Picking a Value Bottle of Wine

Shopping for wine? Are there tricks to help pick out a bottle that will be great, but won't cost a fortune? Yes. The previous post from a couple of days ago talked about shopping by wine regions in California. This one talks more about the who, what, and where of buying. It's not guaranteed, but it's better than choosing a wine because of the flowers on the label or because you like Snoop Dogg.  :)

"Okay, I've got 500 choices, now what?

Know how much you're willing to spend before you go shopping. Don't get talked into buying a $75 bottle if you've never spent more than $25 before. Stay in your comfort zone.

Buy from a local independent wine merchant. Not a grocery store, not a big box booze store. Somewhere where you can get knowledgeable help. When you go in give that knowledgeable helper as much information as you can. Why you are looking for wine (a dinner, a party), what you are looking for (an Italian red, a Pinot Gris), and what you are willing to spend.

Save money by avoiding trendy wines. Pinot Noir is trendy, is in demand, so has gotten very expensive. Yes, even New Zealand Pinot. Try an alternative like Grenache. Ask the person in the wine shop about less expensive Pinot Noir alternatives. Also, orange wines, natural wines, and organic wines are trendy so decide if they are worth it to you. Argentine Malbec got trendy and now the stores are full of $50 examples. What's not a trendy wine? Merlot or Riesling.

Buy from wine regions that are less expensive, but still make excellent wine. South Africa, Spain, heck maybe Croatia. Don't feel you must have a Napa Valley Cabernet because "everybody" else does. Look to Alexander Valley, Washington state, or ... Italy! Can't afford Bordeaux, but love French wines? There are other, lesser known regions of France making Cab, such as Langeudoc. Again, this is something you can ask a wine merchant, "I love the soft fruitiness of Napa Cabs, but I don't like the prices. What are alternatives?"

One of the best ways to get a quality value wine is to shop for entry-level wines from premium producers. This might be a Napa winery known for $100 Cab, but they also make a $40 one, maybe under a second label. Many wineries that specialize in one varietal, such as Cab or Pinot, may have three or four tiers of wines. Start with the less expensive one and see what you think. One of the best known examples is Decoy, a second label of Duckhorn in Napa. Many premium producers make a basic white and/or red wine at a lower price. This way you get premium grapes and winemaking without the premium price.

Gundlach Bundschu's Merlot / Cabernet blend
Found in stores for under $20
From a producer whose regular Merlot goes for $48
and their Cabernet for $55