Are you considering starting your own wine collection but have no idea where to begin? It is easy to get into the rhythm of buying a bottle to drink the next day or week, as well as buying a selection of wines to put aside for the inevitable forgotten presents. But taking the time to make a plan and setting aside a selection of wines for future consumption, not just later in the year but in several year's time, is a difficult process to start.
There are two main factors to consider when starting your own wine collection; why you want to and what your budget is.
WHY
The first is very important to know because it will influence the kinds of wines you wish to cellar. A great 'why' is education in the art of ageing. Developing an understanding as to how particular regions or grapes react to a few years in bottle compared to others. If this is your reason for building a collection then I highly recommend buying two of each wine. This allows you to put one in the cellar and enjoy the other young, noting down what you have found different in each tasting. This is a great way to start your cellaring journey to find out what you enjoy aged and what you enjoy youthful.
Then, if you wish to set yourself the goal of not purchasing any wines after retirement, you know what you want to age. This goal means you wish to build up a strong holding of wines during your working years to reduce expenses while enjoying stunningly aged wines in your later years. When this is your 'why', it is great to focus on variety and age-worthiness. While you may be going through your 'Pomerol is the only thing I drink phase' today, you may not wish to only drink Pomerol for 20 years. Diversifying across regions and grape varietals allow for an expansive drinking experience at any age.
WHAT (Strategy)
While everyone may have a different 'why', it is good to cellar with purpose. The next factor to consider is your budget. It is common to think that wine collecting is only for those with money, but a wine cellar can be as small as a dozen bottle (or smaller).
If just starting out, it can feel odd spending money on something you will not enjoy in the near future but it is an investment in your future enjoyment. Simply setting aside a budget to purchase one quality bottle of wine a month (or quarter, or year) and keeping it in a cool, dark, and dry space, your cellar will slowly grow into something substantial.
A similar barrier may be that of storage space. While there are plenty of wine storage facilities now popping up around the country, restrictions such as locations and costs can impact the use of such places. This is where you can consider your cellaring strategy. Maybe you choose to have a rotating cellar every 5-10 years. Only collect wines that you wish to age for 5 or so years to then rotate out for new wines, one in, one out style. By doing this you can still collect those special couple of bottles that will age for eternity while also getting to experience wines a few years on from their vintage.
WHICH (Wines)
Right, so you have your why and your what, all that is left is to select which wines you want to age! For those that know Clos Cachet, we will always recommend securing a few Burgundies to cellar, but there are a great deal more regions out there that are perfect for enjoying a few years on.
While technically any wine can be aged, there is definitely a general guideline as to which are best enjoyed in their youth. Ageing allows regions such as Burgundy and Bordeaux to shine the most, with Champagne a common forgotten option. Have you ever enjoyed an old vintage Champagne? It is truly divine. Additionally here in Australia a classic Barossa Valley Shiraz is found in most Australian cellars, alongside a few top Victorian cuvees.
As a general rule of thumb, Cabernets, Shiraz/Syrah, Chardonnay, Semillon, and Riesling tend to age elegantly and develop new elements each year. Sweet wines from Sauternes are also mesmerising with a bit of age. Yet every vintage has it's own nuances with some more worthy of ageing than others, and with each winemaker having their own style there is no singular answer as to what to cellar.
It is a great journey to start, and while it may seem daunting, I promise you there are always experts around to help! I highly recommend taking the time to visit your local wine merchant in person, or giving us a call for recommendations on where to start.