The Wine Fact Center

Buying wine is the topic of this part of our wine 101 guide…

Most wine is bought in supermarkets, probably because they’re the easiest and most accessible option.

However, the average supermarket doesn’t offer much in terms of range or quality. 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. You’ll be able to find lesser known, higher quality wines. Their basic wines are still priced competitively with supermarkets; this being made possible by their considerable buying power.

Small independent merchants are also recommended. 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. None of this happens in your local supermarket.

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. Delivery charges are usually quite fair, and the wine arrives on your doorstep within a few days. It’s an increasingly popular way to purchase wine.

You could also visit a wine producer and buy directly from them. Meeting the people responsible for the wine and seeing first hand the processes involved in its making is invaluable; no wine review or wine label could possibly be as informative. Whichever wine producer you choose to visit, you’ll find they’ll be more than enthusiastic about you tasting their produce. 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.