Where to shop for wine

One of the questions us wine guys and gals get asked most often is “Where is the best place to buy my wine”.  Like so many things in life the answer to that question is “It depends”.

If you are unsure of exactly what you want but it is important for you to find a good bottle of wine you need to go to an independently owned wine shop.  Most of these shops only have room for a limited selection of so they generally only stock what the owner feels are the best examples of each wine.  For most of these owners it as much a mission as it is a business.  They have a deep knowledge of wine and care deeply that their customers enjoy the wines they purchase, and that their customers grow in their understanding and appreciation of wine.   There is nothing more they enjoy than answering questions and helping customers. The only drawback is that you will generally have to pay a little more for your wine, but most of the time it is not all that significant considering the help, advice and service you will receive.  I am fortunate that Tom, the owner of my favorite independently owned wine shop, Phoenix Wine in Scottsdale Arizona, has long time and deep connections with most wine distributors and is able to offer great service and top quality wines while still maintaining value pricing.  If you are in the area you should check them out.  

Another place I buy wine is at a beverage super store like Total Wine.  Total Wine operates in 16 states, with each location the size of a supermarket.  The they sell almost nothing but Wine, Liquor, and cigars (could this be heaven on earth?).  When I first mentioned that I go to Total Wine to the other wine guys and gals I was shunned.  (That soon passed because they missed my natural good looks, charm and personality.)  I was shunned because of the fact that much if not most of the wine sold at Total Wine are produced by “captive” wine producers.  In other words they are wine producers that only sell to Total Wine in the states that Total Wine operates.  Because their profits on the captive wines are greater, if you go in looking for a “non-captive” wine they will try and steer you to one of their own.  This “bait and switch” bothers my fellow wine guys and gals a great deal. To this I say so what!  I find that often their “switch” wines to be as good if not better than the “bait” wine and almost always at a lower price point.  The end result is that I save more money, while they make more money, proving once again that capitalism is the best economic system in the world.  Another thing that Total Wine has going for it is that they have staff that knows a fair bit about wine.  Before they are allowed to work on the floor they are receive a great deal of training, albeit much of it sales related, but I have found that they are able to answer most questions.  If you are not afraid of being encouraged to to try a wine you have never heard of, but will probably enjoy, and save some money in the process you should give Total Wine a try.

I also buy wine at Costco.  Yes Costco.  Costco displays their higher end ($10+) wines unboxed and in special wine cubbies surrounded by their lowest priced/mass market wines in open boxes on skids.  The skid wines (not to be confused with skid row wines) are generally super good deals and although the wines may not be your all-time favorites you will find that they drink better than their price point.  In the cubbies is where you "may" find your favorites as this is where they display their better known/better rated wines.  I say "may" find because the producers that they stock is always changing.  If you fall in love with a wine your love may be fleeting because before too long that wine will no longer be stocked.  (I found that to be the case with frisky Australian Shiraz that had a hint of Viognier but at least I have the memories).  Much like other things at Costco the price is a pretty good one but if you catch a sale elsewhere or look hard enough you might find a better price.  Bordeaux and other top shelf wines ($40+) is where you will find the greatest savings.   If you need any help you should avoid Costco because aside from an occasional distributor that may be pushing their wines, you are unlikely to find anyone that knows anything about the wines that they sell. 

A lot of folks like buying their wine at Trader Joe’s.  I admit I love shopping at Trader Joes, but I rarely have found wines there that I have enjoyed. I find a lot of their lower priced wines foul tasting and their prices on the better known wines to just be OK.  If you find something you like I am happy for you, I just have not had of luck finding wine there.   

Another place I almost never buy wine is the supermarket.  The price points are not all that competitive, they don’t have the climate controlled storage facilities of other types of retailers, and they do not sell their wines as quickly (I have seen many a dusty bottle) leading to extended shelf time.  I do not find the wine shopping experience to be as fun as the retailers previously mentioned, and no one who works there knows anything about the wine.  You may find a high end mega supermarket where this is not entirely true but for the most part I would avoid the supermarket when it comes to buying wine. 

Agree? Disagree? Question? Any experience you would like to share?  Feel free to comment and share.