Building a Port wine cellar

[Roy Hersh]

In coming up with a game plan for developing a new wine cellar that is specifically designed for a Port-centric collection, what percentages of the cellar would you have for:

a. 1/2 bottles
b. 750 ml bottles
c. magnums
d. larger formats

[Glenn E.]

Just as a first guess, I'd probably go with something like this:

85% 750 ml bottles
5% magnums
10% 375 ml bottles

If my current collection is an accurate representation of what I'd need, then even these numbers are off. I don't own that many 375s, but I think that if I had storage for them that I would own more. Especially for VP, that size just works better for me for my own drinking.

I also wouldn't plan for any large format bottles (other than magnums) because I don't think I'd ever own that many. Those few that I did own could be stored ad hoc.

[Eric Menchen]

Right now my Port collection is about 9% 375s, 90% 750s, and 1% magnum. I think I should have more 375s, and will be building a rack to hold more. Also, my cellar isn't all Port, and I think I have a bunch of 375 Sauternes and other dessert wines, along with a few 500s. I don't have racking for magnums per se, but designed space for them. If I had run my racks to the ceiling, there would have been about 2" of unused space. Instead, I ended the racks one row lower, so magnums fit on top of the rack. I also have a few sparklers up there, as those bottles are larger diameter. Some won't fit in the rack slots, others might but it would be a struggle.

[Tom D.]

25% 375's
75% 750's

Apart from huge tastings or a perceived "cool" factor, I've never been down with larger formats at all, for any kind of wine.

[Eric Menchen]

Apart from huge tastings or a perceived "cool" factor, I've never been down with larger formats at all, for any kind of wine.

Went to a birthday dinner this past weekend, ten people. We hit those 750s hard and fast. There was one magnum. I think having a few around for a dinner with more than four people is a good thing, and have been buying a few lately, both Port and regular wine.

[Moses Botbol]

25% 375's
75% 750's

Apart from huge tastings or a perceived "cool" factor, I've never been down with larger formats at all, for any kind of wine.

I'm the opposite; I go for the magnum as a first choice if possible, for any kind of wine.

[Miguel Simoes]

I'm the opposite; I go for the magnum as a first choice if possible, for any kind of wine.

Is your choice driven by a rationale or more an inclination/hard to pinpoint preference?

[Moses Botbol]

I'm the opposite; I go for the magnum as a first choice if possible, for any kind of wine.

Is your choice driven by a rationale or more an inclination/hard to pinpoint preference?

1. Looks cooler
2. If I am going to age something like that (could be decades), why not a magnum?
3. Magnums tend to show better
4. Who else is going to have the magnums for me to drink if I don't age them myself?
5. It's quite easy to drink down a magnum of dry wine, the port magnum is a special occasion.

[Will ONeil]

With the cellar set up I have now:

9% Magnums
91% 750 ml bottles

I don't own any 375 ml bottles

I don't own any magnums as a matter of fact, but I can still use the Magnum slots for my 750 ml bottles

[Roy Hersh]

I really liked the diverse thoughts you've brought to the table in how best to lay out your Port cellars. A great read and actually, I hope those the come here in the future, considering such a project, can find this thread to learn what those with personal experience have done in their own homes. This is not posted to cut off discussion for anyone who would like to add their opinion or layout of their cellar, please do so as in this case ... the more, the merrier!

[Al B.]

I don't have enough half bottles. If I could, I would have many more half bottles of mature VP to choose from as there is something rather nice about being able to open a half bottle of Croft 1963 by yourself one evening after a successful day at work. Really old half bottles are also different and fun but very hard to find - which all means that if I had the space I would have a lot more halves than I do at the moment.

Right now my port is 88% bottles, 9% halves and 3% larger formats (magnum, tappit hen, double magnum and imperials). I cope with the variety of sizes by having my storage shelved rather than racked. That way, I can set up mini bins on the shelving and not worry about what size bottle goes where - I just stack everything that is the same size in the same place. It does make having good cellar records important so I know which bottle is in which bin, and where in the bin it is. It's also important to label each bottle so you can quickly see where anything is. Interestingly, a well stacked "bin" (never more than 5 bottles high) is a stable structure and it is quite easy to pull a bottle out of the second layer of the stack and slide a replacement back in.

And, of course, with all this taking out and replacement activity it is inevitable that cellar records become slightly inaccurate so once a year I have to carry out a stocktake. This is a lot of fun and something I look forward to doing

[Bradley Bogdan]

I would love a cellar that was perhaps half 375s and half 750s (with some odd special occasion large format bottles). I always bemoan how hard it is to find halves of most things (not just port), but they really do make life pretty easy. I feel much more comfortable to open 2 things at the same time for myself and compare when they're halves. Sure, they don't necessarily age as well, but with some good cellar management, I don't think the task of drinking them to keep up would ever be an issue .

[Andy Velebil]

So I did a little stats run on Cellar Tracker. Here is what my current cellar breaks down to

750ml 93.70%
375ml 2.98%
1.5L 2.74%
500ml 0.54%
3.0L 0.05%

Interesting in that 375 and 1.5l are almost even. I need more magnums

[Eric Menchen]

And, of course, with all this taking out and replacement activity it is inevitable that cellar records become slightly inaccurate so once a year I have to carry out a stocktake. This is a lot of fun and something I look forward to doing

I just did this for my VPs, and still need to do it for the rest of the collection. I was missing two 1985 Burmesters, and had an extra 1985 Fonseca. I really don't remember drinking the Burmesters, so maybe it was an old bookkeeping mistake.

[Andy Velebil]

And, of course, with all this taking out and replacement activity it is inevitable that cellar records become slightly inaccurate so once a year I have to carry out a stocktake. This is a lot of fun and something I look forward to doing

I just did this for my VPs, and still need to do it for the rest of the collection. I was missing two 1985 Burmesters, and had an extra 1985 Fonseca. I really don't remember drinking the Burmesters, so maybe it was an old bookkeeping mistake.

Finding things you didn't know you had is always nice