MADE TO LAST

MADE LAST TO

FLI’S GUIDE TO BUILDING A WINE COLLECTION, FROM WHAT TO BUY TO WHERE TO STORE IT

BY MARK SPIVAK

CARMEL BRANTLEY PAUL STOPPI

Having a personal wine cellar puts you in control of the drinking experience. You have the option of indulging in your favorites anytime you like, without being limited to the selections at a wine store or an online shop. You can track the wine’s aging process and sample bottles at the peak of their maturity—something consumers rarely get to do, since they are almost always buying and drinking the

current vintage. Under the right storage conditions, your wines will age slowly and gracefully.

However, there are a few potential pitfalls. Most wine is made to be consumed within 18 to 24 months of the release date, and only a very small percentage will benefit from extended aging. The most common exceptions are Premier Cru and Grand Cru Burgundy; Classified Growth Bordeaux, along with selected Cru Bourgeois; vintage Port; top producers from Italian regions such as Barolo, Barbaresco, and Bolgheri; and certain California Cabernets, particularly those grown on hillsides rather than the valley floor.

Prior to making a purchase, it’s important to collate as many opinions as you can. There are numerous outlets for information and

Opposite page: A wood rack system by Palm Beach Wine Cellars; above: A combined wine storage and degustation room by Dunagan Diverio Design Group.

Above: Oak barrels add oxygen, tannins, and a depth of flavor to the wine stored inside of them. Below: The Coravin is a tool that enables users to pour wine without removing the cork.

critical reviews on wine, and no one source is perfect. While individual critics will have their own biases, websites such as cellartracker. com take more of a community-sourced approach, providing reviews from consumers who sample wine at different stages of maturity. If you want to take control of your buying patterns, consider forming your own tasting group of like-minded wine lovers and set a theme for each tasting. If you’re a fan of a particular category, such as California Cabernet or Oregon Pinot Noir, and you meet every week for three or four months, you’ll find that you’ve sampled most of the releases that are commercially available. Furthermore, you’ll have a clear idea of what you like—as opposed to what a critic tells you to like.

Perhaps most importantly, make sure you enjoy the taste of older wine. Not everyone does. As red wine ages, fruit and tannin tend to fade, replaced by earthy aromas and flavors that winemakers describe as terroir. If you like the exuberance of younger wine and value power over finesse, older bottles may not be your favorites.

Remember that your tastes will evolve and your enthusiasms will change. Your cellar may have room for thousands of bottles, but there’s no rush to fill it right away. A good idea is to adhere to the 50/50 rule: For every case you purchase for current drinking, buy one to store for the future. Whenever possible, buy full cases, which will allow you to sample the wine’s progress toward maturity. Tracking that progress will prevent collecting from morphing into hoarding. Many collectors become attached to the notion of possessing their cellar gems and hang on to them past their optimum drinking window. The invention of the Coravin (coravin.com) has made the process of monitoring this progression much easier. Greg Lambrecht designed medical technologies (including needles for chemotherapy) until it occurred to him to apply his skill to the wine world. The Coravin consists of a surgical-grade hollow needle that is inserted through the cork. The bottle is pressurized with argon gas, allowing a sample to be poured without oxidizing the rest of the wine. When the needle is removed, the bottle reseals itself. This breakthrough enables a collector to track a wine’s aging without sacrificing an entire bottle.

NICOLAS ROSSIGNOL

JEAN LOUIS BERNUY JEAN-PIERRE CHAIX

WINES FOR LONG-TERM AGING

Bordeaux: Historically, collectors have focused on the Classified Growths (i.e., the 61 properties ranked in the Classification of 1855). Most have second labels, which are good bets for cellaring, as are the 14 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels. In addition, look for high-quality estates in outlying regions such as Lalande-de-Pomerol (La Fleur de Bouard), Côtes de Bourg (Roc de Cambes), Côtes de Blaye (Roland La Garde), or Côtes de Castillon (Clos L’ Église).

Burgundy: Every estate in the region is ranked, and the Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines are good candidates for improving with age (roughly 5 to 7 years and 8 to 10 years, respectively). When possible, seek out small growers such as Joseph Voillot (Volnay), Henri Gouges (Nuits-SaintGeorges), Rossignol-Trapet (Gevrey-Chambertin), Paul Pernot (Puligny-Montrachet), and Daniel Dampt (Chablis). If you want to get serious, subscribe to Allen Meadows’ burghound.com.

Italy: Cellar gems are most frequently found in Barolo, Barbaresco, Bolgheri, and Amarone. The definitive source for ratings and reviews is Gambero Rosso. (gambero rossointernational.com)

California: The great Cabernets of Napa and Sonoma originate from hillside fruit rather than the valley floor, so it pays to know the location of the property before buying. Some of the best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir is coming from high-altitude vineyards in the Sonoma Coast. Fans of Rhône-style wines will want to investigate the riches of Paso Robles.

Custom bar by R.G. Designs, with fabrication by Harbinger Woodcraft. Wine room fabricated by Calusa Construction.

Beyond the question of what to buy is the predicament of where to store it. How much space do you need? Usually, far more than you think. One of the joys of wine as a hobby is the constant discovery of new regions, grape varieties, and styles. Consider allotting at least 25 percent more bottle capacity than you require. Otherwise, you’ll likely be looking to expand your cellar after several years. Dedicate some space for large-format bottles: Wine ages more slowly in magnums and 3-liter bottles, and they are perfect for dinner parties.

The proper storage conditions are absolutely crucial, particularly in a climate such as that in South Florida. A constant temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit is the gold standard, along with 60 to 75 percent humidity. An old refrigerator is not a solution, nor is a room with only an air-conditioning unit. Without the correct temperature and humidity, wine corks will dry out and shrink over time, leading to excess air entering the bottle, which will turn your wine into vinegar. Absence of light and vibration are also important factors. If you don’t enjoy sleeping close to a home theater system will all the lights on, remember that your wine won’t like it either. And while you may love Led Zeppelin or Vivaldi, be sure to place the speakers at a safe distance from your cellar.

In addition to providing the optimal aging environment, the correct storage conditions also help to streamline the serving and drinking process. If your wine is stored at 55 degrees, serve whites directly out of the cellar at that temperature. Allow reds to warm up to 65 degrees before pouring. The recommendation to drink red wine at “room temperature” usually refers to European room temperature, which tends to be cooler than in America.

A great deal has been written about wine as an investment, and it’s true that categories such as Bordeaux First Growths have consistently outperformed most stock market indexes. Even so, your best bet is to buy wine for drinking, not as an asset that will appreciate over time—because there’s no guarantee that it will do so. While it’s possible that parts of your cellar may become so valuable that you’ll be tempted to sell them off, you’ll rarely go wrong in the pursuit of hedonistic enjoyment. «

DANIEL NEWCOMB

OUTSIDE OF THE CELLAR

COLLECTORS WHO LACK EXCESS LIVING SPACE NEED TO FIND CREATIVE STORAGE SOLUTIONS. HERE ARE THE TWO MOST POPULAR OPTIONS.

1. Self-contained storage units. These range from 24-bottle models starting at a few hundred dollars, to units holding thousands and costing thousands. Temperature and humidity control is standard on most models, and some come with separate temperature zones for whites and reds. For a chic addition to your kitchen, consider a small unit to fit under your counter. And while you can snag some excellent deals on utilitarian units that are just for storage, ones that are designed to resemble a high-end piece of furniture will cost accordingly. 2. Commercial wine storage. Renting space in a dedicated storage facility is becoming more popular. On the low end of the scale, some wine shops (and even supermarkets) offer temperature-controlled lockers. Larger warehouses may have an industrial vibe, but some are decked out with tasting rooms and catering kitchens. The disadvantage is not having your wine at your disposal when you want it. However, some facilities offer 24/7 controlled access.

Wine niche designed by Calusa Bay Design.

DESIGN

IN MIND

In recent years, wine cellars have entered the realm of high design, with collectors finding unique ways to both display and properly store their vintages. While a wood-adorned cellar is a classic option, some homeowners are opting for streamlined rooms of glass walls and metal shelving to better complement their contemporary surrounds. They’re also getting creative with square footage, repurposing closets and the recesses underneath staircases into miniature cellars.

Perhaps two of the most important factors to consider when designing a cellar is how you’re going to use it and how you want to showcase your bottles. If storage is a top priority, create a custom wood racking system that can house both single bottles and complete cases. If you plan to host a lot of tastings, then splurge on a degustation room with a table and ample seating. Regardless, there are a few nonnegotiables you must put into place to ensure your wines age well:

VENJHAMIN REYES • Insulate with a minimum of R-13 insulation; you can accomplish this either with spray foam, fiberglass batts, or foam boards. Cover the insulation with a vapor barrier. • Paint the walls with waterproof paint, preferably a polyvinyl acetate (PVA) formula. • For the racking and paneling, choose rot-resistant wood such as redwood, cedar, or pressuretreated pine. • Install a cooling system that will vent warm air exhaust outside or into the next room.

•Invest in high-quality equipment to monitor temperature and humidity.