what to buy and store for my kids birth years

[myrnabirdie]

I am interested in buying a case for each of my childrens' birth year (1998 and 1999) and keep it until their 21st birthday. Is it possible to get these years still or they are sold? What type of wine (i was suggested port by a friend). Thanks for advice.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Myrnabirdie, and welcome to the Wine Board. There are some drawbacks to what you are doing. First of all is the wine itself. There are numerous things that can go wrong with a case of wine over that many years. Secondly there is the question of the tastes of the children when they are twenty one. As you may recall, that is a difficult age. I love my children more than my wines, and have often thought about having done what you are considering. However with all four of them in their thirties now, only one will ever drink any wine, and that one only drinks white zin. So you could end up drinking wine that has gone bad or at best well on its way down hill, by yourself.

Having said that, Port is not a bad idea. As far as table wine is concerned, my recommendation would be a Brunello Di Montalcino. They normally mature in fifteen years, but will hold longer (all in ideal conditions). The '97 vintage is the current release, so you will have to wait a year or two to buy them. The will cost upwards of $50 per bottle. Ports can usually bought in vintages over the past forty years or so, with the price going up the older the wine gets. Am not into Port enough to advise you if '98 & '99 were good vintages.