The Dummy’s Guide to Starting a Wine Collection

You don’t have to be a millionaire to start collecting wine seriously. The Wall Street Journal’s mini guide to starting your own wine cellar has all the basic tips for beginners. Beyond the standard advice about storage (temperature, humidity), WSJ provides a comprehensive list of guiding principles (“your favorite style of wines, growers and years”) and insights on when to buy wine—“during the bin end sales at the beginning of the year, when merchants are unloading old stock at discounted prices, and when a wine is offered En Primeur (wine futures).” Don’t make the rookie mistake of thinking you can pick up a bottle or two every week at your local wine shop and end up with a cohesive collection. Get focused with these guidelines. [The Wall Street Journal] [Photo: Flickr/Ren Kuo]