Are you and your wine meant to be? 

You’ve likely never thought of your relationship with the wine bottles you bring home as a long-term one. In fact, most U.S. wine drinkers don’t think beyond Friday night when they are at the store picking out wine. It’s very common for people to head to the store once or twice per week to pick out wines to enjoy with their everyday meals and occasions. And, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! After all, we know firsthand how great that feeling is when you find a surprisingly good bottle for $10-$25; it’s what the WineStyles concept is all about! But let us ask you this – have you ever tried a 10-year aged wine? So good, right? We know you aren’t apt to purchase a 10-year vintage right off the shelf due to the price tag, so what if we told you that wine collecting isn’t just for the high-rolling hoity-toity couple on the corner lot anymore?! There are many great reasons to start a wine collection of your own, and reason #1 is so that you can enjoy better wines! We’re here to break any pretentious thoughts associated with enjoying wine and that includes keeping a wine collection!

Of course, as with any collectible, wine isn’t for everyone. To take the time to “collect” something, especially in numbers greater than, say, 12 – you must have a genuine interest in the subject you are collecting. Wine is no different. If the idea of having “leftover” wine lying around drives you nuts, then wine collecting is definitely not for you! However, if you are patient, and can resist opening those bottles set aside, wine collecting can be a very rewarding hobby! Let’s move on to a few main reasons why you might consider starting a wine collection.

Why start a wine collection?

#1 – Must love wine: Ok, that one’s obvious… if you intend to drink the wines you collect. Some collectors use wine as a long-term investment and intend to sell their bottles once they’ve appreciated in value. This can be an investment strategy, but it obviously doesn’t allow for you to enjoy the fruits of your labor! It would be a shame if you didn’t enjoy drinking your own wines! Beyond a general love for wine, collecting may appeal to you for several reasons.

Entertaining: Do you often entertain guests in your home? If you find yourself in the hostess seat often, having a go-to wine collection right at home could save you a lot of precious time and money in the long run. The perks of starting a collection for you would be having wine on hand for these get-togethers. No more last-minute running to the wine shop searching for the perfect bottle to go with dinner! Or maybe you just like to have nice wines on hand to open up with friends and family on holidays or special occasions. It will give you peace of mind to know you have wines on hand that will be a hit! As a side note to this – collecting wines from places you have traveled to is also a great way to share your stories and experiences with friends and family. For instance, you could begin by collecting wines from each location you visited in the last few years or searching for wines from your all-time favorite vacation spots! If you don’t want to track down wines from these locations, just remember to seek out a local winery on your next vacation and bring a few bottles home to add to your collection!

Cost-Effectiveness: Do you love a good deal? Who doesn’t?! Developing a strategy for purchasing and storing wines will allow you to drink better wines at better prices; again, this is what WineStyles is all about! We love getting great wines into your hands at reasonable prices. Some of those wines, even the ones priced at $10-$25 per bottle would taste even better if stored a little longer. Purchasing wine that has already been aged will cost you. So, as with many things, why not DIY? And if you love a good sale, most retailers offer at least a 10% discount for buying a full case (12 bottles). Buying “young” wine will end up saving you money, as long as you have the patience to let it age a few more years. All you will need is a little planning and guidance (see information about our upcoming class Starting a Wine Collection at the end of this post).

Research: Wine in every respect is absolutely fascinating! From the soil to the bottle, there are a lot of variables that go into how a wine tastes. Are you fascinated by the way a wine can taste different depending on the temperature it is served at, or from one vintage to the next? Maybe you’ve tasted a California Cabernet Sauvignon from a favorite winery and can’t believe how much different the 10-year-old bottle was compared with this year’s new vintage. If this sounds like you, it might be the scientific factors of ever-evolving wines that intrigue you the most! Collecting would give you the recurring opportunity to taste how your wines have changed over the years, compare different vintages side-by-side, and share the discoveries with your friends and loved ones. Now that sounds like a fun and tasteful experiment!

Ok, but how long do I have to wait??

There’s a reason we haven’t mentioned that some wines can be stored for 20+ years – we don’t want to frighten you! If you are new to collecting wine, know that even just a few years on the shelf can make a world of difference in your wine. Most wines you see at the store were released when they were between 2-3 years old, and that’s still quite young for many types of wine. Holding onto a bottle for just three years can give you a noticeable improvement in taste, specifically red wines. Having said that, it’s a good idea to purchase at least 2 of every bottle you want to store, that way you can open one now and take down tasting notes on it, then add the other to your collection to taste down the road! If you go through a lot of wine, you could up the ante to purchasing a case of each wine you choose to cellar (generally a case is 12 bottles).

Not every wine is meant to be aged – You’ll want to do some further research, or attend the class described below (Starting a Wine Collection), to know exactly which wine varietals will benefit from being aged.

Already a wine collector?

If you’ve already begun your wine collection, how do you like it? Are you now an advocate of keeping a wine stock on hand and aging wines yourself? Let us know in the comments below!

Did you know there is a wine collection in the Guinness Book of World Records? This collection called Milestii Mici holds approximately 2 million bottles of wine! It’s located in the country of Moldova, which lies between Romania and the Ukraine. With so much wine to store, it is basically an underground city! #winecellargoals

April Wine and Beer Boot Camp, Starting a Wine Collection:

Are you new to wine collecting, or have you started, but don’t really know the ins and outs? Attend our April Boot Camp Class and you will learn all about how to start your first wine collection, and how to maintain it for optimum enjoyment for many years to come! If you enjoy wine, starting a wine collection, even a modest one, can be a rewarding hobby!

Please RSVP at your local WineStyles location. Seating space is limited, so make your reservation as soon as possible!

*Please note: Classes and rewards may vary at different WineStyles locations. Offer void where prohibited by state or local alcohol laws. See your local WineStyles Tasting Station for details. Find your local WineStyles store here.

Thanks for reading,