By all means: budget, sacrifice, scrimp. Make pudding out of that container of leftover rice. Tour a BJ’s and buy your batteries in bulk. Bring Your Own.

But what about when you want – need – to treat yourself? One key to slowing down the To-Do-List treadmill is a classic wine that will turn even a slab of cheese and hearty bread into a meal to remember.

Sometimes it takes a second glass before you really taste a wine. Like the first time you heard Norah Jones, and three tracks in you thought, “Wait, what is this?” – classic and familiar, yet completely its own. The 2006 Joseph Drouhin Meursault Perrières is a Chardonnay from ancient vines that works this warm magic, revealed like slowly turned pages. It’s not cheap, but it won’t decrease in value, and old favorites soon become priceless.

Port is generally sweet, but a great one is also slow. The 10 Year Old Tawny from Niepoort hits super slo-mo, distinguishing individual palate hits like notes on a Portuguese guitar. The overall effect doesn’t suffer: if you feel like you’re wearing velvet and sitting for a portrait, that’s the idea – there’s no need to wait until the end of the night to enjoy it. The best part? You’ll also feel completely deserving.

Don’t worry – your new Budget Consciousness will be there when you get back. But for the time being, salute the here and now.