$50

[amw5g]

Recived a $50 gift card to our local wine warehouse (Total Wine) as my master's graduation gift from the in-laws. The wife and I browsed through the store today, but couldn't decide what would be the best use. Being an MBA now, I have to maximize its utility..... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

We've decided that it will be something we consume next year upon arrival in our to-be-built house, so it needs to be drinkable within the next 12-16 months. Tying in with that, we thought maybe something specific to vintages '96 (year we met) or '02 (year married).

Of course we recently experienced the devastating loss of our two (four-legged) kids when we boarded them at a less-than-competent kennel; and thought that vintages '01 (year we got our beautiful daughter) or '03 (year we got our handsome son) would be fitting tributes. But trying to tie vintages for sentimental reasons to decent quality/price wines often goes unrecommended.

So, I turn to you folks for some guidance. We like fruit-driven reds that show signs of complexity- in our opinion, this includes wines like Edgewood CS, Ridge Three Valleys, & BV Tapestry. We like very few whites, but typically gravitate towards the dessert styles like ice wine, TBAs, late harvest & botryitis-affected. We have, however, enjoyed Caymus Conundrum & Mer Soleil Chardonnay.

Region isn't important, in our opinion but we have had a great deal of luck with West Coast wines (took a lovely trip to Napa & Sonoma counties a few years back, so we hold a fondness for them).

Tall order, I know, but any suggestions for how to use this card? Local shop is here:
http://www.wineaccess.com/store/totalwine-university/

I do appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have.
Cheers!
-Amw5G