Who owns "back up the truck"?

The phrase "back up the truck" has been increasingly used on major wine forums over the last year.

By itself it's not a bad phrase; if there is a deal on a wine so good, you can imply that only a truck backing up would be able to tote away all the bottles you'd purchase... of course, all of this truck driving would further the gas crisis facing the world, so I really feel it should be reserved for only the best of deals.

Jay Miller finding ESJ W-F for $15 is worthy of a truck, but John Smith finding 2004 Chave for $175 is less truck worthy, IMO.

Moreover, there is the ethical question that maybe we should savor these deals without backing up the truck. If I get a good deal on a hedonistic fruit bomb, varietal Syrah, or torrefacted Burgundy, maybe I should only get a few bottles and allow others to enjoy in the good fortune.

So, who is this originator of the wine truck? Will he or she step forward and set some guidelines? Otherwise, I fear the phrase “back up the truck” will spill over to other conversations… just imagine this phrase being used in response to the following situations and you will understand my concern:

“I had a flawlessly executed colonoscopy this week”

“My grandmother was given a nice tombstone”

“I got a good deal on a circumcision for my son”

Tragic.

I have a feeling Florida Jim might have been involved at some point…

LOL Joe!

Thank you for that post!

Great post, Joe.

Great call, too -- Google returns 242,000 hits for "back up the truck" and "wine". And that doesn't count the phrase when used on wine boards.

I heard that the new phrase around the eco-friendly set is "back up the Prius". Come, Joe, get with the times.

And yes, Jay's $15 W-F find is worthy of backing up an 18-wheeler.

[David M. Bueker]

Backing up the Prius is doubly responsible, as it cuts carbon emissions AND limits quantities to just a few bottles, so others get the share the wealth.

And yes, Jay's $15 W-F find is worthy of backing up an 18-wheeler.

Certainly a good deal @Jay's $15.98 and if that deserves a truck what do you call the net $12.58 I paid for the 20001 W-F last month? And yes, I will savor those bottles for quite some time.
BP

[David M. Bueker]

How about hte $7.50 a bottle (including tax) that I just paid for 2005 Clos des Briords...I did back up the truck!

[James Roscoe]

Certainly a good deal @Jay's $15.98 and if that deserves a truck what do you call the net $12.58 I paid for the 20001 W-F last month? And yes, I will savor those bottles for quite some time.
BP

20001? Those are some major future!

I wish I could find even a bottle of ESJ around DC.

Yes, "Back up the truck!" does have the sound of Florida Jim to it. It seems a relatively new term though

"Back up the Escalade and buy some carbon credits."

20001? Those are some major future!

Hey, I'm still a young guy.

Stop it. Stop it all of you.

This backing up of things must stop.

Think of the newbies!

[James Roscoe]

Stop it. Stop it all of you.

This backing up of things must stop.

Think of the newbies!

While I agree with your first two points Joe, who cares about the newbies?

Can't refrain from a joke here. A father with a mentally challenged daughter told us that he took her to Mickey D's for a meal. He did the ordering. The lady behind the counter was a very large woman. She had a beeper on, and the beeper went off. The daughter said "Look out! She's backing up!" (The daughter had apparently been warned that some cars and trucks beep as they back up and that she must get out of their way quickly.)

One more notch in the belt of this evil saying.