By Nikki Myers
of Passion Vines
Far too often, I hear that someone resisted falling down the wine rabbit hole because they “couldn’t afford it.” Perceptions of the wine world contributes to this fallacy – many imagine us sipping our wine with upturned noses, chuckling haughtily at the peasants and pitying their poor, uncultured souls. Thankfully, those of us who live and breathe wine know this is FAR from reality. While there are plenty of splurge-worthy bottles out there, they’re rarer than you may think, and far from necessary. The trick is knowing when to splurge, and when to go for the bargain instead.
What makes some wine so expensive, anyway? For the most part, it’s the same stuff that makes anything else expensive; quality materials cost more, certain techniques are more labor-intensive, and overhead costs are higher in some regions. But, akin to designer clothing, sometimes its just the name on the bottle or some novelty that you’re paying for.
Here’s a rule of thumb to help tell the difference: if most similar bottles on the shelf are inexpensive, and there’s just one or two going for a small fortune, splurging on that wine won’t get you much better quality. In most cases, if the style of wine truly demands more money to make, you can trust the shelf to show you. For example, Napa Cabernet options will average $30 on the low end anywhere you go. If you follow this cardinal rule, you can [accurately] guess that these are a good place to shell out some bigger bucks. If it were me, I wouldn’t hesitate to throw $34.99 at Truchard Carneros Cabernet, or $29.99 at Kith & Kin, because I know the juice justifies it.
On the contrary, you’ll often see a large selection of inexpensive Pinot Grigio – most under $12! While I see people spending $20+ on the “elite” big-name options every day, I can’t name a single time I’ve ever had a Pinot Grigio above twenty bucks that was ACTUALLY better than the $12 option. As tasty as it is, Pinot Grigio is just easy. It doesn’t demand to be gently hand-harvested or kept within strict temperature brackets, and certainly doesn’t need to be aged. Materials and labor are low-cost, which means your cost can stay low without compromising any quality. Grab a bottle of Alverdi PG for $8.69, or ERA for $10.99, and you’re good!
Some grapes, on the other hand, are what I call “diva grapes”. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – lookin at you! These guys pose unique and costly challenges to winemakers. They have very specific climate needs, and are prone to rot and disease if mishandled. For these reasons, I usually save these varietals for my treat-yo’self-days. While you can find an O.K. Chard or Pinot Noir for $15, it’s never going to come close to the magic those grapes can really do. Save elsewhere and then snag something like Panthera Chardonnay ($29.99) or Girardin Volnay Burgundy ($51.99) when you’re looking to upgrade.
A splurge bottle looks different for everybody – for some it’s $20, for others it’s $50. Regardless, most of us can’t afford to spoil ourselves often, and we deserve some serious bang for our buck when we do. When in doubt, just shoot me an email or ask for me at Passion Vines – Nmyers@passionvines.com. Cheers!
