I’m a little backwards in regards to my wine experience. I began drinking wine occasionally probably 15+ years ago. For various reasons, I jumped into the winemaking hobby almost 7 years ago. I make grape wines, mostly from kits, and fruit wines, often called “country wines”, from scratch. Just over a year ago, I purchased a cellar to properly store my homemade wines and to begin collecting wines to age (shooting for a 2 to 6 year aging window). I also began my wine education— not in regards to making wine as I’ve garnered that education over the last 7 years— but in regards to learning about, appreciating, and tasting wine. Though it might sound strange, one can make wine and enjoy drinking wine, but know next to nothing about the wine he is making or drinking and without any appreciation for its various nuances.
As far as my tastes, I like everything. I have yet to meet a bottle of wine I don’t like. I would rather drink 3 different bottles I know next to nothing about, than drink 3 of the same bottles I’m crazy about. That being said, my leanings are toward big, heavy reds. I favor complexity over alcohol and fruit so lean more toward Old World wines. However, I still enjoy a good California merlot fruit bomb and even appreciate the occasional sauvignon blanc. My favorite white is probably Meursault, but I also like other chardonnays, rieslings, gewürztraminers, etc. Reds, I like it all… cab/cab blends, merlot, malbec, sangiovese/sangiovese blends/super tuscans, nebbiolo, barbera, tempranillo… I also favor variety and surprise over familiarity, comfort, and consistency. I don’t drink wine for the same reasons I drink Gatorade, soft drinks, or Kool-aid. I drink wine to relax and to appreciate the various smells, tastes, mouthfeel, etc.
When I got my cellar I also started buying wines specifically to be aged for a few years. Like I said, the range I’ve been shooting for is 2 – 6 years. I always buy 3 bottles at a time so I get to drink the same wine at different ages. My price range is $25 - $40 per bottle. I don’t see myself paying much more. Maybe some day I’ll blow $1,200 on a case of wine, but not today. I buy pretty much all of my “aging wine” online. A friend of my wife’s family owns a local wine store, but unfortunately, the selection of wine in Mississippi is quite limited due to the way wine is controlled in the state. I live very close to Memphis, which has a couple of stores with better selection, but not as good as online. I also have a physical handicap, which limits my mobility making it very difficult to get myself around, much less to get around trying to carry several bottles of wine.
I’ll stop rambling. I’m really interested in some specific recommendations (not just varietals, regions, or vintages) in regards to wines that meet my cellaring and price criteria. As I said, I’m partial to reds, but my cellar currently houses no whites for aging. I would like to add two or three whites as well as more reds. Any recommendations?
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