Since the beginning of time we’ve all loved a good glass of wine. The ancient Greeks and Romans had gods devoted to the production and enjoyment of wine, they worshipped it and, modern-day Aussies are no different – we love the stuff. 

There are few things better than kicking back at the end of the day with a glass of wine or six! Now with everyone confined to their own homes, we’ve adapted to video happy hours but we’re missing the bar more than ever. You may even be starting to wish you had your very own mini-cellar or even a dedicated collection of wine in your very own home. 

Quarantine or not, starting your own wine collection is actually an excellent investment. Not only will a decent stockpile of wine make the next few months locked in with your family, partner or roommates bearable but it’ll come equally in handy when things eventually go back to normal. An Incredibly versatile drink, it’s the answer to all your BYO woes, your go-to gift idea, your dinner companion and your happy hour pick!

The best news? You don’t even need to get out of the house or even off the couch to start your collection, you can start right now!

So get ready to raise a glass to your growing collection and check out these easy tips. 

Best Staple Wines

Maybe you’re a bit of a wine connoisseur, or maybe your wine knowledge is limited to ‘red’ or ‘white’ you can start growing your collection with a few staple wines. Tastes vary from person to person but, for our money these reds, whites and sparklings make a good foundation on which you’ll be able to grow a truly epic collection.

To borrow from pop-sensation Lizzo who sang, ‘I’m like Chardonnay, get better over time,’ this buttery, white wine is the perfect base for your collection. Perfect for drinking now but capable of being cellared for a few years, Chardonnay is a drinkable fan favourite that will be a hit at any dinner party but is light enough that you’ll be able to knock back a couple on a sunny afternoon. Australian Chardonnay is renowned for being top of the line so you’ll be able to support local vineyards. With reds you’re going to want to invest in some Shiraz, Syrah and Cabernet varieties to set aside. These wines age beautifully and will only improve in value overtime. If you’ve got something to celebrate, you simply can’t go past a good sparkling wine. Only wine from the Champagne region in France can actually be referred to as champagne but Italian Prosecco or Spanish Cava are sparkling alternatives that are equally crowd-pleasing and delicious. 

Now, let’s talk about how to get these wines without having to brave the outside world.

Subscription Services

One effective way to slowly grow your cellar, little by little each month is by subscribing to a monthly wine subscription service. Particularly if you’re a newcomer to the wine world, a subscription service like Good Pair Days or VinoMofo or many others on the market will offer you a taste test which will help you refine your palate and get to know your tastes. Simply fill  in a short quiz and their teams of sommeliers will recommend wines tailored specifically for you. Getting a few bottles delivered a month can help you learn which grape varieties you do and don’t like, so when it becomes time to collect seriously and buy in bulk you’ll know exactly what to look for.

Online Marketplaces And Auction Houses

Once you do know what to look for, you simply can’t go past Grays for top-quality wine and shockingly reasonable prices. Serious collectors flock to these online auction houses and marketplaces to get award-winning wine by the case or by the bottle for market prices. They’ve even got a great collection of cleanskins which are wine’s from well-known commercial wineries that are sold without branding from low prices. 

Another advantage of Gray’s Online? You set the price at auction meaning you could end up paying as little as a few dollars a bottle for a case of wine.