| No matter what you may have heard elsewhere, | | | | heavily advertised wines. Why? Well, large brand |
| buying good wines cheaply is easy. Simply follow | | | | wines are produced in significant volumes, using |
| these useful tips and you'll be well on the way to | | | | mass production techniques, and as winemakers |
| finding great value wines without compromising | | | | look to achieve consistency, they compromise |
| quality. | | | | quality by using artificial processes such as adding |
| Firstly, always "back the little guy". By this, we | | | | sugars and adding citric acid to their wines. In |
| mean hunting down small, boutique wineries, which | | | | addition, they heavily promote and market their |
| don't have large advertising budgets to convince | | | | wines, meaning that significant mark ups are likely. |
| you to buy their wines, or cash to buy space on | | | | Similarly, big name bargains are a definite no no. |
| supermarket shelves. Instead, the only way that | | | | Although, through their buying power, |
| they can get their wines noticed is to ensure that | | | | supermarkets and large wine retailers can force |
| the quality is of a very high standard. Wines of | | | | producers to sell wines at incredibly low prices, |
| this type can be bought from retailers who | | | | they can only do this at the expense of the |
| support small producers. | | | | quality of the wine. To make ends meet, |
| When looking for a decent, cheap wine, a good tip | | | | producers will be forced to plant on land that isn't |
| is to seek out less fashionable regions. The wine | | | | good enough to bear the region's name or worse, |
| trade is obsessed with fashion and the result of | | | | they will increase yields and dilute the wines. So |
| this can be a compromise in quality. Wine estates | | | | while a bottle of Chablis for a fiver may sound |
| in Bordeaux and California for example, are often | | | | great, we guarantee that it will leave you feeling |
| more known for their investments by millionaires, | | | | disappointed! |
| rather than the wine itself. So to enjoy good | | | | Finally, make sure that you buy your wine from |
| wines without the fashion tag, you should search | | | | an online wine retailer. Online wine retailers will |
| out the retailers who source their wines from | | | | offer you far better value for money compared |
| places that make similar wines. Chilean Cabernet | | | | to supermarkets and ordinary merchants, as they |
| Merlot is a good alternative to Bordeaux, while | | | | don't incur many of the building costs, which are |
| Grenache/Syrah blends are a perfect substitute | | | | then passed on to you, the customer. Also, as |
| to Chateauneuf du Pape and Chilean Chardonnay | | | | online retailers aren't restricted by shelf space, |
| is to Chablis. And don't forget New World fizz if | | | | they can offer an unlimited range of wines that |
| you are looking for a cheaper alternative to | | | | ordinary merchants don't necessarily have space |
| Champagne. | | | | for. |
| Another useful hint is to avoid wine brands and | | | | |