Bottle fondling: The best thing about collecting wines

I’ve been struck down by the dreaded man flu this week, which has meant a distinct lack of wine tasting (and a corresponding increase in Codral consumption). Rather than completely avoiding wine, however, I spent an hour or so this morning doing something wonderfully satisfying – reorganising (and fondling) bottles of wine in the cellar.

What’s important to note about the word ‘cellar’ is that it can mean anything. In my books, If you have a bottle of wine that you’re keeping for a special occasion then you have a cellar – I hate the notion that a ‘cellar’ should be some sort of exclusive bunker stuffed full of Montrachet in wooden boxes. Rather, a wine cellar should simply be your collection of wine (with no need for the stuffiness).

Following on, what I’ve realised the most joyous thing about having a ‘cellar’ is all about potential – those cherished bottles represent the potential for great drinking and future pleasure, carrying with them expectations of quality and deliciousness (which may or may not pan out). What’s more, the longer a wine sits in ‘the cellar’ the more the anticipation and expectations also increase.

While I can understand how the joy of collecting things and trophy hunting can be the driver of some wine collectors – and none of us are immune for lusting after the next ‘trophy wine’ – I still think that the eternal pondering of ‘I wonder how this is drinking now… I can’t wait to find out’ is what makes cellaring wine great.

On that note, what is that drives you to collect and cellar wine? Or do you prefer to just keep very little and always drink something new?