How to find good, cheap wine

For many people, the benchmark for a good wine is price: If it costs more, it must be great. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Choosing a good, well-priced wine can be a challenging experience, which is why many people are wary of trying something new.

But life is too short to drink only one kind of wine, say wine experts. So, to help you grow your wine collection and tickle your palate, they've shared some insider knowledge about how to buy a well-priced bottle that offers good value and taste.

It's in the vines

If you don't know much about wine, going to a wine store can feel like Russian roulette — what's inside the bottle is anyone's guess. A good place to start is the origin of the wine.

One expert suggests starting with regions that produce loads of different kinds of wine, such as France and Italy. But instead of choosing a selection from the better-known regions, such as Bordeaux, look for something from a smaller, lesser-known vineyard for something more economically priced.

"Instead of Burgundy or Bordeaux, (try) Corbieres or Beaujolais," suggests Andrew Brooks, a wine author and tour director for Crush Niagara Wine Tours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. And instead of choosing something from the Napa Valley, Brooks suggests trying a bottle from Santa Barbara, Calif., or southern Washington state.

At the same time, it never hurts to go with a region's most popular type of wine. For example, California is known for producing great cabernets, while Australia is known for its shiraz.

Closer to home, Canada is known for its Riesling, which ages well and pairs nicely with a variety of foods, making it an all-round good buy. "It is world class in quality at the $12 to $16 price point," says Brooks.

Wines that are harder to produce in a given region are more expensive than those that are easier to produce. For instance, pinot noir is a finicky grape that produces a low yield in Canada, so it is more expensive than a pinot from elsewhere.

In addition to understanding the vines, it also helps to know a little about the vineyard.

Ed Madronich, owner of Flat Rock Cellars in Jordan, Ont., suggests that buyers be wary of flashy advertising tactics. If the winery's marketing strategy is over the top, you may be paying for the advertising, not the wine. "These wines tend not to focus on delivering value," he says.

Award winners

Wines that receive awards or favourable reviews do so for a reason: They're consistently good.

"Any wine can get one good review or one award," says Brooks. "Those value-priced wines that get numerous rave reviews will deliver value." You can find listings of winners in a few Canadian wine magazines, such as Wine Access, Vines and Tidings, or online at the websites of wine experts Billy Munnelly (www.billysbestbottles.com) and Natalie Maclean (www.nataliemaclean.com).

If you don't want to shell out for the award winners, look for a winery's secondary label. "The grapes are cared for as tenderly by growers and the wine is groomed with all the pedigree of its big brothers," says Brooks, but the wine is considerably less expensive. Dominus's Napanook, from the Napa Valley, Vega Sicilia's Valbuena 5, from Spain, and Angelo Gaja's Sitory, from Italy, are some good bets.

A glass is not a glass

It's important to know that drinking wine from a Styrofoam cup will definitely taste different than drinking wine from a proper wine glass. Believe it or not, "plastic wine glasses can even emit an unwanted taste into the wine," says Debbie Trenholm, president and sommelier with The Savvy Grapes, in Ottawa. Drinking from a nice glass won't turn a $12 bottle of wine into a $50 bottle, but using the proper stemwear will enhance the tasting experience.

For instance, red wine glasses, with their large bases and narrow rims, will air out the wine without letting the aromas escape, enhancing your drinking experience. Likewise, you should use glasses made to show off white wines when drinking Rieslings or chardonnays.

You can further enhance a red wine by decanting it. Glass decanters, which start at about $30 and are widely available, also have wide bases and narrow openings that allow air to pass over the wine. Airing out the wine for two hours before serving it is a quick aging process that releases the aromas and characteristics of the wine.

The proof is in the taste: If you compare a decanted wine with one straight from the bottle, "the decanted wine will have more aroma and bouquet as well as a softer mouth feel," says Madronich. "(It's) a great way to make your $12 purchase taste like $20."

Find your favorite

When it comes to choosing a wine with good taste and good value, it's important to experiment with a range of vintages to narrow down your palate preference.

Most vineyards indicate the flavours and characteristics of their wines on the label. If you like peppery bold reds, then check the labels until you find one that matches your taste buds. If all else fails, ask sales clerks for their advice — they can offer up some good suggestions that won't taste like homemade wedding wine.

Melanie Chambers is a freelance writer based in London, Ont.

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