The Auswine Forum

I only started seriously keeping wines not-so-long-ago and I just made my first list.
Does anyone ever get tired of styles they love but over-filled their cellar with??
I like hearing from wiser forumites so any comments on my collection welcome! I must be a RB I know that much...
Is there any general rules you all follow with what and how much you put away?
Here 'tis...

Ashton Hills Five 2002
Ashton Hills Pinot Noir estate 2007
Ata Rangi Pinot 2006
Bellbrae Estate Geelong Shiraz 2004
Bremerton Old Adam 2005
Bremerton Reserve Cab 2004
Campbels Rutherglen Selection Cab Sav 2006
Chapel Hill Chapel Merlot
Charles Cimicky Red Blend 1998
Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz 2006
Chateau Tanunda Shiraz
Coriole TOA Cab Sav 2004
Craggy Range Sophia 2006
Gemtree Tatty Road Cab Sav
Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2002
Gemtree Uncut Shiraz
Grant Burge Reserve Cab Shiraz 2005
Grove Estate Zinfandel 2006
Hardy's Oomoo Shiraz 2006
Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz 2004
Jacobs Creek St Hugo Cab Sav 2003
Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz
Lake Breeze Arthurs Reserve Cab Petit Verdot 2003
Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cab 2005
Lake Breeze Cab Sav 2005
Langmeil Blacksmith Cab Sav 2005
Langmeil Freedom 1998
Langmeil Freedom Shiraz 2000
Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2004
Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2005
Penins Estate Penins Pinot Noir 2006
Pyramid Rock Syrah 2006
Richard Hamilton Hut Block cab sav 2006
Rockford Basket Press 2004
Rockford SV2
Rutherglen Estate Durif 2005
Stanton & Kileen Rutherglen Shiraz Durif 2006
Shiraz Viognier 2007
Tyrrells Heritage Heathcote Shiraz
Villa Maria Syrah 2006
Wattle Flat Cabernet 2006
West Cape Howe Cab Sav
West Cape Howe Shiraz
Winemakers Orange Cab Sav 2005
Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2006

Not sure how to go about commenting about your list, but personally, I'm beginning to think my stock of Wynns BLs is a bit OTT and some may, in part, end up at auction. Also, 18 bottles of Saltram Mamre Brook CS 2004 in a fit of wine purchasing, bargain hunting pique was probably bit ridiculous and some of them can go too.

I think the pinot (and similar medium bodied style) bug is starting to well and truly bite (or could it be the turn of the season?) so there's a few hearty reds that might bite the auction bullet at some point over the next few years.

Rocknoise, not sure how long you have been building your cellar, but yes I at least do change my preferences overtime and do have wines in the cellar that I pass over because I believe I have something better in another box. Its all part of both your own changing tastes and the ever increasing changes in wine styles and varieties that are available. The only advice I have is to simply get used to the idea as it is all part of the wine journey, no matter how serious or cashed up you are. I now only buy 3 or 6 bottles where I used to buy 12, simply because its too expensive to get all the wines I want to cellar, plus I tend to make sure I have 20 or so wineries that I buy every year, good year or not, just so I experience how vintages differ and to express my loyalty to the 'chosen few'.

cheers for the thoughts so far.
and John, I like the idea of the 3 or 6 buys too.
Even in the couple years of collecting I've already found that having the 12 can make me skip over it in favour of something new as well as take up more room and too much $$

Yes I would add that no more than 6 is a good guide these days. I tend to buy in minimum 3 if I like a wine. There really is so much out there though, it's silly to buy up on too much of one thing.

This is an interesting discussion. I don't necessarily buy very expensive wines, and there a few wines that I buy a dozen of each year, for example:

Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon
Pewsey Vale Riesling

Yes - mostly WHITES - and the rationale is that I drink 3-4 while young, and watch the remainder evolve. Let's keep it simple, and assume I drink one bottle of each vintage each year, just to keep track.

For these wines, I've developed a sort of cyclical system, and the wines going in each year are roughly balanced by the older ones coming out.

For reds, I don't have the same commitment to a particular wine/ry, and therefore do not buy dozens. Howevr, finances permitting, I think a six-pack is a good investment, on the assumption that you've tried the wine more than once and not just in a cellar-door environment.

Of course, there will be exceptions - but for me, they're rare.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

Allan

rocknoise wrote:Is there any general rules you all follow with what and how much you put away?

For me, my wife!!!:twisted:

1. Have an extra credit card just for wine purchases. Statements to business address of course, not home.
2. Have a cool space in your garage to hide the wines for a day or two.
3. Always have champagnes ready for her to celebrate anything and to make her happy.

Blue, that's so true! and somewhat hilarious. Actually I bought the 1996 grange and Dom for my wife's 50th birthday (at least that's what I told her) even tho' it has past and they are still in the Kitchener.

I'll start collecting for her 60th shortly....

rocknoise wrote:I only started seriously keeping wines not-so-long-ago and I just made my first list.
Does anyone ever get tired of styles they love but over-filled their cellar with??
I like hearing from wiser forumites so any comments on my collection welcome! I must be a RB I know that much...
Is there any general rules you all follow with what and how much you put away?
Here 'tis...

Ashton Hills Five 2002
Ashton Hills Pinot Noir estate 2007
Ata Rangi Pinot 2006
Bellbrae Estate Geelong Shiraz 2004
Bremerton Old Adam 2005
Bremerton Reserve Cab 2004
Campbels Rutherglen Selection Cab Sav 2006
Chapel Hill Chapel Merlot
Charles Cimicky Red Blend 1998
Charles Cimicky Trumps Shiraz 2006
Chateau Tanunda Shiraz
Coriole TOA Cab Sav 2004
Craggy Range Sophia 2006
Gemtree Tatty Road Cab Sav
Gemtree Uncut Shiraz 2002
Gemtree Uncut Shiraz
Grant Burge Reserve Cab Shiraz 2005
Grove Estate Zinfandel 2006
Hardy's Oomoo Shiraz 2006
Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz 2004
Jacobs Creek St Hugo Cab Sav 2003
Kay Brothers Hillside Shiraz
Lake Breeze Arthurs Reserve Cab Petit Verdot 2003
Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cab 2005
Lake Breeze Cab Sav 2005
Langmeil Blacksmith Cab Sav 2005
Langmeil Freedom 1998
Langmeil Freedom Shiraz 2000
Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2004
Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2005
Penins Estate Penins Pinot Noir 2006
Pyramid Rock Syrah 2006
Richard Hamilton Hut Block cab sav 2006
Rockford Basket Press 2004
Rockford SV2
Rutherglen Estate Durif 2005
Stanton & Kileen Rutherglen Shiraz Durif 2006
Shiraz Viognier 2007
Tyrrells Heritage Heathcote Shiraz
Villa Maria Syrah 2006
Wattle Flat Cabernet 2006
West Cape Howe Cab Sav
West Cape Howe Shiraz
Winemakers Orange Cab Sav 2005
Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2006

Hi Rocknoise,

I'm not one for cellaring whites either. I buy them for immediate consumption.

My only other comment (and it may be related to how much you'll spend) is try some of the classics and start putting them away for the long-haul. Rockford BP is a good example, but add good vintages Penfolds St. Henri, Henschke Edelstone, maybe Seppelt Peters, Bests Thomson Family. Wendouree if you are a keeper of the faith (I've never tried one).

My palate is changing for sure ... love N.Rhone now ... Cotie Roties despite all the Shiraz Viognier trumpted in Oz are normally 100% syrah now ... but I never find it hard to enjoy one of the oz classics. Of course even classics have some average wines (avoid Henschke Mt Ed from 1995-2000 for example).

It's funny, the more I taste and read the more I come back to the classics.

Jay

Wayno wrote:Not sure how to go about commenting about your list, but personally, I'm beginning to think my stock of Wynns BLs is a bit OTT and some may, in part, end up at auction. Also, 18 bottles of Saltram Mamre Brook CS 2004 in a fit of wine purchasing, bargain hunting pique was probably bit ridiculous and some of them can go too.

I think the pinot (and similar medium bodied style) bug is starting to well and truly bite (or could it be the turn of the season?) so there's a few hearty reds that might bite the auction bullet at some point over the next few years.

I generally buy 6 or less bottles, but when something that is reportedly going to last 20 years comes along for under $20 a bottle (like the 04 Mamre Brook) I may buy a couple of cases and drink them over the long term. I have about 18 bottles of Mamre Brook too – that’s only about 1 bottle a year for the expected life of the wine.

Same with Wynns BL from good years. I drank the last bottle of 2 cases of 1990 a year or so ago. Would love to still have another case sitting in the cellar.

A fairly eclectic list of reds there rocknoise.

Each person has to really find their ideal mix of wines and numbers of each. Many years ago I would buy dozens or 2 dozen of a good wine, but since the proliferation of small makers I tend to buy in 6's and 3's and any vintage of a favourite wine that doesn't look good enough is bypassed for something else that does. In recent years the proportion of big-company wines bought has declined markedly in comparison to wines from the samller makers. Brand-loyalty is long dead for me, each vintage of a wine has to earn it's buy-rating all over again.

I'm lucky I guess that my tastes haven't changed all that much in the last 20 years and my partner likes the same types of wines that I do, so we have a cellar full of wine that allows us to always find something of the type and age that we want to drink on any particular day or occasion.

I have bought a smattering of Italian and Spanish reds over the last couple of years, I've always liked some of these styles, but in recent times the selection available and prices have been more accessible for my budget, so they add to the variety.

Of course, being the original Red Bigot, there are only a few whites for cooking or emergencies for a non-RB guest, other than some dessert wines and champagne / sparkling.

You can only go with what you like at the time. If I had been building a cellar 4 or 5 years ago my list would have looked a lot like yours. Although I would have probably had some riesling, and semillon.

Now I drink more pinot, and red from Europe and South America. So faced with a cellar of jammy high alcohol Australian reds, the auction ring would be looking the goods.

That said aging can do wonderful things to a wine, so you could probably twist my arm into a glass or two of those shiraz's you have... for scientific purposes.

The only suggestion I could make is don't buy too many bottles of each wine, in case you do get bored, and take a punt on something different every now and again, say some staight petit verdot's, some nebbiolo, or mourvedre etc

Or some white even...

Yep, thats what Langtons are for

I would lay good money given the over concentration of Australian reds and shiraz in particular, in another 3-4 years you will have either put 40% into the auctions or better still keep it for the bewitching hour of parties when you have had too much and think it is GREAT idea to get that extra special bottle. Personally whenever I get friends over for dinner, I always make sure there is Bin 28 or Rosemount stuff in the emergency wine fridge. Main cellar is kept at Kennards. If you care enough to ask the question, you know you are are going to experience far and wide over the years ahead.

The biggest mistake I have made in recent years was not grabbing enough riesling early on given it takes at least 5 years to be interesting. Same with Semillon, a great drop with seafood or risotto but needs 10 years to be worth opening.

Secondly start collecting French now. Bordeaux has just had the best vintage since 61. RP recommends it out rates the 82. In 5 years you will kick yourself for laying down cases and cases of the stuff. Also grab some 04 Barolo from Italy. Good vintage and it will also take another 10 yrs to reach its window. As for Spain, if you start on this stuff, your whole palate will substantially change. Just one recommendation, stay away from Burgundy. If you get the Burgundy bug bad, you will sell everything you own and probably end up moving there in order to try and fathom the stuff.

Jules wrote:Now I drink more pinot, and red from Europe and South America. So faced with a cellar of jammy high alcohol Australian reds, the auction ring would be looking the goods.

That said aging can do wonderful things to a wine, so you could probably twist my arm into a glass or two of those shiraz's you have... for scientific purposes....

Just a thought.....

Does a Frenchman ever wake up an think, I'm sick of all this "iron fist in a velvet glove", stuff and lust for the rich, ginormous, palate/teeth-staining, liver bruising +/- high alcohol stuff we bathe ourselves in here?

Could it be a case of "the grass is greener?"...

I never get bored with anything in my cellar. I never really bought wines by the case to cellar. Never felt I could afford to buy the really good wines by the case, and perhaps more importantly there were far too many different wines to buy.

In my view the best advice in cellaring wines would be to maintain diversity and variety. In this way you should always have something in the cellar that will appeal to you. Even if you tire of a style for a while it won't be long before you look forward to tasting it again, except now it will be a nicely matured bottle.

Cheers.........Mahmoud.

monghead wrote:

Jules wrote:Now I drink more pinot, and red from Europe and South America. So faced with a cellar of jammy high alcohol Australian reds, the auction ring would be looking the goods.

That said aging can do wonderful things to a wine, so you could probably twist my arm into a glass or two of those shiraz's you have... for scientific purposes....

Just a thought.....

Does a Frenchman ever wake up an think, I'm sick of all this "iron fist in a velvet glove", stuff and lust for the rich, ginormous, palate/teeth-staining, liver bruising +/- high alcohol stuff we bathe ourselves in here?

Could it be a case of "the grass is greener?"...

No it is just where my taste is at the moment. I am Australian, hence my taste for wine developed here with predominantly Australian wine, and now I am exploring new horizons.

I still drink Australian white regularly, and a bit of red, but my enthusiasm for big Barossa Shiraz for instance, just isn't there anymore. I'm not saying Australian red is rubbish, it clearly isn't, but I'm just bored and wanting something different.

Your Frenchman, might wake up in the morning and say well today I'll drink some big Aussie reds, good luck to him, but he may also drink some Spanish, or Greek, or Italian etc. Europe is bigger than just France.

But as far as that "iron fist in a velvet glove" thing, you should get out more. With fly in winemakers, and Robert Parker, there are big wines being made now in France, try Cahors, and the Southern Rhone if you want an example.

The 2006 Al Muvedre by Telmo Rodriguez is from Spain, and about $20-22 a bottle and is as "new world" as you can get.

Jules wrote:

monghead wrote:

Jules wrote:Now I drink more pinot, and red from Europe and South America. So faced with a cellar of jammy high alcohol Australian reds, the auction ring would be looking the goods.

That said aging can do wonderful things to a wine, so you could probably twist my arm into a glass or two of those shiraz's you have... for scientific purposes....

Just a thought.....

Does a Frenchman ever wake up an think, I'm sick of all this "iron fist in a velvet glove", stuff and lust for the rich, ginormous, palate/teeth-staining, liver bruising +/- high alcohol stuff we bathe ourselves in here?

Could it be a case of "the grass is greener?"...

No it is just where my taste is at the moment. I am Australian, hence my taste for wine developed here with predominantly Australian wine, and now I am exploring new horizons.

I still drink Australian white regularly, and a bit of red, but my enthusiasm for big Barossa Shiraz for instance, just isn't there anymore. I'm not saying Australian red is rubbish, it clearly isn't, but I'm just bored and wanting something different.

Your Frenchman, might wake up in the morning and say well today I'll drink some big Aussie reds, good luck to him, but he may also drink some Spanish, or Greek, or Italian etc. Europe is bigger than just France.

But as far as that "iron fist in a velvet glove" thing, you should get out more. With fly in winemakers, and Robert Parker, there are big wines being made now in France, try Cahors, and the Southern Rhone if you want an example.

The 2006 Al Muvedre by Telmo Rodriguez is from Spain, and about $20-22 a bottle and is as "new world" as you can get.

Rhetorical...

Sorry, perhaps I shouldn't have quoted your post. Just wanted to have a stem to follow on...

Cheers,

Monghead.

No problems, probably over reacted a bit.

You are right that the things we have often seem boring in comparison to those we don't.