The world of wine can often be a dense one. It’s full of expert terminology and has a reputation for snobbery. But the wine world needn’t be complicated, difficult to understand or full of jargon. In fact, quite the opposite is true. 

What’s apparent to anyone who goes on to collect wine is that more often than not, it’s a world full of deeply passionate people who care about recommending and sharing excellent wines with those who’ll genuinely enjoy them. 

It is important to note how and why one might want to start a wine collection. With the expert guidance of Berry Bros. & Rudd Master of Wine Barbara Drew, we’ll explore what exactly constitutes a wine collection, the reasons someone might wish to start building up their collection and exactly how it should be done. In short, a wine collecting guide, for dummies. 

The short answer is, because you love it. Wine appreciation isn’t the reserve of WSET-qualified experts, it is truly for everyone. Often stemming from memories of celebratory occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, travel) love and appreciation of wine has its roots across a spectrum of vivid life experiences. 

As Barbra Drew, MW, says, ‘there’s undoubtedly an emotional connection between wine and its drinker. A bottle or a producer will have a specific connection, maybe it’s what you drank when you got engaged, maybe it was a memorable dinner, or a treasured travel memory. A cellar becomes almost a collection of memories and stories’. 

Collecting wine can be a remarkable way to recapture those memories, to celebrate again, and to plan for future occasions. As we know, many wines will get better with age and planning a few years ahead for a special occasion – say a landmark birthday or an upcoming anniversary – will avoid any future difficulty of sourcing your preferred year and producer. 

Drew expands on this, adding that, ‘buying older wines through the normal retail market can be difficult. Buying from a specific producer in a specific year can be a challenge and many high street wine shops won’t stock exactly what you’re looking for. That's where we come in’. 

It’s important to plan in advance when thinking about building a collection: to consider why, when and what you want to drink. Then comes the fun part. 

‘The best place to start is with things that speak to you’ says Drew. Coming back to the celebrations that mark our lives, and why we should drink wine, it’s good to begin and build collections around something that excites you as the drinker. Drew continues, ‘collecting is best with excitement at its heart, never because you feel you “should” collect something’.  

Discovery and recommendations are a huge part of the wine collecting experience. Going into wine shops and giving them your favourite wines, reasons as to why you like them and seeking out recommendations is a great way to expand your knowledge. Alongside this, there are various apps, wine publications and websites offering recommendations and advice which can help you build a list. However, Drew notes with a little caution: ‘There’s a lot of noise out there and it’s easy to get swept along with trends. It’s best to find your own style and focus on what you like’.

When it comes to Berry Bros. & Rudd, another benefit alongside advice, is access. ‘You’ll get lots of guidance in terms of what is a good addition to a cellar, but what’s really interesting is access. Many of the top ‘old world’ wines and top Champagnes are extremely hard, if not impossible, to buy as an ordinary consumer. You could be trawling around for weeks on end and never find them through the traditional retail market; but because our business is so established, we have relationships with most of the really classic producers.’

In short, when it comes to growing your collection, enjoyment is paramount. Going in with a pre-determined list is one thing, but approaching this journey with openness and an idea of why and when you want to drink can lead to the best outcomes.

Drew concludes, ‘you don’t need to know any technical terms or have producer names memorised; we’re the wine geeks, you can let us do the hard work.’

A wine collection, if thoughtfully chosen and truly connected to your own personal story, might be 100 bottles, or it might be just ten. A well-curated, deeply personal selection containing a smaller number of bottles of wine is more of a ‘collection’ than 100 bottles chosen because you thought you should buy them. 

Planning the space you’ll need for the size of the wine collection you’re looking to build is important. Most of us don’t have the luxury of a temperature and humidity controlled storage facility held at 12-13 degrees Celsius with a humidity of between 60%-70%. While a home cellar might remain a consistent temperature, it’s never guaranteed, and your bog standard humidity controller will cost many thousands. 

‘Generally speaking, it’s best to have your wine stored somewhere professionally’ Drew begins. ‘Space is a huge thing, wine takes up a lot of room, but so is consistency of storage and humidity. Yes you might have a cellar, but it’s about keeping it consistent at all times.’

One of the biggest barriers to entry when it comes to collecting wine is the perceived cost. This is where expert guidance comes in. Drew confesses ‘Berry Bros. & Rudd has a reputation for being expensive. It comes with the territory of being over 325 years old and located in St James, but we have hundreds of wines that start at £20-£30 a bottle’. 

This is where a service like the Berry Bros. & Rudd Cellar Plan comes in. ‘When starting at the Cellar Plan, the first question we’ll ask is around budget. The main thing is consistency, setting aside a small budget per month and being consistent. Then it comes to thinking “is this just for drinking pleasure now” or “am I thinking about wines for the next five-to-ten years” and being prepared for evolution and development of those tastes and ideas.’

The crucial thing is that as collections grow and evolve, you retain space in your home for what you'd like to drink now. Alongside expert guidance and controlled storage, the Cellar Plan ensures physical space at home is saved for when you have that special occasion. Drew notes: ‘You’ll have space for that case of wine, just as it’s ready to drink, and we take care of the rest’.

If you like Left Bank Bordeaux, for example Pauillac, try a wine from Bolgheri, like this Grattamacco (2018 Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy). Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, it has a touch of Sangiovese which gives a juicy, sour cherry note to the wine.

If you like red Burgundy from Beaune, try a Garnacha from Sierra de Gredos. 2019 Pegaso Granito, Telmo Rodríguez, Sierra de Gredos, Spain This high-altitude, inland region in Spain produces red wines with delicate floral and spice notes, as well as mineral and earthy flavours, and a fine tannic structure – very similar to a Premier Cru Burgundy.

If you love richer Champagnes like Bollinger, try Hambledon (particularly their première cuvée). Hambledon, Première Cuvée, Sparkling, Hampshire, England. Over five years ageing on lees has given a breadth and complexity to this wine, making it hard to distinguish from a vintage Champagne.

If you like richer styles of Chablis, try a Godello. This white grape, hailing from the north east of Spain, produces wines with the citrusy tang you’d expect in a cool climate Chardonnay and a touch of creaminess and toast as well. 2021 Falcoeira Branco, Ladeiras do Bibei, Telmo Rodríguez, Valdeorras, Spain

If you like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, try a Syrah from California. The warm, sunny climate helps ripen the grapes, lending an extra boost of flavour to these wines, alongside a beautiful dense texture. 2022 Tensley, Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah, Santa Barbara County, California, USA

The Berry Bros. & Rudd Cellar Plan is a great way to start building your wine collection. You’ll have the support of an expert team, offering insight, advice and guidance on what to buy and when. You can learn more here Cellar Plan or, if you have any questions, simply get in touch at collecting@bbr.com.