I'd like to kick up our wine collection to the next level, how do you guys go about it? I'll usually buy about a case or two at a time and will restock when we get low but I'd like to start more of a collection to save for better occasions. We have a good 10-15 regulars that we like. I'll mostly buy in the $15 range and get 1 or 2 in the mid-20's.
I've read that wines in the $20-$30 range don't really improve much with age, you need to get better ones to make a difference. Is that true? I usually can notice a difference in the better wines, although our favorites are tough to beat for us. Do I need to step it up to more expensive wines? We're usually about 4-6 bottles a week, probably 60% Italian, 30% French, 10% others.
it kinda depends on what you are trying to do with your cellar. are you looking to add higher-quality wines for short-term consumption, or are you thinking about doing some long-term cellaring. i agree with the axiom "price doesn't equate to quality". that said, depending on what kind of wines you prefer and what kind of selection you have access to, you may need to venture into the higher priced wines to find what you are looking for...especially if you have a preference of variety or region.
looking at what you consume most (Italian), and assuming you are going to do some cellaring, i'd take a look at Barolo or Barbaresco before Chianti (for example). you'll may have to move up to the $40-$50 price range to find some top-quality juice, but if you are going to lay them down for 10+ years it's more of an investment. for more near-term drinking, Barbera generally shows well as youngster and you won't have to venture much past $30 to be very happy. personally, i'm partial to Montepulciano 'd Abruzzo, which can be hit and miss depending on producer.
with French wines, as i'm sure you are aware, there's a whole world to get lost in: L or R bank Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, etc. i don't play much in this arena, due in large part to my proclivity for Pinot Noir (CA) and my inability to justify $50+ (minimum) to mess around with 1er Cru wines from Burgundy. some day i'll chase that dragon, it just won't be any time soon.
German wines are great for cellaring, and great ones can be had in the $30 - $40 range. these would be mostly whites however. not sure if that's your thing.
if you are interested in any reccos for CA producers**, let me know and i will try to help as i can. good luck!
(**full disclosure: i work for a NorCal winery)
thx!I'm in NYC and selection is definitely no problem. So do you agree that it's not really worth aging a $20-$30 bottle? Would 2-3 years make a difference? Barolo is what I get when I'm looking to spend a little more but have found some nice Montepulciano's (my favorite wine to order because of the name, btw)and Barbera D'Alba's. I've only just dipped my toes into French over the past few years. I'm getting a good handle on it but obviously it's tough to find value in my price range. But I am finding better Burgundys than similar prices Pinots and better Bordeaux's than similar prices Cali blends. Another thing to add is...the wife. If it was up to her it would be 100% Italian. She's never had one she didn't like and it's always my call to expand and when to open. When we're out, I'll order a nice Malbac or Tempranillo for myself. Much like New World Pinot Noirs, we've had too many crappy Malbecs and Tempranillos in our $15 price range. I'm starting to re-introduce better ones.I've been slowly bring in some different whites too, like Germans. Her first words are, will this be cat piss? I've found a couple of others like Gavi and Arneis that are good.
not sure if there is a Cost Plus in NY, but d'Arenberg "Stump Jump" is quality. "Dead Arm" Shiraz is a little better, though the bump in price is considerable.
planning on getting a couple of bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah
