Why Start a Wine Cellar Anyway?

Many people born and raised in the United States see wine collecting as a pastime for the snobby and the wealthy. Many Europeans, however, view wine collecting as a utility of life. Why the different viewpoints and which is the correct way of thinking about a wine collection? Well, like most things, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Hence, you certainly do not need to be wealthy to enjoy wine and collecting is far too fun to be only a matter of utility.

For me, wine collecting is about three things. Most importantly, it is about the intellectual challenge and the adventure of picking the wines you want to lay down, particularly if there is a limited budget. The money conscious collector must be choosey about any acquisitions for their cellar, forcing them to “learn what they truly like.” Secondly, it is about the wonderful people that one will meet in the process of buying and learning about wine, not to mention all the new friends that will accumulate once they learn your basement is full with wine. Finally, collecting is about the usefulness of always having a varied stock of wine to pull from to suit your personal needs or the needs of your guests. Indeed, a wine collection is essential for any individual who enjoys entertaining in the home. This method of collecting and storing wine allows one the opportunity to buy wine in bulk at lower prices, as well as the time to let it age. Aged wine can be very expensive to purchase at auction or retail, and unfortunately, a prized purchase may have been stored improperly. Buying wine on release is a relative bargain, and it allows the collector to control the storage conditions.

If you are willing and able to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on an exceptional and first-rate wine cellar, one could potentially build it overnight. In fact, I know people who have taken this approach. I have consulted with wealthy individuals who simply wanted to build an instant blue chip cellar- just add $100,000 and a cookie cutter-shopping list of the world’s top 30 wines, and you are all set! There is nothing wrong with this approach, and I certainly would never dissuade anyone from “getting into wine,” but I believe there is a thrill and sense of accomplishment with building a wine cellar through time. It is my opinion that this aforementioned style of collecting is absent of the true pleasure of the wine hunt. Furthermore, the process by which an individual learns about wine, gradually expanding their pallet, is invaluable. These opportunities will provide a fundamental understanding of wine that no amount of money could ever buy.

Wine hunting for your cellar, be it 10 or 10,000 bottles, is one of the greatest pleasures of the hobby. For a person with a collector-mentality, this is reason enough to start a wine collection. Hunting for wine can be as simple as shopping at a local store during a Saturday wine tasting and pouring through their offerings, or as complex as tracking down an obscure old world wine that requires careful research and/or traveling. Seeking out new wines to taste or simply trying to acquire some favorites is a rewarding and thoughtful expression relating to one’s interest in wine.

Starting a wine collection can be good for your social life as well. I have always found that collecting wine and making friends go hand in hand. Throughout the collection process, you will inevitably meet new people at the liquor store, at local wine clubs, or even on the Internet. It is true that individuals who know wine want to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for the hobby. Sure, there will occasionally be a few wine snobs around town, but it is important not to let their attitudes deter your interests. In my experience, snobbery is often a defensive tactic employed by people who may be insecure about their total library of wine knowledge. Assuredly, the social side to the hobby of wine is as enjoyable as the hobby itself; you would not find any true wine hobbyist that could disagree or not elaborate on this being a wonderful bonus to wine collecting.

The most basic and practical reason for starting a wine collection has always been, and still is, about storing wine for future consumption. In truth, 95% of all wine produced in the world today is designed to be consumed within the first year or two after release. The remaining 5% of wines are designed for aging. These bottles should be stored for anywhere between five and twenty-five years, and in some rare instances an age worthy wine will continue to improve long after 25 years of proper aging. Building a wine collection allows you to purchase wine now, presumably at a lower cost, and to store them for future consumption. The reward after such a long wait occurs when you are able to drink these gems at the peak of maturity. Ultimately, a balanced cellar consists of wines for everyday drinking, special occasions, and those for aging. After collecting for five or six years, there will be a continuous stock of wines reaching maturity each year.

Within this article, I have tried to outline some of my own basic reasons for starting a wine collection. In truth, there are limitless reasons for starting a cellar and you will need to discover any personal motives or styles to wine collecting. Wine collecting is truly a means to an end, that end will be determined by you, and it may often change as time goes on. For example, I know many people who started a collection for the single reason of having a ready stock of wine to meet their personal consumption habits. However, in time they also grew into voracious collectors of age worthy wines after having the opportunity to consume samples elsewhere. I have also known individuals who started a wine collection solely for investment purposes, but who have come to enjoy the more social side of the hobby. Ultimately, the choice is yours and the collection is yours. There is no right or wrong reason for putting a few bottles aside to enjoy next week or in 30 years from now. The important thing is to do it for you and to have fun with the process. Also, do not be afraid to explore the multiple facets of wine collecting as your tastes and knowledge base expands. As described, many long time collectors will tell you that they have changed their reasons and strategies for wine collecting throughout their lives, with one thing always remaining constant- their innate love of wine.

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