New Year Wine Resolutions 2020

[Ozzie W]

The New Year marks the half way point into my 6th year of cellaring. It's been an incredible journey so far. With hindsight, while I made a lot of good decisions, I also made some mistakes along the way too. Currently at around 1500 bottles with capacity for perhaps 100 more. What happens next is all up to me, so without further ado here's the plan for 2020.

• Buy a few more bottles of 2012 Champagne.
• Buy 3 or 4 cases of 2016 Barolo from 'traditionalist' producers. I purposely didn't buy many 2015's to leave room for the 2016's.
• Send some oaky style (modernist) Barolo to auction. This is not a style I enjoy drinking. I bought too much Barolo before I knew which producers I like and dislike.
• Get rid of another 2 or 3 cases of Shiraz, either giving to my friend who likes drinking them or send to auction if he doesn't want them.
• Once my cellar becomes full, maintain a 1 to 1 ratio for purchases and consumption/removal. This will be an ongoing resolution for many years to come.
• Find a new or off-the-radar Burgundy producer which is good at the 1er level but also affordable. Perhaps this one more of a dream than a resolution?

Jeez! How did I do that without even mentioning Etna once?

Merry Christmas to all the Auswine forumites!

[mychurch]

Ozzie

i Like your positive thinking, but ‘1 in, 1 out’, sounds like a dream. Good luck. My guess is that ‘move house’, ‘extend house’ or ‘start a 2nd cellar in someone else’s house’ are on the cards. If not than ‘bigger drink now rack’, ‘bigger drink now fridge’, ‘2nd drink now fridge’ , ‘more external storage’ or even ‘sliding under bed storage’ will become options.

My goal for the year is the same as last year: 1 in, 1 out.

[JamieBahrain]

[*]Send some oaky style (modernist) Barolo to auction. This is not a style I enjoy drinking. I bought too much Barolo before I knew which producers I like and dislike

Which ones? I'm not a fan of poorly crafted Barolo either. I just note some of the popular thought in Australia on the topic is well behind the times, due to a lack of broad availability and cost, of both producers and adolescent to mature Barolo.

If you're dumping the likes of Sandrone, Elio Grasso etc you could be making a mistake. At maturity many of these "modern" wines will be very good.

[Craig(NZ)]

Buy more pinot
Buy less syrah
Save for 2019's

[Ozzie W]

[*]Send some oaky style (modernist) Barolo to auction. This is not a style I enjoy drinking. I bought too much Barolo before I knew which producers I like and dislike

Which ones? I'm not a fan of poorly crafted Barolo either. I just note some of the popular thought in Australia on the topic is well behind the times, due to a lack of broad availability and cost, of both producers and adolescent to mature Barolo.

If you're dumping the likes of Sandrone, Elio Grasso etc you could be making a mistake. At maturity many of these "modern" wines will be very good.

I'm actually in a real quandary about which ones to get rid of. The situation made more complex by some producers changing their style at a certain point and/or differences in style between different labels from the same producer. Even defining when maturity is reached is difficult for me. I simply don't have enough experience yet with Barolo to be confident which ones I'll like and which ones I won't. Due to costs and very limited opportunities to taste before I buy, much of the Barolo in my cellar I've never tasted before. I'm learning a lot at one of my wine groups which has a heavy focus on Piedmont, but it takes time.

I agree with your assertion that I may end up getting rid of some bottles that I would indeed enjoy drinking at maturity. However, I would end up replacing those with bottles I'm certain I'll enjoy drinking. The effort seems a worthwhile exercise for me.

I definitely need to do a lot more homework before I decide which ones to get rid of. Below are the bottles currently on my shortlist, which are from producers that: [Edit: Realised I may not have been clear here. It's one or more of the 3 criteria below, not necessarily all of them]

- I've tasted before and didn't enjoy.
- I've read tasting notes on CellarTracker which mention oak in a negative way.
- Are/were classified as modernist.


Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.

Paolo Scavino
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo
2010 Paolo Scavino Barolo
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc
2007 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bricco Ambrogio
2008 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bricco Ambrogio
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi
2012 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi
2010 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric
2011 Paolo Scavino Barolo Carobric
2013 Paolo Scavino Barolo Monvigliero

Azelia
2013 Azelia Barolo
2013 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco
2010 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco
2005 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco
2004 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco
2013 Azelia Barolo Margheria
2004 Azelia Barolo San Rocco

Domenico Clerico
2008 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin
2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
2007 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana
2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana

Elio Grasso
2013 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera
2015 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté
2013 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté

Luigi Einaudi
2013 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo
2013 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Terlo
2013 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Terlo Vigna Costa Grimaldi

E. Pira & Figli
2013 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Cannubi
2013 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Mosconi
2013 E. Pira & Figli (Chiara Boschis) Barolo Via Nuova

Conterno Fantino
2007 Conterno Fantino Barolo Mosconi
2013 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra
2006 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sori Ginestra

Aldo Conterno
2010 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo
2012 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala
2012 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello

La Spinetta
2010 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barbaresco Vursu Vigneto Starderi
2010 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barbaresco Vursu Vigneto Valeirano

Massolino
2012 Massolino Barolo Parafada

Luciano Sandrone
2012 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
2011 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
2006 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne

(This represents about 30% of the Barolo in my cellar)

[Mahmoud Ali]

I'm going to play devils's advocate so please bear with me. The wines you've listed, and are thinking of auctioning off, is only 30% of your Barolo collection, so clearly you have a lot of Barolo you like. Regarding the wines you want to auction off:

"- I've tasted before and didn't enjoy."

Then why did you buy them?

- I've read tasting notes on CellarTracker which mention oak in a negative way.

CellarTracker people have widely divergent opinions and are not to be take to heart.

"- Are/were classified as modernist."

Again, why did you buy them?

All the wines you've listed are young or adolescent wines, nowhere near maturity. My two cents, for what it's worth, is to keep them and see how they go, you'll never know till you cellar them.

[Ozzie W]

I'm going to play devils's advocate so please bear with me. The wines you've listed, and are thinking of auctioning off, is only 30% of your Barolo collection, so clearly you have a lot of Barolo you like. Regarding the wines you want to auction off:

"- I've tasted before and didn't enjoy."

Then why did you buy them?

- I've read tasting notes on CellarTracker which mention oak in a negative way.

CellarTracker people have widely divergent opinions and are not to be take to heart.

"- Are/were classified as modernist."

Again, why did you buy them?

All the wines you've listed are young or adolescent wines, nowhere near maturity. My two cents, for what it's worth, is to keep them and see how they go, you'll never know till you cellar them.

All great questions, Mahmoud. Hopefully my answers will help others will learn from my mistakes.

Why did I buy them?

I caught the Nebbiolo bug after tasting some Barolo at a wine group a few years ago. I knew I wanted to cellar them, so I started collecting. Once I buy a bottle from a vendor, I'm added to their mailing list and then the plethora of email offers start. These emails tell me how good the wines are and how limited the stock is (they frequently sell out) so I buy some. I don't get an opportunity to taste the wines before I buy. I rely on my limited knowledge at the time, and tasting notes from both professional wine tasters and CellarTracker. Then I get impatient as I can't wait for them to mature, so I buy some back vintages from auction to speed up the process.

When I read that some Barolo is aged in French oak, that didn't seem a negative to me. After all, it's used in Bordeaux and I love Bordeaux. It's only when I first taste some of them that I discover I don't like them. I don't like to pigeonhole a producer based on a single bottle (wine faults, poor storage, etc.), but after a few bottles which are all the same it becomes clear that producer is not my cup of tea. I also learn about this modernist versus traditionalist (Barolo Boys) culture war which has an impact on the style of the wine, something I didn't know about when I made my earlier purchases. The difference between producers is more than just oak regime, but this factor alone seems to be frequently be a deal-breaker for my enjoyment. What I love in Barolo are those lovely red fruits, the strong tannins, high acidity, floral aromas, but not oak which is in the foreground.

I understand the bottles in my list aren't mature yet, but I have tasted older vintages of modernist Barolo and I didn't like them. I've also tasted youngish vintages (e.g. 2010-2013) from various traditionalist producers and I really enjoyed them because the oak was in check, even though they aren't mature yet.

[cleanskinlover]

more half-bottles.

I just can't (shouldn't) drink a full bottle anymore.

[Rossco]

More traditional Barolo & Northern Italian Neb.
More white burg (dreaming here) so will just focus on
High quality chardonnay.
No more shiraz/syrah with the only exception being my allocation from Fraser (Sami Odi). Just over it, have too much in my cellar and will gradually open it for family and friends who still love it.
Will try and hunt out more vintage champagne and vintage ports / fortifieds.

[Ozzie W]

more half-bottles.

I just can't (shouldn't) drink a full bottle anymore.

These work a treat when you don't want to drink a full bottle: [url]https://www.mywinesaver.com.au/[/url]

Thanks for putting me onto them TiggerK ([url]http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15928[/url])

[JamieBahrain]

Ozzie, I've just all-day decanted a modernist Barbaresco, so I've poured a big glass and I'll endeavour to answer your questions tonight.

Being able to "play" with Piedmont wines so randomly, due ease of access and affordability, gives a little more freestyle approach in thinking. Perhaps its a bit out there but anyways.

Paolo Scavino

Yep, dump them Ozzie, from what I've picked up on your thoughts, not for you. Shame you can't host a vertical/ horizontal tasting but that said, they're young stock.


Azelia

Oh no, let's not be hasty here. OK, I suggest you dump Bricco Fiasco. It's from CF and I think its the wine in their line up that most struggles with their journey and philosophy.

Margheria is made traditionally. Keep.

San Rocco is a beast and the Serralunga vineyard sucks up oak like no other. The 2004 is a great wine and I suggest you leave it for 5 years or much, much longer. I rated SR 2004 96pts+ recently which is up there in my rankings!

Azelia outperforms in blind tastings with good age, I'm not a reader of Galloni though I have been drawn to this observation by others.


Domenico Clerico There is no more soulful nor passionate wine region that ties in culture, history, food and people. Clerico at an age where oak is integrated and harder to notice performs well blind.

I'm backfilling Percristina. Domenico Clerico made this in honour of his daughter who tragically passed. He died a few months ago and by all accounts he was a fanatical and passionate man. I can not ignore a man's lifetime of work in a bottling so easily available and having witnessed strong performances of older Pajana.


Elio Grasso Modernist? Yes, Runcot is! But his two Cru's are stunningly pure, well made and traditional in every respect except for faults! He was heavily influenced by the Conternos.


Luigi Einaudi Can't comment too little exposure


E. Pira & Figli I'd punt on these personally. But at 20 years. Passionate lady.


Conterno Fantino Not enough exposure though I've cellared myself and visited and been impressed. Probably not for you.


Aldo Conterno There is only one more simpler argument in Piedmont than modernist/traditionlist and this is oak! Big barrels do impart oak influences in a sometimes negative fashion. It took us a lot of detective work and arguments and many older bottles to discover oak influnce in Conterno is probably annual scraping of bog botti!

These guys show well in the long term though 12 may well be a gamble?


La Spinetta Haven't enough experience but I think Ozzie, like me, you'd prefer Olek's Starderi.

Massolino

Again, 2012?

Luciano Sandrone Keep the 2006. You've come this far. 2012 may be accentuated vintage issues - I got a magnum for Xmas.

I've all their top vintages and I believe they could be magical very long term.

[I Love Shiraz]

Get my wine collection to below 400 bottles. My current collection is a bit too large for my current drinking (currently at 423 bottles). The collection has been as high as 500 bottles.

The wife doesn't drink, so it takes longer to get through the wine.

[brodie]

Ozzie, I've just all-day decanted a modernist Barbaresco, so I've poured a big glass and I'll endeavour to answer your questions tonight.

Being able to "play" with Piedmont wines so randomly, due ease of access and affordability, gives a little more freestyle approach in thinking. Perhaps its a bit out there but anyways.

Paolo Scavino

Yep, dump them Ozzie, from what I've picked up on your thoughts, not for you. Shame you can't host a vertical/ horizontal tasting but that said, they're young stock.


Azelia

Oh no, let's not be hasty here. OK, I suggest you dump Bricco Fiasco. It's from CF and I think its the wine in their line up that most struggles with their journey and philosophy.

Margheria is made traditionally. Keep.

San Rocco is a beast and the Serralunga vineyard sucks up oak like no other. The 2004 is a great wine and I suggest you leave it for 5 years or much, much longer. I rated SR 2004 96pts+ recently which is up there in my rankings!

Azelia outperforms in blind tastings with good age, I'm not a reader of Galloni though I have been drawn to this observation by others.


Domenico Clerico There is no more soulful nor passionate wine region that ties in culture, history, food and people. Clerico at an age where oak is integrated and harder to notice performs well blind.

I'm backfilling Percristina. Domenico Clerico made this in honour of his daughter who tragically passed. He died a few months ago and by all accounts he was a fanatical and passionate man. I can not ignore a man's lifetime of work in a bottling so easily available and having witnessed strong performances of older Pajana.


Elio Grasso Modernist? Yes, Runcot is! But his two Cru's are stunningly pure, well made and traditional in every respect except for faults! He was heavily influenced by the Conternos.


Luigi Einaudi Can't comment too little exposure


E. Pira & Figli I'd punt on these personally. But at 20 years. Passionate lady.


Conterno Fantino Not enough exposure though I've cellared myself and visited and been impressed. Probably not for you.


Aldo Conterno There is only one more simpler argument in Piedmont than modernist/traditionlist and this is oak! Big barrels do impart oak influences in a sometimes negative fashion. It took us a lot of detective work and arguments and many older bottles to discover oak influnce in Conterno is probably annual scraping of bog botti!

These guys show well in the long term though 12 may well be a gamble?


La Spinetta Haven't enough experience but I think Ozzie, like me, you'd prefer Olek's Starderi.

Massolino

Again, 2012?

Luciano Sandrone Keep the 2006. You've come this far. 2012 may be accentuated vintage issues - I got a magnum for Xmas.

I've all their top vintages and I believe they could be magical very long term.

Obviously Jamie is the expert! I have had most of these and had a fair few on my cellar. Here is my two cents worth

Sell
Domenico Clerico - too much for me. oaky even after 20 years. Sold off my entire collection
Aldo Conterno: just not for me, have tried to like them but uneven and sometimes appears oaky. Sold off almost all my collection
Conterno Fantino: too oaky for me, nothing special imo
Paolo Scavino: agree with Jamie - sell
La Spinetta: sell, much better Barbarescos at better prices

Keep:
Sandrone :love how the wines evolve after 20+ years. Beautiful purity of fruit
Azelia Magheria: same as Jamie, definitely keep Margheria,
Luigi Einaudi: I would be tempted to keep them, definitely modern but not over the top
Elio Grasso: I like the Gavarini Chiniera and would keep this one
Massolino : I like but agree about 2012

[Ozzie W]

Thanks much much for the advice, Brodie and Jamie.

[JamieBahrain]

The Azelia & Clerico 2005's would be worth checking out. I like this vintage. It's bright and long with cool tones preserving and carrying fruit.

I'd pull them out together and take a look? Now decanting? Under 20 years, despite arguments against, we've seen Barolo consistently score better blind in deliberate trial. Bit of a gamble if your only bottles.

I didn't make much comment on La Spinetta. I like the wines in my limited exposure in a Gaja like context- had the 2006 Starderi in Neive recently. It was solid and well made- but Olek Bondonio's Starderi was so pure and magically elegant. It's a third of the price in ITA.

And on Conterno Fantino, the punt is very long term. 20 years. The fruit is still pristine and oak is minimal by then. I had the 99 Sori Ginestra some time last year. This is more a headache with unapologetic modernists, wines are beautifully made yet many drinkers like yourself won't like them until well after the drinking windows of more traditionally made wines. So why bother?

Aldo Conterno. Now we've nailed the good ones from the 90's but I do not knwo a single person who doesn't regret buying Giacomo Conterno during the same period instead. Up and down, up and down producer. Some excellent wines - Gran Bussia I drank way too young.

[Ozzie W]

Thanks very much Jamie. I didn't think my resolutions would generate so much discussion. I really appreciate all your advice.

Yes, I agree regarding Olek Starderi. Such good value too, even in Australia. I've also got some Olek Roncagliette (2014, 2015 & 2016), but I've never tried. I bought based on my positive experience with the Starderi. I believe the Roncagliette is from the same vineyard as the Gaja Sori Tildin.

[Mike Hawkins]

Load up on 2008 Taittinger Comtes and Dom Ruinart, and get more DP. Buy more 2012 grower champagnes as well. I think that if the US tariffs on champers come in and then stay for a while, importers and producers will reprice in markets like Oz to minimise arbitrage opportunities- though I hope I’m wrong.

I think I might revisit Clare Riesling as well...especially 2019.

[brodie]

Load up on 2008 Taittinger Comtes and Dom Ruinart, and get more DP. Buy more 2012 grower champagnes as well. I think that if the US tariffs on champers come in and then stay for a while, importers and producers will reprice in markets like Oz to minimise arbitrage opportunities- though I hope I’m wrong.

I think I might revisit Clare Riesling as well...especially 2019.

Hi Mike, how much 2008 DP are you looking to buy? US$ price seems about $140 or so. Bought 3 bottles and thinking of getting a few more. Hoping the 2008 Taittinger CdC won’t be too expensive here in NZ

Brodie

Brodie

[Mike Hawkins]

I’ve bought quite a few cases of 08 DP, but will buy additional cases in Oz. Price is quite comparable. Not sure I’ll buy any/many of the Lenny labels!

As for the Comtes, the UK tends to be the cheapest. That said, I expect it to go for GBP 500 a six pack in bond initially, and then settle closer to 700 if the other 08s are anything to go by. The price in Oz will be north of $300 which is ridiculous (not Taittinger’s fault, nor retailers ) given it is the cheapest of the tete de cuvées in the rest of the world.

[JamieBahrain]

Domenico Clerico
2008 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin
2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra
2007 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana
2005 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana

I’ve stood up Clerico’s - Pajana 1997

- Percristina 1996, 1997,1998

Let’s see! I have more than a little trepidation about this producer from cellar tracker like comments though I did mention I’ve seen them out-gun some traditionally made Barolo at 20 years .

Money where my mouth is - though I have more confidentially stood up a Voerzio from 1999 too. Just so I don’t shoot down my arguments .

Will take a month to get through them all .

[Ian S]

I missed it earlier, but La Spinetta most definitely modernist Barbaresco, and I recall tasting them at a wine festival in the civic building in Barbaresco. They were strikingly different to everything else there, being very luscious / fruit-rich, when the others (mostly current vintage) had typically drying tannins alongside less imposing fruit. Were they bad wines? No I rather thought them an interesting alternative. My problem was more the price, double what I would have been prepared to pay, and with more traditional options available at very fair prices, the La Spinetta Barbaresco wines were never going to get a look in.

If you ever see their Moscato d'Asti (two bottlings IIRC Bricco Quaglia and Biancospina) then grab them. Whilst I've never had a poor Moscato d'Asti, La Spinetta seem to get just a fraction more creaminess to the texture. Prices are reasonable as well

[Benchmark]

More Chianti.

More Vulture.

More Brunello.

Less everything else.

[Ozzie W]

Time to reflect.

Buy a few more bottles of 2012 Champagne.

• I only bought 2 bottles. Would have liked to buy a few more.

Buy 3 or 4 cases of 2016 Barolo from 'traditionalist' producers. I purposely didn't buy many 2015's to leave room for the 2016's.

• Success here. Bought 48 bottles.

Send some oaky style (modernist) Barolo to auction. This is not a style I enjoy drinking. I bought too much Barolo before I knew which producers I like and dislike.

• I made a start a few weeks ago and sent a dozen bottles to auction. Will send more to auction next year.

Get rid of another 2 or 3 cases of Shiraz, either giving to my friend who likes drinking them or send to auction if he doesn't want them.

• Didn't end up doing this. COVID got in the way.

Once my cellar becomes full, maintain a 1 to 1 ratio for purchases and consumption/removal. This will be an ongoing resolution for many years to come.

• I haven't really been put to the test on this one yet due to COVID. Couldn't access my cellar for a long time.

Find a new or off-the-radar Burgundy producer which is good at the 1er level but also affordable. Perhaps this one more of a dream than a resolution?

• Fail!

[Ian S]

For those that also like to keep track of how they got on, here's the 2019 vintage of this thread
http://forum.auswine.com.au/viewtopic.php?f ... esolutions

Which for me was a much pared back focus on previous years

- A case leading on the Elston, but also backed up by some Soalheiro vino verde never happened, I need to rectify
- A repeat purchase from the local merchant with the good value nebbiolo - more house nebbiolo! never happened - he ran out of the stunning bargain that he had, but yes there is still value to be had
- Another dip into Portugal, leading on more Soalheiro, Sidonio di Sousa and no doubt a couple of curios I'm not very good at this game
- Another case focused around the fringes of Italy Success. Probably the core of my purchases this year, covering 3 different Italian merchants
- Although I've just been there, I'm sure another visit or two to an eclectic local merchant, with some more Ch Wagenbourg (Alsace) and Ch Lamartine and maybe some more of a decent Lalande de Pomerol and St Nicholas de Bourgueil Modest success, a couple of visits, including one inbetween Covid lockdowns
- Although I've spurned them in recent years, maybe a little play in the new year sales Nope, nothing of interest
- Odd bottles here and there focused on old favourites, weird new stuff, and plugging any obvious gaps Yes, probably hit the mark on this fairly well

So 2021?
- Continue the trend of getting good solid everyday wines that last fine in the cellar
- A return or two to that eclectic merchant
- have a look at auctions, perhaps even going to a local one, something I've not done for a few years now
- Rectify that miss on Portuguese wines
- Enjoy drinking wine with friends again

[Wizz]

More Chianti.

More Vulture.

More Brunello.

Less everything else.

This.

Well in part...

Drink my riesling stocks down. Love Mosel, but there's only so much spatlese you can drink...
More textural whites, more varieties out of the mainstream
More Aus grenache (so hot right now). Add more Chianti, add more other medium bodied reds

I'm done with Burgundy
I'm not super keen on Nebbiolo in general

But keep the cellar its current size.

[mjs]

Ozzie

i Like your positive thinking, but ‘1 in, 1 out’, sounds like a dream. Good luck. My guess is that ‘move house’, ‘extend house’ or ‘start a 2nd cellar in someone else’s house’ are on the cards. If not than ‘bigger drink now rack’, ‘bigger drink now fridge’, ‘2nd drink now fridge’ , ‘more external storage’ or even ‘sliding under bed storage’ will become options.

My goal for the year is the same as last year: 1 in, 1 out.

Sounds a bit like my current situation which is driving a mildly robust resolution to catalog my wine more rigorously. Am in the throes of shifting from Melbourne to Adelaide, I have wine in a "cellar" under the house (really just underfloor crawl space) and separate storage at Kennards. Kennards started off fairly modestly a couple of years ago as an overflow from the house, which was getting over full, so I took a space for ~30 doz. Well, wasn't long before I had to shift to another locker for 60+ doz and that is now full

Back at home, I am pulling stuff out getting ready to shift it all to Adelaide next week, where the new house has a reasonable stand up cellar. I thought I had about 55-60 doz under the house. Turns out that it's closer to 75 doz and I doubt that it's all going to fit in the new cellar.

The Kennards stash in Melbourne will go to Kennards in Adelaide or similar later this year when the weather is more favourable, but it looks like I might have to send some of the house stash to Kennards in a couple of weeks.

So, I definitely need a better handle on cellar stock, the last Excel database went by the wayside about ten years ago I think. So, definitely room for improvement there. In that time I seem to have gone from a modest 50+ doz under the house to about 135 doz in a couple of places. I think I have also been in the 2 in, 1 out camp for the last 24 mths, so maybe I need to moderate my buying as well.

Best wishes for a festive end to 2020 and a Happy New year to all forumites. May you drink well in 2021!

[Mike Hawkins]

Ozzie

i Like your positive thinking, but ‘1 in, 1 out’, sounds like a dream. Good luck. My guess is that ‘move house’, ‘extend house’ or ‘start a 2nd cellar in someone else’s house’ are on the cards. If not than ‘bigger drink now rack’, ‘bigger drink now fridge’, ‘2nd drink now fridge’ , ‘more external storage’ or even ‘sliding under bed storage’ will become options.

My goal for the year is the same as last year: 1 in, 1 out.

Sounds a bit like my current situation which is driving a mildly robust resolution to catalog my wine more rigorously. Am in the throes of shifting from Melbourne to Adelaide, I have wine in a "cellar" under the house (really just underfloor crawl space) and separate storage at Kennards. Kennards started off fairly modestly a couple of years ago as an overflow from the house, which was getting over full, so I took a space for ~30 doz. Well, wasn't long before I had to shift to another locker for 60+ doz and that is now full

Back at home, I am pulling stuff out getting ready to shift it all to Adelaide next week, where the new house has a reasonable stand up cellar. I thought I had about 55-60 doz under the house. Turns out that it's closer to 75 doz and I doubt that it's all going to fit in the new cellar.

The Kennards stash in Melbourne will go to Kennards in Adelaide or similar later this year when the weather is more favourable, but it looks like I might have to send some of the house stash to Kennards in a couple of weeks.

So, I definitely need a better handle on cellar stock, the last Excel database went by the wayside about ten years ago I think. So, definitely room for improvement there. In that time I seem to have gone from a modest 50+ doz under the house to about 135 doz in a couple of places. I think I have also been in the 2 in, 1 out camp for the last 24 mths, so maybe I need to moderate my buying as well.

Best wishes for a festive end to 2020 and a Happy New year to all forumites. May you drink well in 2021!

I remember when I got to 36 dozen at Kennards.. definitely no more. It’s now well north of 120 dozen, and they don’t mind jacking up the price either.... So I understand your pain! To any newbies, your wallet will reward discipline .... 2 out, 1 in from now on!

As for keeping track, Cellartracker is great. You can export to/from excel as well.

[Hacker]

A tip for Kennards users, like me. When your yearly invoice comes due, check what your local Kennards is charging for new wine accounts and make sure that corresponds with what they are charging you. I was charged quite a bit more recently and I had to fight to get the lower charge.

[Mike Hawkins]

Thanks for the heads up Hacker. PM sent...

[Rossco]

More traditional Barolo & Northern Italian Neb. 100% Success here. Lots of Verduno, Gattinara, Bramaterra and Valtellina.


More white burg (dreaming here) so will just focus on
High quality chardonnay. Drank more than I bought....need to remedy that in 2021

No more shiraz/syrah with the only exception being my allocation from Fraser (Sami Odi). Just over it, have too much in my cellar and will gradually open it for family and friends who still love it. Some success here. Only bought Sami-Odi to cellar, didn't reduce my other holdings as planned through gifting and birthdays as much (they were cancelled due to covid).

Will try and hunt out more vintage champagne and vintage ports / fortifieds Not enough Champagne, some VP's bought but again will keep aiming for more in 2021 .