Where to Buy Wine – All You Need to Know
Where to buy wine is what we’ll be looking at in this section of our wine guide…
Supermarkets are the biggest suppliers of wine to consumers; it’s availability next to everday items such as bread and milk making it an impulse buy on many a shopping trip. Many of you likely purchased your few first bottles of wine at them and, attracted by familiar labels and low prices, you keep going back for more.
However, in terms of the quality and range of wine stocked, the average supermarket doesn’t fare well. The country of origin may be different, the labels may be different, even the prices may be slightly different, but the wines rapidly begin to all taste the same. This is because they are noy the result of small scale agriculture; rather they are industrial products, made in the winery, not the vineyard, to a recipe.
A better option than supermarkets are regional and national wine merchant chains. Wine purchased from these will result in you getting a lot more pleasure for your money. They will stock some of the same wines that supermarkets do but alongside them will be lesser known, higher quality ones. Their basic wines are still priced competitively with supermarkets; this being made possible by their considerable buying power.
Small independent merchants also have much too offer. In this type of outlet you will usually receive excellent and knowledgeable service and advice. The staff will often have tasted the wines that they sell, almost certainly so in the smaller businesses, and will be able to give guidance accordingly. Such service just isn’t available at supermarkets.
Mail order and the internet are another two wine buying options to consider. Rather than choosing from hundreds of wines at a supermarket or wine merchants, you could instead choose from tens of thousands. Discounted prices are normally available and delivery takes just a day or two. It’s an increasingly popular way to purchase wine.
You could also visit a wine producer and buy directly from them. Taking in the vineyard landscape and meeting the people responsible for the wine will tell you more than any wine label or wine review could. Whether in the Americas, Europe or Australia, it’s common for wine producers to have tasting facilities for visitors. As well as the advantage of tasting a number of wines before choosing whether or not to buy, it’s also likely that you’ll be able to get them at discounted prices.
So, you now know where to buy wine from; enjoy your wine purchasing experiences!
