It’s exciting to start a wine collection, but the choice can be overwhelming. We’ve put together a diverse and attainable selection that covers all bases in terms of region, production style, and aging capacity. Follow our guide!
Before you embark on your cellar collection, you first have to think about what proportion of bottles you’d like for short/medium/long-term aging, and how many to be uncorked in the near future. What we’ve proposed here is a typical cellar that you can adapt according to your desires.
The 100 bottles recommended below are based on our Must-Have selection, enriched with favourites and safe bets that all have their place among the first cuvées in your collection. We’ve mainly picked bottles with the best price to enjoyment ratio for each region, but there are also some icons in the mix. In all, the selection comprises organic, biodynamic, natural, and conventional wines.
20 Bordeaux bottles
To enjoy soon (0-2 years)
Under €20
Château du Taillan 2015 (Haut-Médoc) – red
Château Belle-Vue 2016 (Haut-Médoc) – red
Clos Floridène 2019 (Pessac-Léognan) – white
Les Carmes de Rieussec 2017 (Sauternes – dessert wine) – white
Under €30
Château Haut-Bergey 2018 (Pessac-Léognan, biodynamic) – red
Clos Puy Arnaud 2014 (Côtes de Castillon – right bank – biodynamic) – red
Haut-Carles 2016 (Fronsac – right bank) – red
Les arums de Lagrange 2018 (Médoc) – white
Short-term aging (2-5 years)
Maison Blanche 2015 (Montagne-Saint-Émilion, natural) – red
Château Moulin Saint Georges 2008 (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) – red
Medium-term aging (5-15 years)
Under €30
Château Le Puy Cuvée Emilien 2018 (right bank, biodynamic and natural) bottle or magnum – red
Clos Haut Peyraguey 2017 (Sauternes) – dessert white
Under €40
Château Siran 2018 (Margaux) – red
Château Quinault L’Enclos 2018 (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) – red
Château Raymond Lafon 2017 (Sauternes) – dessert white
Under €50
Château Haut Bages Libéral 2015 (Pauillac biodynamic) – red
Under €100
Château de Fargues 1995 – dessert white
Under €150
Château Haut-Bailly 2018 (Pessac-Léognan) – red
Long-term aging (>15 years)
Under €50
Château Rieussec 2018 (Sauternes) – dessert white
Under €100
Château Saint-Pierre 2018 (Saint-Julien) – red
20 Burgundy bottles
To enjoy soon (0-2 years)
Under €15
Givry Domaine des Moirots 2019 – red
Rully La Barre Paul & Marie Jacqueson 2018 – red
Mâcon Sélection Massale Domaine des Vignes du Maynes 2017 – red
Mâcon Nicolas Maillet 2019 (organic) – white
Under €30
Rully Vincent Dureuil-Janthial 2017 – red
Vin de France Chardoc François de Nicolay 2018 (organic and natural) – white
Givry Champ Pourot Ragot 2018 – white
Short-term aging (2-5 years)
Under €30
Pouilly-Fuissé Cuvée Terres De Vergisson Bret Brothers 2018 – white
Under €50
Saint-Véran C.C.P Guffens-Heynen 2014 – white
Medium-term aging (5-15 years)
Under €50
Pommard Lucien Boillot & Fils 2018 – red
Beaune 1er Cru Pertuisots Domaine des Croix 2018 – red
Pernand-Vergelesses Fanny Sabre 2018 – white
Rully 1er Cru Les Margotés A. et P. de Villaine 2017 (organic) – white
Under €100
Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Clos de l’Arlot Domaine de l’Arlot 2016 – red
Under €150
Corton Grand Cru Bressandes Chandon de Briailles 2017 (biodyamic and natural) – red
Nuits Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Boudots Méo-Camuzet 2018 – red
Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes Etienne Sauzet 2017 – white
Meursault 1er Cru Santenots Marquis d’Angerville 2018 – white
Long-term aging (>15 years)
Under €250
Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru Domaine des Lambrays 2017 – red
10 Rhône bottles
To enjoy soon (0-2 years)
Under €15
Côtes du Rhône Elodie Balme 2019 – red
IGP Ardèche Domaine des Accoles Le Cab’ des Acolytes 2018 (biodynamic) – red
Côtes du Rhône Les Arbousiers La Réméjeanne 2019 – white
Short-term aging (2-5 years)
Under €40
Crozes-Hermitage Aléofane 2018 (biodynamic) – red
Saint-Péray Ongrie Alain Voge 2018 (biodynamic) – white
Mid-term aging (5-15 ans)
Under €50
Vin de France Le Canon Hirotake Ooka – Domaine La Grande Colline 2017 – red
Under €100
Cornas Renaissance Auguste Clape 2015 – red
Condrieu Les Chaillées de l’Enfer Georges Vernay 2019 – white
Condrieu Gangloff 2019 – white
Long-term aging (>15 years)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Clos des Papes 2015 (biodynamic) – red
10 Loire bottles
To enjoy soon (0-2 years)
Under €15
Chinon Beaux Monts Catherine et Pierre Breton 2018 (biodynamic and natural) – red
Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine La Louvetrie Jo Landron 2018 (Muscadet biodynamic and natural) – white
Côte Roannaise Domaine Pothiers 2019 (biodynamic) – white
Short-term aging (2-5 years)
Under €30
Anjou Ronceray Belargus 2018 (organic) – white
Pouilly-Fumé La Levée Alexandre Bain 2019 (biodynamic) – white
Under €40
Vin de France Lulu Patrick Bouju – La Bohème 2018 (natural) – red
Medium-term aging (5-15 ans)
Under €40
Saumur Les Cormiers La Porte Saint Jean 2018 – red
Under €100
Chinon Les Varennes du Grand Clos Charles Joguet 2005 – red
Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux Huet 2002 (biodynamic and natural) – dessert white
Long-term aging (>15 years)
Savennières Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Vignobles de la Coulée de Serrant 2019 (biodynamic and natural) – white
