Wine Collecting for Beginners: How to Start Your Own Collection
Wine collecting can be a rewarding hobby that combines a passion for fine wine, cuisine, history, culture, and craftsmanship. Whether you’re a casual wine drinker or have aspirations of becoming a sommelier, starting a wine collection is an exciting journey. But where should you begin?
In this guide, we’ll explore the basics of how to start a wine collection, make it cost-effective, and determine if it’s right for you.
How do I start my own wine collection?
Starting a wine collection can feel overwhelming, but it comes down to understanding your own personal preferences and goals.
Are you interested in collecting wine simply to enjoy it with friends and family down the line, or are you looking at it as a potential investment? Perhaps a bit of both?
Knowing your purpose will help guide your selection and storage methods for your wine collection.
Aside from understanding the “why” behind your wine collecting, here are some other key areas to consider when starting a wine collection:
Start with what you like
When building your wine collection, start with wines you know you enjoy drinking. This will create a strong foundation of bottles that no matter what, you’ll enjoy drinking – even if they don’t increase in value.
Do your research
Once you have what you like, you can begin to expand your palette and your wine collection.
Learn about different regions, producers, and vintages, and how their value has changed over time. Understanding which wines have the potential to age well and increase in value will help strategically grow your collection if the return on investment is important to you.
Invest in proper storage
Whether you’re collecting wine for personal enjoyment or as an investment, proper storage can help preserve and extend the shelf life of your wine. Wine is sensitive to light, temperature, and humidity, so investing in a wine fridge – or, if you’re series, a wine cellar – will help your wines age gracefully over time.
Keep a record
As your collection grows, it may be hard to remember what exactly you have, what’s been drunk, or what year you bought a particular bottle. There are wine inventory apps you can use to do this, but a simple spreadsheet will work as well.
Track what wines you own, where and when you bought them and for how much, tasting notes, and drinking windows. This will help you keep track of your wine collection as you continue to add to it.
Start your wine collection today
Wine collecting is a fulfilling hobby that can also be a wise investment if done correctly. By focusing on your tastes, investing in proper storage, and educating yourself about wine, you can build a collection that brings you joy and can be shared with loved ones.
To begin your wine collecting journey, shop our collection of wines today.