If you’re anything like me, you like to save your best bottles of wine for special occasions. And if you’re anything like me, you also tend to perpetually put off popping the cork, because you’re never sure if this one is the right occasion; or if a more ‘worthy’ moment might be just around the corner.

And the more you wait, the more special that long-awaited occasion has to be. Years and years may go by and your bottle gathers dust, and you never end up drinking the bottle you waited for for so long.

Let’s not be mistaken–there’s nothing wrong with cellaring your bottle for several years. In fact, most of Burgdirect’s Grand and Premier Crus will only get better after a half decade or so of maturing. But as with all things, there eventually comes the time to pop the cork; wine is best enjoyed by drinking it, not by letting it sit until the spark of life in the bottle slowly fades.

In this article, we’ll give you a little nudge in the right direction with a few good occasions worth opening up that bottle for.

Birthdays

What better reason to pop the cork on a nice bottle than to celebrate the day you came into the world? (Or maybe even the day a loved one did!)

As a commemoration of life and the passing of the years, birthdays are a wonderful occasion to share a bottle with loved ones who might not otherwise treat themselves.

As good Grand and Premier Crus can often stand up to a couple of decades of aging, we’ve heard of parents buying bottles the year of their child’s birth and then sharing the bottle with them when they turn 21. We think that’s a lovely idea and a great way to celebrate the passage of time.

Date Night

Whether it’s with a flourishing new romance or a committed long-term partner, opening up a nice bottle on a date is a great way to set a romantic tone and communicate to your date that you value the time you spend together.

The excitement and anticipation of tasting what you know will be an amazing wine is a great way to kick off a meal or conversation, and drinking the bottle can even be a fun activity in itself. Try out the four-step tasting method to really get a good sense of the glass, notice as the wine opens up and mellows out over the course of the evening, and talk about the aromas and flavors you pick up on in the wine.

If the bottle has an interesting story behind it; it also makes a great conversation piece to fall back on if ever the discussion stalls.

Life Milestones

Graduation, retirement, buying a new home, the birth of a child... Most of life’s important milestones only occur once (at best a few times), and it’s nice to commemorate those moments with something special that reflects the significance of the occasion.

Treating ourselves during these important moments in life gives us a chance to reflect on the path we’ve taken to get to where we are, to appreciate the present moment, and to look forward to all the important milestones still to come!

Holidays

Holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Valentine's Day, to name a few, always seem to evoke a naturally festive atmosphere; a great environment for bringing a nice bottle up from the cellar as the cherry on top.

Holidays also make great soil for seeding new traditions. For example, while New Yearès will forever and always be linked with Champagne, a lovely Pinot Noir with loved ones, shared over potatoes, roast turkey and gravy, can be a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition to return to year after year.

Anniversaries

Whether it’s a wedding anniversary or commemorating a first date, a beautiful bottle of wine is a great way to score some brownie points with your significant other. Just like date night, it sets a nice mood of anticipation and romance, giving the feeling that the both of you are sharing a special moment together.

While we’re at it, a good bottle of wine is also a great way to get out of the doghouse if you happen to forget the day… again.

Everyday Celebrations of Life

Last, but not least, everyday celebrations of the gift of life.

There are many reasons to delay opening a bottle. Sometimes it benefits from a few more years of aging; sometimes the mood isn’t right; and sometimes we recognize that opening a great bottle every night would be too expensive a habit.

But another reason for reluctance is that we rarely feel a moment is “special” enough to merit the bottle. Uncomfortable about indulging ourselves, we tell ourselves we’re saving the bottle for the “right” occasion, one that seems harder and harder to come by as time goes on.

But every day on this earth is a gift, and every day can be special if we choose to see it that way. It can be easy to forget this as we fall into our daily routines, but even an everyday dinner with friends or family is an occasion worthy of recognition and appreciation.

So while it may not make sense to open a $70 bottle with every meal, don’t be afraid to treat yourself spontaneously when the moment feels right. It’s so rare that we take the chance to indulge ourselves that doing so becomes a special occasion in itself.