Is wine cellar diversity all it is cracked up to be

[James_Billy]

The only reason I can see having diversity in the wine cellar for the sake of diversity is so that guests can drink something that may not align with your tastes.

Do you eat the same food every day?

I think that point has been made earlier in the thread, but it’s a powerful one.

Do you watch the same handful of movies ad nauseam? Listen to the same handful of bands/singers (mentioned above)? And so on.

I think it’s the “find the regions you like and concentrate on them” instead of continuing to explore that I find strange. I love red Burgundy like most on here, but I like, say, Alsace pinot gris, too. Not as much as red Burgundy and hence I have a lot more of the latter. But I have some of the former for when I need that scratch itched. Or when it is suitable for the occasion/food.

Reading about something positive I have in my cellar, or even just something remotely similar, can easily make me choose that wine as the next bottle I choose. Others may go out and buy it. Same thing really. It’s why advertising works, reminding you about the existence of a product and making you think, “do I want/need that?”

[RichardFlack]

Another reason is that one can stumble across a recent vintage curiosity that you like, at a dinner say, but realise the wine might need a little age so you hunt down a few bottles to tuck away to see what happens. (The possibility of course is it’s a success and a new ‘corner’ of the cellar opens up).

[Joseph_Grassa]

A exceptionally-wise man once asked me, “How many times do you need to try a wine before you know you don’t like it?”

Indecisive as I am, sometimes five or ten times. You can never be sure.

Reminds me slightly of Hugh Johnson’s rating scale … 2 sniffs = faint interest, or disbelief. The latter phrase reminds us he would probably encounter more oddities than most of us.

It’s not the last sip, but the next that I am undecided on.

[Ben_M_a_n_d_l_e_r]

I’m a bit late to this thread, but as a “younger” drinker who has been v interested in wine for >10 years but only recently had the space and means to buy and hold more than 10 bottles of anything at a time, I am kind of glad that I wasn’t able to do so early in my wine explorations. I still like trying all kinds of different things, but I’ve tasted enough to know what I really want to have at home for longer-term cellaring (Bordeaux, Syrah, Riesling, Sauternes, traditionally styled Rioja), what I want to have around to drink in the next couple of years (select CA and FR Pinot, a smattering of approachable young reds, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and various savory/mineral/oddball whites). If I’d been able to buy more 5-10 years ago I’d have all this Chenin and Pinotage and big Spanish and Australian reds and Malbec that I’d have to semi-reluctantly drink my way through. I’m sure my tastes will continue to change, especially in such a dynamic wine world, but I do think that holding back (or being held back by finances or space) early in one’s explorations provides some valuable lessons in personal taste that can then be used later on to focus future purchasing.

[James_Billy]

I’m a bit late to this thread, but as a “younger” drinker who has been v interested in wine for >10 years but only recently had the space and means to buy and hold more than 10 bottles of anything at a time, I am kind of glad that I wasn’t able to do so early in my wine explorations. I still like trying all kinds of different things, but I’ve tasted enough to know what I really want to have at home for longer-term cellaring (Bordeaux, Syrah, Riesling, Sauternes, traditionally styled Rioja), what I want to have around to drink in the next couple of years (select CA and FR Pinot, a smattering of approachable young reds, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and various savory/mineral/oddball whites). If I’d been able to buy more 5-10 years ago I’d have all this Chenin and Pinotage and big Spanish and Australian reds and Malbec that I’d have to semi-reluctantly drink my way through. I’m sure my tastes will continue to change, especially in such a dynamic wine world, but I do think that holding back (or being held back by finances or space) early in one’s explorations provides some valuable lessons in personal taste that can then be used later on to focus future purchasing.

Problem is, now that tastes have changed from these big bruiser wines to more subtle, traditional wines, more people are fighting over the good stuff pushing the prices ever higher for the more famous bottlings at least.

Parker did a great job of keeping the price of AFWE wines down.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

The only reason I can see having diversity in the wine cellar for the sake of diversity is so that guests can drink something that may not align with your tastes.

Do you eat the same food every day?

No, but riesling is a versatile wine to pair with a variety of foods.

[RichardFlack]

The only reason I can see having diversity in the wine cellar for the sake of diversity is so that guests can drink something that may not align with your tastes.

Do you eat the same food every day?

No, but riesling is a versatile wine to pair with a variety of foods.

And chicken is a versatile food to pair with a variety of wines. But …

Sorry.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Do you eat the same food every day?

No, but riesling is a versatile wine to pair with a variety of foods.

And chicken is a versatile food to pair with a variety of wines. But …

Sorry.

I’d rather have a fridge full of just riesling than one of just chicken

I also drink Oregon and some CA wines (zin/zin blends from Bedrock, classically-styled cabs/Bordeaux blends) but I don’t buy those simply to pair with what we eat.

[Brian_G_r_a_f_s_t_r_o_m]

I think the push towards high ABV cask/barrel strength bottling in the name of flavor is just like the push for hoppier IPAs and higher ABV beers. There’s literally nothing wrong with 40-43% ABV and ppl that think there is have probably toasted their tastebuds with higher proof spirits.

You are obviously free to.think whatever you want to think, but that doesn’t mean you’re actually correct. And, on this point, I think you’ve, at best, foolishly over-generalized what you’re talking about. Granted, I approach this from the world of whisky, so … yeah.

ETA: o.k., I read your subsequent post indicating this is more a Bourbon problem. Fair enough, as that is a topic about which I know extremely little. I’ll just continue to hope and pray that as few Bourbon lovers as possible make their way to whisky.

I think it’s generally a bourbon problem. You still have stuff like macallan classic cut which tries to act like it’s the rebirth of the fantastic cask strength.

That said, I do enjoy some bottlings that purists might dislike like macallan rare cask.

For spirits I’m probably brandy > bourbon > scotch/Irish atm if that helps explain my palate preferences.

Very helpful lineup of preferences; mine is opposite, although I would separate Scottish and Irish, and Bourbon would be ahead of Irish for me (generally).

[Otto_Forsberg]

I’m a bit late to this thread, but as a “younger” drinker who has been v interested in wine for >10 years but only recently had the space and means to buy and hold more than 10 bottles of anything at a time, I am kind of glad that I wasn’t able to do so early in my wine explorations. I still like trying all kinds of different things, but I’ve tasted enough to know what I really want to have at home for longer-term cellaring (Bordeaux, Syrah, Riesling, Sauternes, traditionally styled Rioja), what I want to have around to drink in the next couple of years (select CA and FR Pinot, a smattering of approachable young reds, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and various savory/mineral/oddball whites). If I’d been able to buy more 5-10 years ago I’d have all this Chenin and Pinotage and big Spanish and Australian reds and Malbec that I’d have to semi-reluctantly drink my way through. I’m sure my tastes will continue to change, especially in such a dynamic wine world, but I do think that holding back (or being held back by finances or space) early in one’s explorations provides some valuable lessons in personal taste that can then be used later on to focus future purchasing.

Well, I have the same kind of history as you, but have been slowly collecting my cellar over these +10 years. However, I’d say my interests have broadened up but my tastes haven’t changed. I don’t have nor have never had big Spanish reds or Argentinian Malbecs so I’ve never had problems with drinking wines semi-reluctantly from my cellar. If anything, I wish I had more Chenin in my cellar - it’s a wonderful variety that can age like crazy. And I still have wines I’ve bought 10 years ago and will happily drink them when the time comes

But even if I drink 1000-2000 wines a year, I still haven’t got to the phase where I’d know what to concentrate on when filling the cellar. I do have Rioja, Northern Rhone, Barolo, Barbaresco, Burgundy, Mosel, Champagne and Bordeaux there, but I also have Ciró, L’Etoile, Morillon from Südsteiermark, West Australian Chardonnay, Japanese MBA, Morenillo from Terra Alta, Romorantin and Württemberg reds. And all these wines are wines I happily buy to be drunk whenever or cellared - I don’t have any plans for when these wines should be drunk. I’m just happy to buy whatever I love and have enough variety in my cellar.

[Markus_S]

…
But even if I drink 1000-2000 wines a year…

You ARE a human tasting machine!

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

I’m a bit late to this thread, but as a “younger” drinker who has been v interested in wine for >10 years but only recently had the space and means to buy and hold more than 10 bottles of anything at a time, I am kind of glad that I wasn’t able to do so early in my wine explorations. I still like trying all kinds of different things, but I’ve tasted enough to know what I really want to have at home for longer-term cellaring (Bordeaux, Syrah, Riesling, Sauternes, traditionally styled Rioja), what I want to have around to drink in the next couple of years (select CA and FR Pinot, a smattering of approachable young reds, Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and various savory/mineral/oddball whites). If I’d been able to buy more 5-10 years ago I’d have all this Chenin and Pinotage and big Spanish and Australian reds and Malbec that I’d have to semi-reluctantly drink my way through. I’m sure my tastes will continue to change, especially in such a dynamic wine world, but I do think that holding back (or being held back by finances or space) early in one’s explorations provides some valuable lessons in personal taste that can then be used later on to focus future purchasing.

Well, I have the same kind of history as you, but have been slowly collecting my cellar over these +10 years. However, I’d say my interests have broadened up but my tastes haven’t changed. I don’t have nor have never had big Spanish reds or Argentinian Malbecs so I’ve never had problems with drinking wines semi-reluctantly from my cellar. If anything, I wish I had more Chenin in my cellar - it’s a wonderful variety that can age like crazy. And I still have wines I’ve bought 10 years ago and will happily drink them when the time comes

But even if I drink 1000-2000 wines a year, I still haven’t got to the phase where I’d know what to concentrate on when filling the cellar. I do have Rioja, Northern Rhone, Barolo, Barbaresco, Burgundy, Mosel, Champagne and Bordeaux there, but I also have Ciró, L’Etoile, Morillon from Südsteiermark, West Australian Chardonnay, Japanese MBA, Morenillo from Terra Alta, Romorantin and Württemberg reds. And all these wines are wines I happily buy to be drunk whenever or cellared - I don’t have any plans for when these wines should be drunk. I’m just happy to buy whatever I love and have enough variety in my cellar.

What Württemberg reds do you typically buy? Just curious what I may want to look out for once tariffs are gone and if the German import/distribution market improves in the U.S. in the next few years.

I can’t imagine consuming that many wines per year. I assume this is with family or in a group setting? Otherwise, you may need to seek some help.

[Howard_Cooper]

Diversity is what offlines were for. Those crazy big ones we did once upon a time, with themes loosely adhered to, and more wines than was reasonable to taste, though not Paulee style, just mostly modest cellar treasures and wines to outgeek each other with.

God I miss those.

Though to some extent it’s because I miss being 40.

You introduced me to some wines which I’ve bought and loved many times over the years.

Jay, it is also fun to mix Paulee events and then offlines in someone’s cellar. Great memories. Happy new year.

[Otto_Forsberg]

What Württemberg reds do you typically buy? Just curious what I may want to look out for once tariffs are gone and if the German import/distribution market improves in the U.S. in the next few years.

I’d say Weingut Heid and Dautel are in the top echelon when it comes to the Württemberg wines. I haven’t had much from Christel Currle, but those that I’ve had have been quite nice.

I can’t imagine consuming that many wines per year. I assume this is with family or in a group setting? Otherwise, you may need to seek some help. >

I didn’t say bottles.

Most of the wines I drink are in different tastings, so it’s only a 4-6 cl glass. And I often make use of a spittoon in tastings. When it comes to personal consumption, I think we drink a bottle or two per week at home, sometimes a week goes by without us opening a single bottle of wine.

[Otto_Forsberg]

You ARE a human tasting machine!

Well, not always so sure about the human part.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

What Württemberg reds do you typically buy? Just curious what I may want to look out for once tariffs are gone and if the German import/distribution market improves in the U.S. in the next few years.

I’d say Weingut Heid and Dautel are in the top echelon when it comes to the Württemberg wines. I haven’t had much from Christel Currle, but those that I’ve had have been quite nice.

I can’t imagine consuming that many wines per year. I assume this is with family or in a group setting? Otherwise, you may need to seek some help. >

I didn’t say bottles.

Most of the wines I drink are in different tastings, so it’s only a 4-6 cl glass. And I often make use of a spittoon in tastings. When it comes to personal consumption, I think we drink a bottle or two per week at home, sometimes a week goes by without us opening a single bottle of wine.

Thanks! Didn’t realize you were ITB.

[Scott_G_r_u_n_e_r]

The only reason I can see having diversity in the wine cellar for the sake of diversity is so that guests can drink something that may not align with your tastes.

Do you eat the same food every day?

Super late to this discussion, but I think this is a great comparison.

I was in a relationship with someone who would always order the same thing at restaurants. I thought it was boring and safe so always tried new things. She was always happy I was sometimes disappointed. To me, the risk of disappointment was well worth the chance of an exciting and sometimes special new discovery, to her the risk of disappointment was too high.

In other words, to each their own. And if someone is happy always ordering the chicken… let them be.

[Jayson_Cohen]

The only reason I can see having diversity in the wine cellar for the sake of diversity is so that guests can drink something that may not align with your tastes.

Do you eat the same food every day?

Super late to this discussion, but I think this is a great comparison.

I was in a relationship with someone who would always order the same thing at restaurants. . . .

In other words, to each their own. And if someone is happy always ordering the chicken… let them be.

I don’t disagree, but it is pretty boring if that’s what someone always does everywhere.

[Otto_Forsberg]

Thanks! Didn’t realize you were ITB.

Where did you get that? I’m in IT, not ITB.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

My mistake.