Collection wines. Collection of collection wines

You've probably traveled a lot to wine-producing countries, tasted a lot of interesting and even legendary wines, and began to think about finally acquiring your own collection.
After all, how nice it is: to go down to a wine cellar, unlock the heavy door with a key and plunge into a special world, where the passage of time is subject to different laws, where there is no noise and fuss, where it is always dark and cool, where bottles and contents are waiting in strict order on the shelves which can give you real pleasure.
Indeed, compiling a wine collection is a fascinating activity. The incentive to do so can be admiration for a friend’s collection, free funds, or a visit to a winery. However, the fundamental condition is the love of wine, a passion that can unite people regardless of their religion and nationality.
Collections can range from a few dozen examples acquired from wine merchants or on cellar tours, to thoughtfully located and specially equipped vaults containing thousands of bottles purchased at auctions and from fine wine specialists.
However, it’s not at all scary if you don’t have a real cellar; it can easily be replaced by a wine cabinet, in which you can easily place 50 bottles, or a cabinet that can accommodate from 100 to 500 copies.
But before you start filling your wine library, it’s worth understanding why you want to do this: for pleasure, investment, or both?
And the more the collector is inclined to the idea of ​​​​profitable placement of finances, the more high-quality and famous the purchased wines should be.
But most of us acquire our own collection of elite drinks solely for pleasure and for friends. The exchange of bottles and opinions with like-minded connoisseurs is an integral part of wine culture and undoubtedly brings joy to life.

Step 1. Your taste

It goes without saying that your home wine collection should very clearly reflect your personal taste and lifestyle, especially if it is not too large and consists of only 50 - 60 bottles. If you're someone who loves variety and choice and also loves to travel, you'll have a great international collection.
It may include bottles from European, North and South American producers, drinks from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. But perhaps you prefer the classics, have a special passion for aged Bordeaux, fresh Burgundy, bright Rhone wines and the best Californian wines. And if you like to occasionally treat yourself to port with Stilton cheese, then add a few bottles of vintage port (wine made from grapes from the same year) to your collection. If you are a connoisseur of sweet wines, do not forget about Sauternes, selected German Rieslings from late-harvested grapes and Tokaji Aszú. If you like vintage bottle-aged champagne, purchase it from the great Champagne houses as they become available on the market.
A good cellar must have sparkling wines or champagne, or crémant (sparkling wine from other regions of France, produced according to classical technology champagne). Champagne wines age very well. Without hesitation, they can be stored for a long time.
And in order to make a more accurate choice, you, naturally, must know what style of wines you prefer, as well as know the tastes of those whom you plan to treat.
But if you're new to collecting and aren't too sure whether you like young or aged wine, dry or sweet, strong or tart, light, floral or otherwise, don't be afraid to try wines from a wide variety of countries, regions, vintages ), grape varieties. After all, even the most experienced connoisseur will not be able to provide you with the “wine of your dreams” without knowing your tastes. And be ready to expand the list of your passions - new exciting sensations are nearby, just reach out.
You can, for example, become a member of a wine lovers club and regularly attend tastings. Or you can choose one of the wine boutiques to your liking and become its VIP client, for whom similar events are also constantly organized. Organize tastings with friends, attend wine lectures. In any case, the more you try, the better you will understand your own tastes. Record the wines you liked and those you didn’t like. Otherwise, you will have to rely entirely on the opinions of consultants, friends, and acquaintances. But since everyone's tastes are different, you may find yourself in a situation where you don't have any wines in your collection that you can actually enjoy.

Step 2: Making a List
Once you have decided on your preferences, it is much easier to create a specific list of wines that are candidates for a place in the collection.
Of course, you can write down everything you once liked there and buy this abundance of wine for your own pleasure. But it would be more correct to make a choice taking into account three main criteria. This is how, for the most part, professionals compose their collections.

Step 3. Selection Criteria
Any wine collection usually contains drinks of three main categories: wines for every day, wines for receptions and elite wines for special occasions (anniversaries, weddings, birth of a child, etc.).
Accordingly, these three groups differ fundamentally from each other, primarily in terms of storage duration, which depends on the geographical origin of the wine.
It is known that wines have completely different potential for storage and aging: some are worth drinking quickly (from six months to a year), others - from a year to three, others can be stored from 10 to 50 years and even longer.
There are quite sad cases when, out of ignorance, owners uncork a wine with brilliant characteristics, but too young, with a “closed taste”, which does not yet have the required range of shades, and... the bottle has to be emptied. However, it is even worse when you open the wine too late and feel that it is best time has already passed. Therefore, it is very important to clearly know when to open a particular wine stored in your cellar.
So, wines that should be drunk fairly quickly are best suited for “everyday dining”. (In collections they usually make up about 50 - 60%.) These are inexpensive specimens. But even for short-term storage, you shouldn’t buy unremarkable drinks. Let them be interesting, high quality and individual. Among these are many local wines of France, or selected products from minor and small appellations (limited zones with a certain quality control system). In Bordeaux, for example, it is simply Bordeaux AOC or Bordeaux Superior. They do not improve their characteristics as they are stored. And if suddenly you come across such wines from 1990 or 1988, then you can say with confidence that they have already lost all the best that was in them. By the way, this is why you should not think that all products from the Bordeaux region are intended for long-term storage.
This category also includes wines with fruity, fresh tones, for example, from the Gamay variety (Beaujolais region). The attractiveness of this drink lies in the abundance of expressive fruit aromas. But they cannot be stored, since with age these shades disappear, like the charm of the wine itself.
Wines of the second category are the most common. Their prices are higher, but they are quite affordable. (Most often in collections there are no more than 20%.) Many New World wines, for example, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot from Chile, New Zealand, Australia, are usually drunk within 1 - 3 years. These wines are very fresh, with fruity tones, lively, and fatty on the palate. But after long storage, only coarse tannins and pronounced acidity remain in the bouquet; softness, roundness and fruity splendor disappear. They are made to be enjoyed while they are young.
This also includes wines from France obtained in "second rank" appellations, but located in prestigious wine regions, such as Burgundy, where each village represents an appellation. The best vineyards are located on the slopes, while the valleys produce less structured wines. So they can be stored for up to 5 years.
Wines of the third category are the most expensive. (There are 15 - 20% of them in collections). They usually come from the best sites (grand cru, premier cru) of the most prestigious appellations, where the grapes have favorable exposure to the sun and better drainage.
They are the ones that last the longest. It is not always possible to drink them young, although last years Many truly great wines have appeared (including from Bordeaux and Burgundy), which become very pleasant to drink at an early age, almost from 1 year. But it also happens that wines from 2001 are extremely attractive now, but after a year or two they can “close down” and become completely uninteresting. Then they need to be “forgotten” in the cellar so that after 5-7 years they will reveal their potential, but with more powerful force.
No matter what metamorphoses the wine undergoes, it should be remembered that all great wines are made even better and better every year, so without a doubt you can leave them for long-term storage.
By the way, such drinks are for special occasion quite a lot in Tuscany (Italy), for example, among wines called Brunello di Montalcino or Nobile de Montepulciano, as well as among Super Tuscan wines - Sossicaia, Ornellaia, etc. from the Bolgheri region. They can be stored for 10 to 20 years.
In principle, in almost every wine-producing country you can find “super-premium” positions with a very long life. There are such in Chile, and in New Zealand, and in Australia, and in Argentina...
Likewise, in every prestigious zone there are wines whose life expectancy is insignificant.
Within Bordeaux in particular, there are complex hierarchies in both quality and price (from one euro to several thousand). And in order not to make mistakes, you need expert advice. And although all great wines are usually “heard of”: Chateau Margaux, Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, Chateau Haut Brion, etc., there is another aspect that determines the duration of storage of the wine and its characteristics - the year of harvest ( millesim). In countries with a cool climate (Europe), they can be either too successful (2000 in Bordeaux for red varieties and 2001 in Germany for Riesling), or completely disastrous, like 2002 in Tuscany.
Don't assume that a good year for Bordeaux is also a good year for other regions. For example, 1982 was great in Bordeaux, but poor in other parts of France. But 2001 - also a very good year in the Medoc (part of Bordeaux) - moved into 2002 - not very successful overall, but quite successful for some wines from the Medoc.
And in Languedoc (southern France), Tuscany, and Cotes Du Rhone (France), 1999 was ahead of 2000. And he also showed excellent results in Burgundy. In Bordeaux, the 1997 harvest did not go well, but in the south of Italy and Tuscany it became one of the best in the last 10 years. 1996 is a very good year for Medoc and red Burgundy, outstanding for Champagne.
By studying European tables for successful harvest years, you can learn to quite accurately determine the lifespan of a particular wine: those made in best years are stored longer, in the worst cases they end their lives young. But drinks from Chile or Argentina are little affected by these statistics, since the climate there is very stable and is considered successful almost every year.
There is a strong argument in favor of buying wines for a collection from famous estates, even if they sometimes cost ten times more than others. The fact is that the best winemakers, even in a bad year, will try to extract everything they can from their own vines. And if the harvest is completely unsuccessful, then they will prefer not to produce wine at all, rather than be content with a bad one and undermine their own authority. By the way, this happens often. The best wines are not produced in bad years.
You can also build your collection taking into account the grape varieties underlying the drink. For example, wines from different countries and regions, in addition to the already international cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, are produced from local indigenous varieties, which can be so specific that they will not suit the taste of a beginner, but will delight a connoisseur.
By the way, the same varieties, but growing in different countries, can be completely different from each other, and that’s what makes them interesting. It is known that Italian Sauvignon Blanc wines, especially from the south, are very different from Austrian or German ones. Likewise, wines from Burgundy are not similar to their “brothers” from Provence. And the whole trick lies in the composition of the soil and climatic conditions (called in one word - “terroir”). Terroir gives wine special shades of taste and aroma, and, in fact, determines the individuality of the drink.
For those who like to experiment with wine styles, we can advise you to assemble a collection according to this criterion.
The style consists of differences in the climate of the countries where grapes grow, differences in varieties and differences in blends (mixtures of grapes), as well as features of production technology.
A style-based collection allows you to evaluate a wine based on its taste and personality. It's probably a good idea to have a variety of different styles of drinks in your cellar.
They can be classified as follows: 3 categories of red and 3 categories of white wines.

Reds
1. Well-structured and balanced red wines. This includes “straight wines” with a clear structure, in which alcohol does not dominate, its presence is not obvious. For example, Sangiovese and Chianti Classico. These wines are served with food, they are fresh, they have pronounced acidity, and a long aftertaste. And the longer and clearer it is, the better the wine will be stored.
Bordeaux wines made from merlot and cabernet can also be included in this category.
2. Characteristic, complex wines with strong individual characteristics. These are “brilliant wines” that are easy to taste. For example, good Burgundy, outstanding Piedmontese from the Barolo and Barbaresco varieties. Their structure is less linear, tannins are not immediately felt. If you're not used to it, you may be shocked by their acidity. You need to get used to these wines and learn to drink them. Not many people understand their character - full of rich fruity tones, expressive, elegant.
3. The wines are generous, filled with sunshine, and most importantly, have a roundness of taste and warmth. They are sometimes rough, but now they are becoming more and more refined. They come from California, Chile, Australia, Argentina, from Sicily, Puglia, Languedoc and Côtes du Rhône, Spain.
These wines should not be stored for a long time.

White
1. Lively and fresh wines (from the Sauvignon Blanc variety, as well as whites from the Loire or Soave wines from Italy). But they sometimes have a drawback - they are too sour.
2. Wines with a rounded taste and scope. These wines are predominantly fatty, oily in taste, and soft. Most often they come from the New World, for example, many Chardonnay, Bourgogne, Meursault. Some of them contain a sufficient amount of sugar and are therefore suitable as an aperitif.
3. Perfumed wines, for example, Viognier, Condrieu. The main thing about them is their aromatic individuality. They are suitable for special cuisine, exotic dishes.

In addition to those listed, there are some other types of drinks that simultaneously belong to several classes, for example, rose wines. They are not suitable for long-term storage and should be drunk within a year. But in this group there are exceptions that live up to 10 years.
But what can you do if you don’t read the specialized press, don’t study special sites on the Internet, don’t have time to follow manufacturer ratings and study summary tables of crop quality different years in a variety of countries, starting “from King Pea”...?
In this case, the only way out is to contact a qualified specialist or an experienced wine merchant.

Acquisition
First, a farm purchase. This is perhaps one of the most the best ways. At the very least, you can be sure that the wine has never left the place where it was produced and has not been adversely affected by external conditions. And this is very important.
Some collection owners prefer to buy very young wines that need aging or “en primeur” (that is, “in the future”). Since this practice involves purchasing and paying well before wines are bottled, you should always choose a supplier with an impeccable reputation.
Although in the most famous chateaus this is quite difficult, if not impossible. For such a purchase, people sign up for a waiting list for several years in advance. Moreover, there is a very clear procedure for selling elite bottles through intermediaries.
Secondly, the auction. Wine auctions are a paradise for lovers of divine nectar. The best wines in the world are sold at auctions. They are quite accessible to everyone, and not just to experts and people with astronomical income.
And even if you are a busy person, you can easily participate in the auction in absentia by sending in advance a written application for the lot you are interested in, indicating the maximum price you are willing to pay. There is no need to be afraid that you will overpay, since in most cases the rule applies: if maximum bet in the hall for 100 conventional units lower than yours, then you will pay for the purchase only a “step” above this rate, which is usually less than 100 units (euros or dollars).
But first, you should familiarize yourself with the catalog, which is published long before the auction and is sold inexpensively or even sent out for free. You should not think that an auction requires super knowledge or fabulous wealth. It is enough to study the catalog in detail to understand that there are many lots in it that are suitable for a novice collector. Along with outstanding wines, simply popular examples are offered. The main thing is to determine for yourself what you want to buy and the maximum price above which you do not intend to bargain. Before the auction, you can often take part in pre-sale tastings.
Having registered and received a shovel with a number, you begin to place bets following the host, who himself chooses the starting price of the lot, taking into account the wishes of the owner. Rates are increased step by step: for inexpensive lots the step is from 2 to 10 euros; for expensive ones - at least 50. If your bid is the last, then your number is called and the auction ends. Now you can be proud - you purchased wine at auction. All that remains is to pay and take your treasure.
Well, and thirdly, of course, purchases can be made from a wine merchant or in a wine boutique. By the way, some of our supermarkets have a rich selection of wines and are equipped wine cabinets, which can allow you to buy very decent wine without leaving the country.

Collecting wine is not only a hobby, but also science, investment, and aesthetics. The ability to choose the right bottle of wine, provide necessary conditions storage and not missing the peak in its value growth is not only difficult, but also exciting. This is partly why collectors and the collections themselves deserve a separate article.

The main criteria for the cost of wine, like good cognac, is its ripening and storage time. The ripening period is very individual and depends on:

• varieties of berries;
• year of harvest and quality of the crop;
• taste characteristics of grapes;
• areas where a particular variety grows.

Determining the quality of the crop is a separate problem. To do this, it is necessary to analyze the map of millezims, which display the ratings of drinks according to the region and date of manufacture. This is the only way to predict more or less successful years for wine-growing regions.

Why is it so important to evaluate crop quality? It's simple. Successful harvests allow the wine to mature longer, thereby causing an increase in value.

What does a new wine collector need to know?

1. Buy new wine after predicting its future cost.
2. Equip a place to store your collection and wait until the cost of a particular brand of drink increases several times.

After that, all that remains is to find a buyer.

How is the collection itself formed? There are several ways here:

• buy the drink you are interested in from a foreign merchant company that specializes in selling collection wines, or from the manufacturing plant itself;
• purchase wines from companies importing drinks into Russia. In this case, you will have to rely on personal knowledge and experience;
• ask for help from a sommelier who can select for you best options for collecting.

It is important to remember that it is not enough to buy just one bottle of the collectible drink. It is best to purchase them in small batches of 6-8 pieces. The collection itself can consist of one bottle or several. It all depends only on your perseverance and financial capabilities.

It is worth keeping in mind that not every wine can be included in a specific collection. There is only one main rule for selecting the wheat from the chaff - the wine must be vintage, that is, it must be made from a certain grape variety, a specific year and area of ​​​​growth.

The most famous wine collections

Becoming a collector is not an easy task. However, no one bothers you to try your luck, because you can always buy a bottle of young and promising wine in

Collection wines are distinguished by the highest quality and special aging and storage technology. This composition ferments in special barrels, after which the wine is bottled and the drink continues to age for at least three more years. For storage, special rooms and basements are allocated, called “enoteca”. Winemakers start a journal in which all resulting bottles are recorded - a catalog of collection wines, where they indicate the year the drink was made, grape variety, condition and type of wine. The year of harvest and the weather conditions of this time period can radically affect the taste and quality of the wine - of course, only a true connoisseur can distinguish them. But he will immediately be able to tell how the collectible French Sauvignon wine from the 1976 harvest differs from a similar drink produced, say, in 1999. He just needs to try and smell the composition.

A certain temperature is maintained in the basement, bottles are regularly inspected for damage - broken ones are removed, caps in leaking ones are replaced with new ones, filling them with resin.

Collection red wine, like white wine, is practically a living organism that is capable of ripening, reaching the peak of its condition, aging and dying. Experts are of the opinion that the best wine is obtained after 12-16 years of aging, and after 20 it begins to gradually fade. The only exception is the drink sherry, which can be stored for centuries without losing its taste, and even becoming more beautiful.
Collection wines in Moscow, and throughout the world, are a real treasure and are of historical, scientific and practical value. They can tell you about brands, producers and winemakers that no longer exist.

A special subtle taste, characteristic recognition and incredible aroma - these are all collection wines. The prices for such drinks are not affordable, but the products are in constant high demand, because the high quality and rarity of the drink is not the first thing here.
The main thing when drinking collectible vintage wines is the ability to “understand” their bouquet, feel all the versatility of the drink, be able to enjoy the smell and feel the subtle aftertaste. Alas, this is not given to everyone, but only to those who really know how to appreciate collection wine. Buying a bottle of good wine in Moscow is also seen as a wise financial investment, because its value will only increase over the years.

It is important to know how to properly serve and drink an exquisite drink.
- Wine must have optimal temperature, so the taste can reveal itself most fully. Collection white wines with citrus, spicy and neutral flavor tones are served at a temperature of 8-12 degrees, and red wines at 16-18.

• - After opening the bottle, do not rush to pour the drink right away, give it a few minutes to “breathe” and become saturated with oxygen - this will also have a beneficial effect on the taste.
• - The right dishes are the key to great pleasure. A wide glass, slightly narrowed at the top, is exactly the vessel that will allow the aroma to accumulate and prevent the aromatic vapors from disappearing.
• - Do not pour a full glass - just fill it a third and let the aroma saturate the air in the vessel.

It is worth noting that many collection wines form sediment at the bottom of the bottle, the so-called “shirt”. There is no need to be afraid of sediment, because this is a sign of venerable age and high quality of the drink. If you are lucky enough to buy a collection of red wine, do not start drinking it immediately after carrying it - let the liquid settle for a bit.
The site offers a collection of wines store to touch the enchanting world of limited edition divine drinks. The collection wines that are presented in our assortment will not disappoint you, because they undergo several stages of testing and are stored in conditions that promote the preservation and improvement of organoleptic properties.

Preparation of moonshine and alcohol for personal use
absolutely legal!

After the collapse of the USSR, the new government stopped the fight against moonshine. Criminal liability and fines were abolished, and the article banning the production of alcohol-containing products at home was removed from the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. To this day, there is not a single law that prohibits you and me from engaging in our favorite hobby - preparing alcohol at home. This is evidenced by the Federal Law of July 8, 1999 No. 143-FZ “On Administrative Responsibility legal entities(organizations) and individual entrepreneurs for offenses in the field of production and circulation of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products" (Collected Legislation Russian Federation, 1999, N 28, art. 3476).

Extract from the Federal Law of the Russian Federation:

“The effect of this Federal Law does not apply to the activities of citizens (individuals) producing products containing ethyl alcohol for purposes other than sale.”

Moonshining in other countries:

In Kazakhstan in accordance with the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Administrative Offenses dated January 30, 2001 N 155, the following liability is provided. Thus, according to Article 335 “Manufacture and sale of home-made alcoholic beverages”, illegal production of moonshine, chacha, mulberry vodka, mash and other alcoholic beverages for the purpose of sale, as well as the sale of these alcoholic beverages, entails a fine in the amount of thirty monthly calculation indices with confiscation of alcoholic beverages , apparatus, raw materials and equipment for their manufacture, as well as money and other valuables received from their sale. However, the law does not prohibit the preparation of alcohol for personal use.

In Ukraine and Belarus things are different. Articles No. 176 and No. 177 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses provide for the imposition of fines in the amount of three to ten tax-free minimum wages for the production and storage of moonshine without the purpose of sale, for the storage of devices* for its production without the purpose of sale.

Article 12.43 repeats this information almost word for word. “Production or acquisition of strong alcoholic beverages (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), storage of apparatus for their production” in the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses. Point No. 1 states: “Manufacturing individuals strong alcoholic drinks (moonshine), semi-finished products for their production (mash), as well as storage of devices* used for their production - entail a warning or a fine of up to five basic units with confiscation of these drinks, semi-finished products and devices.”

*Purchase moonshine stills It is still possible for home use, since their second purpose is to distill water and obtain components for natural cosmetics and perfumes.

24.07.2013

Wine collections- hobbies that take time but ultimately reap rewards healthy fruits. Collecting large quantities makes these the best wines wine collections wonderful and attractive, so be sure to visit one of them in the near future.

No. 10. Aubrey McClendon – 2,000 bottles

The CEO of Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Aubrey McClendon, is one of the largest landowners in the United States, and he has also collected quite a bit of wine over the years. He keeps his big wine collection in three cellars across the country, also has auction sales such as the “Aubrey McClendon Wine Collection.” The energy tycoon earned a salary of $112 million in 2008, making him the highest paid CEO in the United States and the highest paid CEO of all standard and mid-sized companies.

No. 9. Charlie Trotter – 4,000 bottles

Charlie Trotter, a well-known name in the food industry, amassed a collection of 4,000 bottles of wine before he auctioned them off at Christie's. The collection is marked by large-sized specimens. The bottles are so large that they require special equipment for transportation and transportation, special holders such as cradle. While most regular wine bottles have a capacity of 750 ml, Trotter's collection includes a significant number of premium wines, which have a capacity of up to 1.5 liters.

No. 8. Leslie Rudd – 10,000 bottles

Restaurateur Leslie Rudd has a collection of 10,000 bottles of Napa Valley wines for his restaurant called The Press. When he began building his collection, Leslie worked with married couple Kelly White and Scott Brenner, who are both sommeliers. Leslie's wine collection, the Napa collection, now has an impressive number and variety produced in that region.

No. 7. Tour d’Argent – ​​15,000 bottles

Tour d'Argent" is widely recognized among the wine community due to its big map wines in France The restaurant is located in Paris. The restaurant has a reputation for having guests arrive early for lunch just to get a good look at the wine selection. In fact full map wine weighs approximately 9 kilograms. The cellar is used to store old wines; young wine is considered to be a bottle from 2003. Sommeliers at the Tour d'Argent restaurant mainly buy young wine and store it until it is ready to drink.

No. 6. Tawfiq Khoury (Tawfiq Khoury) – 65,000 bottles

Tofik Khoeri's collection was auctioned off through Christie's as he did a bit of a spring cleaning, but before the auction, he owned 65,000 bottles of wine. Christie's auction estimated the wines were worth approximately $2.5 million, although an exact figure was not given. For a while he had one of largest private wine collections in the United States, which made sense in his early years when he and his wife were throwing out a lot of dinner parties. So, as he and his wife began to travel more, he decided to sell the collection.

No. 5. Restaurant Latour – 100,000 bottles

Jen Mulvihill owns one of largest wine collections in the world, featured at the Latour restaurant he co-owns in New Jersey. According to Milvihill, every bottle of wine in his cellar is found solely because it is one of the best, without fillers or substitutes. The collection features 90-year-old wines dating back to 1890, and it guarantees that not a single bottle in the cellar has been damaged by cork or oxidation. The basement is also home to the Nuclear Technology Laboratory Magnetic resonance, which helps them analyze individual wines without having to damage or open them. The equipment was manufactured at the University of California and funded by Mulvhill himself so that he could easily determine the chemical components and acetic acid content of wine. Outside the laboratory, visitors see that each cellar niche represents a different production, country or region, and stores hundreds of variations from there.

No. 4. Wine cellar 1860 – 129,000 bottles

Bodega 1860 is located in the Basque Country of Spain, a city filled with art, culture and gastronomy. The collection has distinctive wines that include old vintages from the 1860s. Even during civil war, the winery continued to produce wines, so it is not surprising that bottles from that era are also available. However, only VIPs are allowed to taste these wines, including local political and religious leaders.

No. 3. Graycliff Hotel – 250,000 bottles

The Graycliff Hotel in Nassau in the Bahamas is home to the third largest wine collection in the world. The hotel is named after Captain Howard Graysmith, a pirate of the Caribbean who built the Graycliff mansion in 1740. Graycliff is also one of only 75 restaurants in the world to be honored with a Grand Wine Spectator Award, and they are the only such establishment in the Caribbean. The current owner, Italian Enrico Garzaoli, has also added 12,000 bottles of wine from Italy to the collection.

No. 2. Bern's Snack Bar – 500,000 bottles

Tampa, Florida. Here you will find the second largest wine collection in the world. It was founded in 1956 and is still run by David Laxer, who is the son of the original owner. The state even recently discovered gem among the wine warehouses. A $30,000 bottle of 1947 Chateau Latour is one of the most expensive wines in the world. Bern's Diner has a sister restaurant called Side Bern's, which has established itself as a liquor store. It gained recognition for the size of its wine collection, even George W. Bush dined in Bern twice during his presidency.

No. 1. Milestii Mici – 2 million bottles

The largest winery in the world- an underground wine city that stretches up to 250 kilometers. The cellar complex is a labyrinth where streets are named after different types of wine, which include Sauvignon, Cabernet, etc. You will need a car to get from one part of the winery to another, and the cellar staff use a bicycle to travel within the winery. Milestii Mici is recognized by Guinness World Records for the sheer size of its wine collection. Wine consumption in the cellars is 70% red wine, 20% white, and 10% dessert.