Here we take a look at some of the world’s top wine collections. These assemblies did not happen overnight, and are the result of years of careful study, tasting and thoughtful purchasing with an eye to how the wines will taste after years of careful wine cellar storage.

1. Milestii Mici This monstrous cellar in Moldova spans over 200 kilometers (approx. 124 miles) underground and holds an estimated 2 million bottles of wine. It is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest wine collection. The staff uses bicycles/cars to navigate the maze of underground streets in this wine complex.
2. Bern’s Steak house in Tampa Florida was established in 1956 and has an estimated 500,000 bottles of wine. I visited with a client I wanted to impress and was given a VIP tour by the sommelier who couldn’t be more gracious. I remember that we drank a 1978 Vaqueyras that he had just found in the cellar and was not on their huge wine list book.
3. Crystal Springs Resorts’ in NJ showcases an estimated 135,000 bottles in their world-renowned wine cellar. Founder and visionary Gene Mulvihill shows his very special collection in all of the resorts restaurants including Latour. The collection includes 100 vintages of Latour from 1863 to 2009, as well as verticals of Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Haute Brion, Lafite, Margaux, and Petrus.
4. Dean and DeLuca’s founder Leslie Rudd had perhaps the world’s most comprehensive assembly of wines from Napa California. Presented in his St. Helena farm to table restaurant Press, over 10,000 bottles showcased many one of kind older vintages. A vintner himself, he was also the owner of Rudd Oakville Estate winery.