| As we all feel the hit of the economic recession, | | | | lining the pockets of the big, money making wine |
| consumer habits are beginning to change. High | | | | companies and allowing our wine choices to be |
| street spending has plummeted, holiday dilemmas | | | | determined by the size of winemaker's marketing |
| are declining and even our recreational plans are | | | | budgets and not our taste buds. |
| going in a different direction. More and more | | | | But lucky for us all that now there are many |
| people are ditching the well known 'big nights out' | | | | more online wine retailers that can help you to |
| for 'big nights in'. | | | | buy wines online that will satisfy your palette as |
| From house parties to intimate dinners, DVD | | | | well as your purses. Many of these websites sell |
| nights or an evening on the Wii, we are using our | | | | wines made by smaller, lesser known wine |
| homes as the venue for our evening | | | | growers where instead of getting 30p of wine |
| entertainment. These nights are however still not | | | | and £1 of marketing, packaging and other |
| complete without a drink or two. But even here, | | | | added extras, you get a full bottle of price, and |
| as a nation of bargain hunters, we are intent on | | | | taste, perfection. |
| picking up unbeatable offers and cut price | | | | Add to the better taste and fantastic price |
| bargains. | | | | combo the scope to read more about your |
| Whilst the supermarket shelves are offering some | | | | purchase and find further details about your |
| solace, the internet is providing us all with some | | | | chosen wine than your usual back of the bottle |
| fantastic options. For example more of us now | | | | label, and you will find a much more suitable |
| buy wines online, as many on-line retailers offer | | | | partner for your perfect night in. What's more, |
| some mind blowing prices on bottles of plonk. | | | | using these focused web sites to buy wines online |
| However for those of us who, whilst still liking a | | | | also offers you the chance to get guidance and |
| bargain, want to drink well on a budget, you do | | | | advice from experienced wine buffs about what |
| need to choose wisely and ensure your online | | | | you might and might not like, and speak to other |
| bargains are perfectly palatable. The challenge | | | | customers who just like you need reassurance |
| when you want to buy wines online, is not feeling | | | | that the wine is going to taste like velvet and not |
| forced into buying the industrialized, | | | | vinegar. |
| mass-produced, branded wines, but finding real | | | | And if you want to add a little more |
| wine from real places and real people. | | | | entertainment to your evening, genius online |
| Whilst the supermarkets often the first port of | | | | retailers are now adding extra functionality to their |
| call, as consumers we don't really realise that their | | | | web sites, like online wine auctions, allowing you to |
| shelves are bought and paid for by the big | | | | bid for your bottles and giving you the chance to |
| distributors that have obligations to the wine | | | | pay the price you would like to pay when you |
| conglomerates. This means that when we buy | | | | buy wines online, rather than the price you are so |
| supermarket wines on offer we are only further | | | | often forced to. |