Value of laying down a liquid library

taste for wine -- God's gift to civilisation. Its storage on the

premises in quantity will require some type of cellar with a stable

temperature in the region of 7 to 21 degrees Centigrade or 45 to 70

degrees Fahrenheit.

An even temperature is important as are darkness, coolness, freedom

from vibration and the necessity of laying the bottles down on their

sides to prevent the corks from drying out and the wine from oxidising.

You could be lucky enough to find that there is already a small brick

cellar with stone bins in the basement which can be easily restored to

its original use by judicious stocking, but if not, don't despair for

wine is a hardy creature which can survive even in a cupboard if the

conditions are right.

It makes economic sense if you entertain a lot to keep a liquid

library below stairs with racks of wine suitable for every occasion.

Buying young wine at opening prices and laying it down until it matures

can be a very rewarding experience, like watching a child grow up.

In the long term the eventual value both financially and

gastronomically will have increased immensely, and drinking history

makes a pleasant dinner table topic of conversation. Laying down

day-to-day drinking wines from the supermarket shelves for a month or so

well repays the effort because they really do improve with a little

further ageing.

That literary wine lover Evelyn Waugh averred that ''metal bins are

for the very rich'', but no special equipment is required to ensure that

wine is kept in good condition. Bottles of the same size can be stacked

in piles. They can be kept in their original wooden cases if you have a

penchant for chateau or domaine bottled vintages.

They can also be kept in partitioned delivery boxes although the

cardboard will eventually sag through time. Wood and metal racks make a

sound investment if you want to do the job properly. You can purchase

racks to assemble yourself but it saves time and cracked-knuckle effort

if you buy them ready made. There are also firms which will supply racks

made to measure for awkward spaces. They can be found in the classified

sections of wine magazines.

Stocking a wine cellar is very much a matter of personal taste. Any

reputable wine merchant or company will be able to offer helpful advice

on vintages for laying down. When buying wine in quantity it pays to

shop around, but bear in mind that cheapest is not always best. There

are many specialist schemes to help the neophyte and connoisseur alike

keep up stocks and standards and regular customer tastings by High

Street chains make choice easier.

The 1980s have been blessed with several good vintages in France with

clarets in 1982 being particularly fine. For red Burgundy 1985 was an

excellent year as was 1986 for white. For lovers of the white wines of

Alsace 1983 and 1985 are the years to look out for.

Bottle sizes are important. You may feel that a bottle of dessert

wine, Sauternes for example, is far too much to consume at the end of a

meal and still leave room for a good brandy or malt. A selection of half

bottles is useful to have at the ready but with champagne it is

generally reckoned that the bigger the bottle the better the condition

of the effervescence within.