I have a customer who is just getting into wine. He wants a cellar with 500 bottles already lying down in it to drink over the following periods.

200-3-8 yrs
150 5-10 yrs
50 8-13 yrs
50 10-15yrs
50 15+

I've already organised it for him, but if you had this opportunity how would you do it. Be as specific or generalised as you like. Budget is $40,000 NZD dollars or $20,000 USD dollars, which equates to $40 a bottle USD.

Mine was mostly Aussie and NZD focused with a few Frenchies thrown in at the top end, but thats because that what he wanted. Some decent Italians and Germans also int here but they were in the definate minority.

This is really interesting. Here are my initial thoughts:

A few assumptions:
- For this size transaction, I will pay around wholesale + 10%.
- I'm calling 500 bottles 42 cases, and I'm buying in case lots.

Here's my breakdown:

Whites
3 German, budget $400/case, Spatlese & Auslese, prefer 1997
2 Loire, budget $400/case, Quarts de Chaume & Savenieres
8 Burgundy, budget $500/case, Premier Crus, prefer Girardin, Ramonet, Jobard, Pernot
2 CA Chardonnay, budget $200/case, Mt Eden McGregor (I like the QPR)
2 NZ Sav Blanc, budget $250/case, Jeremy, I'm looking for help here

Total for whites - 17 cases, cost $6,900

Reds
4 Bandol, budget $300/case, Domaine Tempier
2 Gigondas, budget $300/case
2 Hermitage, budget $500/case
4 Burgundy, budget $600/case, Premier Cru, d'Angerville, Girardin, Bertagna
6 OR Pinot Noir, budget $350/case, Cameron, McKinlay, Chehalem
5 CA/WA Cabs, budget $650/case, SLD wines & WA
2 Bordeaux, budget $1,200/case, second growths

Total for reds - 25 cases, cost $12,950

This leaves me with $150 to buy a really good bottle of champagne to celebrate.

Generally the OR Pinot Noir, NZ Savignon Blanc, and CA Chardonnay along with a smattering of others gets drunk first. The Germans, Loire, and Bordeaux gets drunk last. I avoid Italy because I don't know Italy.

Nice Choices!!!

For the sav I would go with the Te Koko (released this month!!!).
Interesting choices with the Loire wines., you obviously enjoy Chenin and Sav blanc wines- yes?

This is too friggin weird. Just yesterday I was telling LCC about a customer of mine that gave me a $40k US budget to start a new cellar for him in the Sacramento/Granite Bay area. His house is flanked by John Travolta and Eddie Murphy and feels he needs to be able to entertain appropriately.

Somebody pinch me.

I enjoy Chenin Blanc and Savignon Blanc in some forms. I like the Loire wines. The ones I chose are ageable, and for ageable wines, good QPR.

We don't get a lot of NZ Savignon Blanc here, but I was in England last summer and found many SBs there that I'd never heard of before. Almost all of them were great and relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately I haven't seen them here.

Some people may think the Bandol choice is weird, but I really like their wines, they age well, and they go very well with lamb.

Storm Morgan??

Ohh winebrat, I didn't want to say anything but I knew it was Jeremy. Jeremy & the Hollywood-elite are like "this", you know (parties @ the Playboy mansion...)

All I know is I want to be this guy's friend.

Weird part is that he doesn't know a great deal about wine- same sort of deal as with Winebrat's client. My client said he was responsible for all the wine purchasing for his wife's parties, and that he only knew the "good" labels. He wanted me to find boutique vineyards that represented decent pricing and great quality (aren't we all?).

It broke down like this (as only Duke has compiled a "dream" set up.)
All in NZD
200- 3-8yr

4 Cases Alexander Reserve Cab Merlot2001 ( $350/case)
4 Cases Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2000 ($720/case)
4 Cases Seresin Marama Sav Blanc 2001( $300/case)
4 Cases Kumeu River Mates Vineyard 1997 ( $420/case)
8 Bottles Daniel le Brun Vintage Blanc de Blanc 1996 ($240)

150 5-10yr

3 Cases Hensckhe Keyneton Estate 1998 ($480/case)
3 Cases Andre Brunel 1999 CdP ( $600/case)
3 Cases Penfolds Bin 707 96/98 (18 bottles of each $1020/case)
3 Cases Morton Estate Black Label Chardonnay 2000 ($420/case)
6 Bottle Dry River Botrytis Chardonnay 1998 ( $210)

Total- $15170 NZD ( about $7500 USD)

Remaining Wines (anything ageworthy over next eight years.)

1998 Chateau Climens ($780/case)-1case
1998 Guigal Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde ($792/case)-1 case
1998 Henschke Cyrill Estate Cab Sav ( $900/case)- 1 case
1999 Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay ($1020/case)- 2 cases
1998 Stonyridge La Rose the Cabernets ( $1200/case) 2 cases
1995 Lafite Rothschild ( $6000/case-12bottles case-cheap eh?) 6 bottles
1993 Henschke Hill of Grace ( $3600/case) - 1 case
1998 Cullen Cab merlot ($1200/case) 1 Case
1998 Mount Mary Quintet ( $2160/case)-1 case
1990 Mouton Rothschild- Magnum ( $3,400)
1989 Chateau Y Quem Magnum ($2,600)
2000 Kumeu River mates Vineyard Chardonnay Magnum ($90)
1997 Giribaldi Barolo ( $1050/case) 1 case.

850$ Riedel Glassware- cause he didn't know he needed decent glassware!! However as we all know about stems don't include it in your selections- If anyone else is willing to give it a whirl!
Total Expenditure- $40,030 NZD( I Covered the $30) or $20,000 USD approx. Probably could swap the Leeuwin Art Chard and the Penfolds 707 around as well.

Jeremy, why is the cost of the Mouton and Yquem so high? On wine-searcher.com the cost of the 1990 Mouton in magnum is $286 to $800 (USD). The yquem is not listed as being available in the USA but is available in the New Zealand for $924 (USD). With these savings you could purchase lots more wine. Or am I missing something here?

No you're not missing anything but the prices of certain wines in NZ are very differing from the US markets. Presnt prices for Mouton 1990 Magnums here have been as high as $4500 ($2250 USD)- he wanted it I recommended some other wines but hey can't argue toheavily with the client. It was the only French wine outside of Champagne he had heard of !!!

However my main problem is because I get my French wine through another distributor. However where my clients do get ahead is with the Aussie and NZ wines (as you can see make the majority of the wines purchased for him.), effectively they get the savings there rather than in the French wine. It evens out .

However- where did you see the Yquem? Thats a very good price $2,099.99NZD

The price on the Yquem may have had GST removed. I saw the Yquem at Senic Cellars. Check out:

http://easyshop.ebits.co.nz/scenic/easyshop/shop/ProductDetails.asp?ID=NBC669601485

The price listed on the web site is $1896 (NZD). Their address is

Street Address: 32 Roberts Road, Taupo
Postal Address: PO BOX 1029 Taupo
Telephone: 07 378-5704

www.wine-searcher.com is your friend!

Ah Scenic Cellars- the best wine shop in NZ. Yes the price was GST exclusive but even so a very good price. I'll organise some rebate for my client, thanks Skwid- things like that keep my clients happy. Or maybe I'll give him the two bottles of Krug he wasn't sure if he should get or not.

Definitely get him the Krug! I recommend the 1985 if he is in a consuming sort of mood. If he wants to lay it down the 1988 is a good bet. These are both available for $125 here in the San Francisco bay area. For something a bit less expensive the Krug Grand Cuvee is really delightful. I've seen it for $80 at a couple of places around me.