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I’ll Only Ever Collect Bad Wine

posted on May 12, 2011

The concept of collecting wine is something that I’ve never fully understood.

Laura and I love wine and enjoy a glass of it quite often, but the concept of buying and saving wine was nothing that either of us could fully comprehend. We buy what we like. We drink what we buy. Why would anyone collect it?

Of course last year when we returned from a Napa Valley Vacation we suddenly found ourselves with a collection of wine, but we’ll never be wine collectors and here is why.

A few days ago, I watched an inspiring TED talk from Ric Elias who was a passenger on Flight 1549 when it crash-landed in the Hudson River. You should take the five minutes and watch it now.

As you’ll hear, he talks about how he only wants to collect bad wine, because he is going to make sure that any time he is with friends he is going to drink the good stuff to make sure that he has nothing but great times and experiences with every person in his life. I loved his take on life and he certainly has a reason to share it.

I’ve always been someone who lives life to the fullest and treats each day as it might be my last. So, this new angle on an age old theme really resonated with me and I wanted to share it with others.

I’ve got a lot of great wine in my basement (including a few bottles of the Il Barone shown above) and if you come over we are going to drink some of it rather than letting it collect dust. I’m only going to leave the bad wine in the basement to be ignored and collected.

Life is to short to save the good wine.

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Categories: Passion-Hit / Video
  • ChankoDoes

    When in Napa Valley did you happen to find yourself at the V. Sattui Winery?

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      I did because our neighbors said we HAD to buy some of their 1999 Port and
      I’m glad we did.

      Spent a really nice afternoon lunch there with my wife. Some photos at
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/cc_chapman/tags/vsattui/ if curious.

  • http://www.davehitt.com Hittman

    I’m not into wine, but I do collect cigars, which I also share with friends. Like wine, good cigars get better with age – to a point. After three or four years they’ve reached a peak they’re not going to exceed, and after five they start to lose a bit of their flavor.

    I have saved special sticks for special occasions, but there’s a feedback loop that shouldn’t be ignored. Good smokes, like good wines, good food, or any other good libations, can be what *makes* an ordinary occasion special. Hoarding things for special occasions means you’ll

    • Hittman

      …have fewer of them.

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      I haven’t had a good cigar in a long time. Now you’ve got me craving one out
      back by the fire pit with a glass of scotch.

  • http://stevegarfield.com Steve Garfield

    I’m trying not to collect anything. I’m removing all clutter from my house, not that we had much to begin with. Our house is going to be featured in the new reality show: UN-HOARDERS. ;-) Did you know that if there’s a wine you like, but can’t get locally, you can ask your liquor store to order it for you? I just had the local Blanchards order me a case of Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Toscana IGT. It’s a nice red table wine. :-)

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      *laugh* Yeah, I think we all collect too much “stuff” I know I do.

      Yes, a great local liquor store is an awesome thing because they can
      certainly give you the hookup when looking for something specific. You of
      course reminded me that I really need to go see about ordering some Hitching
      Post Pinot Noir because it is some of the best wine I’ve ever tasted and I
      want more :)

  • http://www.purplestripe.com/ LynetteRadio

    The only thing I want to collect is friends to drink wine with. Thanks C.C. for this ;)

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      :) I like that.

  • http://tonycarrera.com Tony Carrera

    Though I’m still young (27) this makes me realize that while saving and conserving are still a priority, I should celebrate the little things and live life a little more.

    Maybe that could also delay my premature grey hairs. Ha!

    • http://www.cc-chapman.com/ C.C. Chapman

      Always, always, ALWAYS celebrate the small things in life.

  • http://www.jeffreysass.com sass

     So much wining in the comments…  Great TED talk (as they all are).  Great point about the collecting of bad wine, but I’m surprised you didn’t mention the main point of his talk… about being a great dad!  - Or, as per Content Rules, will you be re-imagining this TED talk with a different angle over at Digital Dads???  ;-)