Starting a wine collection is one of wine appreciation's great pleasures. There's something deeply satisfying about building a curated selection of bottles that reflect your tastes, provide for any occasion, and include wines that improve with time. But starting can feel overwhelming. Here's a practical approach to building your first collection.
Defining Your Collection Goals
Before buying your first bottle for the collection, consider what you want from it. Different goals lead to different approaches.
Drinking Collection
Most home collectors primarily want wine available when they want to drink it. The goal is having good options for weeknight dinners, weekend entertaining, and special occasions without running to the bottle shop. This functional approach focuses on a rotating inventory of ready-to-drink wines.
Aging Collection
Some collectors want to experience wines at their peak maturity, which means buying age-worthy wines young and cellaring them for years. This requires patience, proper storage, and wines specifically chosen for their aging potential.
Investment Collection
While some collect wine primarily as financial investment, this requires significant expertise, capital, and professional storage. It's not recommended for beginning collectors and won't be our focus here.
The Practical Approach
Most collectors benefit from a mixed approach: primarily ready-to-drink wines for regular enjoyment, with a smaller selection of wines set aside for aging. This provides immediate pleasure while building future rewards.
Starting with What You Know You Like
The foundation of any collection should be wines you enjoy drinking. This seems obvious but is often overlooked in favour of "important" wines or expert recommendations.
Begin with Exploration
Before committing to multiple bottles of anything, taste widely. Visit cellar doors, attend tastings, and try different styles. Keep notes on what you enjoy. Patterns will emerge—perhaps you consistently prefer lighter Tasmanian Pinot Noir, or you gravitate toward structured wines from Adelaide Hills.
Buy What You'll Actually Drink
A common mistake is buying wines you "should" like rather than wines you do like. Your collection should reflect your genuine preferences, not anyone else's. If you prefer fruit-forward styles over earthy ones, stock accordingly. The goal is enjoyment, not impressing hypothetical critics.
Building a Balanced Collection
A well-planned collection provides appropriate wines for different occasions. Consider building across these categories:
Everyday Wines (50-60% of collection)
Reliable, affordable bottles for weeknight drinking. These are wines you open without occasion, enjoying them with casual meals or a quiet evening. Budget $15-35 per bottle and focus on consistent quality rather than exceptional depth.
Weekend and Entertaining Wines (25-35% of collection)
Better bottles for dinner parties, weekend meals, and when you want something special without breaking the bank. Budget $35-65 and choose wines with more complexity that will impress guests and reward closer attention.
Special Occasion Wines (15-25% of collection)
Premium bottles for celebrations, significant dinners, and truly special moments. These might be $65-150+ and include single-vineyard wines, exceptional vintages, or producers you particularly admire. Some of these may be candidates for aging.
The 12-Bottle Starter Collection
A reasonable starting point for a Pinot Noir-focused collection:
• 6 everyday bottles ($20-35 each)
• 4 weekend bottles ($40-60 each)
• 2 special bottles ($70+ each)
Total investment: approximately $400-500
Buying Strategies
Smart buying stretches your budget and ensures you have wines when you want them.
Buy by the Case
Most retailers offer 10-15% discounts on case purchases (typically 6 or 12 bottles). If you find a wine you love, buying a case provides both savings and security. You'll have enough to enjoy over time without worrying about the wine selling out.
Mailing Lists
Many premium wineries sell allocated wines only to mailing list members. Getting on these lists (which are often free) provides access to wines before they reach retail, sometimes at preferential pricing. Research producers you admire and sign up directly.
End-of-Vintage Sales
Retailers often discount wines when new vintages arrive. These clearance sales can offer excellent value on perfectly good wines. The previous vintage isn't suddenly worse because a new one exists—it's just less current.
Direct from Winery
Buying direct from wineries, especially when visiting, can mean lower prices and access to special releases. You'll also receive better service and advice from people who actually made the wine.
Storage Considerations
Proper storage preserves your investment and ensures wines age appropriately. This is especially important for wines you plan to keep for more than a few months.
Basic Requirements
- Temperature: Consistent 10-15°C is ideal. Stability matters more than hitting the exact number
- Humidity: 60-70% keeps corks from drying out
- Darkness: Light degrades wine. Store away from windows and artificial light
- Position: Store bottles on their sides to keep corks moist
- Stillness: Avoid locations with vibration from appliances or traffic
Storage Options
Wine Fridge: The simplest solution for most collectors. Entry-level units start around $300 and hold 12-50 bottles. This is adequate for most starting collections and provides proper conditions without renovation.
Cool Cupboard: An interior closet away from heat sources can work for shorter-term storage (1-2 years). Monitor temperature to ensure it stays consistently cool.
Professional Storage: For serious aging or if your home lacks suitable conditions, consider offsite storage. Costs typically run $10-20 per case annually. This guarantees ideal conditions and is essential for valuable wines.
Storage Reality Check
If you're primarily keeping everyday drinking wines for 3-6 months, a cool dark spot in your home suffices. Only invest in serious storage when you're keeping wines for years or storing valuable bottles.
Tracking Your Collection
As your collection grows, tracking becomes essential. You'll want to know what you have, where it is, and when to drink it.
What to Track
- Wine details (producer, vintage, variety)
- Purchase information (date, price, source)
- Storage location (which shelf, rack, or box)
- Drinking window (when to open)
- Tasting notes (your impressions when opened)
Tracking Methods
Spreadsheets: A simple Excel or Google Sheets document works well for smaller collections. Create columns for the information above and update as you buy and drink.
Wine Apps: Apps like CellarTracker or Vivino allow easy logging, provide community tasting notes, and offer drinking window suggestions. Many are free for basic use.
Physical Logs: Some prefer a dedicated notebook. The act of writing can reinforce memory, and a well-kept wine journal becomes a treasured record of your journey.
Growing Thoughtfully
A collection should grow at a sustainable pace. Consider these guidelines.
Match Acquisition to Consumption
If you drink three bottles per week, adding one bottle per week grows your collection slowly. Adding six bottles weekly means you'll soon have storage problems. Find a pace that matches your habits and space.
Drink from Your Collection
A common trap is saving everything for future occasions while buying new bottles for immediate drinking. The collection grows but never provides value. Remember: wine exists to be drunk. Regular consumption from your collection keeps it fresh and rewarding.
Rotate Stock
Most wines don't improve indefinitely. Even age-worthy wines have optimal drinking windows. Track when wines should be consumed and drink them at their peak. A wine drunk past its prime is a missed opportunity.
Accept Imperfection
Some wines will disappoint. Others will surpass expectations. A few may spoil before you drink them. This is normal. Don't let occasional disappointments discourage you—they're part of the learning process.
The Two-Bottle Rule
When you find a wine you love, buy at least two bottles: one to drink now and one to try later. This lets you enjoy immediate pleasure while exploring how the wine evolves. If the second bottle is even better, you'll wish you'd bought more—and you'll know to do so next time.
Starting Your Pinot Noir Collection
For those focusing on Australian Pinot Noir, here's a specific starting approach:
Regional Representation
Include wines from multiple regions to understand their differences: Yarra Valley for balanced elegance, Mornington Peninsula for savoury complexity, Tasmania for bright purity, Adelaide Hills for structure. This regional exploration enriches your understanding and provides variety.
Producer Diversity
Try different producers within regions. Each winemaker interprets the grape differently, and discovering which styles resonate with you is part of the journey.
Vintage Exploration
When possible, buy the same wine from different vintages. Tasting them side by side teaches you about vintage variation and personal preference. Plus, having vertical options provides interesting comparison opportunities for dinner parties.
Final Advice
Building a wine collection should be enjoyable, not stressful. Start modestly, buy what you genuinely like, and grow at a comfortable pace. The best collection is one that provides pleasure every time you open a bottle—not one that sits impressive but untouched.
Trust your own palate above all. Expert opinions and ratings are useful guides, but your enjoyment is what ultimately matters. A collection built around your genuine preferences will always serve you better than one built on others' recommendations.
Most importantly, drink your wine. Collections are for enjoying, not for hoarding. The purpose of building a collection is to have wonderful bottles available when you want them. If you're not opening and enjoying bottles regularly, something has gone wrong. Build a collection that brings joy with every cork pulled.