The holiday season is upon us, the time of year for family, friends, food — and wine. Yes, it’s true, I associate the holidays with alcohol. It never used to be this way (probably because I didn’t drink), but for the past five years, I’ve spent late November stocking our wine rack.
There are several reasons for this:
From mid-November to mid-January, the local supermarkets have huge wine sales.
Every winter, Consumer Reports lists holiday wine bargains. In the December 2010 issue, for example, they suggest 22 “best buys” between $4 and $15 per bottle. (Most are in the $7 to $10 range.)
Our circle of friends seems to have more dinner parties during the winter than at other times of the year. When we gather, we drink wine.
For a long time, I used the shotgun method of buying wine. I went to the store and bought bottles at random, usually based on whether I liked the label. (No joke!) Nowadays, however, I’m more methodical. I’m reluctant to buy a wine I haven’t tried before; I mostly buy wines I know I like. And I try to get them for as little as possible.
Drink What You Like
My top tip for saving money on wine is to buy what you like. When you buy a bottle blindly, there’s a chance you won’t enjoy it. Buying bad wine is like pouring money down the drain. But if you stick with old favorites, wine can be an excellent value.
How can you tell what you like? You have to experiment. Wine recommendations should be treated like movie reviews: They can give you a general idea of what you’re going to get, but your actual reaction will be intensely personal. To know for sure, you have to taste a wine.
When you find something you really like, write it down. For me, this only happens about once a year. When I taste a wine that knocks my socks off, I immediately send myself an e-mail so I won’t forget. After doing this for the past few years, I’ve developed a short list (of four wines) that I’d actually like to have on hand.
There’s no need to keep elaborate notes (unless you want to). I’m an unsophisticated wine drinker. Oaky? Fruity? Full of tannins? Heck if I know. Some people are serious about wine, and that’s fine. For me, though, wine is fun. Eating a good meal while sharing a bottle of wine is a bonding experience. Wine brings people together. And it does that just as well at $8 a bottle as at $80 a bottle.
As much as I love it, wine can be expensive. It pains me to spend $25 on a bottle of something to drink. So I don’t — not if I can help it. Instead, I keep my eye out for wine bargains. Here are five ways I save money on wine:
Wait for a sale
Yes, wine goes on sale, especially at supermarkets. Between now and the end of the year, Safeway has tons of wine marked down for the holidays, including “30% off wines priced $20 or more”. (This is true in the Portland area, anyhow.)
Buy in bulk
Many grocery stores offer discounts if you buy several bottles at once. Safeway, for example, gives shoppers 10% off if they buy at least six bottles. Combining this with the 30% discount I mentioned above, you can buy a $20 wine for $12.60 — or a $40 wine for $25.21. (I’m using Safeway as an example because that’s our local supermarket and I know their policies.)
Order by the case
When you find a wine you like, stock up. Ask your local wine store or supermarket if you can order a case of the stuff — and ask if that’ll earn you a discount. My friend Paul, for example, recently found a tasty pinot noir. At $24 per bottle, it wasn’t something he could afford, though. When the local Fred Meyer put the wine on sale for $10 a bottle, he bought a case. By doing so, he got an extra dollar off the sale price, saving him a total of $15 per bottle!
Shop at a warehouse club
Most Costco stores have a fine selection of wines at reasonable prices. I’m sure other warehouse stores do, too.
Check discount stores
I’ve had several GRS readers tell me that they buy their wine at ding-and-dent stores, such as Grocery Outlet or Big Lots. (Here’s an article that explains how Grocery Outlet can sell good wines for cheap.)
I’m sure there are other ways to buy wine for less, too. Consumer Reports, for example, is a fan of buying wine online. (Their wine shopping tips include advice for buying via the web.) And I’ve always wondered if it might be possible to get a good deal by buying directly from the winemaker. If you have tips for saving on wine, please let me know.
Further reading: If you’d like to learn more about wine, check out the Consumer Reports wine buying guide. It’s a short intro to the types of wine and when to drink them.
Putting Theory Into Practice
So, how do I put these tips into practice? That’s easy to answer since I’ve been doing so for the past couple of weeks.
First, I do 90% (or more) of our alcohol shopping at the end of the year, when the best bargains can be had (at least here in Portland). We stock up during the holidays, and then don’t worry about alcohol for the rest of the year.
When I start my holiday wine shopping, I check to see if I’ve noted any favorite wines over the past twelve months. This year, for example, I had two: the Graffigna Centenario malbec and the Domaine de Ménard sauvignon blanc. I don’t know where I drank these, but I liked them enough to make a note to myself. So, I headed to a local wine shop and ordered a case of each. (Along with cases of two past favorites.) For less than $8 a bottle, I now have wines I know I like — enough to last a year or more.
Once each year, I place a big wine order, which lowers my costs.
Next, I stopped at Safeway to buy some pricier wine. (We usually take this to parties; I don’t mind giving expensive wine as a hostess gift, but I can’t bring myself to drink it at home. Is that weird?) Using the sale I mentioned above, I bought six bottles regularly priced $20 or more. I paid a total of $96 for wines that would normally have cost $150.
Finally, after Thanksgiving, I’ll carry the latest issue of Consumer Reports with me on a trip to Costco. If I find any of their recommended wines, I’ll buy two or three bottles of each.
This brief burst of wine shopping will keep us stocked for at least a year, and will save us money to boot!
A brief word about booze It’s more difficult for me to give advice about beer and booze. I don’t drink beer, and I’m under the impression that each state has different rules and regulations for the sale of distilled spirits.
Here in Oregon, for instance, liquor stores are under the oversight of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which tightly regulates how and what they can sell, and at what price. Because prices are controlled by the state, shoppers can visit the OLCC website to download a price list and to see current specials.
My guess is that in most places, it pays to be patient. If you have favorites, wait until they go on sale. When they do, stock up. For instance, I’m a fan of Scotch whisky, and like to have my favorites (Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Lagavulin) on hand. Rather than pay full price for these, I wait until they’re marked down, then buy two or three bottles. Recently, for example, I found Caol Ila discounted from $54 to $50 a bottle. I bought two bottles to tuck away for the future.
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There are 71 comments to "Wine on a budget: How to get good deals on wine".
Nancy L. says23 November 2010 at 04:40
I used to work in a liquor store, and one additional tip when you are ordering by the case is to specifically *ask* if there is a discount for buying by the case. Many smaller stores won’t mention that they can offer the discount, bc they’re hoping they can get you to pay the higher price.
Also, as JD refers to, every state is different. In our state, the method that the liquor stores and distributors have set up means that there are rarely sales of wine or liquor unless the statewide distributor is trying to clear out stock. Even going between a Costco liquor store and a tiny boutique, the prices are pretty much identical.
I’d like to add one suggestion. Find a good local wine shop with people who know what they’re talking about.
My local shop keeps a record of what I’ve bought and I can update the wines I like and don’t like. They also have tastings every Saturday, so you can try before you buy.
I never pick my own wine. I ask for someone at the store to help me pick it. The problem with having a favorite wine is it’s not always available forever, so like it or not, you must try new things on a regular basis. I either tell them a brand I’ve enjoyed and my price range or the features I like “smoky, dry, buttery, oaky, etc.”
Almost all wine stores offer case discounts and many will let you mix and match the case.
I love my local wine store. I don’t go there often, but when I do, I get a case of wine and it’s a super fun experience.
Wine tastings are a great way to try new ones without buying a whole bottle and then finding out you don’t like it at all. A lot liquor stores in this area have tastings on Friday late afternoon or Saturday mid afternoon, usually three to six different types and it’s free. The largest store in this area has wine tastings on Saturday that start usually on Columbus Day weekend and run until the weekend before Christmas. The cost is $5.00, which is donated to a local charity, and there are usually 6 or 7 tables with approximately five to eight bottles each. The distributors that work at the table are very knowledgeable and are quite happy to tell you all about their wines. The store also has a gourmet food section that serves sample of a few items, as well as serving samples of one or two beers and a couple drinks made of the “hard” liquor on special that week.
I enjoy going to these wine tastings, as are an excellent way to try new wines that I might normally not try.
Lisa @ Cents To Save says23 November 2010 at 05:12
We have recently found a wine that we like. It is a Moscato wine, sweet and easy to drink. My husband and I are new to wine in general. We are going to visit a winery in Central Florida this weekend to take part in a wine tasting to help expand wine palate.
But…regarding prices…I have found Sutter Hill Moscato on sale at the Winn Dixie,(local grocery store) for 6.99 a bottle. It is usually 9.99 to 10.99 reg price.
At that time we bought 8 bottles…. and regret not stocking up with more. So… next time, we are definitely stocking up with 2-3 cases! And we are asking for a case purchase discount.
Hit Trader Joe’s too. You can get some really good wines at really good prices there (and I am not necessarily talking about three buck chuck although a few of those are ok too). And…they have wine tastings every day from noon – 5 where they feature a white, a red and usually something else like one of their beers. I have tried a lot of new wines over the past few months while doing my regular shopping. At least two of them have become regular purchases.
Not a big wine drinker myself, but for the holidays I’ll share a recipe I got from a local cranberry farmer.
Cranberry sauce for the Grown Ups:
Take bag of fresh cranberries, put in small saucepan. Pour in roughly 50/50 mix of real maple syrup and cabernet sauvignon until cranberries are barely covered. Cook over low heat until berries burst and mixture is syrupy.
Some specialty stores or larger “beer and wine” retailers also offer classes or tastings. Total Wine, a medium-sized chain, has $25 classes I have found to be really helpful. $25 seems pricy, but if you get the chance to taste many different wines and learn about the region, grapes, and process (as well as ask questions), it can be quite a bargain! My wife and I took a champagne and sparkling wine class, and it was a great way to taste things in the $8/bottle to the $50/bottle range!
(As a homebrewer, I’m bummed out to hear you: “…don’t drink beer”, J.D… especially in your area!)
Yes, that’s a bit sad not to like beer in the Portland OR area. I love this place but dislike beer. My parents boozed it up too frequently and too much altogether, drinking mainly beer until they passed out after screaming at us and each other and involving the police int heir nasty fights nearly every weekend for years. I know it’s not the BEER’s fault, but he smell of beer now turns my stomach so much I can’t get near it, even if I wanted to. It’s difficult to even EAT at a place that features many kinds of beer. Imagine the smell of Coors Light the next morning left overnight in the can, mixed with stale cigarette smoke and my parents’ bad breath and sour dispositions from a hangover… Yikes.
Wish they didn’t regulate booze so hard where I live (Ottawa). Lowest prices are set by the province so it’s impossible to get very good deals without travelling. Hell, the cheapest I can get a 24 of beer is $29.00 Canadian. Terrible :/
The only time I see nice savings on booze is with those 4 liter boxes of wine. And there’s something very non-elegant about pouring from a box…
In my dream home, I would love to install a custom wine gallery. Invaluable tip about writing down what you like. For a graduation gift, a friend gave me a fanstastic bottle of wine. It was incredibly favorable, light and fruity – I neglected to write it down. My friend is currently in the hospital so I cannot just readily ask him what it was. You never know where you may encounter good wine.
There are many fringe benefits to getting your financial house in order, and leveraging your buying power to buy in bulk is certainly one of them. Amassing wealth is a journey, I would venture to guess that conserving wealth is easier because money begets money. If you are just living from check to check, or have over extended yourself – you could never take advantage of the opportunity to buy in bulk and enjoy great savings.
Don’t forget Trader Joes! I have a rule that I won’t pay more than $5 a bottle and have gotten some AMAZING wines. The Charles Shaw (3 Buck Chuck) wines are actually pretty good.
#8, jason: i took a wine class a few years back, the box wines are actually some of the most efficient wine storage devices to keep the flavor locked in. if you’re concerned about appearances, you could use a decanter (useful for reds, nice for show for the whites).
If you are in the DC area, may I recommend attending the events at the Washington Wine Academy … especially the beer and whisky events. Especially the whisky ones, which I teach and so am particularly partial to!
While it may not be useful for everyone to attend a full-bore tasting class, the weekly Wine & Movie events at the Arlington Drafthouse & Theater are a cheaper and less formal option.
I’ve found that the best way to buy liquor for less is to buy larger bottles. The prices are tightly controlled in my area, but you can get a lower price per ounce by buying the 1.75 L bottles instead of the 750 mL bottles.
Many states have weird laws that prevent membership requirements for buying alcohol at stores. This translates to non-members being able to buy alcohol at Sam’s or Costco. It also means that, for example, Kroger will give you the “membership” price for alcohol without swiping your loyalty card.
I do not drink wine, so I just try whatever anyone else is drinking 🙂
I was also reading through a magazine that said that you could turn your leftover wine into vinegar. Most of the “wine based vinegars” are not made with high quality wine, so if you already have wine that is not being used in time, this would be an additional step to capture the costs.
I am not a huge wine drinker but it seems like very solid advice. On the hard stuff side of the equation though I can offer some assistance. First buy what you like, not what the music videos, magazines and bartenders tell you is the best.
My wife and I did a blind liquor tasting of both Gin and Vodka our two favorites. We got airplane or small bottles of most popular brands and in our case made martinis. Neither of us knew what brand we were drinking and we ranked them on a 5 point scale with tasting notes much like a wine tasting (where we got the idea).
Ironically we selected our favorites only to find they were not the top shelf liquors we frequently purchased for parties or at the bar. They were the more mid-range better value brands. I will say that the low end stuff was pretty clear as it was harsh. But mid grade through the high end the scores and tasting notes were reasonably close. With my frugalness I would much rather buy a 13-15 dollar 5th of vodka than a 30-35 dollar top shelf when I now know I enjoy the less expensive a bit more anyways.
Just something to think about on the topic of saving money on drinks.
We love wine, but we just don’t drink that much. We joined the Willamette Valley Vineyard wine club and they send us 2 bottles a month. These are a bit pricey at $25 to $30 a bottle, but we have really enjoyed them so far. These 2 bottles a month are plenty and we are supporting a local business. I do get some cheaper wine from Costplus and Trader Joe once in a while to try. I’ll check Safeway and see if they have any good deal. I also really like getting wine from New Seasons, their wine guys are very friendly and helpful.
This may offend some wine purists, but we regularly buy box wine. There are some very nice varieties available in both a bottle or a box. I never pay more than about $20 for a 3L box, which is equivalent to 4 bottles! Plus it keeps better and doesn’t have as much waste in the form of bottles.
Like many, we can’t tell the difference between the box stuff and the expensive bottled stuff. I’ve even read of cases where people will pour box wine into a fancy bottle to serve to their unsuspecting friends, and they can’t tell the difference either!
As “a wine guy” (my website has been giving winos courage for three years running baby! 🙂 I can confirm that laws governing the sale and distro. of wine and alcohol do indeed differ from state-to-state, to the point where some of those states (like mine – PA) exert monopoly power over wine sales.
So, there will be many readers of this (excellent!) post who cannot take advantage of all of the suggestions that you’ve offered. For them, there are sadly no real options but they can write their state reps. in Congress and also have their voices heard via websites such as http://www.freethegrapes.org/ .
For those living in states where this is permitted, another GREAT way to save is contacting the winery to see if you can purchase cases from them directly – cutting out the middlemen means you can get some great sales/discounts directly from them source.
I’ve gotten a few Groupons for online wine clubs. Good savings for delicious wine even after spending $25 for the Groupon. Don’t have to join a club in order to partake of deal. It can be a one-time thing.
1) I don’t have room in my apartment to buy a lot of wine by the case, and I don’t have a cellar/wine fridge to keep it at the right temperature. If your wine gets too warm it will turn to vinegary swill. Add the cost of a wine fridge if you’ll be buying large quantities, or you’ll be burning money.
2) Black Box wines (wine in a box, but good) is awesome for $18 at Costco (1 box=3bottles) (that’s a New Mexico price). I’ve seen the same box at similar stores for $24. Costco is great for booze in general, their Kirtland vodka is repackaged Grey Goose. However, I rarely find wine bottles under $8 at Costco.
3) For really great bargains Trader Joe’s often has surprisingly good stuff for $5-$6 or even less. Eg. the Trader Joe’s Petit Sirah is $5, and it’s pretty decent once it breathes a while. Last week we got an organic chardonnay for $4 (!!) which was surprisingly pleasant. All you need to do at the store is find the appointed wine geek who will guide you to the good bottles for your requested price limit & food pairing.
However, I have to say NO to 2 buck Chuck–it’s truly foul! Then again, everyone has different taste buds (watch John Cleese’s “Wine for the Confused” for interesting information and good laughs).
4) Everyone who drinks wine should have a vacuum pump. Sure, it’s more fun to drink the whole bottle, but if you just want a glass with dinner pumps are the way to save your bottles from ruin.
As El Nerdo says, the Black Box wines are great. They are actually 4 bottles (3L)(at least here in S Florida). Costco currently has it for $16, so $4 a bottle is GREAT.
Years ago, GOOD wine used real corks, not the synthetic ones. Then they found out synthetic are actually better at preserving the wine. Years ago, cheap wine came in a box. Now they are finding its better than bottles: its sealed, even after you “open it”, so it stays fresh much longer. Its cheaper to ship, and uses less materials. Since most wine stops aging once it reaches the bottle, the box wont change the flavor and adds some great benefits.
My wife and I bought cases of Barefoot 1.75s for our wedding and kept the extra. Its a great wine for the price. Nothing too fancy, but great quality for $9 per 1.75L.
For people who are new to craft beer, you can look up a beer you like and look at other beers of the same style and look at the general ratings of each.
In terms of saving money, some smaller stores near me offer case discounts even on mix cases of single beers…and if you live in a place where there are multiple counties/states/districts like me (just outside of Washington DC), just driving 20 minutes into another state can provide better prices AND better selection.
Reading 1WineDude’s comment about contacting the winery directly “in states where it’s permitted” comes across as really strange to me here in California, where people do this all the time (it’s sort of the point behind winetasting). I’ve probably purchased more wine directly from wineries than I have otherwise.
One other thing that’s interesting, is that despite the blind taste test studies that show people can’t tell expensive wine from cheap wine, there have been other studies done (I wish I had a link) that show people enjoy wine more if it costs more. Researchers have put the exact same wine in two bottles, and said one cost $5/bottle and the other $50 (I’m making up the exact numbers) and people legitimately enjoy the more expensive version more.
Tastings are the best way to determine what you like. The grape crop is different year to year so the wine will be different as well. In good years stock up, it should age beautifully.
(Same rules apply to seasonal beers, but only age the heavy ones.)
At MB – I love homebrew and am always trying new stuff 🙂
I work for a large winery and a lot of what the other commenters are saying are absolutely true. I thought I would elaborate a little on some of the points.
Alcohol distribution laws do vary state-by-state, but it gets even more complicated than that. When prohibition was repealed, the federal gov’t relegated the alcohol laws to the states. Some states then relegated to the counties, then some counties to townships, and so on. This makes for a very complicated distribution and the ability to score a great deal highly dependent on where you buy.
If you like the box wine buy it! Oxygen is the enemy of wine and that’s why the “bag in a box” wines keep so well. As the wine drains from it, no air (oxygen) comes back in the package.
On that same thought, natural corks are a really bad seal, but that’s tradition and a lot of people expect it. Synthetic corks are better, but screw caps are the best for bottles. There are more and more “high class” brands that are going exclusively to this package because of this. Especially in Australia and New Zealand.
For a final thought, if you do buy in bulk, store your corked bottles on their sides or upside down. This keeps the corks moisturized and they maintain a better seal. Keep them in a cool, dark place that doesn’t fluctuate in temperature much. A closet in the middle of your house works great for this, for those of us not blessed with a cellar.
Be careful… those sale prices might not be a good deal.
Our new Safeway is having the same 30% sale in my neighborhood (Arlington, VA) and the sale prices were *way* higher than market prices.
For example, a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label champagne goes for $37 at Costco and local wine shops, or $45 at Whole Foods. Safeway had it listed at $60, then took it down to $48 after 30% off.
It is pretty ironic that the 30% off wine was actually 30% more expensive than market prices.
Other tips… Once you find a shop you like, sign up for their emails to get coupons and sale notifications. I’ve been going to the same wine shop for years, and just recently discovered that I could have been saving cash.
Get cases! You save 10%, and you always have a bottle handy for a gift. I have cases of wine that are $7-$10 a bottle and they are always a hit.
Some wines will even give you rebates on larger case purchases- look for tags in the store. I’m getting a $30 check back on a $150 case of 12 bottles.
Champagne and some nice liquor tends to go on sale during the holidays, and it is a great time to stock up.
If you have the ability to shop in different states, take advantage of it! We live 10 minutes from DC, and liquor is much cheaper across the river.
Finally, it pays to know the price of a few bottles of wine that you like, and use that as a comparison when you’re in the store or at a restaurant.
The store-bought $37 bottle of champagne listed above can be prices anywhere from $60 to $120 in restaurants.
Safeway jacked up the “regular” prices of many wines that I buy regularly for the 30% sale.
Very misleading (and nearly fraud in my opinion).
Buyer beware.
Also, strongly agree with the vacuum pump. It will keep wine for a few days but not for three weeks (for example at a vacation home).
Next best advise is to store wine in a refrigerator when opened to retard growth of things that make open wine taste bad.
Great advice – especially if you have some self-control to not drink all the alcohol before the year is over. I rarely buy alcohol (or junk food for the same reason) because I will drink it, and I will drink too much of it, if it is in the house.
@Tyler (#26) This is similar to the well-known fact that people will almost always read a book they paid for. The frequency of reading the book goes way down, though, if they didn’t pay for the book (such as, for example, a free e-book).
Agreed, tastings are the way to find out what you like. Lots of places have a Friday wine tasting (or whatever day). However… a couple of wine shops here in the Boston area have a free mega-tasting once or twice a year. It’s amazing — there are about ~100 wines to try. (!!!) (Don’t drive!!!) They also set out cheeses and water to refresh the palate. It’s an amazing opportunity to compare many wines side by side, which really has helped me to make comparisons about relative level of like and dislike.
They also have these sometimes for pay — you buy a ticket ($30-50) and do the same sort of thing. To me it is much more useful than just trying a few wines at a time — because truthfully, when I started drinking wine, I didn’t hate the wines I liked least, and I didn’t totally fall in love with the wines I liked most. (It basically all tasted “like wine”.) Now, my range and sensitivity is increased, and I enjoy wines much more, and am able to taste more range in flavour.
A note about warehouse clubs – In Texas, you can go to any Sams Club and purchase alcohol even without a membership. Many people aren’t aware of this. I do not know the policy for other states.
If you’re looking for something special, the Made in Oregon stores offer a 10% discount when you buy six bottles of wine (you can mix and match). They only sell Oregonian wines.
“Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack when the overall dangers to the individual and society are considered, according to a study in the Lancet.”
We, too, buy wine by the box often. My favorite whites are Almaden Mountain Rhine for a semi-sweet and Target’s Wine Cube Reisling. We also enjoy all of the Target red wine cubes such as Shiraz and Cabernet. They are particularly great when you only want one glass at a time and it stays fresh.
I once told my cousin to just get us a cheap bottle of red wine for Christmas. She got us a blush champagne (Ballatore Rosso Spumante). We laughed about it afterwards, expecting a cab or merlot, but ended up using it with OJ to make Mimosas and it was wonderful. The laugh was on us. 🙂
I was reading through your list and it is good, but it is very west coast. I just moved to Portland and the first time I went to buy beer I went into a liquor store, big mistake. They looked at me like I was an idiot. “Why would there be beer at a liquor store?”
I’ve come from an area where only liquor stores have beer and hard liquor.
Well, in Minnesota (or Wisconsin) liquor stores have beer and wine and only in WI is there anything more than 3.2% at gas stations, which is common. The pricing varies a LOT more in MN and WI than in Oregon. I even suspect it is set by an oregon alcohol and tobacco board. In MN or WI, sale times are the same, but liquor stores are more often locally owned. Getting deals by the case or having them source a specific wine is easy.
Being in Oregon why don’t you buy from a vintner in Oregon or Washington? Wouldn’t that be the most frugal for the earth? (transit costs of wines from other continents).
You can write it down (and then lose the book) or use Snooth.com for free. I’ve been using it for a few years and has really helped me to recall good wines I’ve had before. They also have an iPhone app, but it’s not as good as the site.
Re: wine storage: in my experience, an open bottle of white doesn’t require a vacuum pump or even a stopper if you plan to drink it all within three days. White does not seem to oxidize as quickly as red; just put it in the fridge. An open bottle of red survives perfectly well on the end of my kitchen counter with a stopper. I used vacuum pumps for years and they made no discernible difference to the longevity of an open bottle. Mind you, DH and I have a glass each almost every night, so our bottles don’t have to live very long!
Keep your home’s temperature zones in mind if you’re storing wine for any length of time. Don’t keep any wine in a place that freezes, gets hot, or receives direct sun. And don’t store champagne bottles on their side – just don’t buy more than you plan to drink within a month.
Other advice: learn what varietals you like and forget about specific makers. It is very hard to buy a “bad” wine now; the overall quality of anything made in North or South America, or in Australia/New Zealand, or in western Europe, is extremely consistent.
If you like chardonnay but not pinot gris (pino grigio), or vice versa, that should guide you more than who made the thing. If you’ve been served a cabernet sauvignon and it blew the top of your head off (not in a good way), don’t give up on red; just try a milder varietal like merlot or cab franc.
And if you have a BevMo or World Market (Cost Plus) in your area, you can get dozens of different varietals, of very high quality, for less than $10 a bottle. In my experience as a dedicated wine drinker, World Market beats Trader Joe’s consistently on price, selection, and quality.
Standing in the aisle at Grocery Outlet, Big Lots, Cost Plus, wondering about whether to take a flyer on an unknown wine bargain, I discovered a great use for my (company paid!) smart phone. Look up wine reviews! I’ve just been using the browser, but would love a recommendation for a good app for this purpose.
I’ve got to second the comment that you live in oregon, why buy anything but local? We belon to a wine club in southern or and they ship 4 times a year. I think we probably save overall because we’ve never had a bad wine and don’t need to experiment with stuff that may be good from the liquor store. There is also the warm fuzzy from supporing a family owned small business, small enough that when we go there in the winter for a tasting, we meet win the vintner himself.
In buying wine, buying from the winery is not always the best deal. At a local winery (Wisconsin), my wife and I noticed that they were selling one of their more common wines for $4 more per bottle than at any grocery store that I have been to. However, they also carried more rare wines that are not generally seen in stores and others that were better deals than stores could offer. In the end it is like anything else, shop around and compare prices before making the purchase.
I will second bevmo! They have a great selection and you can buy online from them as well (https://www.bevmo.com/). If you wait until they have their semi-annual 5 cent sale (buy a bottle, get the same bottle for 5 cents) you get a great deal (almost half price). I like buying online and picking up in store, that way I can find 90+ point wines for under $20; I like to try new wines and have almost always been happy with the wines I’ve tried using this method.
@#24 Dave & all — YES! Black Box is actually 4 bottles, I mixed up liters with bottles (bottles are as we all know 750ml, so 3l=4bottles). Sorry for the confusion– give that wine a try if you haven’t!
Unfortunately in CT we have to buy wine & hard liquor in a liquor store and only beer in grocery stores. Which means places like Trader Joes & Whole Foods do not sell wine at all. Thankfully Costco has a separate Costco liquor right next to it. I have not figured out if there are ways to get “deals” here or not. I’m much more used to CA where wine is a much bigger deal.
There are places that do brew your own beer or wine. These can be very cost effictive and a good way to get into making your own drink with the help of an experienced guide and their equipment.
Ha ha, I remember spending time in New Haven– what a pain it was to buy booze!
Something I do at Costco is look for the tags showing review points from publications (wine enthusiast, wine spectator, whatever they are called). Anything with about 90 points for $10 or less will likely be a great bargain, or at least a pretty good thing to try if you like. That saves you the trouble of going through magazine subscriptions, wine tastings, websites, etc, unless you like to spend time doing that.
@#46 Agreed on CT’s rules. Especially the not selling alcohol on Sundays, thats when I usually try to do all my shopping in one day and having only lived here a few months that always messes me up.
Best tip for finding good wines. Throw a wine tasting party, invite everyone to bring a bottle of one of their favorites (if you want to be even more frugal set a $15/bottle limit), have some snacks ready and have a good time. Depending on the size of the party, everyone will have a glass or half a glass of each and just make notes on what you like. Once you know atleast characteristics you like its easy to get good recommendations at a decent package store.
Same tip goes for beer. There is a lot of excellent craft beer out there. Again knowing which styles you like, and more importantly which you don’t goes a long way to getting your money’s worth.
I somewhat disagree about that article concerning wine experts… the article fails to note what they define as an expert in the study.
When I bartended summers at a luxury 5 star coastal resort, one of my managers was a sommelier/Master of Wine. They literally can tell you from a blind taste test what region of the world the wine was grown, in what type of soil, etc and can pretty accurately ballpark the year. See the test FAQ: http://www.mastersofwine.org/en/examination/index.cfm
While wine people can occasionally be snooty, I really found talking with a certified expert to be very very interesting.
Don’t drink beer? For a guy in Wisconsin with German blood this just pissed me off. ;). Although I do have to say that beer isn’t beer so to speak. If you were a real (not bud/miller/coors crap) beer drinker you’d get that. Perhaps you’ll know what I mean the next time you hear someone say, “I don’t drink wine.” It’s like saying I don’t eat.
It is my exeperience, actually, that warehouse clubs are not much cheaper for wines than a place like BevMo or Friar Tucks, and what ever tier 1 bottle shop you might have locally.
Buying a case at a tier 1 bottle shop will almost always net you a savings over buying individual bottles. For people who live on the west coast, or near a vineyard, the cheapest option is usually buying direct from the vineyard.
Also, on closures, the safest closure (i.e. the closure with the lowest failure rate) is the screw cap. And you will find that a lot of really good, but affordable wines, have switched to the screw cap. For instance, Hogue makes a fantastic Reisling and several other pretty good whites, and they use only screw caps, also known as Stelvin Closures.
Most affordable New Zealand and Australian wines are also going to the Stelvin Closure.
@Stan #34… I find it hard to believe that alcohol is twice as detrimental as Meth. This anyway isn’t the proper forum to criticize people who enjoy a drink, and how to save on it.
My husband & I buy wines from various wineries and wine clubs to have some “special” bottles in our cellar (we are big wine drinkers, & live in California) but our everyday bargains are generally not American. It pays to experiment with wines from outside the U.S. since you find so many good deals on nice table wine that way.
Cost Plus World Market and Trader Joes are good for this kind of experimentation and if you don’t like the wine, use it for cooking.
It’ll keep for weeks in the fridge (to cook with.)
I’ve been happy with almost any Argentinian Malbec or Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha. For whites, try a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (on sale; they’re not always as inexpensive) or a South American Torrontes, or even a South African Chenin Blanc if you are feeling daring.
As other folks have said, taste, taste, taste and find out what you like, and be open to try new varietals. And ignore point systems! They really don’t mean much about what YOU will like. Oh, and I agree that it pays to find a local wine shop & get help. Don’t assume that their prices will be higher; that is often not the case. Don’t be shy about letting the folks in the shop know what kind of thing you like.
Another tip I’ve used to good success – once you find the wines you like the most (Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, etc.), check out the ratings from review magazines that many supermarkets helpfully post. Usually, the highest-rated wines will carry the highest price-tags. BUT, the same varietal from a different label, of the same year and region will be just, or nearly as good. So much of a wine’s flavor is due to the weather of that season, that the vintner’s skill is almost negligible in a good year.
Great article and excellent comments. What I have done is setup an email address (e.g. [email protected]) and I send a quick email with specifics of the wine I really enjoy.
With the advent of smartphones, it only takes me 30 seconds to write an email to this address with vintner, vintage, tasting notes, and maybe even a quick picture of the bottle (makes it much easier to find at BevMo!). Now I have a centralized location for all the wines I enjoy, how much they cost, etc.
@ Dave– I don’t know about the DIY option. Winemaking is an art, there are a lot of pros putting out an inferior product already, I fear I might go blind if I attempt this on my own (methanol is never a good thing). For under $5 I can get a really nice bottle at Trader Joe’s (if picked right), minus the equipment, the hassle, and the health risks. Whether it’s economies of scale, or thousands of years of tradition, or university degrees in Oenology, other people can do it faster, cheaper and better than I ever could.
Sounds like a nice hobby, but not sure it qualifies as a great bargain for most mortals.
These are all great pointers for finding good wine at great prices.
Another useful idea is to find a wine e-retailer (like me). We don’t have the overhead costs of the brick and mortar stores, but we have the necessary licenses to operate just like any other retailer. Often we can sell at prices lower than the grocery stores, and certainly lower than the wine stores.
There’s some great insight here, though I do take issue with the suggestion that folks find a wine they like, and stick to it. To me, that’s sort of like saying “I like cheeseburgers, so I won’t eat anything else”. Well, there’s a big, beautiful world of wine out there, and exploring it should be part of the fun.
If you want to expose yourself to the incredible range of enjoyable wine out there, take advantage of the many new local wine shops springing up around the country. They’re generally very well informed, offer classes, free tastings and other wine-related events, and they are generally chock full of interesting juice at just about any price. Oh, and if you encounter any snobbery, you’re in the wrong place. Wine should be on every table, and it should be a part of lunch & dinner – maybe even breakfast!
If you want to check out free tastings, take a class or just find out more about your local wine scene, check out http://www.localwineevents.com/
Another tip here in Oregon, if you are buying a case of a wine, is to order it through your local grocery – Thriftway, Freddies, etc. Most will normally sell you a solid case (not mixed) for their cost plus 10%. This is even cheaper than the New Seasons or Zupans 20% discount on 12 bottles or more and will beat most any wine store’s case discount.
A lot has been said here about buying inexpensive wines in local stores, and that’ll get a casual wine drinker all they might like, but those of us who are way-too-into wine take a different approach.
1) We share our sources and our finds. Through online communities and networks of nearby friends, we discuss what tastes good, who’s having a sale, and band together to buy multiple bottles at the case discount. When a particular $70 bottle was spotted on sale for $21, i bought 2 cases after others assured me they wanted a share. We learn which bottles are good, before we buy them, we taste in groups to get a broader range of exposure than we could individually afford, and we know what others have paid for the wine.
2) We buy online when local laws allow it. This ensures that our sources are competing nationally, not just in our area. We use sites like wine-searcher, vinquire, and winezap to compare prices, and we wait for sales.
3) We sign up for mailing lists from large wine resellers, like hart-davis-hart, chicago wine company, and Benchmark wine group. When they get a new consignment, we’ll watch for good prices on our favorites (see #1).
4) Know the cult wines, avoid them and seek their alternatives. Some wines are expensive solely because of their cult following; know the other winemakers of the same varietal of wine, and know which are well regarded despite their obscurity. That’s going to take research on your part, but you’ll be rewarded with inexpensive fine wines and a reputation amongst your friends as being “in the know.”
So, you think this is just for fancy wine? You could be right, except that I’m getting my “fancy” wine at the same price you’re getting your table wine. Quit drinking Barefoot and Yellowtail, with a little research you can do so much better for not much more money.
” I don’t mind giving expensive wine as a hostess gift, but I can’t bring myself to drink it at home. Is that weird?”
No. I feel the same way about a number of products, most falling into the ‘want but don’t need’ category. Wine, cheeses, fancy olive oil, fancy soaps, and flowers are all things where as a gift should be the best you can afford, but around the house…do you need $30 olive oil? No. Nobody does. But it’s nice to get. 🙂
Right now, our Whole Foods (VA) is offering 20% off a case of wine – a pretty good deal, if you stick to their “Value” wines (look down low, look up high!)
We have also found a few “safe” cheap wines that we like – Montepulciano D’Abbruzzo, Vinho Verde, Gruet… etc. While we love Oregon Pinot Noir, we’d probably only buy it for a special occasion.
And, if worse comes to worst and you hate a cheap wine, you can always cook with it… unless it’s blush. Anyone have any ideas?
Another option (at least where we live) is to join a wine guild or buying club. This is basically just a wine co-op. For an annual fee, members pay a certain amount above wholesale (in our case, 10%). For the types of wines we get regularly (approx $10/bottle), we usually save $10-$15 a bottle, quickly making up for the annual fee. This isn’t a great deal if you are an occasional wine drinker, but if you drink a lot of wine (like we do), you can save tons of money. Also, you’re generally drinking better wine, wine that would normally retail for more that one might otherwise spend for an “everyday” wine. We joined a year ago and have been really delighted with both the quality of the wine and the savings.
There are 71 comments to "Wine on a budget: How to get good deals on wine".
I used to work in a liquor store, and one additional tip when you are ordering by the case is to specifically *ask* if there is a discount for buying by the case. Many smaller stores won’t mention that they can offer the discount, bc they’re hoping they can get you to pay the higher price.
Also, as JD refers to, every state is different. In our state, the method that the liquor stores and distributors have set up means that there are rarely sales of wine or liquor unless the statewide distributor is trying to clear out stock. Even going between a Costco liquor store and a tiny boutique, the prices are pretty much identical.
The tips are spot on.
I’d like to add one suggestion. Find a good local wine shop with people who know what they’re talking about.
My local shop keeps a record of what I’ve bought and I can update the wines I like and don’t like. They also have tastings every Saturday, so you can try before you buy.
I never pick my own wine. I ask for someone at the store to help me pick it. The problem with having a favorite wine is it’s not always available forever, so like it or not, you must try new things on a regular basis. I either tell them a brand I’ve enjoyed and my price range or the features I like “smoky, dry, buttery, oaky, etc.”
Almost all wine stores offer case discounts and many will let you mix and match the case.
I love my local wine store. I don’t go there often, but when I do, I get a case of wine and it’s a super fun experience.
Wine tastings are a great way to try new ones without buying a whole bottle and then finding out you don’t like it at all. A lot liquor stores in this area have tastings on Friday late afternoon or Saturday mid afternoon, usually three to six different types and it’s free. The largest store in this area has wine tastings on Saturday that start usually on Columbus Day weekend and run until the weekend before Christmas. The cost is $5.00, which is donated to a local charity, and there are usually 6 or 7 tables with approximately five to eight bottles each. The distributors that work at the table are very knowledgeable and are quite happy to tell you all about their wines. The store also has a gourmet food section that serves sample of a few items, as well as serving samples of one or two beers and a couple drinks made of the “hard” liquor on special that week.
I enjoy going to these wine tastings, as are an excellent way to try new wines that I might normally not try.
We have recently found a wine that we like. It is a Moscato wine, sweet and easy to drink. My husband and I are new to wine in general. We are going to visit a winery in Central Florida this weekend to take part in a wine tasting to help expand wine palate.
But…regarding prices…I have found Sutter Hill Moscato on sale at the Winn Dixie,(local grocery store) for 6.99 a bottle. It is usually 9.99 to 10.99 reg price.
At that time we bought 8 bottles…. and regret not stocking up with more. So… next time, we are definitely stocking up with 2-3 cases! And we are asking for a case purchase discount.
Hit Trader Joe’s too. You can get some really good wines at really good prices there (and I am not necessarily talking about three buck chuck although a few of those are ok too). And…they have wine tastings every day from noon – 5 where they feature a white, a red and usually something else like one of their beers. I have tried a lot of new wines over the past few months while doing my regular shopping. At least two of them have become regular purchases.
Not a big wine drinker myself, but for the holidays I’ll share a recipe I got from a local cranberry farmer.
Cranberry sauce for the Grown Ups:
Take bag of fresh cranberries, put in small saucepan. Pour in roughly 50/50 mix of real maple syrup and cabernet sauvignon until cranberries are barely covered. Cook over low heat until berries burst and mixture is syrupy.
Enjoy!
Some specialty stores or larger “beer and wine” retailers also offer classes or tastings. Total Wine, a medium-sized chain, has $25 classes I have found to be really helpful. $25 seems pricy, but if you get the chance to taste many different wines and learn about the region, grapes, and process (as well as ask questions), it can be quite a bargain! My wife and I took a champagne and sparkling wine class, and it was a great way to taste things in the $8/bottle to the $50/bottle range!
(As a homebrewer, I’m bummed out to hear you: “…don’t drink beer”, J.D… especially in your area!)
Yes, that’s a bit sad not to like beer in the Portland OR area. I love this place but dislike beer. My parents boozed it up too frequently and too much altogether, drinking mainly beer until they passed out after screaming at us and each other and involving the police int heir nasty fights nearly every weekend for years. I know it’s not the BEER’s fault, but he smell of beer now turns my stomach so much I can’t get near it, even if I wanted to. It’s difficult to even EAT at a place that features many kinds of beer. Imagine the smell of Coors Light the next morning left overnight in the can, mixed with stale cigarette smoke and my parents’ bad breath and sour dispositions from a hangover… Yikes.
Wish they didn’t regulate booze so hard where I live (Ottawa). Lowest prices are set by the province so it’s impossible to get very good deals without travelling. Hell, the cheapest I can get a 24 of beer is $29.00 Canadian. Terrible :/
The only time I see nice savings on booze is with those 4 liter boxes of wine. And there’s something very non-elegant about pouring from a box…
Find a friend in the restaurant business who can avail you of wholesale wine deals (and the wine tastings of various distributors).
In my dream home, I would love to install a custom wine gallery. Invaluable tip about writing down what you like. For a graduation gift, a friend gave me a fanstastic bottle of wine. It was incredibly favorable, light and fruity – I neglected to write it down. My friend is currently in the hospital so I cannot just readily ask him what it was. You never know where you may encounter good wine.
There are many fringe benefits to getting your financial house in order, and leveraging your buying power to buy in bulk is certainly one of them. Amassing wealth is a journey, I would venture to guess that conserving wealth is easier because money begets money. If you are just living from check to check, or have over extended yourself – you could never take advantage of the opportunity to buy in bulk and enjoy great savings.
Don’t forget Trader Joes! I have a rule that I won’t pay more than $5 a bottle and have gotten some AMAZING wines. The Charles Shaw (3 Buck Chuck) wines are actually pretty good.
#8, jason: i took a wine class a few years back, the box wines are actually some of the most efficient wine storage devices to keep the flavor locked in. if you’re concerned about appearances, you could use a decanter (useful for reds, nice for show for the whites).
Best post ever! I’m doing my thanksgiving grocery run tonight, will definitely keeps this in mind.
If you are in the DC area, may I recommend attending the events at the Washington Wine Academy … especially the beer and whisky events. Especially the whisky ones, which I teach and so am particularly partial to!
While it may not be useful for everyone to attend a full-bore tasting class, the weekly Wine & Movie events at the Arlington Drafthouse & Theater are a cheaper and less formal option.
I’ve found that the best way to buy liquor for less is to buy larger bottles. The prices are tightly controlled in my area, but you can get a lower price per ounce by buying the 1.75 L bottles instead of the 750 mL bottles.
Many states have weird laws that prevent membership requirements for buying alcohol at stores. This translates to non-members being able to buy alcohol at Sam’s or Costco. It also means that, for example, Kroger will give you the “membership” price for alcohol without swiping your loyalty card.
I do not drink wine, so I just try whatever anyone else is drinking 🙂
I was also reading through a magazine that said that you could turn your leftover wine into vinegar. Most of the “wine based vinegars” are not made with high quality wine, so if you already have wine that is not being used in time, this would be an additional step to capture the costs.
I am not a huge wine drinker but it seems like very solid advice. On the hard stuff side of the equation though I can offer some assistance. First buy what you like, not what the music videos, magazines and bartenders tell you is the best.
My wife and I did a blind liquor tasting of both Gin and Vodka our two favorites. We got airplane or small bottles of most popular brands and in our case made martinis. Neither of us knew what brand we were drinking and we ranked them on a 5 point scale with tasting notes much like a wine tasting (where we got the idea).
Ironically we selected our favorites only to find they were not the top shelf liquors we frequently purchased for parties or at the bar. They were the more mid-range better value brands. I will say that the low end stuff was pretty clear as it was harsh. But mid grade through the high end the scores and tasting notes were reasonably close. With my frugalness I would much rather buy a 13-15 dollar 5th of vodka than a 30-35 dollar top shelf when I now know I enjoy the less expensive a bit more anyways.
Just something to think about on the topic of saving money on drinks.
We love wine, but we just don’t drink that much. We joined the Willamette Valley Vineyard wine club and they send us 2 bottles a month. These are a bit pricey at $25 to $30 a bottle, but we have really enjoyed them so far. These 2 bottles a month are plenty and we are supporting a local business. I do get some cheaper wine from Costplus and Trader Joe once in a while to try. I’ll check Safeway and see if they have any good deal. I also really like getting wine from New Seasons, their wine guys are very friendly and helpful.
This may offend some wine purists, but we regularly buy box wine. There are some very nice varieties available in both a bottle or a box. I never pay more than about $20 for a 3L box, which is equivalent to 4 bottles! Plus it keeps better and doesn’t have as much waste in the form of bottles.
Like many, we can’t tell the difference between the box stuff and the expensive bottled stuff. I’ve even read of cases where people will pour box wine into a fancy bottle to serve to their unsuspecting friends, and they can’t tell the difference either!
As “a wine guy” (my website has been giving winos courage for three years running baby! 🙂 I can confirm that laws governing the sale and distro. of wine and alcohol do indeed differ from state-to-state, to the point where some of those states (like mine – PA) exert monopoly power over wine sales.
So, there will be many readers of this (excellent!) post who cannot take advantage of all of the suggestions that you’ve offered. For them, there are sadly no real options but they can write their state reps. in Congress and also have their voices heard via websites such as http://www.freethegrapes.org/ .
For those living in states where this is permitted, another GREAT way to save is contacting the winery to see if you can purchase cases from them directly – cutting out the middlemen means you can get some great sales/discounts directly from them source.
Cheers!
I’ve gotten a few Groupons for online wine clubs. Good savings for delicious wine even after spending $25 for the Groupon. Don’t have to join a club in order to partake of deal. It can be a one-time thing.
A few notes on bargains:
1) I don’t have room in my apartment to buy a lot of wine by the case, and I don’t have a cellar/wine fridge to keep it at the right temperature. If your wine gets too warm it will turn to vinegary swill. Add the cost of a wine fridge if you’ll be buying large quantities, or you’ll be burning money.
2) Black Box wines (wine in a box, but good) is awesome for $18 at Costco (1 box=3bottles) (that’s a New Mexico price). I’ve seen the same box at similar stores for $24. Costco is great for booze in general, their Kirtland vodka is repackaged Grey Goose. However, I rarely find wine bottles under $8 at Costco.
3) For really great bargains Trader Joe’s often has surprisingly good stuff for $5-$6 or even less. Eg. the Trader Joe’s Petit Sirah is $5, and it’s pretty decent once it breathes a while. Last week we got an organic chardonnay for $4 (!!) which was surprisingly pleasant. All you need to do at the store is find the appointed wine geek who will guide you to the good bottles for your requested price limit & food pairing.
However, I have to say NO to 2 buck Chuck–it’s truly foul! Then again, everyone has different taste buds (watch John Cleese’s “Wine for the Confused” for interesting information and good laughs).
4) Everyone who drinks wine should have a vacuum pump. Sure, it’s more fun to drink the whole bottle, but if you just want a glass with dinner pumps are the way to save your bottles from ruin.
As El Nerdo says, the Black Box wines are great. They are actually 4 bottles (3L)(at least here in S Florida). Costco currently has it for $16, so $4 a bottle is GREAT.
Years ago, GOOD wine used real corks, not the synthetic ones. Then they found out synthetic are actually better at preserving the wine. Years ago, cheap wine came in a box. Now they are finding its better than bottles: its sealed, even after you “open it”, so it stays fresh much longer. Its cheaper to ship, and uses less materials. Since most wine stops aging once it reaches the bottle, the box wont change the flavor and adds some great benefits.
My wife and I bought cases of Barefoot 1.75s for our wedding and kept the extra. Its a great wine for the price. Nothing too fancy, but great quality for $9 per 1.75L.
For craft beer lovers, there are a few websites they can use to keep track of different beers they like: http://www.ratebeer.com, and http://www.beeradvocate.com .
For people who are new to craft beer, you can look up a beer you like and look at other beers of the same style and look at the general ratings of each.
In terms of saving money, some smaller stores near me offer case discounts even on mix cases of single beers…and if you live in a place where there are multiple counties/states/districts like me (just outside of Washington DC), just driving 20 minutes into another state can provide better prices AND better selection.
Reading 1WineDude’s comment about contacting the winery directly “in states where it’s permitted” comes across as really strange to me here in California, where people do this all the time (it’s sort of the point behind winetasting). I’ve probably purchased more wine directly from wineries than I have otherwise.
One other thing that’s interesting, is that despite the blind taste test studies that show people can’t tell expensive wine from cheap wine, there have been other studies done (I wish I had a link) that show people enjoy wine more if it costs more. Researchers have put the exact same wine in two bottles, and said one cost $5/bottle and the other $50 (I’m making up the exact numbers) and people legitimately enjoy the more expensive version more.
Tastings are the best way to determine what you like. The grape crop is different year to year so the wine will be different as well. In good years stock up, it should age beautifully.
(Same rules apply to seasonal beers, but only age the heavy ones.)
At MB – I love homebrew and am always trying new stuff 🙂
I work for a large winery and a lot of what the other commenters are saying are absolutely true. I thought I would elaborate a little on some of the points.
Alcohol distribution laws do vary state-by-state, but it gets even more complicated than that. When prohibition was repealed, the federal gov’t relegated the alcohol laws to the states. Some states then relegated to the counties, then some counties to townships, and so on. This makes for a very complicated distribution and the ability to score a great deal highly dependent on where you buy.
If you like the box wine buy it! Oxygen is the enemy of wine and that’s why the “bag in a box” wines keep so well. As the wine drains from it, no air (oxygen) comes back in the package.
On that same thought, natural corks are a really bad seal, but that’s tradition and a lot of people expect it. Synthetic corks are better, but screw caps are the best for bottles. There are more and more “high class” brands that are going exclusively to this package because of this. Especially in Australia and New Zealand.
For a final thought, if you do buy in bulk, store your corked bottles on their sides or upside down. This keeps the corks moisturized and they maintain a better seal. Keep them in a cool, dark place that doesn’t fluctuate in temperature much. A closet in the middle of your house works great for this, for those of us not blessed with a cellar.
That was long! I hope it helps!
Be careful… those sale prices might not be a good deal.
Our new Safeway is having the same 30% sale in my neighborhood (Arlington, VA) and the sale prices were *way* higher than market prices.
For example, a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label champagne goes for $37 at Costco and local wine shops, or $45 at Whole Foods. Safeway had it listed at $60, then took it down to $48 after 30% off.
It is pretty ironic that the 30% off wine was actually 30% more expensive than market prices.
Other tips… Once you find a shop you like, sign up for their emails to get coupons and sale notifications. I’ve been going to the same wine shop for years, and just recently discovered that I could have been saving cash.
Get cases! You save 10%, and you always have a bottle handy for a gift. I have cases of wine that are $7-$10 a bottle and they are always a hit.
Some wines will even give you rebates on larger case purchases- look for tags in the store. I’m getting a $30 check back on a $150 case of 12 bottles.
Champagne and some nice liquor tends to go on sale during the holidays, and it is a great time to stock up.
If you have the ability to shop in different states, take advantage of it! We live 10 minutes from DC, and liquor is much cheaper across the river.
Finally, it pays to know the price of a few bottles of wine that you like, and use that as a comparison when you’re in the store or at a restaurant.
The store-bought $37 bottle of champagne listed above can be prices anywhere from $60 to $120 in restaurants.
Safeway jacked up the “regular” prices of many wines that I buy regularly for the 30% sale.
Very misleading (and nearly fraud in my opinion).
Buyer beware.
Also, strongly agree with the vacuum pump. It will keep wine for a few days but not for three weeks (for example at a vacation home).
Next best advise is to store wine in a refrigerator when opened to retard growth of things that make open wine taste bad.
Great advice – especially if you have some self-control to not drink all the alcohol before the year is over. I rarely buy alcohol (or junk food for the same reason) because I will drink it, and I will drink too much of it, if it is in the house.
@Tyler (#26) This is similar to the well-known fact that people will almost always read a book they paid for. The frequency of reading the book goes way down, though, if they didn’t pay for the book (such as, for example, a free e-book).
Agreed, tastings are the way to find out what you like. Lots of places have a Friday wine tasting (or whatever day). However… a couple of wine shops here in the Boston area have a free mega-tasting once or twice a year. It’s amazing — there are about ~100 wines to try. (!!!) (Don’t drive!!!) They also set out cheeses and water to refresh the palate. It’s an amazing opportunity to compare many wines side by side, which really has helped me to make comparisons about relative level of like and dislike.
They also have these sometimes for pay — you buy a ticket ($30-50) and do the same sort of thing. To me it is much more useful than just trying a few wines at a time — because truthfully, when I started drinking wine, I didn’t hate the wines I liked least, and I didn’t totally fall in love with the wines I liked most. (It basically all tasted “like wine”.) Now, my range and sensitivity is increased, and I enjoy wines much more, and am able to taste more range in flavour.
A note about warehouse clubs – In Texas, you can go to any Sams Club and purchase alcohol even without a membership. Many people aren’t aware of this. I do not know the policy for other states.
If you’re looking for something special, the Made in Oregon stores offer a 10% discount when you buy six bottles of wine (you can mix and match). They only sell Oregonian wines.
“Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack when the overall dangers to the individual and society are considered, according to a study in the Lancet.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11660210
I would definitely recommend wine.woot.com! They often have unbeatable deals throughout the week.
We, too, buy wine by the box often. My favorite whites are Almaden Mountain Rhine for a semi-sweet and Target’s Wine Cube Reisling. We also enjoy all of the Target red wine cubes such as Shiraz and Cabernet. They are particularly great when you only want one glass at a time and it stays fresh.
I once told my cousin to just get us a cheap bottle of red wine for Christmas. She got us a blush champagne (Ballatore Rosso Spumante). We laughed about it afterwards, expecting a cab or merlot, but ended up using it with OJ to make Mimosas and it was wonderful. The laugh was on us. 🙂
I was reading through your list and it is good, but it is very west coast. I just moved to Portland and the first time I went to buy beer I went into a liquor store, big mistake. They looked at me like I was an idiot. “Why would there be beer at a liquor store?”
I’ve come from an area where only liquor stores have beer and hard liquor.
Well, in Minnesota (or Wisconsin) liquor stores have beer and wine and only in WI is there anything more than 3.2% at gas stations, which is common. The pricing varies a LOT more in MN and WI than in Oregon. I even suspect it is set by an oregon alcohol and tobacco board. In MN or WI, sale times are the same, but liquor stores are more often locally owned. Getting deals by the case or having them source a specific wine is easy.
Being in Oregon why don’t you buy from a vintner in Oregon or Washington? Wouldn’t that be the most frugal for the earth? (transit costs of wines from other continents).
You can write it down (and then lose the book) or use Snooth.com for free. I’ve been using it for a few years and has really helped me to recall good wines I’ve had before. They also have an iPhone app, but it’s not as good as the site.
Re: wine storage: in my experience, an open bottle of white doesn’t require a vacuum pump or even a stopper if you plan to drink it all within three days. White does not seem to oxidize as quickly as red; just put it in the fridge. An open bottle of red survives perfectly well on the end of my kitchen counter with a stopper. I used vacuum pumps for years and they made no discernible difference to the longevity of an open bottle. Mind you, DH and I have a glass each almost every night, so our bottles don’t have to live very long!
Keep your home’s temperature zones in mind if you’re storing wine for any length of time. Don’t keep any wine in a place that freezes, gets hot, or receives direct sun. And don’t store champagne bottles on their side – just don’t buy more than you plan to drink within a month.
Other advice: learn what varietals you like and forget about specific makers. It is very hard to buy a “bad” wine now; the overall quality of anything made in North or South America, or in Australia/New Zealand, or in western Europe, is extremely consistent.
If you like chardonnay but not pinot gris (pino grigio), or vice versa, that should guide you more than who made the thing. If you’ve been served a cabernet sauvignon and it blew the top of your head off (not in a good way), don’t give up on red; just try a milder varietal like merlot or cab franc.
And if you have a BevMo or World Market (Cost Plus) in your area, you can get dozens of different varietals, of very high quality, for less than $10 a bottle. In my experience as a dedicated wine drinker, World Market beats Trader Joe’s consistently on price, selection, and quality.
Standing in the aisle at Grocery Outlet, Big Lots, Cost Plus, wondering about whether to take a flyer on an unknown wine bargain, I discovered a great use for my (company paid!) smart phone. Look up wine reviews! I’ve just been using the browser, but would love a recommendation for a good app for this purpose.
I’ve got to second the comment that you live in oregon, why buy anything but local? We belon to a wine club in southern or and they ship 4 times a year. I think we probably save overall because we’ve never had a bad wine and don’t need to experiment with stuff that may be good from the liquor store. There is also the warm fuzzy from supporing a family owned small business, small enough that when we go there in the winter for a tasting, we meet win the vintner himself.
In buying wine, buying from the winery is not always the best deal. At a local winery (Wisconsin), my wife and I noticed that they were selling one of their more common wines for $4 more per bottle than at any grocery store that I have been to. However, they also carried more rare wines that are not generally seen in stores and others that were better deals than stores could offer. In the end it is like anything else, shop around and compare prices before making the purchase.
I will second bevmo! They have a great selection and you can buy online from them as well (https://www.bevmo.com/). If you wait until they have their semi-annual 5 cent sale (buy a bottle, get the same bottle for 5 cents) you get a great deal (almost half price). I like buying online and picking up in store, that way I can find 90+ point wines for under $20; I like to try new wines and have almost always been happy with the wines I’ve tried using this method.
@#24 Dave & all — YES! Black Box is actually 4 bottles, I mixed up liters with bottles (bottles are as we all know 750ml, so 3l=4bottles). Sorry for the confusion– give that wine a try if you haven’t!
Unfortunately in CT we have to buy wine & hard liquor in a liquor store and only beer in grocery stores. Which means places like Trader Joes & Whole Foods do not sell wine at all. Thankfully Costco has a separate Costco liquor right next to it. I have not figured out if there are ways to get “deals” here or not. I’m much more used to CA where wine is a much bigger deal.
There are places that do brew your own beer or wine. These can be very cost effictive and a good way to get into making your own drink with the help of an experienced guide and their equipment.
Jennifer–
Ha ha, I remember spending time in New Haven– what a pain it was to buy booze!
Something I do at Costco is look for the tags showing review points from publications (wine enthusiast, wine spectator, whatever they are called). Anything with about 90 points for $10 or less will likely be a great bargain, or at least a pretty good thing to try if you like. That saves you the trouble of going through magazine subscriptions, wine tastings, websites, etc, unless you like to spend time doing that.
@#46 Agreed on CT’s rules. Especially the not selling alcohol on Sundays, thats when I usually try to do all my shopping in one day and having only lived here a few months that always messes me up.
Best tip for finding good wines. Throw a wine tasting party, invite everyone to bring a bottle of one of their favorites (if you want to be even more frugal set a $15/bottle limit), have some snacks ready and have a good time. Depending on the size of the party, everyone will have a glass or half a glass of each and just make notes on what you like. Once you know atleast characteristics you like its easy to get good recommendations at a decent package store.
Same tip goes for beer. There is a lot of excellent craft beer out there. Again knowing which styles you like, and more importantly which you don’t goes a long way to getting your money’s worth.
So what are the 4 wines that you have on your short list??
I have a few favorites too that I drink often, but I also like to try new ones. Sometimes they aren’t that good, but I’ve found a few gems like that.
I somewhat disagree about that article concerning wine experts… the article fails to note what they define as an expert in the study.
When I bartended summers at a luxury 5 star coastal resort, one of my managers was a sommelier/Master of Wine. They literally can tell you from a blind taste test what region of the world the wine was grown, in what type of soil, etc and can pretty accurately ballpark the year. See the test FAQ: http://www.mastersofwine.org/en/examination/index.cfm
While wine people can occasionally be snooty, I really found talking with a certified expert to be very very interesting.
Don’t drink beer? For a guy in Wisconsin with German blood this just pissed me off. ;). Although I do have to say that beer isn’t beer so to speak. If you were a real (not bud/miller/coors crap) beer drinker you’d get that. Perhaps you’ll know what I mean the next time you hear someone say, “I don’t drink wine.” It’s like saying I don’t eat.
How did you skip boxed wine?! If you’re saving, you might as well. There is nothing wrong with boxes.
It is my exeperience, actually, that warehouse clubs are not much cheaper for wines than a place like BevMo or Friar Tucks, and what ever tier 1 bottle shop you might have locally.
Buying a case at a tier 1 bottle shop will almost always net you a savings over buying individual bottles. For people who live on the west coast, or near a vineyard, the cheapest option is usually buying direct from the vineyard.
Also, on closures, the safest closure (i.e. the closure with the lowest failure rate) is the screw cap. And you will find that a lot of really good, but affordable wines, have switched to the screw cap. For instance, Hogue makes a fantastic Reisling and several other pretty good whites, and they use only screw caps, also known as Stelvin Closures.
Most affordable New Zealand and Australian wines are also going to the Stelvin Closure.
Oh, and as for boxes, not all boxes are made the same, but Black Box and Bota Box are generally pretty high quality wines.
The US is the only major wine consuming nation that hasn’t embraced the box wholesale – In France and Itally you see them everywhere.
@Stan #34… I find it hard to believe that alcohol is twice as detrimental as Meth. This anyway isn’t the proper forum to criticize people who enjoy a drink, and how to save on it.
Also… 🙂
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2010/05/people-of-class-drink-alcohol/
Make your own. The initial expense for equipment is a little high apx. $350.00. after a couple batches you will be spending about 4 – 5 $ a bottle.
My husband & I buy wines from various wineries and wine clubs to have some “special” bottles in our cellar (we are big wine drinkers, & live in California) but our everyday bargains are generally not American. It pays to experiment with wines from outside the U.S. since you find so many good deals on nice table wine that way.
Cost Plus World Market and Trader Joes are good for this kind of experimentation and if you don’t like the wine, use it for cooking.
It’ll keep for weeks in the fridge (to cook with.)
I’ve been happy with almost any Argentinian Malbec or Spanish Tempranillo or Garnacha. For whites, try a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand (on sale; they’re not always as inexpensive) or a South American Torrontes, or even a South African Chenin Blanc if you are feeling daring.
As other folks have said, taste, taste, taste and find out what you like, and be open to try new varietals. And ignore point systems! They really don’t mean much about what YOU will like. Oh, and I agree that it pays to find a local wine shop & get help. Don’t assume that their prices will be higher; that is often not the case. Don’t be shy about letting the folks in the shop know what kind of thing you like.
Another tip I’ve used to good success – once you find the wines you like the most (Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, etc.), check out the ratings from review magazines that many supermarkets helpfully post. Usually, the highest-rated wines will carry the highest price-tags. BUT, the same varietal from a different label, of the same year and region will be just, or nearly as good. So much of a wine’s flavor is due to the weather of that season, that the vintner’s skill is almost negligible in a good year.
Great article and excellent comments. What I have done is setup an email address (e.g. [email protected]) and I send a quick email with specifics of the wine I really enjoy.
With the advent of smartphones, it only takes me 30 seconds to write an email to this address with vintner, vintage, tasting notes, and maybe even a quick picture of the bottle (makes it much easier to find at BevMo!). Now I have a centralized location for all the wines I enjoy, how much they cost, etc.
@ Dave– I don’t know about the DIY option. Winemaking is an art, there are a lot of pros putting out an inferior product already, I fear I might go blind if I attempt this on my own (methanol is never a good thing). For under $5 I can get a really nice bottle at Trader Joe’s (if picked right), minus the equipment, the hassle, and the health risks. Whether it’s economies of scale, or thousands of years of tradition, or university degrees in Oenology, other people can do it faster, cheaper and better than I ever could.
Sounds like a nice hobby, but not sure it qualifies as a great bargain for most mortals.
These are all great pointers for finding good wine at great prices.
Another useful idea is to find a wine e-retailer (like me). We don’t have the overhead costs of the brick and mortar stores, but we have the necessary licenses to operate just like any other retailer. Often we can sell at prices lower than the grocery stores, and certainly lower than the wine stores.
For those in the Monroe, NY area, Star Liquors in the Stop and Shop plaza, the old Grand Union plaza, holds wine tastings every weekend.
They will also hold sales one a month or every two months where everything is 10 to 15% off.
The staff is knowledgeable and can make very good recommendations, the store’s prices are pretty good, and the selection is HUGE.
Worth the trip if in the area. And no, I do not work for them – just love the store.
There’s some great insight here, though I do take issue with the suggestion that folks find a wine they like, and stick to it. To me, that’s sort of like saying “I like cheeseburgers, so I won’t eat anything else”. Well, there’s a big, beautiful world of wine out there, and exploring it should be part of the fun.
If you want to expose yourself to the incredible range of enjoyable wine out there, take advantage of the many new local wine shops springing up around the country. They’re generally very well informed, offer classes, free tastings and other wine-related events, and they are generally chock full of interesting juice at just about any price. Oh, and if you encounter any snobbery, you’re in the wrong place. Wine should be on every table, and it should be a part of lunch & dinner – maybe even breakfast!
If you want to check out free tastings, take a class or just find out more about your local wine scene, check out http://www.localwineevents.com/
Trinch!
If you like Lagavulen, you might like Finlagen at Trader Joe’s. Nice heavy smoke flavor and only $17.99 a bottle.
Another tip here in Oregon, if you are buying a case of a wine, is to order it through your local grocery – Thriftway, Freddies, etc. Most will normally sell you a solid case (not mixed) for their cost plus 10%. This is even cheaper than the New Seasons or Zupans 20% discount on 12 bottles or more and will beat most any wine store’s case discount.
A lot has been said here about buying inexpensive wines in local stores, and that’ll get a casual wine drinker all they might like, but those of us who are way-too-into wine take a different approach.
1) We share our sources and our finds. Through online communities and networks of nearby friends, we discuss what tastes good, who’s having a sale, and band together to buy multiple bottles at the case discount. When a particular $70 bottle was spotted on sale for $21, i bought 2 cases after others assured me they wanted a share. We learn which bottles are good, before we buy them, we taste in groups to get a broader range of exposure than we could individually afford, and we know what others have paid for the wine.
2) We buy online when local laws allow it. This ensures that our sources are competing nationally, not just in our area. We use sites like wine-searcher, vinquire, and winezap to compare prices, and we wait for sales.
3) We sign up for mailing lists from large wine resellers, like hart-davis-hart, chicago wine company, and Benchmark wine group. When they get a new consignment, we’ll watch for good prices on our favorites (see #1).
4) Know the cult wines, avoid them and seek their alternatives. Some wines are expensive solely because of their cult following; know the other winemakers of the same varietal of wine, and know which are well regarded despite their obscurity. That’s going to take research on your part, but you’ll be rewarded with inexpensive fine wines and a reputation amongst your friends as being “in the know.”
So, you think this is just for fancy wine? You could be right, except that I’m getting my “fancy” wine at the same price you’re getting your table wine. Quit drinking Barefoot and Yellowtail, with a little research you can do so much better for not much more money.
” I don’t mind giving expensive wine as a hostess gift, but I can’t bring myself to drink it at home. Is that weird?”
No. I feel the same way about a number of products, most falling into the ‘want but don’t need’ category. Wine, cheeses, fancy olive oil, fancy soaps, and flowers are all things where as a gift should be the best you can afford, but around the house…do you need $30 olive oil? No. Nobody does. But it’s nice to get. 🙂
Right now, our Whole Foods (VA) is offering 20% off a case of wine – a pretty good deal, if you stick to their “Value” wines (look down low, look up high!)
We have also found a few “safe” cheap wines that we like – Montepulciano D’Abbruzzo, Vinho Verde, Gruet… etc. While we love Oregon Pinot Noir, we’d probably only buy it for a special occasion.
And, if worse comes to worst and you hate a cheap wine, you can always cook with it… unless it’s blush. Anyone have any ideas?
Another option (at least where we live) is to join a wine guild or buying club. This is basically just a wine co-op. For an annual fee, members pay a certain amount above wholesale (in our case, 10%). For the types of wines we get regularly (approx $10/bottle), we usually save $10-$15 a bottle, quickly making up for the annual fee. This isn’t a great deal if you are an occasional wine drinker, but if you drink a lot of wine (like we do), you can save tons of money. Also, you’re generally drinking better wine, wine that would normally retail for more that one might otherwise spend for an “everyday” wine. We joined a year ago and have been really delighted with both the quality of the wine and the savings.