DECIDE YOUR GOALS 
Are you collecting bottles to commemorate the birth of a child, so there are bottles to gift them on their 21st birthday (or for you to enjoy when they leave the house)? Are you collecting for your enjoyment? (See section 3: Consider Vintages). It is important to remember that different wines mature at different rates so consider how long you are willing/able to wait to enjoy the wine (i.e… Burgundy or Barolo, are two types of wines that have very long maturity windows so do the math to see if they will be ready in your lifetime).  

A good beginning cellaring window is 5-10 years from your purchase date.  
 
WHAT GRAPE VARIETIES? 
I will be so bold as to say all varieties can age, but not all of them age well, or the same, as others. It comes down to the quality of the wine and some varieties are simply not often made in a way that makes them age-worthy. Zinfandel can age, but not many are made with enough acid remaining to help them survive the time before the high alcohol wreaks havoc on the wine’s component parts. But Port is high in alcohol and ages a long time, you say. Yes, but port also has a notable amount of sugar, acid and tannin to sustain it. And if you want to collect port, learn how to tong (google it, it’s cool) or at least how to fish cork pieces out of wine because the high alcohol destroys cork over decades. Bear this in mind for big, rich Napa Cabs, also. 

As a general rule, acid and/or tannin help wines age.  

Varieties like Pinot Noir, Riesling, Champagne, Chenin Blanc and cool-climate Chardonnay have acid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sagrantino and Aglianico have tannins. Nebbiolo, Syrah, Tempranillo and Sangiovese have a combination of both.

Great examples:  

CONSIDER VINTAGES 

I know some collectors that only chase the highly awarded vintages. This is their prerogative, of course, but to me shows a one-dimensional understanding of how a cellar can operate. Big vintages are often likely to age the longest in the best condition, but what do you drink in the meantime while you’re waiting for those to mature? The “off vintages” can be great drink-now or drink-in-a-few alternatives. For example, 2009 and 2010 in Bordeaux were called “vintages of the century” – bold statements when the century was only 9 years old – and as a result 2008 was forgotten about. It had been a classic year, no real issues, but the next two years got better press. Acid helps wine survive, remember, so while the wines were not in the preferred riper style, they have aged wonderfully and are still showing well at thirteen years and counting. I’m a fan of these off-vintages from good producers because it makes the “only the best” collectors shake their heads when the wines show better than they expected. I also tend to collect from a particular winery year in and year out, good or bad, because that’s the story of that place. You don’t only support your friends when they’re succeeding and ignore them when they have a rough patch, do you? 

Note: ‘Monprivato’ is only made in select years, so Guiseppe seemed to think 2017 was fine, so here’s a lesson on sticking with a producer despite what the critics say about the vintage. 

And back to collecting for a birth year, keep in mind it may have been a great year for your family but a disaster in vineyards. Personally, my birth year was so bad around the globe it often isn’t even listed on vintage charts. This is when you punt to choosing a favorite winery and call it a day or, as I’ve counseled guests in the past, if you have a sentimental connection to a winery and want to get the vintage anyway, do it. It’s the memory that counts.  
 

EQUIPMENT NEEDS 
No, you don’t need 1,000 sf section of your home designed for an Architectural Digest photo shoot. You will however want a temperature-controlled fridge. That shelf under the stairs in the basement will only work for so long because the temperature and humidity are not constant. And that consistency is key. Start out small and grow to whatever size you choose. I survived for a decade with a 30-bottle cooler for only my best wines - I honestly didn’t collect much since I didn’t have the room – but I upgraded to a 128-bottle unit when I bought my condo. Suddenly I’m collecting more because I have space. 
 

These points are just the beginning. I emphasize again that you can start a cellar at any level of price, but the mantra of “you get what you pay for” truly comes into play when you lay wine down to age. Most wines will survive a few years, but multiple decades require a bit of research and asking questions. We’re always happy to help here at the store, so if you’re thinking about laying some wine down come see us with an idea of what you want based on the above questions and we’ll show you some options.

Good luck!