Wines from organically farmed vineyards can be cellared just like any wine. It’s when we get into the area of sulfite-free wine that things become tricky. Sulfites help preserve wine, and anything you want to lay down for a length of time needs them. In choosing wines for the Fantasy Cellar, I picked those that are organically farmed, to give myself a better selection.

The $500 Cellar

For the $500 cellar, I decided to go with a case of red and a case of white; average bottle price, $19.99. These wines are meant to be drunk now.

Red Case

1. Lolonis Ladybug Red Redwood Valley CA Cuvee IV
2. L’Hiver Syrah Mendocino County 2003
3. Altos Malbec Reserva Mendoza Argentina 2002
4. Domaine de L’Oratoire St. Martin Reserve des Seigneurs Cairanne Cotes-du-Rhone 2003
5. Infantado Port
6. Chaumont Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise 2002
7. Robert Sinskey “Vineyard Reserve” 1999
8. Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir “Four Vineyards” 2001
9. Tablas Creek Cote de Tablas Rouge 2002
10. Domaine Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets 2003
11. Domaine les Genastas Cotes-du-Rhone Villages 2003
12. Pasquero Hilberg Varej Vino Rosso Da Tavola 2003

White Case

1. Alzinger Gruner Veltliner Wachau 2002
2. Marcel Deiss Muscat d’Alsace 2001
3. Etienne Riffault “Seveldra” Sancerre 2002
4. Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche Brut de Normandie
5. Binner Vin d’Alsace Riesling 2001
6. Robert Sinskey Vineyards Chardonnay 2002
7. Ferrando Erbaluce di Caluso Cariola 2003
8. Pircas Begras Argentina Torrontes 2004
9. Maniciat Recolte Macon Charnay 2003
10. Sinskey Vineyards Vin Gris 2004
11. Chance Creek Sauvignon Blanc Redwood Valley CA 2002
12. Tablas Creek Cote de Tablas Blanc Paso Robles CA 2002

The $1500 Cellar

For $1500, include the cases from above, then add the following higher-end selections. Some choices have multiple bottles, so you can try them over the course of time to see how they change, as with the Bordeaux. In this batch, I also include two more cases of everyday wines.

Chateau Meric Graves Rouge Bordeaux 2000 4 bottles
La Gioia (Super Tuscan) Riecine 2001 2 bottles
Domaine Oudin Les Serres Chablis 2002 2 bottles

Niepoort Vintage Port 2000 1 bottle
Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner TBA 2000 1 bottle

Lolonis Zinfandel Private Reserve Redwood CA 2000 1 case
Lolonis Fume Blanc Redwood CA 2003 1 case

The $3000 Cellar

The $3000 cellar includes everything from the previous two, and some cases of indulgence and ageability. It’s a fantasy after all! And in my fantasy, I always have a case of Champagne in the cellar. The Riesling will be a great lesson in the changes a wine goes through from youth to age.

Pierre Brigandat Champagne NV 1 case
Savigny les Beaune 1er cru “Aux Forneaux” 1995 1 case
Von Hovel Scharzhofberg Mosel Saar Spatlese 2003 1 case

Trophy Wines
Les Caillous Le Paradis VDP Sologne 2000 (grape – Romarantin) 2 bottles
Silvio Giamello Barbaresco 2000 2 bottles
Palacios Alvaro Priorat Finca Bofi’ 2002 2 bottles

Visit the Slope Cellars website at www.slopecellars.com.

Most wine is made for immediate consumption. My first 24 bottles are a great way to begin building a wine cellar. They can be enjoyed on any given day – which, in my opinion, is really the point of having a collection. Sure, it’s great to have those ‘prize’ bottles and vintages around, but it’s more practical to be able to grab a bottle of Cava or German Riesling to pair with Quiche Lorraine for Sunday brunch. All of these wines are very food-friendly. Enjoy the Organic Vintners Zinfandel with tacos or quesadillas and the Pinot Noir with grilled salmon on a bed of greens with fresh mozzarella.

THE $400.00 FANTASY WINE CELLAR — FRESH AND YOUNG

I had four requirements for the $400.00 wine cellar:

1. Food-friendly
2. Ready to be consumed
3. Under $22.00 retail
4. Vegan

Sparkling, White and Rosé Case:

1. Can Vendrell Cava, NV, Penedès, Spain, $19.99
2. Pircas Negras Torrontés, 2006, Famatina Valley, Argentina, $9.99
3. Can Vendrell Chardonnay/ Xarel•lo, Penedès, Spain, $12.99
4. Château Le Rait Bordeaux Sec, 2005, Bordeaux, France, $12.99
5. Nuevo Mundo Sauvignon Blanc, 2006, Maipo Valley, Chile, $14.99
6. Sonop Chardonnay, 2006, South Africa, FAIRTRADE, $14.99
7. Organic Vintners Pinot Grigio, 2005, Veneto, Italy, $14.99
8. Mont’Albano Pinot Grigio, 2005, Friuli-Grave, Italy, $16.99
9. Sander Riesling Trocken, 2005, Rheinhessen, Germany, $17.99 (biodynamic)
10. Sander Riesling Halbtrocken, 2005, Rheinhessen, Germany, $17.99 (biodynamic)
11. Domaine Frey Pinot Blanc, 2004, Alsace, France, $21.95 (biodynamic)
12. Domaine du Jas d’Esclans Rosé, 2005, Provence, France, $19.99

Red Wine Case:

1. Ventura Carmenère, 2005, Lontué Valley, Chile, $11.99
2. Can Vendrell Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo, 2005, Penedès, Spain, $12.99
3. Nuevo Mundo Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec, 2005, Maipo Valley, Chile, $14.99
4. Nuevo Mundo Cabernet Sauvignon/ Carmenère, 2005, Maipo Valley, Chile, $14.99
5. Organic Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004, Mendocino, California, $15.99
6. Organic Vintners Zinfandel, 2005, Mendocino, California, $15.99
7. Can Vendrell Barrica Tinto, 2004, Penedès, Spain, $17.99
8. Château Richard Bergerac, 2005, Bergerac, France, $16.99
9. Organic Vintners Pinot Noir, 2006, Mendocino, California, $19.99
10. Almagre Crianza, 2001, Rioja, Spain, $19.99
11. San Vito Chianti, 2004, Chianti, Italy, $19.99
12. Château de Bastet Côtes du Rhône, 2003, Rhône, France, $19.99 (biodynamic)