The conspicuous consumer is a chump, oftentimes, overpaying for well-marketed mediocrity. This is most evident during the holiday season, when the well-meaning gift-giver eschews lesser-known brands, and plays it safe on nationally advertised items, out of fear of appearing unhip, cheap, or both. Nowhere is this more evident than in the wine shop, yet armed with a plan, you can walk out with something unknown, affordable, and superior to the “usual suspects”. If it’s time to “wow” your boss, significant other, or wine country-loving brother-in-law, this will be one bottle of wine they will remember, if you take the following steps:
First, walk the wine shop. Ask the shopkeeper what the trends are, what is hot (Argentina) and what is not (Australia). Speak up; they need you as much as you need them--they want to remain your wine shop of choice.
Read the point-of-sale (POS) info on the racks, and check the vintages on the bottle to see if they match the actual product on the shelf.
Ask the shopkeeper if the review is accurate. Look them in the eyes; you’ll know if you’re being punked. Any wine shop worth its weight has a wine steward/buyer available that will be happy to justify their selections. Ask the buyer what he would spend his last $20 on--they’ll know. They may even walk you up to the last remaining bottle in the store.
Make your selection. You’ll be tempted to pilfer the small POS info tab from the wine rack—the one that says The Wine Spectator gave it 94 points, the equivalent of saying “See, I bought you a very nice bottle of wine”--but don’t, it’s bad karma to rip those things from a wine store.
Once you’ve made your purchase, do a little extra research at home. You’ll do far a better job --and you’ll learn something. Most wineries and importers have tabs on their site for media/reviews. Better yet, look for technical data and history of the region, the proprietor, and the specific vineyard. If it is an imported wine, check the back of the bottle for the importer, and go to their website.
Print out some information, highlight it if you want to, and send it along with your gift bottle of wine. The recipient will be far more excited and appreciative than if you’d opted for a bottle of Yellowtail Shiraz.
A side benefit: I sincerely doubt this bottle will get re-gifted! Cheers!
