Hevyn

Bim - That's my story almost exactly, except I crashed & burned much faster after my 'one glass' of wine. Daily - & then round-the-clock drinking ensued.
I went back out for 7 yrs. also. Still can't believe I played with fire for that long. I nearly lost my life.

As you said, so much more difficult to get back on track after a period of sobriety. No more experimenting for me.
I'm so thankful for your nearly 9 years of sobriety.

Eddiebuckle

@DriGuy Exactly. I have not had a single drink since I quit, but I am convinced that if I did it would spiral out of control in days if not hours. I've seen that happen a handful of times with people in my homegroups over the years. It's usually no more than a couple of weeks before they are at or past their previous low and/or in the hospital. That may be hard to believe, but it's enough for me. Whatever joy I got from alcohol in the earliest part of my drinking (and I don't expect that's what I would get ever again) would not be worth the risk of returning to the last days of my drinking.

OP seems to have stopped before he got there, but personally I wouldn't be capable of drinking socially. Probably never did if I am honest.