Recipes To Share

Where to buy wine is the topic of this part of our wine guide…

Most wine is bought in supermarkets, probably because they’re the easiest and most accessible option. Your first few wine purchases were probably at one, and attracted by low prices and familiar labels, you’ve likely continued to go back for more.

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. The reason for this being that they’re made in the winery, not the vineyard, to recipes specified by the supermarkets.

A significant step-up from the supermarkets are the merchants, whether they are national or regional chains. Buying from these will almost certainly result in you getting more pleasure from your wine purchases. You’ll be able to find lesser known, higher quality wines. They have substanial buying power which allows them to offer a wide range of wines at prices that compete with supermarkets.

Small independent merchants are also recommended. They’re the place to go for excellent service and knowledgeable 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. They give you access to thousands of wines as opposed to the hundreds you’ll find in a supermarket or wine merchants. Delivery normally takes just a few days and postage charges are more than reasonable. 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. Most wine producers, be they in Germany, France, Australia or anywhere else, will usually have some facilities to allow visitors to taste their produce. Not only will you be able to taste a multitude if wines, they’ll also be available to you at discounted prices.

So, you now know where to buy wine from; enjoy your wine purchasing experiences!

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