Every wine lover has a vinous "bucket list," a mental inventory of must-trys, a personal and private scorecard of what the person hopes will someday amount to a cork-popping achievement.

There's no time to lose. Put pen to paper. And in case your imagination fails you, here are some cellar-worthy suggestions to start you on your way.

We start in France (albeit, with a slight detour to California).

Bordeaux has been associated with prestige bottlings since 1855, when Emperor Napoleon III of France asked each wine-producing region that intended to exhibit wines during the Universal Exhibition in Paris that year to set up a classification system for its products.

The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce collaborated with the commercial brokers at the Bordeaux stock exchange and ranked 87 properties: One chateau from Pessac-Leognan, 26 chateaux from Sauternes and Barsac and 60 chateaux from the Medoc.

The red wines were arranged in a vinous hierarchy that listed them from outstanding (first growths) to very good (fifth growths). The pecking order was determined by the prices the wines commanded on the open market.

In 1855, only four properties made the top tier: Haut Brion, Margaux, Latour and Lafite.

Mouton was ranked as a second growth, a ranking that rankled. In 1973, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, after years of petition, finally succeeded in elevating his wine to first-growth status. He had always asserted that his was a first-growth, just one that was not officially recognized. His motto, "First I am, second I was, Mouton does not change" is testimony to his stubborn streak. It appears on every bottle.

Starting with the 1945 vintage (to celebrate the allied victory in World War II) famous artists have painted original works as label art for Mouton, making both wine and labels worthy collectibles.

These prestigious red Bordeaux have long been associated with the good life: money, sophistication, culture. The estates are palatial. The wines are considered benchmark examples of fine cabernet sauvignon blends, especially after a decade in the cellar.

The rogue in the bunch is Chateau Petrus. The wines of Pomerol were never ranked, but that didn't stop Petrus from achieving cult status over the years. It is a merlot-cabernet franc blend that achieves its distinction from an iron-rich soil that contributes a unique hint of walnut in the finished wine. The owner lavishes care upon his grapes.

If it rains during harvest, he hires helicopters to hover over the vines and dry them with the wind generated by the propeller blades. He cuts no costs, which is why we pay dearly for the bottle.

The Sacred Six

Per-bottle prices are approximate. Bordeaux prices vary greatly, depending on when they are purchased by importer and retailer.

* Ch. Haut Brion, Pessac-Leognan (2004, $525)

* Ch. Margaux, Medoc (2004, $290)

* Ch. Latour, Medoc (2004, $1,200)

* Ch. Lafite Rothschild, Medoc (2004, $875)

* Ch. Mouton Rothschild, Medoc (2004, $500)

* Ch. Petrus, Pomerol (2004, $2,400)

The Great White

The dessert wines of Sauternes and Barsac, also ranked in the classification of 1855, were put into one of three categories. There is only one great first growth, d'Yquem. It drinks like golden honey and white flowers, a true ambrosia. It runs approximately $140 a bottle.

The hybrids

Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton and Robert Mondavi collaborated to produce the first California "first growth," Opus One. Christian Moueix of Chateau Petrus followed closely with his California project, Dominus. Both wines are stunning reflections of elegance and polish. There are other big blockbuster cabernets from California with cult followings, but few match the sophistication in fine flavor and texture that these two deliver. Must be that French accent. Opus runs approximately $190, Dominus, $140

Les grandes dames

Drinking the tete de cuvee or top-of-the-line bottling from any Champagne house is a treat, but drinking these makes for bragging rights.

* Perrier-Jouet: Fleur ($150)

* Roderer: Crystal ($290)

* Moet et Chandon: Dom Perignon ($200)

* Veuve Cliquot: La Grande Dame ($200)

* Pol Roger: Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill ($270)

Then, like Cher, there are the bubblies you'll want to know on a first-name-basis: Krug ($365) and Salon ($490).

You don't need to age your champagnes. This is a plus. While the other notables are collecting dust in your wine cellar, you can be toasting to their maturity with something fresh and sparkling. Nothing like a little instant gratification.

Lisa Airey is a certified wine educator.

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