Collecting Wine for Beginners

Collecting wine can be a fun and absorbing hobby, especially when it comes to locating a specific wine on your collection list. A word of caution though – collecting wine can be expensive if you are not careful and like any other expense you need to keep to your budget. If you are just starting your wine collecting, the following tips will help you get the most out of your new interest.

The starting point for your new wine collecting hobby is find a place to store your wine. The best idea is to store your wine at home and this may take a bit of preparation and investment.

Ideally you will want ample space to store and show off your wine and easily locate a bottle when you want it. Also important is the need to keep the temperature at a constant level between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 18 degrees Celsius).

Next you will want to determine the types of wines you intend collecting. Here you have many options to choose from with lots of different red and white wines, and their associated styles. Of course your own taste will largely determine the direction of your wine collecting.

Finding some reputable and reliable suppliers is also important when collecting wine. Over time you will get to know places which provide quality wine at a good price and these will be the merchants that you will want to buy from on a repeat basis.

Initially it is wise to avoid purchasing wine in large quantities. As you develop your tastes and your hobby, you will have a better idea of your preferences and what to collect. It is to your benefit when you visit a wine trader that you let him know that you are a collector. Even if the wines you are interested in collecting are not in his inventory he will probably be able to either order them specially for you or put you in contact with alternative suppliers.

Like any hobby, collecting wine is a learning process. You can increase your knowledge by attending wine tastings and wine trade shows. Here you will meet other people who are involved in collecting wine and you will be able to learn and share information.

Using the Internet and reading magazines and newsletters dedicated to wine are other ways to improve your understanding of collecting wine. The more you know about your hobby, the better will be the quality of your wine collection.

While your collecting wine may start out as fun hobby, remember that it can also be a great way to eventually start your own business. As you become more knowledgeable and competent you will be able to identify wines that can return a profit when you resell them. If you are able to secure some rare bottles of wine at a good price you may be well on the way to a lucrative career in collecting wine.

To learn more about this absorbing interest, check out these great collecting wine books at Amazon.