Wines Under $10
Secreto Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Price: $8.99
Chile
>> Website
Sebeka Cabernet-Pinotage Blend 2007
Price: $8.99
South Africa
>> Website
Viu Manent Malbec 2008
Price: $5.99
Chile
>> Website
Feudo Arancio Nero d'Avola 2006
Price: $8.99
Italy
>> Website
Rolling Cabernet-Merlot 2005
Price: $9.99
Australia
>> Website
Casillero del Diablo Carmenere 2007
Price: $9.99
Chile
>> Website
Savvy Shopping Tips from Liza The Wine Chick
General tips for finding bargain wines:
Get to know your own palate and be at peace with it (if you like White Zinfandel you shouldn't be embarrassed to drink it).
Read local and national wine writing (such as the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Wine & Spirits) and find writers whose palates you like (try some things they rate well and write positively about and see if you agree).
Go to as many tastings as possible at local wine shops and restaurants. For $5 or $10, or sometimes for free, you can often taste close to a dozen wines. Great Bay Area retailers who regularly hold tastings include The Jug Shop, K & L, Coit Liquor and Wine Expressions.
Only join a wine club if it has a special focus you know you like, such as Ambrosia, the 1-800- Flowers-owned wine club which specializes in aged California Cabernet Sauvignon.
Remember that wine ratings aren't the Holy Grail and you will pay more money for highly rated wines, the same way you will for the ad campaigns of nationally advertised brands. In comparison, lesser-known wines that aren't high-volume brands may be better values, plus you may get to impress your friends and guests with a more esoteric wine selection.
If you want extensive attention from retailers, sommeliers and even winery tasting staff, try to go on off days and hours, as even the best sommeliers will be pressed for time on a busy Saturday night.
Tips for selecting bargain wines in restaurants:
Learn a little winespeak, if you know some wine lingo sommeliers will understand your preferences better and be able to provide you with more targeted suggestions. As noted in a couple of recent articles in the wine trade press, this issue is one of sommeliers' biggest hurdles in working with customers.
Hold a finger under the dollar value you are interested in spending for a wine, saying "I would like something in that range," the sommelier will understand your general price range and you won't need to discuss money in front of your guests.
Explore new countries and regions: they may be better values than well-known ones and can provide you with the opportunity to taste something totally unique. Most sommeliers have a favorite region that is off the beaten track, so take a chance and explore with them.
The least expensive wine on the list may be a great value and unfortunately people often shy away from purchasing it in order not to seem like they are being cheap. The second most expensive bottle is usually the most ordered wine on the list as it is well priced but not the least expensive.
Trust your palate, if the wine smells like musty cardboard send it back: consumers drink the bulk of faulty wines because they don't know better and are afraid to speak their minds.
Tips for finding bargain wines in stores:
Do a little research about which retailers have great wine selections in your town. Generally they host events, are quoted in the local media, may have an auction business and are usually respected by local restaurants.
Make friends with clerks at your local shop and let them know what you like and why you like it.
Let the clerk put together a mixed case for you at whatever price point works ($20 a bottle should get you some nice wines). Keep in mind that when ordering by the case you are also likely to get a case discount.
If you enjoyed some of the wines you have purchased, let your friend the clerk how what you liked and why. If you liked the Sauvignon Blanc from one producer, try another grape varietal in the lineup or try the same grape from the producer next door or half way around the world.
Savvy tips for dealing with the wine list while impressing your clients:
Before you go to a restaurant:
Try to find a restaurant that doesn't mark up its wines excessively, many places, like the PlumpJack Group in San Francisco and Danny Meyer's restaurants in New York specialize in innovative and well-priced wine lists.
Look up the wine list of the restaurant where you plan to dine online, or ask to have it emailed or faxed to you, so you will be able to review the list and research possible selections.
Have a chat on the phone with the sommelier before your meal. If you are bringing in a big party for business, he or she will generally be delighted to advise you in advance (as it will make everyone's evening easier).
Learn a little "winespeak" before you go; one of sommeliers' biggest complaints is often the difficulty they have truly understanding what their customers want. The more you are able to effectively convey what you want in a wine the more able the wine staff will be successful in procuring it for you.
At the Restaurant:
Make the sommelier your friend: have a discussion with him or her and explain what you like stylistically: such as the grape varietal, regions and flavor profiles (now is the time to use that winespeak you have brushed up on).
Branch out gradually: if you like a Sauvignon Blanc from one region, order a different grape variety from that region or the same type of wine from a neighboring region.
Most sommeliers have a new and emerging favorite region, where there are likely to be great wine values. Find out if it's Greece, Portugal or Croatia and explore new territory with them.
If you hold a finger under a price next to wine and say "we are looking for something along those lines," the sommelier will understand what you would like to spend per bottle and won't raise the issue in front of your guests.
Keep in mind the range of food that is being ordered and your guests' comfort level with unusual wines: you may want to choose a known brand or a flexible red that can go with meat and fish such as Pinot Noir.
Whoever orders the wine should taste it, as there's a presumption that you are familiar with the wine and it needs to meet your approval (and you need to make sure it is not off in some way). This includes women in your party who may be hosting the dinner or picking a favorite wine off the list.
Trust your judgment and don't be afraid to send a wine back if it doesn't taste right. Close to five percent of wines are thought to be corked or in someway flawed and drinking them is a disservice to you and to the person who made the wine.
Absolute wine no-no's in restaurants:
Many old and rare bottles are not returnable even if they are corked or otherwise faulty. Ask your sommelier what the house policy is if you order something expensive off the reserve list.
If you want to BYOB, the wine has to be something unique and unusual that is not on the restaurant's list. You should always offer the sommelier a taste of what you bring and should always tip at the end of the meal as if you had purchased the bottle.
If you BYOB you are generally expected to also order something off the restaurant's wine list, be it a half bottle or a couple of glasses.
About Liza Zimmerman
Liza Zimmerman is an accomplished wine writer and educator who has covered the wine and spirits industry for more than 15 years. Her diverse background and broad knowledge of wine allow her to connect with people of all levels and customize wine experiences for them.
Her approach is fresh, accessible and down to earth and tailored for business gatherings. She makes wine the entertainment for the evening and uses it as a tool to foster networking and facilitate conducting business.
She is one of a limited number of career journalists in the field of wine education and entertainment; and brings an unbiased, passionate and comprehensible approach to the world of wine. She has visited every major wine producing region in the world and is one of approximately 100 people in the U.S. to have completed the rigorous three-year Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma course. She also has the perspective of having worked in the wine industry as a marketer, importer, distributor and consultant to restaurants and publicists.
Website: www.lizathewinechick.com
Phone: 415.994.0130
The Wine Chick's upcoming events:
Value wine event at Commonwealth Club, Feb 13th
Info: http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=1
Romance wines event for Valentine's Day at the Sports Basement, Feb 5th
Info: http://lizathewinechick.com/
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