As good as it gets?

So basically, the trigger for this is your expectations that your wine budget would grown as your salary increases?

They're an amazingly puzzling race, aren't they? Women, that is.

If her mother's side are tee-totalers, don't expect a major breakthrough over the next few years.

I like the idea that Keith and Dale bring up: find a part-time job as a waiter or sommelier OR work in a wine retail store. These people (usually) need to taste wines on a regular basis and you won't need to pay a cent for them. However, they will all be young wine generally, and you might miss finding what happens to wines with age. Then there's always the secret bank accounts...

>>"The sun, with all those planets revolving about it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else to do"
>>Galileo Galilei

>>(avatar: me next to the WIYN 3.5 meter telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory)

Must be fun! I've designed race car suspensions, small cranes, credit card readers, ATMs, hard disk drives and ways to get around a turnstile patent in my life.
I also like wine. And food. And travel.
I think you'll make it all work out. With a significant increase in income, you can do a budget and see where some things (depending on what you and your wife agree is important) can get an increased allocation, and some things just don't need any more. Keep on truckin', Ryan!

John

Ryan,

I didn't have time to read all of the replies to your post here but, I'm sure there is some great advice given by the members here...

One suggestion I have is to take a small amount of time off from wine, let's say a month to keep it short. I sense you have a great passion for it but, it also seems as if you're almost dependent on needing to be a wine aficionado in order for you to have a fulfilling life. I'm happy for you that you have a passion for wine but, there might be times when other priorities have to come first. Taking a month off would get you out of your comfort zone, like an athlete getting an injury and having to sit out for a while. After that month get a good bottle and celebrate with your wife that you went without wine for a month. You might just appreciate your passion a little more once you come back and in my opinion would be another step climbed in your wine journey.

Another suggestion, and this is similar to a post that I skimmed over, is to take a different route in your journey. I don't know how much learning of whatever wines you taste you do but, maybe a do a little side research on a particular wine you enjoy. Wine is just more than an alcoholic beverage after all. It has history and culture as well.

I wouldn't panic if I were you though. Just keep things tight with your wife and make sure you two have some fun on the side, whether it involves wine or not. I believe patience is a virtue. Just stay positive through this and I'm sure things will work out for the best. Good luck...

Hey Jake,

I'm not "dependent" on wine for a fulfilling life. I did however consider that if I didn't calm down from this, a break would be in order. It should be said that I am a ravenous researcher of any topic I get interested in, and my "theoretical" knowledge of wine is extensive, even on regions/wines/producers I have little or no experience with. But unless you actually taste a wine, there is an obvious limit to how much you can learn about it. What you're seeing here is an academic's passion for knowledge, and if I felt that that could no longer be satisfied, I would have to find something else. But there is so much to learn about wine, so that it frustrating to have limits on my ability to learn about it.

Keep in mind that you're talking to the same guy who decided to make a career out of his primary hobby . . . .