Writer Jonathan Ray jokes that “bachelor wine merchants” make the best godparents; they pick out incredible birth year wines for their godchildren that will last two decades or more in the cellar. Ray explains that he has eight godchildren of his own, and has bought them each a case of wine as gifts when they…
No matter how experienced you are, wine faults can fool you. Just ask wine writer Chris Kissack, who fell victim to buying cooked wine. In his blog, he describes buying three bottles from a well-respected wine retailer. Even though he says he noticed some minor signs of heat damage on the wine’s cork, he didn’t…
Backlash has been brewing over jammy, bold California Cabernet. Critics of wine “Parkerization” (named after wine critic Robert Parker) claim that these big Cabernets are the epitome of what’s wrong with the modern wine market; namely, that subtle flavors are being sacrificed for bold, rich notes that fade quickly. Winemaker Bill Dyer adds, “Colors…
How much would you pay for a bottle of 1995 Latour? If I told you that the bottle hadn’t left the Latour estate since it was bottled nearly two decades ago, would you be willing to pay more for it than a bottle that’s passed through dozens of hands in its lifetime? In 2013, collectors…
When I was living in a tiny two-bedroom apartment after I graduated from college, I had to come up with creative ways to store my wine. I carved out the perfect little space in my walk-in closet (which was easily one of the biggest “rooms” in the unit). I was proud of my miniature wine…
One of my best friends is a bold red wine fanatic; when I say he loves a rich Cabernet Sauvignon, I mean he will turn his nose up at any bottle of white wine or even Pinot Noir. His only love is Cabernet. But there’s a reason for his niche taste: he’s allergic to wine…
When you buy a case of pre-arrival wines from a retailer, you probably don’t expect to wait six years for your wine bottles to arrive. That’s what happened to Wine Berserkers forum member Mike Wenzel, who bought pre-arrivals from the now-bankrupt California wine retailer Premier Cru. He explained on the forum that he bought a…
MENTIONED IN THIS POST: Beaux Freres Chateau Latour Tenuto San Guido A few years ago, a Chowhound forum member faced a problem many collectors have when they suddenly inherit a huge wine collection: how to sell the bottles on consignment. The writer was brand new to wine, and had no clue what the wines that…
Buying or selling wine at an auction isn’t a decision to make lightly; although most auctions are staffed by knowledgeable experts who check bottles for authenticity, there’s still a risk when you buy or sell wine at auctions. For starters, many of Rudy Kurniawan’s wines were sold through auction houses, which is one reason he…
An acquaintance of mine adored wine, but for some reason, he hated calling himself a “serious” wine collector. When he imagined a serious wine collector, he envisioned stuffy, wealthy elitists who own thousands of bottles in their enormous home cellars and read nothing but Liv-ex reports and Wine Spectator reviews in their down time. Even…
Wall Street Journal wine columnist Lettie Teague says that Joan Fennell runs Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle with an iron fist. Fennell requires every staff member in her tasting room to be knowledgeable about the wines and provide every guest with the best winery tasting room experience possible. At one point, Teague was watched Fennell critique…
If you’re considering building your own wine cellar from scratch, you’ve already made the move from a beginning wine collector to a serious wine speculator. That’s because building a home wine cellar is a huge investment that only the most serious collectors should consider. The cost of most home wine cellars runs anywhere from $20-$30…
