10 Tips For Buying & Enjoying Wine
by Athena Yannitsas, CSW, Author, “Vino, Vida y Alegría,” a wine education book (in Spanish) on Amazon.com
1. Establish a relationship with your local wine shops. Over time, their staff will know your preferences and can better assist you.
2. Avoid shopping for wine during the busiest times (Fridays & Saturdays after 3 pm) as you may not receive personalized attention.
3. Trust your own palate. Avoid purchasing a wine just because it received high ratings by critics.
4. Try to taste before you buy; most wine shops offer free tastings on a regular basis + many restaurants offer by-the-glass selections. Attend wine festivals when they are in town.
5. Every expensive wine has affordable counterparts. Many excellent, value-priced wines are ignored because they lack the prestige (or advertising budget) of higher-priced wines. Online research will lead you to them!
6. Purchase wines during the holidays to take advantage of the biggest discounts and promotions: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day & New Year.
7. Buy wine by the case (12 bottles). Most retailers offer a case discount between 10% - 20%. Ask for “mixed” case discount so you don’t have to buy 12 bottles of the same wine.
8. Be adventurous! Break away from your routine and explore new (and hard-to-pronounce) wines. Variety is the spice of life.
9. Don’t let your wine bottles age too much or you risk being disappointed. Most wines on the market are meant to be consumed immediately, or within just a few years. Exception: select wines with long-term aging capabilities.
10. Too many of us hold on to bottles of wine for prolonged periods of time awaiting the “perfect special occasion” that never arrives. ANY time you share a bottle of wine with friends and/or family is a special occasion!
