FRANCE
Krug Champagne
, any bottling
Huet Vouvray
, any vineyard, mid-1990s and older
Domaine LeflaiveWhite Burgundy
, from the basic to the
Grand Cruwines
Méo-Camuzet Red Burgundy
, from the basic to theGrand
Cruwines
Jean-LouisChaveHermitageRouge
or
Blanc
, any vintage
First GrowthBordeaux
, of which there are five; all among the
best wines in theworld
ITALY
GajaBarbaresco
(now knownas
Langhe
), any bottling
RobertoVoerzioBarolo
, any vineyard, especially since1995
Allegrini AmaronedelleValpolicellaClassico
, 1996-2004
Fattoriadi FèlsinaBerardengaRanciaChianti ClassicoRiserva
LivioSassetti Pertimali BrunellodiMontalcino
, since 1997
UNITEDSTATES
Hanzell VineyardsSonomaCountyChardonnay
, older vintages
Harlan Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
, especially
since 2000
QupeHillsideEstateBienNacidoSyrah
; 1998, 2001, and 2005
are excellent
KenWrightWillametteValleyPinot Noir
, any vineyard
QuilcedaCreekColumbiaValleyCabernet Sauvignon
, since 1998
AUSTRALIA
PenfoldsGrange (formerlyGrangeHermitage)
, any vintage
HenschkeHill of GraceEdenValleyShiraz
, any vintage
Leeuwin Estate Art SeriesMargaret River Chardonnay
,
aged examples
Pewsey Vale The Contours Riesling
, themost recent vintage
OTHERCOUNTRIES
Germany:
Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher HimmelreichMosel-Saar-
Ruwer Riesling Spätlese
Germany:
Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Rheinhessen
Riesling Auslese Gold Cap
Austria:
Weingut Bründlmayer Kamptal Grüner Veltliner
,
the
most recent vintage
Spain:
Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial Ribera del Duero
,
a nonvintagewine that is a blend of three vintages
New Zealand:
Saint Clair Pioneer Block
, any vintage
New Zealand:
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
, since 2007
Argentina:
Bodega Catena Zapata Nicasia VineyardMendoza
Malbec
, 2004, 2005, or 2006
Chile:
Viñedo ChadwickMaipo RedWine
, 2001, 2006, or 2007
DESSERT
Italy:
Avignonesi Vin Santo
Australia:
Campbells RutherglenRareMuscatMerchant Prince
Portugal:
Quinto do Noval Vintage
or
Nacional Vintage Porto
France:
Château D’YquemSauternes
France:
Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume
STOCKING THE ULTIMATEWINE CELLAR
Notedmaster sommelier JAMES TIDWELL shares his
tips on creating the perfect wine collection.
How do you stock this shiny new addition to your home?
Adopt the steps that I use as master sommelier at Four Sea-
sons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas.
First, familiarize yourself with options. Wine periodicals,
websites, and public wine seminars, such as those at the
annual TexSom Beverage Conference (texsom.com), are all
valuable resources to determine wines of interest. Next, find
wines for everyday use. Your favorite salespeople at the lo-
cal wine shop know your preferences, so rely on them for
recommendations. Then, addwines for special occasions. A
wine-cellar consultant can assist in sourcing old, rare, and
collectible wines. Sommeliers are often available to consult,
or they know other experts who can, so check with the som-
melier at your favorite restaurant. Let the classic wines of
the world form the base of your collection. While the latest
trends inwine are fleeting, these wines stand the test of
time nomatter their price. Inmy role as mentor to somme-
liers practicingwine tasting for Court ofMaster Sommeliers
exams, I seek enduring and iconic examples of benchmark
wines. Following is a selection of classic wines that I would
recommend for any respectable cellar.
FALL 2010
celebratedliving.com
86
ABOVE: WINECELLAR INNOVATIONS
HOME
Stellar Cellars