Wine Cellar Consultation: The knowledgeable, experienced staff at Andover Classic Wines provides comprehensive consulting services for collectors of all budgets and experience levels.

Storage conditions and methods.

Building a collection within a budget.

Fundamentals and Strategies of Wine Collecting. While tailoring our advice to meet the tastes, budgets and goals of each individual cellar, we help our clients to achieve the fundamentals of any wine cellar:

“Staggered Maturity.” The ideal cellar will have, at any given time in a collector’s life expectancy, a selection of bottles that are at peak maturity, so that the collector can visit the cellar at any time to hand-pick a wine in peak condition.

“Classics v. Personal Favorites.” The wines we love ten years ago are not always the wines we love today. On the other hand, some wines - the great Bordeaux, California Cabernets - never go out of style. We help achieve a balance between the “classics” and our client’s personal favorites.

“Geographic Balance.” Ten years ago, few were drinking the great Rhone wines; today, a classic Cote Rotie can cost a small fortune. The collector with foresight -- and a willingness to venture to new parts of the world -- is now enjoying mature Rhones at 1990 prices. We scour the world for age-worthy wines from up-and-coming regions.

Wine Tastings: Andover Classic Wines provides wine-tastings and informal seminars for dinner parties, company outings, charity outings, and informal gatherings of friends and family.

Wine/Food Pairings: Our second favorite moment: 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday, when a customer rushes in to the store in a panic, describes what’s about to be served to the boss and seven co-workers, and begs for a wine that will work. Our favorite moment: The next day, when the grateful customer comes by to thank us for the perfect selection, which he would never have thought of on his own.

Good wine becomes great when paired with the right wine. We spend our waking lives thinking about and tasting wines, and we are always available to help you find the perfect food/wine matches. Some fundamentals to keep in mind:

Beefs

Barbecued Beef Ribs – Riesling, Zinfandel, or Beaujolais

Beef Stew – Syrah/Shiraz or Malbec

Beef Stroganoff – Barbera or Cotes du Rhone

Beef Wellington – Red Bordeaux or Rioja

Corned Beef – Pinot Blanc or Pinot Noir

Hamburgers/Meatloaf – Valpolicella or Beaujolais

Pot Roast – Zinfandel or Cotes du Rhone

Roast Beef – Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel

Steak/Prime Rib – Rioja, Merlot, Zinfandel, or Chardonnay

Ethnic

Cajun & Creole – Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay

Chinese – Riesling or Gewurztraminer

Indian – Chardonnay or Riesling

Mexican – Chardonnay or Rioja

Fish

Breaded/Fried Fish – Pinot Gris (Alsace), Pinot Grigio or Sparkling Wine

Meaty Fish (like swordfish and tuna) – Pinot Noir or Chardonnay

Mild Flavored Fish (sole and snapper) – Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

Salmon – Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Lamb

Lamb Chops – Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot

Lamb Kabobs – Zinfandel or Syrah/Shiraz

Lamb Shanks – Zinfandel or Cabernet Sauvignon

Roast Lamb – Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Barolo

Pasta

Pasta Alfredo – Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Pasta Carbonara – Syrah/Shiraz or Barolo

Pasta Primavera – Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc

Pasta with Pesto – Chardonnay or Merlot

Pasta w/cooked tomato sauce – Zinfandel or Chianti

Risotto – Brunello or Bardolino

Pizza

Cheese Pizza –Zinfandel or Chardonnay

Pepperoni Pizza – Chianti or Barbera

Pork

Ham – Riesling or Pinot Noir

Pork Chops – Merlot or Chardonnay

Pork Tenderloin – Pinot Noir or Dolcetto

Mild Sausage – Gamay or Valplicella

Spicy Sausage – Riesling or Rioja

Poultry

Barbequed Chicken – Chenin Blanc or Zinfandel

Chicken – Pinot Noir or Chardonnay

Chicken/Turkey Pot Pie – Sauvignon Blanc or Chianti

Duck Breast – Merlot or Pinot Noir

Fried Chicken – Zinfandel or Sparkling Wine

Roast Chicken – Beaujolais or Chardonnay

Turkey Burgers – Valpolicella or Chardonnay

Seafood

Oysters - Chablis (French)

Clams/Mussels – Chablis (French) or Sauvignon Blanc

Lobster/Crab –Chardonnay or Viognier

Veal

Veal Cutlets – Chianti, Sangiovese, or Chardonnay

Roast Veal – Pinot Noir, Meritage, or Red Bordeaux

Veal Chops – Meritage, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Sauvignon

Veal Marsala – Chardonnay or Merlot

Veal Parmigiana – Chianti or Brunello