From Living the Good Life by Jim Bogaty, owner, Veramar Vineyard, Virginia.

The case of the “wine cellar” or “a dozen good wines, to have on hand, at all times”.

The saying:  It’s cheaper by the dozen, can be true for an everyday wine cellar. All you need are strong shelves, a cool spot and 12 bottles (one case) of wine. Always keep a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of white ready to drink in the refrigerator. Between that and the 10 in the rack, you’ll have a case that is ready for any occassion “just in case”.

½ dozen any time wines - 3 Whites and 3 Reds
Three bottles each of Cabernet Franc (Cab-er-nay Fronc) and Chardonnay (Shard-don-a) or Pinot Grigio (Pee-no-Gree-gee-oh). Great all-purpose wines for almost any occasion. These should be simple Virginia wines you'd be just as happy drinking with a weekday dinner.

Others good wines - For whites, a Seyval Blanc (Say-voll-Blonc), Viognier (Vee-on-yea) or a Chardonnay is a good choice; if it doesn't have too much oak, it pairs with everything and works in any sauce. For red, a Virginia Cabernet Franc or Chambourcin (Sham-boor-san) are versatile to cook with and easy to drink.

Special White
Like that Virginia Gold Medal Chardonnay or Viognier you’ve been dying to try. Check out your local Chardonnays!

Wild White
Riesling (Reez-ling) or a soft white blend like Veramar Tres Blanc that goes wonderfully with Asian flavours or other ethnic spicy foods.

Special Red
A heritage blend or as we say here in Virginia, “Meritage”, an interesting Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon and Merlot blend that makes a red Bordeaux for a great pasta wine.

Big Red
Wine for that night you feel like plopping a steak on the grill. This can be full-bodied Cabernet or a Norton, --or whatever chewy red you like with red meat.

Ice, late harvest or dessert wine
Virginia (check the wineries in your state) has some excellent wines in this area, the late harvest Vidal Blanc (Vee-doll-Blonc) works great.

Sparkling Wine.
Brut (Broot) a sparkling blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Usually dry.
One goes in the fridge for a spur-of-the-moment celebration.

Now, that's a case you can solve. The beautiful part is you get to have wine on demand, and you only need to replenish, as your stash gets low and most Virginia wineries offer a discounts on a case- cheaper by the dozen. Cheers!

Buy Fine Wine at Great Prices- A Strategy

Buying Wine: How To Read A Wine Label

Champagne Wine

Chilean Wine History and Style

Choosing a Wine Gift Basket