@ulackfocus I really appreciate the response. So far my approach is to rely on the knowledge of experts and true enthusiasts. I tend to ask work contacts that I know are into wine or chat up a restaurant's sommelier. Typically I say"Tell me any one bottle I can get for under $50 that is for drinking now rather than storing, and what would you pair it with" The success rate for that is pretty high- only a few times have I not been really happy with those recs. But I don't know if I just have an immature palette because I've also been to plenty of events that have open bars with one red and one white, usually cheap, and I seem to be ok with those.

I've so far resisted the local wine clubs because my wife doesn't like wine (I know - she has bad taste, after all she married me!) and I drink maybe only a bottle a month at home. Most of my wine drinking is at work dinners while entertaining vendors or travelling on business. But it sounds like she'd enjoy the social aspect and the good food. So maybe I should reconsider. If nothing else, she'd be my driver!

 

Generally, they won't mislead you - but they're also in the business to sell what's profitable. It's VERY rare that we dine at a restaurant that isn't BYOB. Luckily, Philadelphia and several South Jersey towns have a wide selection of superb BYOB places to eat.

Hey, there are guys at the dinners who have their wives come to be their designated drivers. Personally, I think that's treading on dangerous ground - the return favor could be enormous!

 

Yes, that worries me!

 

Just to chime in although I'm no expert.

When I moved to Paris 2 years back I bought a couple of wine books and read them cover to cover, just to take advantage of the environs. I dabbled with the recommended methodology (decant, nose, sip, gurgle, etc.) and quickly realised that (a) I'm terrible at identifying notes and flavors, mainly because I didn't cook till I came here; and (b) I'm uncomfortable with most of the terminology because I find it pretentious.

So I kept the basics and dropped most of the rest, relying on my uncouth tastebuds and loads of drinking to get me by. No idea how many bottles I've consumed over the past couple years, but the number of corks has filled a large Ikea salad bowl to overflowing. And I've found that the combination of reading up and experiential training has made my wining and dining experiences so much better. Sure, I can't with any accuracy tell you what are the top five notes in the wine I'm drinking, but at least I'm no longer one of the fellas who looks at a winelist and sees Greek. These days I can read one and know (roughly) which regions or varietals suit my mood, or the mood of my significant other. We are both richer for it - and footing the wine bill feels much less of a burden than it used to, that's for sure!

 

Kelek Chronomatic, just picked up!

 

Dude, you ain't kidding! If some schmuck said "it has notes of pain grillé" instead of "I detect a hint of toast" in front of me I'd go totally Joizey on him.

What are you doing posting a watch photo in our wine discussion!!!!!

....... oh, wait.......... Doh!

 

Hehe, just thought your vintage wines must have radium or tritium and wondered what the patinas taste like...

 

Now I feel bad for derailing this thread with my n00b wine questions, so I'll actually add a new arrival. Here's the second blue-dialed cal. 1040 I've acquired in the past few weeks (third in the last year), ref. 176.004:

Quick shots from today:




Some closeups from the seller to show some detail:




With it's Yachting brother 176.0010, acquired a few weeks ago:



Me celebrating with the only wine I'll be able to afford for the foreseeable future after these last two purchases:

 

I can never find the right buckle at 20 mm so I had these made. Black diamonds and rubies baby!

 

Are you The Punisher?

 

One other thing @bill5959 - how do you get the strap through with those skulls partially blocking the corner?

 

13 years older brother of my Uni-Compax

 

A package just arrived, much quicker than I anticipated. Not the kind of watch I normally collect but this one is so nice I can't resist

 

You sure like jumbos! What's the size of this one?

 

This one is 35 mm

 

Arrived today, thanks @Mick Tock



Should help with the hunt for this / these ( many thx, @LouS )

.... sample pages -

 

Actually came in yesterday, but worn today for the first time:

 

Bought over the past couple of weeks, but arrived Wed:

Christmas in June!!

 

Good looking watch! Very masculine