Wine Collecting & Cellar Development

We offer expertise to many private collectors, helping them build and manage private cellars. Our extensive knowledge and connection to the best wineries, importers, auction houses and distributors in the US give us unlimited access to the greatest wines in the world! Let us guide you towards creating the best possible cellar for short, mid, and long-term drinking and investing.

Building the cellar of your dreams requires vetting the best cellar installation firm in your area. We take that seriously and work to find the best for your budget, aesthetic, and wine storage needs.

Here’s What We Can Do

Work closely with each client to build a cellar of wines to drink today, mid-term cellaring, and long-term, and investment wines
Create inventory management systems
Evaluate your current stock, and make recommendations for future purchases
Inventory value estimates for insurance
Access to highly allocated blue-chip wines
Expert auction consulting and tracking of price trends
Host educational wine tastings for clients and friends
Find the right firm to build your dream cellar in your home

Building a Balanced Wine Collection

To build a balanced wine collection we consider all the options for you. We recommend the following cellar map for the best experience in wine collecting and enjoyment. We break it up into four easy categories that allow you to start and scale up as learn and taste more.

Everyday Drinking Wines!

Let’s face it you probably like drinking wine and so do your family, friends, and colleagues! This is the price range where you can have some fun with lesser-known wines from around the world and not fuss about it. These wines depending on your budget should start at around $25 and max out at $50. A few recommended examples of these wines are.

Fun Bubbles

Non-Vintage Grower Champagne
Franciacorta
Vintage Cava

Interesting White Wines

Chablis Village Level
Sancerre
Grüner Veltliner from Austria
Kabinett Riesling from Germany
Italian Whites from Soave, Alto-Adige, and Campania
Albariño from Spain
Assyrtiko from Santorini
Douro Valley from Portugal

Rocking Red Wines

Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux
Cru Beaujolais
Rhône Valley St. Joseph and Gigondas
Chianti Classico
Italian Reds from Valpolicella and Etna
Rioja Riserva
Douro Valley from Portugal
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Red Blends from California and Washington State
Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile and South Africa
Pinot Noir from Central Otago New Zealand

Mid-Term Cellaring

Wines in the mid-term cellaring range are wines that you can put away for a few years (3-8 years). These wines will blossom into an amazing glass without having to fuss over them too much. These wines will evolve just enough to keep the primary fruit intact while developing just enough secondary and tertiary flavors for complexity. Wines in this category should cost between $50 and $100. A few recommended examples of these wines are.

Bubbles

Premier Cru Grower Champagne

White Wines

Chablis Premier Cru Level
White Burgundy Village Level from Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Puligny-Montrachet
Bordeaux Blanc from Pessac-Léognan
Vouvray from Loire Valley
Rhône Valley from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage
Spätlese Riesling from Germany
Grüner Veltliner Smaragd from Wachau, Austria
Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and St. Rita Hills

Red Wines

St. Emilion and Lalande de Pomerol
Village Red Burgundy from Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle Musigny, Nuits-St. Georges, Volnay, and Pommard
Rhône Valley Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage
Brunello di Montalcino
Italian Reds from Amarone della Valpolicella and Taurasi
Rhône Blends from California and Washington State
Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Santa Barbara

Long-Term Next Generation Wines

Wines in this category are wines that can last anywhere from 10-25 years but still drink very nicely when in their youth if you so choose. Some of these wines will appreciate at price over the years but they are more meant to the cellar and pull bottles for those special occasions and for comparison tastings. These wines will start at $100 and can go into the $250 + range. Here are some gems to consider.

Bubbles

Grand Cru Grower Champagne
Vintage Champagne

White Wines

Grand Cru Chablis Village Level
Premier Cru Level from Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Puligny-Montrachet
Grand Cru Alsatian Riesling
Single Vineyard/Site Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Austria
Top Village Germany Riesling Spätlese and Auslese Level
Single Vineyard California Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast

Red Wines

Classified Growth Bordeaux 2nd – 5th Growth
Premier Cru Red Burgundies from Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, Volnay, and Pommard
Rhône Valley from Hermitage, Côte-Rotie, and Single Vineyard Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Cru and Riserva Level Barolo and Barbaresco
Riserva Brunello di Montalcino
Rioja Gran Riserva
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast and Willamette Valley

Serious Investment Wines

Serious investment wines are when you have hit a level of seriousness to your collection. These are the most difficult wines to source. They are scarce and made in minuscule quantities and very expensive. Our trusted sources have connections to access these wines for your collection. Many of these are commodities and can appreciate in value anywhere from 200 to 1000% in value for particular producers, vineyards, and vintages.

Bubbles

Vintage Champagnes from Krug, Salon, Jacques Sélosse, Taittinger Comtes de Champage, Dom Perignon, and Bollinger

White Wines

Grand Cru White Burgundy from Bâtard-Montrachet, Montrachet, and Corton-Charlemagne – Producers such as Coche-Dury, Comte-Lafon, Leflaive, Roulot, Ramonet, and DRC
Rhône Valley from Chave
Sweet Rieslings from Germany Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese Level
Sauternes from Château d’Yquem

Red Wines

First Growth Bordeaux – Lafite, Latour, Mouton-Rothchild, Margaux, Haut-Brion along with Petrus and Ausone
Grand Cru Burgundy – DRC, Leroy, Roumier, Rousseau, H. Jayer
Rhône Valley from Chave, Guigal, Rayas
Select Barolo from G. Conterno, Giacoso, Gaja
Select Tuscan Brunello di Montalcino from Biondi Santi and Soldera and Super Tuscan from Masseto, Sassacaia, and Ornellaia
Vega Sicilia and Pingus from Ribera del Duero
Cult Napa Cabernet from Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Bryant, Colgin, and Dominus
Shiraz Penfolds Grange

Best Wine Units for Those Who Don’t have the Space for a Cellar

Not all us live in an area where we can build a wine cellar in our basement. The good news is that there are many great options out there from all levels of wine enjoyment and collecting. There as small units that can hold 18 – 24 bottles, medium-sized units the can hold up to 50 bottles, and the more serious wine cooler units that can hold up to 150 bottles, that look great and don’t take up a ton of space.

We recommend checking out the selection at Wine Enthusiast to start. They have an incredible selection and amazing customer service, and customizable search functions to best suit your wine collection needs.

Let us Build the Cellar of your Dreams and Stock with Amazing Wines!

Wine Collections and Cellar Development FAQ

Building a custom temperature-controlled cellar can cost you anywhere between $15,000 and $20,000 to build a private cellar. There are many different options out there depending upon your space and needs. These include individual wine cooling units such as a EuroCave.

The best wines for collecting are Blue Chip wines such as rare Burgundies and Bordeaux from France. Small production wines from regions such as Barolo and Brunello in Italy and Rhône Valley in France. There are also a few rare Champagne’s and Napa Valley Cult Wines that are highly appreciated in value with age.