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Hi all,

I'm intending to buy a case of half-decent 2006 wines to cellar for 18-21 years (for my daughter's 18th or 21st parties hopefully....).

Does anyone know if there's any particular brand/type of wine that can be cellared successfully for that long? Or will they all be OK?

I'm also going to store a couple of my early brews for the same period. They are clear crown-seal bottles. I know I should keep them out of the light, but would it be better to lay them down or stand them up (I'm thinking of the integrity of the bottle top seal)?

Cheers,

Tim

For the Wines you'll need a good quality big robust red to last 18-20 years. Something like a Penfolds Bin 28 or 128 or something like that. Your looking at approx $15-20 a bottle.

As for the beer I doubt ANY beer will be drinkable in 5 years let alone 18!

Not all wines are good for cellaring, they usually tell you when they are in their prime for drinking.

Generally reds are better then whites for cellaring for extended periods, also I'd be looking at the premium end. You must keep wine at a constant temperature around 18-20c otherwise it can spoil more quickly.

Also be prepared to tip the lot if not stored properly, it could be an expensive exercise.
Just an example grange hermitage, expensive (very rarely opened) and many times when opened, due to poor storage conditions, poured away. Actually they re-cork older bottles and taste them (small amount), then top them back up with the current vintage. I have a few friends that keep wine, the grange is only for investment but other bottles are opened occassionally and many are past their best (and they keep the bottles in air conditioned cellars). If I were keeping wine cellared you really need to know when the wine is due to be at it's best and drink it then.

For me a bottle of wine that last a month has been cellared quite long enough


With your beer I'd be storing it upright and again under a constanst cellar temperature. (I'm with Pixel not sure if the beer would last that long but a heavy IPA or Imperial stout might be the go).

Cheers and good luck
AC

I remember seeing one of those lifestyle shows where they did the long-term cellaring thing for a similar reason. Apparently the white they had came out really sweet and bordering on fortefied as far as taste went.

I might have to compromise and buy a smaller number of Bin 128 or something like that. As for cellaring, I was just going to chuck them under the house.

Thanks for the input.

Tim

For the brew, I'd go for a Barleywine or Imperial Stout / Porter. Looking at start gravities of 1080+ be absolutley scrupulous with sanitation and ensuring that fermentation has finished etc. I would hunt around for brown glass bottles, it may be worth getting some Coopers just for the longneck bottle.


Cheers,
Greg

http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/millenniumale.html

Port is a great one, keeps getting better and better. My mates dad brews his own port in massive oak barrels and bottled each of his kids a bottle when they were born, and when they turned 21 he cracked it and it was beatifull.

Rather than half a crate of somewhat lesser wine, maybe a bottle or two of Grange could be a better idea. I do realise they are roughly $500 per bottle, but they are virtually guaranteed to hold their value for a period like that.

Some people also buy a bottle of each years Grange vintage and pass that along on 21st's.

I do not know your budget, as thats quite a bit of money, but in time that would become a VERY valuable collection.

My 2cents.

A good compromise between the Bin wines and Grange is Penfolds St. Henry.

I have a 1998 at home and I'm resisting the tempation to drink it. It's about a $70 bottle depending on the year.

If you can afford Grange I'd go for that without a doubt. It will increase in value. This stuff has been sold for some ridiculous prices. Make sure you re-cork if needed, Penfolds offer this for free, and there's nothing worse than opening a 21 year old wine with cork rot.

With the beer as I understand it a stout will last as long as the metal cap takes to rust off. I doubt that it would improve further though after the first few years.

Coming from the Mclaren Vale area in SA I would say definatly do your research. Ask the winemakers (Email) what wines will last what period, especially if you're considering forking out some serious dosh. Some shiraz will last a good 20 years and some maybe 3 years and both being of premium price. Don't discount a European wine either.

I have an AG Courage Russian Imperial Stout receipe that has an alco/V of 10.7% and states that it must be bottle conditioned for a MINIMUM of 2 years so would probably be similar to the Millenium Ale in storability. 20 years might be a bit much but given the right conditions 10 years easy.

I'm sure your daughter and her 18/21 year-old mates will love puking vintage red wine all over your carpet. How do I get an invite?

Hi Timmy,

Where do you live?

Perhaps people can suggest a reputable bottle shop nearby where you can go and get some expert advice.

Oliver

Hi timmy,

Bit of a gamble putting any beverage down for 20 years. From experience, and from what I read (sometimes between the lines) you need an exceptional combination of storage conditions and product.

As mentioned earlier, some Ports will last the distance. Top quality is essential.

Same goes for vintage Champagne (genuine champers, not new world).

And again, top ranking Bordeaux (red, of course). I only have half a dozen left, '92 vintage, acquired en primeur (before being bottled - paid 50% when placing order, and the balance just prior to delivery). I open one or so a year for v spec occasions, and they have been, for the most part, superb. But no guarantee for any specific bottle!

timmy, it is similar to buying a Rolls Royce rather than a Statesman. Will cost you about 15 times more, but is it 15 times better? And is it relevant?
Not for me, 'cos I would be really scraping to buy the Statesman, never mind the Roller. But driving a Roller gives you a memorable experience, just as does drinking a well aged top quality Bordeaux. I was once able to afford the latter, but the Roller belonged to a good friend, who unfortunately passed away some years ago at the age of 50, after suffering an asthma attack.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

If it was me timmy, and if I could afford it, I would approach an organization like, say, the Wine Society, and seek their advice in procuring one bottle of absolutely top quality vintage Champagne. The bigger the bottle, the longer it will keep. Unfortunately, I understand a magnum will cost far more than twice the price of a 750ml bottle, and so it goes for the even larger bottles.

That is just my take, timmy. Suggest you do heaps of research, because ultimately, it has to be your call. Best of luck. Statistics suggest I won't be here in 20 years to learn of the outcome.

Thanks all.

Fortunately I have a decent wine merchant basically next door to work so I can go in and pick their brains about it.

Every year we go out and buy the 'Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide - Huon Hooke' in October ('cause thats when its released) and we buy 4 types (3 bottles each) of 'Penguin Guide Picks'. The guide always seems to match our tastes. We then drink 1 bottle of each set and put the rest away. - the guide says how long to store them for. - Anyway thats what we do.

I got onto Penfolds and Wolf Blass via their website (it all ends up at CUB customer relations anyway...).

They recommended a couple of wines that would do the trick, but they won't be available for a few years anyway.

Also consider Mead !
girlies usually love it.

cheers