Wine On a Budget?
by Kim Flick
In today’s world, we all are watching our pennies. A few years ago spending $50 on a random bottle of wine was an occasional indulgence for me … not today! If I’m spending $50 on wine, I need to know that it will be worth the cost (and it will probably be consumed on a special occasion!). So, “how can I stretch my wine-dollars?” is a question I have asked myself more than once in the recent past. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of each sip:
- Ask! If you are in a restaurant with well trained staff, you should be able to get some honest feedback from your waiter. Local wine shops are also great resources that are willing to share what’s tasty AND reasonable. Try the 350 ml. bottle if it’s an option in a restaurant. They are half the size of a regular bottle and usually half the cost (also a nice way to pair different wines with different courses of the meal).
- Take advantage of quantity purchases. Many shops offer discounts on 6 or 12 bottle purchases. Pay attention to when they are running specials on your tried and true favorites … and stock-up!
- Lazy summer days on the patio … sipping wine … try a sweet wine with some club soda added. It adds a refreshing element perfect on those hot days - and you will get almost twice as many glasses than with the wine alone. Try a Muscato this way - redolent of champagne but lighter bodied.
- Look at Wine Spectator’s suggestions … leave it to the professionals to weed out the money-wasters for you! Go to www.winespectator.com and check out the free daily wine picks on the home page. They always have a suggestion for less than $15 - sounds like a bargain to me!
- Drink other people’s wine whenever possible. Seriously, maybe you will find something that suits your fancy - and your friends have already done the leg work!
Here’s to an economical summer filled with food, friends, family … and good (money well spent) wine.