The Wine Hobbyist answers this question quite nicely…

“Many people born and raised in the United States see wine collecting as a pastime for the snobby and the wealthy. Many Europeans, however, view wine collecting as a utility of life. Why the different viewpoints and which is the correct way of thinking about a wine collection? Well, like most things, the answer is somewhere in the middle. Hence, you certainly do not need to be wealthy to enjoy wine and collecting is far too fun to be only a matter of utility.” Read more.