Hot, Heavily Collected

A number of wines are in such demand that price is no object for the wine lovers hunting for them. Most will pay exorbitant prices to get what they perceive as a great wine.

I compiled the following list of heavily collected wines from personal experience and by calling a number of wine merchants and asking them which wines were presently hardest to deliver to demanding customers. The wines are listed in no particular order:

* Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay (Napa Valley).

* Chateau Le Pin (Bordeaux).

* Grace Family Vineyard Cabernet (Napa Valley).

* Williams and Selyem Winery “Rochioli Vineyard” Pinot Noir (Sonoma).

* Kistler Vineyards “Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay (Sonoma).

* Rochioli Vineyards “Reserve” Pinot Noir (Sonoma).

* Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc (Bordeaux).

* Penfolds Grange (Australia).

* Sandrone Barolo “Cannubi” (Italy).

* Antinori Solaia (Italy).

* Domaine Zind-Humbrecht “Vendange Tardive” (Alsace).

* White Burgundies from Comte La Fond, Coche-Dury and Ramonet.

* Red Burgundy from Emanuel Rouget.

* Bodegas Vega Sicilia “Unico” (Spain).

* Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Turque” (Rhone).

* Leonetti Cellars Merlot (Washington).

A number of wines that formerly were hard to get are, for various reasons (high price among them), now available if you search. These include Dunn Vineyards Cabernet, Petrus, Domaine de La Romanee-Conti Le Montrachet (you’ll pay $800 a bottle, though), Beaulieu Vineyard “Private Reserve” Cabernet, Salon Champagne, Chateau Grillet and Antinori Tignanello.