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An Outline for Collecting Wine

  • How wines age:
    • Red and white wine
      • Red wine-
        • Gets lighter in color and loses its vibrancy
        • Become softer over time
        • Become more complex and subtle
        • Adds secondary and tertiary components
      • White wine-
        • Becomes darker and more golden in color
        • Gains weight and complexity
        • Adds secondary and tertiary components
      • Sparkling-
        • Loses some effervescence
        • See white wine
      • Dessert wine-
        • These may be some of the best aging wines you can find
        • Sugars act as a preservative in many ways
      • Rose-
        • Generally not age-worthy and should be drunk within the first few years of its life
    • Trademarks of age-worthy wine
      • Structure-balance is key. You are trying to predict a point in time in the future where the wine will be harmoniously in tune with itself
        • Acidity – If it not there now, it will not magically appear later. Acidity is what gives you freshness.
        • Tannin – Soften over time. If you are collecting a high tannin wine like Napa Cab, Bordeaux, or Barolo and good tannic structure is not available, the wine will show flabby as it ages.
        • Alcohol – This too becomes less as the wine ages and therefore the perceived “fruitiness” of the wine lessens over time.
        • Oak – Over time oak becomes more integrated with the wine as long as there is enough stuffing to “absorb” it. If not, then the wine just tastes like oak.
        • Sweetness – Sugars, like acidity, generally don’t disappear, they just become less apparent.
      • Bottle size
        • Bigger bottles age slower than smaller bottles – Do not age half bottles.
      • Storage
        • Stored on its side
        • Proper storage of 55 degrees
        • 70% humidity
        • No extended exposure to fluorescent or UV Light
  • Collecting wine as investment vs. future consumption
    • Investment-
      • Scores matter but not as much as you might think
      • What To look for when purchasing
        • Top producers from top regions in the world from top vintages
        • Wines that have solid auction histories
        • Wineries that cellar and release library vintages – This has built in market value increases
      • Countries/Regions to look for-
        • Countries: France, USA, Spain, Italy, Australia, Austria
        • Regions
          • B’s – Brunello Barolo, Barbaresco Burgundy, and Bordeaux
          • Napa, Sonoma Central Coast, Washington State
          • Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat
          • Champagne
        • How long to hold on to the wine?
          • Depends on the variety, region, wine making, etc.
            • Generally, 10 to 20 years is when you can expect a return on your money.
          • Beware of the grey market. Counterfeit wine is a billion dollar a year industry.
        • Future Consumption
          • Everything above applies but to a lesser extent
            • Do not let the “perfect” scenario keep you from starting a collection.
            • What to buy: Following the principles of age worthiness is key. There is much more room for personal tastes when collecting with the intent of drinking rather than investing. Quality is still the key.
            • When to buy: Spring and fall are the best time to get the wine to avoid the extremes of temperature.
            • Budgeting: There is no magic number here, it really depends on how much wine you are looking to lay down.
            • How many to buy: You should never buy less than 3 bottles if you can of any one wine. (Sometimes this is easier said than done).
            • When to drink: Again, there is no good hard rule here as it comes down to personal preference. The reason 3 bottles are the minimum I suggest is so you can enjoy the wine throughout its journey. One bottle to enjoy young, one to enjoy after 5 to 7 years, and one to enjoy possibly later depending on how it shows at the 5-to-10-year mark. Though it is great to enjoy properly aged wine, it is also a shame to open a bottle past its prime.