Economic hard times and their side effects don't mean that a person has to stop drinking wine or start drinking cheap wine from a gallon jug. It is still possible to get some really good wines for really good prices. Indeed, there are some incredible bargains in wine out there if you know where to look.
Here are a few tips for finding wine bargains that anybody on almost any budget can employ to put a good bottle of wine on the table.
Tip One: Look for wine bottles with caps instead of corks. Contrary to popular belief the cork does nothing for the taste or quality of the wine. Wines with a metal screw top are just as good as those with corks. When you go to the liquor store look for wine bottles that have metal caps instead of corks. Be on the look out for higher end brands of wine like Lindemans and CK Mondovi with screw tops. These will sell for three or four dollars less a bottle than wine with a cork. Many of these are restaurant bottles which are being retailed because of the bad economy. The cork is purely a matter of tradition and snobbery not quality.
Tip Two: Don't be afraid to try a wine in a box. There are several excellent table wines in a box out there. Australians have been drinking premium wine in a box for decades. Look for the slightly more expensive wines in a box. This can get you two or three liters of really good wine for under $20.
Tip Three: Look for larger bottles of wine. Many quality wines including Mondovi and Concha de Toro come in 1.5 liter bottles that sell for $7-$10. Buying these especially when they are on sale, is $2-3 or cheaper than buying two 750 milliliter bottles.
Tip Four: Go south, wine from Southern Hemisphere nations like Australia, Chile, Argentina and South Africa is just as good or even better than American or French wine and it's a lot cheaper. In large liquor stores it's possible to pick up a good 750 mm bottle of Chilean Merlot or Cabernet for $5 and 1.5 liters of Argentine cabernet for $7-$9. Many big liquor stores regularly put these wines on sale for $4 or $5 a bottle. Even a high end award winning Chilean wine like Concha Toro Diablo will often sell for under $10 a bottle.
Tip Five: Check the bargain bin. Many liquor stores, especially larger liquor stores will have a bargain bin or bargain corner that contains wines that haven't been selling well or are getting a little old. These wines aren't bad the store just wants to get rid of them. It's often possible to find really good wine in these bins for $4-$6 a bottle. If you don't see the bargain bin ask about it, it might be hidden in the corner.
Tip Six: Shop the sales. Big liquor stores and large retailers that stock wine use loss leaders. That is they discount a few particular types of wine to draw customers in. You can take advantage of this by shopping for wine like you shop for groceries. Check the ads, find out which store has the wine you want at the best price and go there. One bonus tip, shop right after the sale begins because the bargains sometimes run out. Don't forget to ask for rain checks too, many stores will give these on out of stock bargains if you ask.
Tip Seven: Stock up. Wine can keep for months or even years after you buy it. This means that if you see a really good deal on your favorite wine and you have the money stock up on it. Buy a case or cases of that wine and store it in your basement or another cool, dry area that doesn't get much sunlight. Most liquor stores will sell wine by the case. To get these deals you'll have to ask a store employee but it will often be worth it. It's possible for a smart shopper to get enough wine to drink for several weeks or months. Another advantage to stocking up is that you won't have to go out and buy wine for special occasions like birthdays or holidays.
Nobody has to go without decent wine because of the bad economy. Indeed the bad economy can be a great opportunity for frugal wine drinkers to enjoy some great wine bargains.
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