Collecting wines is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. While the idea of having a wine cellar sounds romantic and dreamy, it takes time, money, and commitment to do it finally. Maybe you’re passionate about nothing but wines. Or you’re up for investing in a stellar wine cellar which is an entirely different game!
Whatever your motivation is, the journey of collecting wines would take a lifetime to create. So how do you start doing so? Are you ready to build your wine empire? To give you a fantastic head-start, here are some practical tips on how to start collecting wines.
The Purpose of your Ultimate Wine Collection
Starting the ultimate wine collection is not an unusual scenario for all of us. There are different reasons why people build their wine cellars. Some wanted to possess and curate their wine collections for social reasons. After all, hosting a wine-tasting party in a gallery sounds like a perfect choice!
Most of the time, others view wines as a source of investment for future profits. It is undeniable that wine collectors aim to buy premium wine bottles and vintage that will give them a considerable return soon.
To sum up, building the dream wine collection revolves around personal and social reasons. You can have it for profit or pleasure or both. Whatever your purpose, your “why” will determine the things you need to invest in developing, growing, and improving your wine cellar.
Assess your Budget
The money you’re willing to spend, commonly known as budget, is probably one of the first things to mind when building the ultimate wine collection. We know that spending on vintage or premium wine bottles isn’t the only thing you’ll purchase once you start building your dream wine collection.
Other fees include wine storage, professional consultation, and insurance. Indeed, there are additional costs one must keep in mind. Of course, the ultimate goal is an expansive and diverse wine collection with premium labels and distinct grape varietals.
But in reality, these things were not practical when starting a wine collection from scratch. So, first thing first. If you’ve got to start now, it will be beneficial to ask yourself: How much are you willing to spend on collecting wines? And realistically, what are your available resources to build your wine collection?
Of course, one doesn’t have to build their wine collections in a blink of an eye. You can always begin small and focus on a simple starter’s wine collection as a foundation. Then, slowly set aside money and continue investing in curating your dream collection.
The best way to go around is to dedicate a reasonable budget you can maintain to your wine collection. Maybe it would be a dollar or two. No matter the price, there’s no shame in it. Always start where you are. Remind yourself that you can spend your entire lifetime building and improving your wine collection.
Ask Help from Wine Experts
Once you decide to start collecting wines, you can never go wrong by growing your knowledge and asking for some tips from wine experts. It is always worth the money and investment to ask an expert in the field to discuss your budget, preferences, styles, and motivation.
With proper help from a wine consultant, you can slowly fill your wine collections with premium wine varietals that would grow their value over time. After all, partnering with wine experts may help you save financial resources in the long run.
Expand your Knowledge of Wine
It is a wise saying, “Knowledge is power.” This adage is probably true and applicable once you start collecting wines. If you want to build your beautiful wine cellar, you can never go wrong by expanding your knowledge about wines.
Try joining wine-tasting subscriptions. Going to different tasting galleries will allow you to broaden your wine preferences, tastes, and style. Once you get to try more wines, your palette will significantly change.
As I’ve said, you can ask for a sommelier’s advice. Experts hold informative insights about wines, events, and the latest updates. In addition, one may never know the types of wines that can last and age or not. So, asking wine professionals will make you understand what categories of wine are best for storage.
Expanding your knowledge about wines also means learning about the different wine regions. Promise this will be a journey of discovery that is worth your time. As you might be aware, there are various global wine regions.
There are famous places where you can find red or white blends, specific grape types, and varietals. Knowing the basic things can also help you manage your expectations about your wine collection.
Discover Your Wine Preference
So, one day you realize that you are ready to start your ultimate wine collection. But you might suddenly feel lost and don’t know what wines you want to put up. Well, there’s nothing wrong with choosing your favorites.
With so many available types of wine, varietals, blends, appellations, and sub-regions, it might be tricky to start collecting wines at the onset. So, whatever your purpose is, whether you like wines for passion or investment, pick your favorite wine bottles.
While there’s a common misconception that collecting expensive wines is the way to go, this is not entirely the case for all of us. You can always pick the wines you genuinely enjoy.
However, since starting your wine cellar, you may consider having various wine labels. Different wine catalogs will expose you to wines’ distinct and unique tastes. Think about it.
If you’re stuck with the same grape varietal on your wine cellars, you might miss out on discovering your next favorite wine bottle. So, for a start, devote at least ¼ of your wine collection to blends that you haven’t tried yet.
Invest in Right Equipment
One of the excellent ways to ensure that your wine collection will continue to improve is by investing in the right equipment. Having your cellar in poor conditions will make wines degrade.
Ultimately, your favorite wines will become unfit for reselling purposes. Spending money on quality, proper storage, and equipment is vital to enjoying your wines for a lifetime.
Proper Storage
Let’s get started with proper storage. Whether you’re living in a metropolis or you manage to have a big home around the suburbs, it is always best to make space for your dream wine collection. The truth is there’s no need for a massive area.
You can build your wine cellar in your basement, garage, or walk-in pantry. A well-lighted area is a fantastic choice too! These are all excellent locations for wine collections. However, your wine’s environment must be under similar conditions to the traditional wine cellar.
To create your cellar for your wine, here are the essential things to keep in mind.
- Sunlight: If you plan to keep your wines home, having them in a dark space is necessary to maintain the right temperature. Otherwise, your favorite wines will get nasty. To avoid this scenario, pick a dark room where you can store your wine.
- Vibrations: Unwanted vibrations can affect the wine’s chemical composition. As a result, it can also negatively affect the taste of your favorite wine bottles. Selecting an area inside your home not loaded with traffic will be practical to prevent wines from going bad. In other words, a busy hallway will not do. Finally, don’t select an area right next to your laundry room. Vibrations from the washing machine will jostle your wine collection.
- Temperature: On another note, keeping wines in an excellent environment is best. While the temperature may vary depending on the type of wine, it would be safe to put your wine around 45 degrees to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of this, you can rule out the heated or warmer areas in your home, such as the attic and kitchen refrigerator.
The location of your wine cellar impacts the number of wine bottles you can collect. However, a small space cannot stop or limit your goal of building your dream wine collection. At the most, you can opt to buy wine fridges or premium wine coolers. This equipment will preserve your wine collection too.
Serving Instrument
Of course, your wine collection deserves the best. It would help if you handled these wine bottles with care. I highly recommend using a proper serving instrument to maintain the wines in optimum condition.
Have your favorite white, red, or dessert blends on the proper glassware. For the excellent tasting, pour out your red blends on wider and rounder glasses for full fragrance and aroma.
It will be worth it to invest in a decanter. Or buy on a high-quality hinged corkscrew. Finally, you can find a premium stopper for your sparkling wine collection.
Purchase Wine from Reputable Sources
Developing a good relationship with wine dealers is crucial when you start collecting wines. So, choose the reputable source or merchants you are comfortable with and whom you can trust.
Also, you might consider digital or online wine stores. Signing up and subscribing to their newsletters can open doors for special wine offers, deals, and availabilities.
On top of everything, you can always go to local wine stores. Explore tasting rooms and galleries and find your new favorite for your wine cellar.
Here’s a video you might like to watch to start your journey building your dream wine cellar.
Wrap Up
Collecting wines based on your style and liking would probably be one of the fulfilling things to do! After all, who wouldn’t like to build their wine cellar?
While the journey to having a wine empire may seem tricky and complicated, there’s no stopping you. So, start collecting wines now and build an impressive cellar you always dreamed of and wanted.
George Moore, co-founder of Wine Flavor Guru, is a charismatic entrepreneur with a rich background in California’s wine industry. Alongside Sylvia, he transformed a Sonoma County vineyard into a source of premium wines. George’s expertise in sourcing exceptional grapes and his approachable style make wine appreciation both accessible and engaging.
