Recommendations for a new cellar

[Kristanfoo]

Hi All,

Just bought a Vintec and want to start cellaring some nice wines now that they won't cook in the house.

Got a few favourites and gifts but need some good recommendations around the $20-50 a bottle range.
Budget is a little tight now the fridge has been purchased No use having it empty though!

Already have a few Lakes Folly, some Bin 389,Mount Langi Ghiran and some Sandalford reserve wines.

Looking for recommendations for about 24-30 bottles or 5 half cases.

Thinking of a few Majella Cab Savs but keen to put away some good value wines for 5-15 years, potentially longer.
Possibly avoiding a lot of the Penfolds wines and going for better bang for the buck.


Cheers

[Scotty vino]

2010 Glaetzer Shiraz The Bishop. Got half a case for $26 ea. General accepted window around 2020 -2022.
Inexpensive. Decent. Seems to have the ability to lay for a while. One way to find out

[Mike Hawkins]

Various Clare and Eden Valley 2012 rieslings. Lots of great stuff from $16 - 45. There are many posts on which labels.

Mike

[Mike Hawkins]

And if you get to the Barossa, Rockford Basket Press is just over your price limit, but a personal favourite. 2010 Turkey Flat shiraz at about $40 (not sure where its available) is also an excellent cellaring prospect.

Mike

[simon1980]

Golly, so many options. I personally enjoy the smaller producers, and we are blessed in Australia. Below is a short list of 5...it could have been 15!

Head wines. Call Gavin at Aus Wine and ask about a mixed 6 of the recent release 2012 Head wines. 2012 is a cracker, and Alex always produces wines of power, elegance and longevity.
Marius. Contact, and ask if there are any 2010's left. Leave for some time.
Serrat. If you like Pinot noir, this is excellent value and ages well. From a tiny patch of vines next to the winemakers house. Made by Tom Carson...
Thomas wines. Semillion...grab some 2013 Braemoor when it comes out.
Oh, and I'm with Mike...if you can get Rockford Basket Press 2010 for $57 from the cellar door, do it.

And then start looking for another fridge...

Simon1980

[tarija]

I would recommend for you to buy some stuff with already a bit of age on it, otherwise you will be looking wistfully into your fridge for a long time.

Voyager Estate Cab Sauv Merlot - current vintage is 2007 I think, although I have seen the 2004 around the traps for around $50.
Seppelt St Peters Shiraz - 2004 is floating around at the moment for $45.
Pinot noir - scout around for some good Villages-level Burgundy. For new world, Dog Point (NZ) is pretty good at around the $35 mark. Bream Creek (Tas) around the same price.
Rockford - Moppa Springs is reasonable for about $25.

Some good 2009 Bordeaux around for $40-$50 too.

Get some other red varietals in there as well:
- Achaval Ferrer Malbec - excellent finesse, and probably the best winery in Argentina. Around $40, all class. If you want to spend less on Malbec, Norton Reserva is good value.
- Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva - some Spanish Tempranillo for you, I think current vintage is 2007, for $30.
- A Nebbiolo...I don't know much about the stuff sub $60, other wiser heads here may be able to help. Benevelli Langhe Nebbiolo has been popping up at around $30.
- Some Sangiovese from Tuscany. A good Chianti Classico, or a Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. For Brunello di Montalcino, try Carpineto or Banfi, which can be obtained within your budget.

Happy shopping!

[Mahmoud Ali]

Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva - some Spanish Tempranillo for you, I think current vintage is 2007, for $30.

Not a bad price for a good Rioja in Australia. Just remember to keep it for a decade or, preferably, more.

Mahmoud.

[Craig(NZ)]

With that many bottles realistically you are only going to want a few long term wines then a good chunk of wines that you can get in and drink reasonably soon. Luckily these days most wines are at least approachable young. But I wouldn't get too carried away with dozens of wines immediately that you need to wait a decade for??

[Kristanfoo]

Thanks All,

Some great recommendations.
Agree with others that there are some cracking 2012 rieslings at great prices.
Going to buy a few cases so that I can drink down a few and keep at least a few for the long term.
I'm not convinced with some of the ratings of Halliday e.t.c. Perhaps it's individual taste but some of the high rated wines are not all that great.
For example my favourites have been Pikes traditionale 2012, The Pewsey Vale is amazing for the price and the Leo Buring Leonay 2012 I'm told is good.
The Grossets always rate highly but are they worth the extra $20-$30 a bottle?
I've tried the Kilkanoon Morts block and Wilson Polish hill(Halliday rates them highly) but i wasn't that impressed.
Perhaps I like the chalkiness of the above wines or it just proves I'm not a MW.
Next mission is to pick a good Coonawarra Cab Sav then a few good Barossa Shiraz. The Rockford sounds good but looks a bit pricey form what i find on the net.

[Duncan Disorderly]

I would recommend for you to buy some stuff with already a bit of age on it, otherwise you will be looking wistfully into your fridge for a long time.

Voyager Estate Cab Sauv Merlot - current vintage is 2007 I think, although I have seen the 2004 around the traps for around $50.
Seppelt St Peters Shiraz - 2004 is floating around at the moment for $45.
Pinot noir - scout around for some good Villages-level Burgundy. For new world, Dog Point (NZ) is pretty good at around the $35 mark. Bream Creek (Tas) around the same price.
Rockford - Moppa Springs is reasonable for about $25.

Some good 2009 Bordeaux around for $40-$50 too.

Get some other red varietals in there as well:
- Achaval Ferrer Malbec - excellent finesse, and probably the best winery in Argentina. Around $40, all class. If you want to spend less on Malbec, Norton Reserva is good value.
- Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva - some Spanish Tempranillo for you, I think current vintage is 2007, for $30.
- A Nebbiolo...I don't know much about the stuff sub $60, other wiser heads here may be able to help. Benevelli Langhe Nebbiolo has been popping up at around $30.
- Some Sangiovese from Tuscany. A good Chianti Classico, or a Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. For Brunello di Montalcino, try Carpineto or Banfi, which can be obtained within your budget.

Happy shopping!

I agree with Tarifa, try and buy some older wines. With such a small space you'll fill it up in a month and then have to wait five years before you can drink any (and that includes the 2012 riesling).

See if you can find bottles that are closer to their drinking window, or find another fridge ( I have space for 260 bottles in offsite climate controlled storage and I reckon that's small).

[Kristanfoo]

I've got room for 170 bottles in the fridge.
Trying to keep quite a lot of it for drinking steadily and 4-6 cases to put down to cellar.
Hence why I was asking if you could put away 6-8 6 packs what others would recommend.
Regards

[Duncan Disorderly]

I've got room for 170 bottles in the fridge.
Trying to keep quite a lot of it for drinking steadily and 4-6 cases to put down to cellar.
Hence why I was asking if you could put away 6-8 6 packs what others would recommend.
Regards

"Fools rush in..."

My apologies I should have read your post more thoroughly.

However I'd still look to auction for some older bottles. For example I saw some 2007 Forest Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Great Southern, WA) at Langton's current Melbourne auction (it's not mine) which is a great wine that will go another 5+ years. I bought some two weeks ago. Otherwise find some of the 2010s.

[dave vino]

Went through my spreadsheet of yearly buys for the $20-$30 range...for reds.

Mt Langi Cliff Edge 23
Collector Marked Tree 25
Clonakilla Hilltops 25
Tahbilk Shiraz 20
CabSav 20
Charles Melton F-Inlaw 20
Blue Poles Merlot 35
Allouran 25
Mollydooker Boxer 25
Mount Pleasant OP&OH 30
Seppelt Chal. Shiraz 23
Teusner Joshua 24
Riebke 20
Cullen Cab/Mer 30
Flametree Cab/Mer 30
Redman Cab/Sav 25
Vasse Felix Cab/Sav 28
Wynns Black 30
Hillcrest Pinot Village 25
Cabernet Village 25

[sjw_11]

Nice list Dave

[dan_smee]

20-30 reds:

Tyrrell's Stevens Shiraz
Collector Marked Tree Red
Brindabella Hills Shiraz
Mount Pleasant Rosehill (maybe more than 30 from some places)
Coldstream Hills PN
Greenock Creek Alices Shiraz
Thomas Wines DJV Shiraz

I'm sure there are more I am forgetting

[TiggerK]

Nice list Dave

He IS the cellarmaster.

But do not forget the whites! And buy in 2 and 3's, rather than 6 or 12, your tastes will change and you won't regret having plenty of variety and different varietals.

[calm]

If I had my time again:
I would have stocked with more whites particularly rieslings
I would have stocked with some more international wines particularly better Riojas of which I enjoy
I would have stocked with more cab blends rather than dominating with numbers of shiraz which I have done
I would have higher component of >$50 wines than I have.
I would have more Hunter Shiraz and WA Cabernet

In other words, I had a taste for Barossa and Vic Shiraz and over populated my storage for these wines. I still enjoy them but variety of regions, countries, and grape of cellarworthy producers is the way to go for accommodating changing tastes, different food, and guests.

[Kristanfoo]

Thanks for all the sage advice.
Some excellent recommendations. Blessed that we have such variety available at fairly reasonable prices.
Bought 6 pikes 2012.Drank the other 6 so buried them at the bottom of the fridge so I can't get to them.
6 2008 Sandalford reserve cab savs. A few Cape Mentells and a couple of the cheaper Clonakillas.
Will have to search for some of the other good ones mentioned.
Where do people recommend sourcing the Rockford Basket press? Had a look at Dans but they were well over $120 a bottle.Well out of my current affordability sadly.
Think i shall do a search for some of Dave and others cheaper options including Langtons.

Cheers

[dave vino]

I hope the Clonakilla was the 2012 or 2010. 2011 is pretty meh.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Blue Poles Reserve Merlot is mentioned above and is excellent, but the 2008 Blue Poles Allouran (Cab Franc Merlot blend) is still available at $25 cellar door. It will cellar well and is ridiculously good value.

For a companion piece there are some similar blends from the Gimblett Gravels which are suitably amazing. Try the 2009 Alluviale.

[AaronL]

Blue Poles Reserve Merlot is mentioned above and is excellent, but the 2008 Blue Poles Allouran (Cab Franc Merlot blend) is still available at $25 cellar door. It will cellar well and is ridiculously good value.

Second that. The 2010 Blue Poles Reserve Merlot is stunning. Really perfumed and great structure. The Allouran is fantastic value and I've been mowing through my case. Mark is a great guy too

[TravisW]

I would go for the classic regions. Clare Riesling (Tim Adams), Hunter Semillon (Tyrrell's), Coonawarra Cabernet (Wynns, Bowen), Margaret River Cab Blends (Cullen, Vasse Felix), Shiraz from Best's, Collector, Mt Langi, Rockford, Henschke, and Grenache from Yalumba.

And then, how many bottles to buy of each selection...

Cheers, Travis.