The best and worst ways to buy wine
We did a lot of thinking before we set up this site, about what it should be and what it shouldn’t be. We had already figured out the best way to buy wine: online, when the right wine comes up at the right price. The worst way to buy wine is to grab a bottle on the way home at the LaLaLand store attached to a Coles supermarket, or at a bottle shop on the way to a BYO restaurant.
The next worst way to buy wine is to wander through a Dan Murphy’s store, as we’ve observed people doing, see an interesting wine and get on your mobile to check the reviews. Sure, the Wine Companion and now the Winefront have smartphone apps to make this process easier, but it’s still the second worst way to buy wine. Why? Because most of the time you‘ll find mixed reviews, then you look for a different wine and repeat the process, and eventually you end up making a rushed decision because you’ve run out of time.
Our lists of Best Wines Under $10, $15, $20 and $25 are a better bet, because we’ve sorted through oceans of wine to select the best in each price group. You can go into a bottle shop and look for wines on these lists, but it’s easier to do it from the comfort of your PC at home or at work. The lists include direct links to the retailer with the best price, so you can order online and have the wine delivered.
Chance favours the prepared mind
Smart shoppers don’t buy stuff when they need it. They buy stuff they know they’ll need or want in the near future, when the price is right. I buy my favourite olive oil or coffee or chocolate when they’re on special, not when I’ve run out. I buy wine the same way: when the right wine comes up at the right price. Some recent examples:
- Late last year, McGuires in Brisbane had Yealands Land Made Sauvignon Blanc 2012 on sale for $9 a bottle. Don’t ask why. We already knew and loved the wine so we jumped on 2 dozen. Normal best price is about $15.
- A few months ago, Dan M’s decided to clear their stocks of Leconfield Cabernet Merlot 2012 at $79 a six-pack delivered. A trophy-winning $22 Coonawarra red from a top maker for $13 delivered to your front door.
- We bought a case of Heirloom Riesling for $14 a bottle (usually $20+) when Winedirect had a 30% off sale. We also grabbed Tim Adams Cabernet Malbec 2007 for the same silly money.
- A few weeks ago, I bought cases of my favourite German beer – König Pilsener at 1st Choice when they were selling it for $25 (24 bottles)
There are many more examples I could give. Chance favours the prepared mind, they say. Most of you will have some wine in the house, in a cellar or under the stairs or under a bed. Make sure you have enough to last a few weeks, and then you can jump on the good deals when they come along.
That’s where the BWU$20 weekly mailer and the billboard are a real help: you’ll know about the best deals going, and you can choose the ones that suit you. And remember, you have more time to check wines out at work or at home, and it’s quicker on a real PC.
The smart way to buy online
You don’t have to buy dozens any more to get the best price either. With the big guys – Dan Murphys, VC and 1st Choice – it’s six-packs these days, and some of the smaller guys are following suit: Bayfields in Sydney, McGuires in Brisbane, and Different Drop (online). MyCellars in Adelaide has an even better offer for BWU$20 subscribers: they’ll ship any quantity – even a couple of bottles – for nothing at the maximum discount if you use promo code BWU20 at the checkout.
Different Drop ships orders over $150 for free. Winesellersdirect and Winestar ship dozens for free to almost anywhere in Australia. You’ll find details for the rest in our post Buying Wine Online – the smart way to shop. And we’ve listed the online merchants we trust in this post Online Wine merchants – the Good, Bad & Ugly.
Kim
