Berger: How to start your own wine cellar

An old saying in the wine business is that most wine is consumed within hours of its purchase.

A typical scenario: Someone planning to do dinner decides that a bottle of wine would be good that evening, so as part of the late-afternoon shopping, a bottle or two is bought. And the wine is opened within hours.

Or someone headed for a friend’s home for dinner brings a bottle as a house-warmer, and the bottle is shared that evening.

Most people do not stock more than a few bottles of wine at a time, and one of the best reasons not to do so is that few homes have perfect spaces for wine storage. Cool, dark spaces are best, which can mean the back of a closet or under a bed.

But having a small stash of wine in the house can save a lot of time and energy. When planning a dinner for guests, having wine on hand can save a shopping stop and make life a bit easier.

A small storage space can easily hold a case of 12 bottles, but there the idea hits a snag. What sort of wine to stock? Here are a few ideas.

One key point: A wine that has an appellation of “California” might be a good value, but wines from more limited regions, like Sonoma County, San Luis Obispo or Livermore Valley, usually are a bit more distinctive and are worth a bit more.

Sparkling wine: You never know when someone calls who just happens to be in the neighborhood and who would like to drop by. Instead of racing to the package store to grab a bubbly, why not have one or two already on hand?

To do this right, make the wine a decent-quality bubbly, starting with the more reasonably priced Prosecco from Italy or Cava from Spain. Cheaper bubblies are fun to have around for toasting, but they can be pretty sweet and uninteresting.

Moving up the ladder, a $20 bottle of a fine quality “method champenoise” sparkling wine will keep well in the storage space for at least two years.

Chardonnay: Most people like this old standby, which still accounts for roughly one bottle of every five sold in the United States. Decent-quality chardonnays can be found for $10 to $12, and work well with richer seafood dishes.

Sauvignon blanc: If you love the more assertive herbal style of this fine wine, go for a New Zealand SB. In a less-assertive style, California makes some attractive wines in the $10 range that are fine when served with more delicate seafood.

Riesling: When cooking with Asian spices (such as in a stir-fry with ginger, garlic and cilantro), a Riesling is a joy to have in the house. Many can be found in the $10 price range, and even the best are rarely above $20.

Pinot gris: This versatile aperitif wine is best served as a greeting wine for last-minute guests. The best come from cool climates, so pick one from a place like Monterey County, Mendocino County, Oregon or Edna Valley.

Red wines: There is no need to get fancy here. Pick whatever suits your palate.

As popular as cabernet sauvignon is, some people do not like the usual tannins found in them and prefer the generally more approachable merlot. Seek something from a slightly cooler climate. Many good merlots can be found in the $6 to $10 price range.

Pinot noir that offers real PN character is hard to find at a low price. I rarely see them worth buying until I get to about $18 a bottle.

Zinfandel is a popular and richer-flavored red, usually a bit spicy, that works well with pizza and pasta. And prices for these can be reasonable. I have seen some Zins at $7 to $10 that are excellent quaffs.

Malbec is a relatively rich and generous red wine that can be found in many places for about $10. Many of these wines come from Argentina, and they work fine for stews and roast meats.

Dessert wines: I love having half bottles of something sweet around to pair with dessert, or to act as a dessert by itself. Many such wines are called Late Harvest and can be a delight with cheeses, fruit, cookies or nuts.

With most wines today, you have about six months to a year before your pantry wines begin to deteriorate. Rotate the stock. You also may find a small home cellar to be a good strategy.

Wine of the Week: Nonvintage Barefoot Zinfandel, California ($8) - There is a delightful spiciness and excellent berry fruit in this reasonably priced wine, which came as a shock to some wine judges at a recent competition where it got a gold medal against some far more expensive zins.

Sonoma County resident Dan Berger publishes “Vintage Experiences,” a weekly wine newsletter. Write to him at winenut@gmail.com.