As part of the Collector Services team, I am often out of on the road and digging around in cellars to get them organized and inventoried. Part of what we do is bringing to the collector’s attention those wines that are drinking wonderfully now. It seems we all get so carried away with our latest purchase, newest winery release or “must have” varietals that the wines we loved just a few months or years ago are getting relegated to the deep dark corners of the cellar. We love to see clients smile when we pull out some older vintage gems they had long forgotten.
The downside to losing track of your collection is that some wines may have suffered from being hidden for too long – they are no longer something you would want to drink. We have seen some collectors throw out cases of wine because they just sat in a corner with more new cases getting stacked on top of them or new bottles racked in front. That is not only a wasted tasting opportunity, but more importantly, wasted money.
Here are some basic organizational tips to keep your collection up to date:
• Front and Center: place the oldest vintages (same region/producer) in the display position or just above/below and work outwards with the more current vintages at the edges. As you consume, consolidate the bottles towards the center, which will help to create room for the new vintages of that same wine or producer
• Out of sight/Out of mind: create an area or designate a section for long-term aging wines so that you aren’t tempted to drink before they are ready. If you can keep them in their original wood case, even better.
• Drink Me Section: we recommend clearing a shelf, bin or column close to the cellar door for those bottles that are going to be consumed in the very short term or are fast approaching the end of their drink window.
You may find that some wines are not holding up as well as you thought, or are no longer suited to your palate. If you have large quantities of that wine, it is best to move it to this area and think about selling, donating or having a party.
