CLIPBOARD : HOW TO: START YOUR WINE CELLAR

Not even wine connoisseurs started out at the top savoring a $20,000-a-bottle Chateau d’Yquem, 1921.”My very first wine was Manischewitz concord grape and 7-Up wine coolers,” said Ron Loutherback, owner of the Wine Club in Santa Ana. His personal collection of wines, gathered over 22 years, includes more than 500 varieties and labels of wines and champagnes. “By the end of the summer I had graduated to Chablis over ice, and I thought I was really sophisticated.”

Truth is, most people who drink wines do so in stages. It is generally an evolution from a pop wine such as a Chablis or a Sutter Home White Zinfandel to a drier Chardonnay and eventually into some of the heartier red wines.

And for people who are beginning to acquire more than a pedestrian taste for wines, and may want to start collecting, there are a few pointers.

Loutherback suggests establishing a rapport with a wine merchant. “Sure, you could go to the supermarket to buy wine, but if you wanted to buy stocks, you’d go to a broker. It’s the same with wine: Go to a professional,” he said.

“Talk to the sales consultants. Tell them what your tastes are, and let them recommend a wine. Take it home and try it, then come back and tell that same consultant what you liked and didn’t like about it; he can make adjustments.”

Once you’ve established a relationship with a wine merchant, there are a few more considerations to putting together your wine cellar.

BUDGETING

To begin, figure on spending anywhere from $200 to $500 on premium wines to begin your cellar. Generally speaking, an inexpensive wine will cost less than $6 per bottle; moderately priced, $6 to $11; premium wines, $11 to $20 per bottle, and the super premium wines cost more than $20 per bottle.

FOCUSING

Decide what your focus is and make your purchases accordingly. There are three basic reasons why people collect wines:

* To age until it reaches its full maturity and potential.

* To have on hand and enjoy in years to come.

* As an investment. For instance, a bottle of 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild may sell for $15,000 at an auction, and it is not uncommon to see a bid of $10,000 or $12,000 a bottle, though $5,000 for a case is probably closer to the mark.

THOUGHTS ON TASTE

“When you buy a young quality wine, it will be well-balanced,” said Loutherback. “It will have the bitterness of tannin, the zip of acid, and the fruit flavors of the grape. As the wine gets older, you get additional flavors called ‘bottled complexities.’ ”

THOUGHTS ON AGING

“Let me make a blanket statement that will anger some people,” ventured Loutherback. “There is very little need to age California Chardonnays and white Burgundys beyond one to two years. Most white wines are light-bodied and fruity and made to enjoy right away. A quality red wine will take anywhere from six to 12 years from vintage to be at its best.”

DO’S AND DON’TS

* Do buy a home storage unit. You can select a unit that holds anywhere from 60 to 10,000 bottles, though it’s probably better to start smaller. Store wines in a cool, dry, dark place with about 50% humidity and a temperature of 55 to 65 degrees.

* Don’t always select wines from the same vintner; experiment.

* Do invest in premium wines that are going to get better with age.

* Don’t buy cases of wines when you’re just starting out, unless it is a wine you really like and you want to keep a few bottles around for years to come. As you experience more wines, your taste may change.

* Do buy a few extra bottles of wine you really like because you’re going to be tempted to taste it. Said Loutherback: “If you don’t have something enjoyable to drink every day, you end up raiding your own wine cellar and end up drinking things you wish you had saved.”

WHAT TO STOCK

* White wine: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer.

* Red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Chianti, Pinot Noir and the great French wines from the regions of Bordeaux, Rhone and Burgundy.

* Blush wines: “Take them home, put them in the refrigerator and drink them. I wouldn’t recommend them for a wine cellar--they’ll hold up for a year, but they’re not going to improve,” said Loutherback.

* Dessert wines: Beerenauslese and Eiswein from Germany, or a nice Sauterne or dessert sherry or port.

* Champagne: “I wouldn’t bother with anything other than one of the top champagne houses such as Dom Perignon Cristal and Perrier-Jouet,” said Loutherback.

Source: The Wine Cellar, Santa Ana