'm satisfied with my collecting.

[Roy Hersh]

What amazed me, is the guy wants to get out of the "collector" or buyer modus.

He blows up his collection, sends it off to be sold at auction, shows up in person and feels bad (which is natural), makes a cool $3M and is done, end of story, right?

Wrong. He then takes his winnings and starts all over again, paying much higher prices for likely the same kind of wines he just dumped. Go figure!

[Brian C.]

Thanks for sharing that article, Roy. I totally get this guy. It's all about value. It's not just that he is buying trophies, he has to do it for great prices. And he has to buy more than he'll ever drink and be able to share with friends. Then sell the portfolio and start again. He might be paying more than he did 30 years ago, but he's still getting relative value today. What something was worth 30 years ago doesn't matter today. Is it undervalued by today's standards? That's all that matters. It's all a game. It's not about having the greatest collection, it's about having a great collection at the best possible value.

[Moses Botbol]

I don't disagree, the guy sounds like he is pretty full of himself ... and the guy who wrote the piece, a bit of a butt kisser. That said, a very interesting piece, nonetheless.

At least the collector starting off drinking Portuguese wine. The article read more like a stroker tribute than anything else. It was an impressive collection, I remember the auction.

[Eric Ifune]

I don't consider myself a collector, but I have quite a few bottles and have bought expensive bottles both retail and at auction. I plan on consuming all my bottles, but my more expensive/rare bottles are bought with the plan on sharing them with friends and family.