Unbalanced cellar

[simon1980]

Maybs,

Your situation sounds similar to mine, which is why I am on a "no Shiraz for a bit" drive. Still not bought any in 2014 (a miracle). I have looked to do the following:

Cab or Cab blends - I have very few. I'm looking to pick off some of the more reasonable WA wines. 2011 Woodlands Margaret prob the best bet (and sub-$40).
Whites - never enough. I have topped up on 2012 Rieslings and joined the Tyrrells club (and therefore got some of the potentially excellent Vat1 and Johnnos 2013). Also started buying from Thomas wines for more Sem.
Pinot - drink too soon. I have gone reasonably long on 2012's from Yarra, and will get some Mornington Pinots when the relevant wines come out. I'd say the wines from Hurley (from a good year) can do 10 years easy (maybe a lot longer).
Champagne. I love grower Champagnes, but it takes some work to get the right ones...
Port. 2011 Portuguese vintage - if you can afford it, do it. Even just a couple of halves of Fonseca - will be a legend in 30 years...

simon1980

[Andrew Jordan]

Great thread!

After reviewing CellarTracker this morning my current cellar is divided as follows:

Cabernet/Cabernet Blends - 44.5% Mainly Margaret River and Coonawarra. Some USA Cabernet and a little Bordeaux but not enough bang for your buck to justify cellaring more in my opinion ...
Shiraz/Shiraz Blends - 32.5% Mainly Barossa. This has come down in recent years which was the plan. Not buying much these days except the usual suspects - Rockford, Noon, Kalleske in good vintages.
Champagne/Sparkling - 13.5% A fair bit of grower champagne from 2002, 2004 and 2006. Also some older vintages of Sparkling Shiraz from the early to mid 90's - love these when they lose their baby fat and get a bit gamey. Wish all producers would release under crown seal!
Whites - 6.0% Mainly Marsanne and some Riesling from 2012 & 2013. Not a big white drinker but it has it's time and place.
Other bits and pieces - 3.5% A little bit of Pinot Noir and Grenache and a few bottles of Italian Sangiovese.

Would like to continue to decrease the shiraz holdings and stock up on more grower champagne in the good vintages. Also trying to get a bit more of an International flavour in the cellar (currently 85% Aussie) with some more Italian super tuscans and possibly some NZ Waiheke bordeaux blends - joined the Stonyridge mailing list last year and very impressed with the reds!

The wine journey continues ...

[Mike Hawkins]

Bowen, Mildara and Redman make good long lasting Coonawarra CabSavs for reasonable prices. If you are impatient you can usually pick them up on the secondary market at very good prices - ready to drink.

I would add to this list Balnaves Cab Sav. You should be able to track down some for between $25-29 pb and it makes an excellent mid week drinking red. I am still slowly working my way through a case of the 2004 and it is, IMO, still some way off entering its optimal drinking window. At this price point its fantastic value.

I agree wholeheartedly. Probably my favourite Coonawarra producer

[ticklenow1]

I need to broaden my horizons as well.

Shiraz, Shiraz dominant Blends and Sparkling Shiraz - 48%. And mostly dominated by SA with some Victorian and WA examples
Grenache and Grenache Blends - 19%. My favourite and growing all the time. Don't age as well but good ones go 10 years easy.
Cabernet and Cabernet dominant Blends - 18%. Probably the varietal that is declining in my buying preferences. Starting to go off Coonawarra Cabs and the good WA ones are getting up in price a bit, but I am buying a few of these.
Other Reds (Pinot, Mataro, Foreign etc) - 8%. I'm starting to buy more Mataro and I've dipped my toes into Pinot, but prices are stupid and it doesn't really do it for me I'm afraid.
Whites (mostly Chardonnay and Riesling) - 7%. I love a good aged Chardonnay (especially Margaret River), but it too is getting expensive for good age worthy ones, so I'm drifting towards Riesling a bit.

I know I probably need to branch out a bit, especially into Foreign wine, but frankly, I really love what I'm drinking now. Lots of Barossa Grenache and Shiraz. I have started buying stuff I wouldn't have bought a few years ago (Pinot, Spanish), but sometimes I honestly think I've wasted my money. People keep telling me that my palate will change, but in 10 years of seriously drinking and collecting wine, it's still exactly the same as when I started.

I have seen people write that as their palate changes, they have to turn over their cellar. This hasn't happened to me, but isn't that part of the fun? I probably couldn't afford to do it at the moment anyway! So I'll stick to what I know from now on I think. Plus I'm a bit of a vintage whore. I'm going long on 2010 and 2012 SA reds.

Cheers
Ian

[qwertt]

Oh, a word on Wendourees.... the shiraz's are over rated and the cabernet/malbecs are the best cellaring bet ....Last year I only ordered the shiraz

well why did you only order the wine that was over-rated?

Sorry couldn't resist adding to the therapy bills!

Good point. I wasn't going to order any, but a fellow forumite asked if I would order some for him, so in went the order and it all went downhill from there.

Enough on the subject.

When the mailing list came out last year I wrote asking to be added and they actually sent me an order form - I suspect that the usual people bought less because it was 2011. I ordered a mix of the reds (the cabernet was not available). I have had 2 bottles already of the Shiraz Mataro - both sensational for the money in my opinion. Not classic very long term keepers, but loved the interest and character of both.

I definitely think the answer is to spread the order across the range - which is what I will be doing this year - and be happy with what I get. It helps that I only buy to cellar and drink. I have never sold a bottle of anything at auction.

[Diddy]

Interesting exercise!

I just ran my report and it came up as follows:-

Reds

Syrah 42.0%
Pinot Noir 9.1%
Cabernet Sauvignon 7.7%
Red Bordeaux Blend 7.7%
Red Blend 4.2%
Grenache 1.4%
Dolcetto 0.7%
Pinot Meunier 0.7%

Whites

Riesling 10.5%
Chardonnay 4.9%
Champagne Blend 4.2%
Sémillon 2.8%
Sauvignon Blanc 2.1%
Chenin Blanc 1.4%
White Blend 0.7%

[penguinoid]

I am not buying wine to cellar, but it's interesting nonetheless to for me too anyway:


Red 60.9%
Pinot Noir 20.3%
Shiraz 10.9%
Shiraz Blend 4.7%
Cabernet Sauvignon 4.7%
Merlot 3.1%
Red Bordeaux Blend 3.1%
Poulsard 1.6%
Red Blend 1.6%
Cabernet Franc 1.6%
Mourvedre 1.6%
Cabernet-Shiraz Blend 1.6%
Gamay 1.6%
Grenache 1.6%
Syrah 1.6%
Tempranillo 1.6%

White 37.5%
Sémillon 9.4%
Chardonnay 6.3%
Savagnin 4.7%
Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 3.1%
Marsanne 3.1%
Verdelho 3.1%
White Blend 1.6%
Trebbiano 1.6%
Melon de Bourgogne 1.6%
Pinot Blanc 1.6%
Riesling 1.6%

[rooman]

Australia 50%
France 32%
Germany 12%
Italy 2.5%
NZ 2.5%
Portugal .8%
Rats and mice the balance

Red 70%
White 30%

Cab Sav & Bordeaux blends of this type 36.5%
Shiraz and Rhone blends 22%
Riesling 20%
Sauternes Blends 5.4%
Pinot Noir 6.5%
Chardy 3%
Semillon 2.7%
Other stuff the balance

The big hole no Spanish and no Champagne

[Mike Hawkins]

France 51%
Australia 46%
Italy 2%
US & Canada 1%

Champagne 37%
Shiraz & blends 30%
Cabernet & blends 13%
Sauternes (& a few Canadian Ice wines) 9%
Riesling 8%
Chardonnay 1%
Pinot 1%
Semillon 1%

No Spanish, South African or South American is a hole I don't intend to fill at this stage....