Tell us about your.... WINE COLLECTION.

[odyssey]

Nice topic Ross.

A relatively (compared to others I have seen) moderately small collection of around 200 bottles, the majority stored in 2x72 bottle ebay-esque wine fridges). The remainders are just kept in boxes in the garage.

I discovered how one-dimensional my cellar was about 2 years ago when I printed my first cellartracker report that about 45% was shiraz, 35% cabernet or blends, and the rest a mix of mostly Chardonnay, Semillon, fortifieds and then various odd bottles. At the time, the largest producer represented was Penfolds (red capsules were all over the place), with Tyrrells, Katnook and Wynns close behind. Consequently the most commonly represented regions were Barossa, Hunter and Coonawarra.

I find I'm not drinking that many of the wines that I have stored as my tastes have certainly changed over time so I have been trying to rectify the quantities and go for smaller producers, slowly increasing in Pinot, Grenache, and foreign wines. While I still enjoy the big punchy favourites every now and then, I find it's a bit much and my current interest is less heavy wines such as Beaujolais, Burgundy (of which I only have a few bottles) and I'd like to get some more Aussie italian varietals for everyday food wines.

Cheers

[Waiters Friend]

So, I've been collecting seriously (and posting here) since 1995 and have about 1500 bottles give or take a few 100. ........

I need to both drink less and drink more. Less from the health / weight issue and more from the size of the cellar and the need to make more room point of view. I can't win really so it's not worth thinking about.

Hi Kris

The eternal dilemna. I made a policy decision about a year ago, that anyone coming to my house would not bring wine, so I could start to empty the cellar, match wine with my cooking, etc. It worked, in that people don't bring wine anymore. I just need to do more of it (entertaining), because the number of bots in the cellar has not reduced.

And, how can you pass up that wine that blows you away at a wine tasting, etc? So I buy some, if I get enthusiastic about the product. I see a pattern developing here.

Is there a support group for people like us, Kris?

Cheers

Allan

[redwine]

I have started to drink wine back in 1996 when living in Singapore. I then got more serious in collecting wine from 2005 onwards. My cellar currently holds roughly about 2k bottles. The majority are reds, about 400 are whites and another 300 are sweet ones, of which roughly 100 are port wines, mainly from Portugal.

Most of the reds are from Australia and here the majority are Rockford BP (1995-2007) and SVS Hoffmann (1996-2004). I also have some Greenock Creek, Noon, Henschke, Penfolds, John Duval, Cullen, Jim Barry, Wolf Blass and various other producers.

From New Zealand, I have about 100 bottles. My trophy wine from NZ is a 6 litre Providence Matakana as a standout.

Another big chunk is coming from France, mostly Bordeaux and Burgundy. Other favourites are from Italy (Piedmont, Tuscany and Amarone from the Veneto).

The whites are mostly from Germany where I have a good collection from Kabinett to Eiswein.

Other countries include the US, Austria, Spain, Switzerland or Chile.

As I love older wines, I have a good number of older stuff starting in 1865, 1868 (Solera) and 1895 (Burgundy), going on with wines from 1920 to 2009 with a few vintages missing in between. These older wines are mostly from Bordeaux and Burgundy and some from Spain, Germany and ports from Portugal.

The biggest bottle I have is a 12 l Bordeaux, some other bigger formats are a 9 l Bordeaux, various double magnums from Bordeaux, a 6 l Amarone and a double magnum Amarone.

Cheers and happy drinking.

[Luke W]

So, I've been collecting seriously (and posting here) since 1995 and have about 1500 bottles give or take a few 100. ........

I need to both drink less and drink more. Less from the health / weight issue and more from the size of the cellar and the need to make more room point of view. I can't win really so it's not worth thinking about.

Hi Kris

The eternal dilemna. I made a policy decision about a year ago, that anyone coming to my house would not bring wine, so I could start to empty the cellar, match wine with my cooking, etc. It worked, in that people don't bring wine anymore. I just need to do more of it (entertaining), because the number of bots in the cellar has not reduced.

And, how can you pass up that wine that blows you away at a wine tasting, etc? So I buy some, if I get enthusiastic about the product. I see a pattern developing here.

Is there a support group for people like us, Kris?

Cheers

Allan

Isn't that what this forum's about? - seriously tho' there must be some sort of psych term for people like us who buy more wine than they drink. I always thought that I wasn't an alcoholic as I don't keep drinking after 3-4 glasses (and the bottle's empty) but I reckon I'll die leaving several thousand bottles (at my current accumulation rate) and I miss wine when I'm having my 2 nights off a week....... (now if I could just get rid of these shakes!!!!!)

[Craig(NZ)]

I have started to drink wine back in 1996 when living in Singapore. I then got more serious in collecting wine from 2005 onwards. My cellar currently holds roughly about 2k bottles. The majority are reds, about 400 are whites and another 300 are sweet ones, of which roughly 100 are port wines, mainly from Portugal.

Most of the reds are from Australia and here the majority are Rockford BP (1995-2007) and SVS Hoffmann (1996-2004). I also have some Greenock Creek, Noon, Henschke, Penfolds, John Duval, Cullen, Jim Barry, Wolf Blass and various other producers.

From New Zealand, I have about 100 bottles. My trophy wine from NZ is a 6 litre Providence Matakana as a standout.

Another big chunk is coming from France, mostly Bordeaux and Burgundy. Other favourites are from Italy (Piedmont, Tuscany and Amarone from the Veneto).

The whites are mostly from Germany where I have a good collection from Kabinett to Eiswein.

Other countries include the US, Austria, Spain, Switzerland or Chile.

As I love older wines, I have a good number of older stuff starting in 1865, 1868 (Solera) and 1895 (Burgundy), going on with wines from 1920 to 2009 with a few vintages missing in between. These older wines are mostly from Bordeaux and Burgundy and some from Spain, Germany and ports from Portugal.

The biggest bottle I have is a 12 l Bordeaux, some other bigger formats are a 9 l Bordeaux, various double magnums from Bordeaux, a 6 l Amarone and a double magnum Amarone.

Cheers and happy drinking.

Sounds a really interesting collection!

[Rednick]

Starting to get back into food & wine again around 5 years ago when my folks came out from the UK for a few weeks. Since then the collection has now grown to around 500 bottles and I finally bit the bullet and put a refrigerated cellar in last year to put a halt to the growing wine fridge collection! Hopefully this will last for a while with a capacity for around 1300 bottles.

Initially very Australian Cab Sav focussed but in recent years have fallen for Pinot Noir and still have a soft spot for GSM blends particularly Chateau Neuf du Pape;

90% of the cellar is red the rest whites made up of Chardonnay, Riesling & stickies.

Cab Sav 27%, Pinot Noir 22%, Rhone Blends 14%, Shiraz 11%, Bordeaux Blend 7%

Australia 65%, France 26%, New Zealand 6 % and then a splattering from USA, Spain & Canada

My top three producers are Penfolds way out in front with 11%, Dupont-Tisserandot 6%, Wynns 5%,

Both my wife and I get a great deal of pleasure from wine especially as the cellar is starting to pay off with some of my oler wines starting to nicely evolve and have made some great new friends.

Nick

Best decision I've made in a long time

[Wizz]

I've been watching this thread evolve and wondering how to enter, as sometimes these things can turn into big dick competitions. To everyone's credit this one hasn't.

One thing I've come to accept is that wine collecting and wine drinking are unrelated pasttimes - I just happen to enjoy doing both

As a result, my cellar is far too big. It has evolved and revolved a number of times, initially focusing on Aus Cabernets, then big SA reds, then more elegant reds, then the Burgundy bug bit, both red and white.

All of those habits have been tempered for my love of Riesling, particularly from the Mosel. The balance between acid, sugar and flavour is just electric when its done properly.

The cellar is an insulated 3m cube at the back of the garage, serviced by an ordinary airconditioner that has been achieving 16 to 18 degrees since 2004. It hasn't burst at the seams yet, but it manages to contain my whole cellar plus some Auburn Wines stock I keep on hand for samples, promos etc. My shelving system is five disused refrigerators that I've gutted. I keep promising myself I'll rack the cellar properly one day, but the inefficient shelving system I have is supposed to help contain numbers.

Its taken about 15 of my adult years to get this far, and there are over 1000 bottles in that little room now, with a small part of the cellar sitting in New Zealand as well. Top represented producers in the cellar are JJ Prum, Bouchard Pere et Fils, Schloss Lieser, Fourrier and Donnhoff. Top represented new world producers are Clonakilla, Felton Road and Castagna, with WIlli Schaefer and Fritz Haag rounding out the top 10. The cellar is also 54% white - perhaps unusual, but Mosel Rieslings can live for an eternity.

The oldest vintage wine that's ever been in there was a 1955 Vintage port. Oldest wine in there now is a 79 Leo Buring Riesling. Oldest reds are 1994.

My 2c - and perhaps a different cellar to the norm,

cheers

Andrew

[Gavin Trott]

I've been watching this thread evolve and wondering how to enter, as sometimes these things can turn into big dick competitions. To everyone's credit this one hasn't.

cheers

Andrew

Andrew

There's still time! Go for it!

[Gavin Trott]

Andrew

Your story, and mine, are quite similar, especially in development of the balance of the cellar.

Mine is in two parts also, pre and post retailer.

Pre becoming a retailer I used to regularly visit (yes you could then) and purchase from Wendouree, Greenock Creek, Noons, etc and these made up a large part of my then cellar.

Post retailer (ing) I did not join the newly created mailing list for Greenock Creek, Noons and Wendouree, worrying about a real, or perceived, confilct of interest, so very old examples of those wines still in the cellar, then big gaps.

Post then, your cellar and mine are mirror images, albeit mine is smaller.

Mine, similar to above

initially focusing on big SA reds, then SA Cabernets, then MR River Cabernets, then more elegant reds, then the Burgundy bug bit, both red and white. I have to add to the Burgundy bug a big hit of the Champagne bug ... with exciting grower Champagne staging a recent influx!

>>All of those habits have been tempered for my love of Riesling, particularly from the Mosel. The balance between acid, sugar and flavour is just electric when its done properly>>

Me too, plus an exisiting and abiding love of Australian Reislings from Clare, and most especially Eden Valley, with examples being cellared from last century! (love the way that sounds, really just means more then 11 years old!).

Add to that a small but very valued collection of Vintage Ports, local and international, and Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay going back a decade, and we have it.

How do I store it, that's a whole other story!

.

[griff]

I for one am enjoying this thread. I appreciate the journey that everyone has undergone as they developed their cellar.

My story is one of three parts. My first cellar was in Sydney in my parents' home. Passive but terraced. Max temperature I don't want to know but I suspect it could near 30 in some summers. At least there is a lot of heat inertia. I still have some in Sydney, mostly SA reds and Riesling as that was what interested me at the start of my journey as well. Noon, Rockford and co along with those Classic McLaren wines mostly with odds and ends from the late 90's to 2002 or so. Thankfully nothing oxidised as yet but certainly not the best conditions. I do have some Tyrrrells there as well.

The second cellar was in Perth. This consisted of one, then two wine fridges which eventually spilled over to wine storage. Thanks to friends in Perth my tastes widened to international wines while gaining an appreciation of WA. It also helped that WA experienced 3 great years over the last 4. Chardonnay grew in my estimation as a varietal as did German riesling. Sadly I needed to sell this cellar when we moved to the UK. I am happy that friends took some of them and at least we consumed a few choice wines before we left.

Now in the UK we have an old EuroCave (looks like a black version of a Kitchener) of which I am beginning to stock. Over 100 in there now I think. A fairly even split between portuguese port, champagne, Rhone, Rioja and German riesling. Minorities of burgundy of both colours and red Bordeaux. The oldest is a 1960 Croft from memory and the most number of bottles is equal between 1977 Grahams VP and 2004 Francois Boulard Millesime Champagne of which we have 6. I have been mostly buying in ones and twos apart from a few 6 packs as I couldn't mix. In future I suspect red burgundy shall increase and maybe Barolo. Its difficult as I find they are like the little girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead.

cheers

Carl

[Cloth Ears]

I've got 2 small collections. One is the drinking cellar - taking up a wardrobe in the spare bedroom. It's got about 2-300 bottles, with the oldest wines being late 90's and the oldest parts being 1963 and then 1987. Most of the stuff is 'cheap'. some bought from auction at good prices, some being bought when on special and some cleanskins bought when I recognise the bottles even with their new labels ( I like getting the Bron Brothers Durif that way).

The other is the Nieces & Nephews collection, which I've got another thread about in this forum - stored at a Guardian in Glen Iris. By the way, if anyone wants to lend me a prtion of one of their Guardian lockers, I'm willing. I'm going to outgrow my 2 small ones in a year, and I'm 'cheap'...

[bacchaebabe]

So, I've been collecting seriously (and posting here) since 1995 and have about 1500 bottles give or take a few 100. ........

I need to both drink less and drink more. Less from the health / weight issue and more from the size of the cellar and the need to make more room point of view. I can't win really so it's not worth thinking about.

Hi Kris

The eternal dilemna. I made a policy decision about a year ago, that anyone coming to my house would not bring wine, so I could start to empty the cellar, match wine with my cooking, etc. It worked, in that people don't bring wine anymore. I just need to do more of it (entertaining), because the number of bots in the cellar has not reduced.

And, how can you pass up that wine that blows you away at a wine tasting, etc? So I buy some, if I get enthusiastic about the product. I see a pattern developing here.

Is there a support group for people like us, Kris?

Cheers

Allan

Isn't that what this forum's about? - seriously tho' there must be some sort of psych term for people like us who buy more wine than they drink. I always thought that I wasn't an alcoholic as I don't keep drinking after 3-4 glasses (and the bottle's empty) but I reckon I'll die leaving several thousand bottles (at my current accumulation rate) and I miss wine when I'm having my 2 nights off a week....... (now if I could just get rid of these shakes!!!!!)

I'm not an alcoholic - I don't go to meetings. Although I'm beginning to wonder about Grape Mates! And yes, I think this forum is the support group. Or maybe it's the problem!

Maybe we're all slightly obsessive or it's just a collecting thing. I collect lots of things. I can't help it. As soon as I have two of something, I want more. Must stop.