Winelingo
Unit 23 of 26 · Online wine course
How to Buy Wine: Choosing Bottles and Value
Choosing bottles, getting value. 4 lessons · about 32 min
This unit is included with Premium ($3.99 a month, 3 days free) or the course for life ($39.99 once).
The 4 lessons
-
Does a higher price mean better wine?
What a wine's price really pays for, where the sweet spot lies, why the very top is set by demand, and why your own palate is the final judge.
You will be able to:
- explain what a wine's price tag really pays for
- find the sweet spot where money buys most
- judge when paying more is worth it to you
-
How to choose a bottle you will like
Start from one wine you loved, name why you liked it, then step out one move at a time, with label clues, good questions and your notes to guide you.
You will be able to:
- describe a wine you liked by grape, place and style
- ask shop staff for a bottle with useful clues
- plan a safe experiment with a new wine
-
Reading a wine list or a shop shelf
How wine lists and shop shelves are organised, the landmarks to find first, the truth about markups and the second-cheapest bottle, and what to trust.
You will be able to:
- skim any wine list to find its logic
- spot the house wine, glasses, half bottles and bins
- judge a bottle by producer and region, not price
-
What you are really paying for in a bottle
Tax, glass, transport and everyone's cut come first. Why the wine is a tiny slice of a cheap bottle, and how a small step up multiplies it.
You will be able to:
- name the costs stacked into every bottle's price
- explain how duty and tax shape a bottle's price
- choose a bottle where more money goes into wine
Related reading on Winelingo: Types of Wine: The Complete Plain-English Guide