June, 2003
Everybody loves getting a bargain. But finding wine bargains can be difficult .
Certainly there are plenty of wines at all prices, but buying a bottle based on
the price can lead to some downright nasty tasting wine. Conversely, there
are lots of expensive wines that don’t taste as good as those that cost far
less. So, how do we find good wines at good prices?
First realize that one person’s bargain is another’s rip-off. Given the
subjective nature of wine and personal spending habits, we won’t all agree
one specific wine is a great bargain. It’s probably more appropriate to talk
about wine “values” than “bargains.”
To me a value wine is one that tastes better than comparably priced wines. It
could be an $8 bottle that offers some flavor nuances not typically found at that
price or it might be a $30 bottle that compares well with the super-premiums
costing much more. Personally I focus on finding wines in the $14 - $20
range that offer flavor complexity and typify a specific grape varietal.
Here are some basic guidelines that will help lead us to bargains.
Location, Location, Location
Wine is the quintessential supply/demand market and as a naturally grown
commodity, it takes years for supply to catch up with demand. Thus prices for
wine from famous vineyards and popular appellations are often higher more
due to hype and notoriety than the quality of the specific wine. Land and
production costs can also create huge price differences.
Napa Valley Cabernet is the perfect example. Certainly there are many very
good wines coming from Napa in a typical year. But there are also below-
average wines that are relatively expensive because of the higher costs of
Napa production and the cachet of the Napa appellation. You might be better
off buying a bottle from a “lesser” California appellation like the Central Coast
or from countries like Chile or Australia where prices are lower.
Gruner Whatliner?
Just as specific regions become popular, individual varieties become the
“grape du jour” and cost more. In the U.S., Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
and Merlot are the most popular wines and thus winemakers can command
higher prices compared to other varietals. And while every wine drinker needs
to have some of those wines in his or her collection, it’s easier to find tasty
bargains among less popular varietals.
Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Gewürztraminer are white
wines that are often less expensive than Chardonnay. And they generally pair
better with food than Chardonnay. On the red side I often find very good Syrah
and Grenache wines from Australia and France’s Rhone Valley at reasonable
prices. Many Spanish Riojas are also relative bargains and the quality of
Chilean reds is increasing much faster than prices.
Born On Dating
Climate has a significant influence on the grape crop and ultimately the wine.
Too much sun, too little rain, late frosts, etc. are just a few ways that Mother
Nature can break a winemaker’s heart. And of course many of the world’s
wine regions do experience different weather patterns each year.
Correspondingly, the quantity and quality of wine from a given region or winery
will also vary annually.
Many of the wine magazines and experts rate the major regions annually,
giving consumers guidance regarding the relative quality of that year’s wines.
For example, The Wine Spectator rated the 2000 Bordeaux vintage 99 points
out of 100, but gave the 1999 vintage just 83 points. The 1998 vintage
received 90 points. So you might think that buying the 1998s or 2000s (if you
could find them) is smart and be sure to avoid all the ‘99s. But remember that
rules are made to be broken. Even within Bordeaux’s borders, there is plenty
of variation.
The Spectator rated those ’98 wines harvested before late season rain 98
points compared to 83 points for those harvested after the rain. And they
identify several highly rated, low-cost wines from 1999 vintage.
1998 California Cabernets are another example. This was a very uneven crop
due to weather variances. Plus it was sandwiched between very good 1997
and 1999 vintages. As a result, the prices of the ‘98s are lower across the
board, even for high quality wines.
The bottom line is that prices will generally be less for wines from poorly rated
vintages and there are always some good and some bad wines made
regardless of the year’s weather. You’ll find values if you do some research
and tasting.
Good Advice, But Now What?
Keeping these principles in mind should help steer you to wines that offer
value whatever your price point. But following them does require some
homework. If you like to do your own research I suggest a subscription to The
Wine Spectator magazine or their website. The website has great resources
like vintage ratings, harvest reports and ratings/reviews for thousands of
wines. Much of the information is available free, or you can subscribe and get
access to their entire database.
If you don’t have the time or interest in doing such research, establish a
relationship with a wine retailer in your area. A good retailer will help identify
wines that meet your taste and price criteria. And they may put aside special
bottles or nice bargains for their regular customers.
That doesn’t mean you have to buy all of your wine from a single store. I’ve
always found that having two or three sources helps in obtaining harder-to-
find bottles. Of course if you don’t buy that much wine, consolidating your
purchases will help in building a relationship with the retailer.
And as always, your own tastes should determine what you buy. If you love
the taste of a specific wine and can cover the tab, consider it a value.
Some of My Favorite Value Wines
Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($12)
Distinctive citrus and herb
Rosemount GSM ($27)
Aussie blend of traditional Rhone grapes
Columbia Crest Grand Estates Chardonnay ($10)
Apple flavors and tart, not oaky
Concho y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Marqués de Casa Concha ($15)
Smoky berry flavors
Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare ($9)
Dry, fruity rose
Back to Shopping & Collecting.
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