| If you spend your spare time yachting, shopping in Paris or locked in a vault backstroking in your gold bullion à la Scrooge McDuck, then you probably won’t be interested in this article. But if you (like me) need to watch every cent that comes out of your pocket, yet still like to indulge in some of life’s pleasures, you may find it useful. Seeking bargains in wine is not easy; most wines that appear to be a good deal because they are cheap, end up being just that – cheap. What we endeavour to find are quality wines that don’t come at a steep price, and these seem to be rare. Or are they?
People assume that most wines on the shelf represent pretty accurately their inherent quality based on the posted price, but this is only partly true. Comparing six 1999 Napa Valley Cabernets, all at $50, you may find three of them to be worth the money, two to be overpriced and one that is a great value. Remember, value exists at every level – there are good value wines at $100 as well as good value wines at $10. The $10 versions are just a little easier to work into the budget. What you are trying to do as a consumer is maximize the quality-to-price ratio, or QPR as it is known in the biz. That is to say, you want the very highest quality wine for the lowest price. More simply, something you really like to drink that doesn’t cost you a wad of cash. So, what’s the best way to go about this?
Traditional logic would dictate that you march out to the discount store and find something on sale or probe the bin-ends of your local bottle shop to get those last few discontinued items. That strategy may work for shoes or handbags, but it’s a disaster for wine. Wine that is on sale is on sale for a reason – most commonly it’s past its prime and about to crash. Think of it like buying fish on sale — not always a pretty result. The problem is that great-value wines tend to come from some pretty obscure places. Your established Californian Merlot house is an unlikely source for a great buy. You’re better off checking an obscure winery in southern Italy that is cranking out a grape variety no one is yet familiar with. So how do you find these hidden gems?
There is only one way to maximize your wine dollar and find consistently good value every time you shop – find a store that you trust. Calgary is blessed with several small wine boutiques, each making an effort to provide unique wines at great prices. Once a year, all these stores get together in the name of promoting local theatre and showcase the wines they bring into their shops. The event is called Wine Stage and it is celebrating its sixth year this month. It takes place on September 17th and 18th, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and includes food from Calgary’s finest restaurants and caterers. It is held in the Big Secret Theatre, home of the One Yellow Rabbit theatre company which hosts the event. Wine Stage is not your typical wine tasting – no black ties or stuffy attitudes, just friendly people out for a bit of fun and discovery. And it’s a bargain at $60 per night. Guests have access to a huge array of wines in every style, ranging from $10 to $75 a bottle.
This event presents the perfect opportunity to find a shop close to you that is dedicated to provided the best wines for the money. The following is a list of participants you can expect to see there: Bin 905, J. Webb Wine Merchant, Kensington Wine Market, MetroVino, Richmond Hill Wines, The Banff Wine Store, The Wine Shop, Brava, Devour Catering, Divino, Janice Beaton Fine Cheese, Mango Shiva, Muse, Red Tree Catering, Teatro, The Cookbook Co. Cooks, The Living Room, The Ranche and River Café.
And if you can’t make the event, here are a few great buys to check out next time you visit your local shop:
· 2003 Los Cardos Cabernet, Argentina, $11.95 – rich, chunky cab, forget Chile – this is your boy.
· 2001 Codice Tempranillo, Spain $11.95 – a soft international-style wine with surprisingly intense fruit.
· 2000 Agricole Vallone Vigna Flaminio, Italy, $10.95 – perfect pasta wine with bright cherry fruit and lots of rustic charm.
· 2002 Domaine Moines Merlot, France $11.95 – easy drinking wine for any occasion. Very well made with lots of character. |
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