Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site rabbit.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!alice!rabbit!sif
From: sif@rabbit.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.wines
Subject: Wine Cellars
Message-ID: <1701@rabbit.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 19-Jul-83 22:31:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: rabbit.1701
Posted: Tue Jul 19 22:31:41 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jul-83 12:36:30 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Murray Hill
Lines: 35

The physical requirements for a satisfactory wine cellar are simple:
avoid rapid temperature swings and avoid vibrations sufficient to
stir up sediment. The books recommend a rock solid 55F, but that is
not really necessary for good aging.

What goes in depends on your tastes and willingness to wait.
If you only plan to cellar wines a few (<5) years, 1980 California
reds and 1980 Bordeaux are probably good and economic choices:
both will benefit from a few years of age but not from many.
Chardonnays from 1981 are also candidates for a little maturing.

It is only worth holding wines longer if you really like the
complexity of older wines, are willing to sacrifice a cetain amount
of power and vigor of youth for it, and are willing to risk some
wines changing in an unsatisfactory way.
If you are willing to wait longer, it would make sense to buy
1978 red Bordeaux or to wait for the heavily touted 1982s.
Sauternes of major years (1975, 1976, 1980) are really worth waiting for,
and will age for a very long time. But they change radically in
character when they reach majority.
Most California reds don't seem to improve much after a decade,
though they are of interest.
If you are really in no rush, try the 1977 Vintage Ports, which
ought to be pleasant around 2000 and excellent somewhat later.

Dry white wines are more controversial: if you like them fresh and
fruity, then you don't want to cellar them more than a year or two.
If you prefer them complex but less vigorous and perhaps showing
signs of decay, by all means age them.
Major white burgundies from 1976 are doing just fine.
Sweet Germans hold for quite awhile: many 1971 Auslesen are improving,
and some 1959 Trockenbeerenauslesen are excellent.
Most people like Champagne young, but there is a small degenerate group
that likes them with some age. (I think the 1971s are still quite nice,
but that the 1966's are going through a touchy time.)