Wine Bargain Buying at a Restaurant

These days, snooty high priced wines are out of the question.  We want an affordable bottle that drinks well, and the first step to finding that, is test your waiter.  I asked, "So how do you know if you ask your waiter what bottle to buy if he's really giving you a straight answer, or he just wants to make a big tip?"  My expert Amier said, "Well, first the waiter should ask you what you like, and then he should do his best to accommodate your preferences with the price point available."

Amier Taherzadeh owns The Chateau Wine Market, and is giving us the low down on buying bottles on the cheap.  He says if you already have a favorite wine, consider analyzing why you like drinking it. 

He says, "We tend to buy label purchases or price point purchases versus buying where it came from."  Then the next time you're out, seek out that varietal from the same part of the country.  He says, "Look at the neighbor, instead of buying Opus, look at who's next to Opus once you know who's in that region you can really start to find good savings."

Speaking of local, Amier says where the wine comes from has a big impact on value.  I asked, "So what are the regions from the world that have a big bang for the buck?"  And he said, "New Zealand for Savignon blanc, Argentina for Malbecs in Mendoza, you've got South Africa, and their red blends and their Cabernet based wines that are starting to show well." 

These newer wine growing regions are more affordable to produce and export, so you reap the benefit.  But what if you're only looking to order a glass?  I asked, "Is it rude to ask at a bar, how long a wine has been open?"  And he said, "They should be able to answer that question. That's one of the first things you should ask when you go to a bar, "when was this bottle opened?"

Once a bottle has been opened, the taste will change over time.  Wines like Cabernet will hold better for longer than something more delicate, like a Pinot Noir.  He says, "A wine's at it's peak when it has that jam kind of flavor, like something you'd want to spread over toast." 

Another way you can get creative is buy a good bottle of wine at a wine shop, then find a restaurant that's BYOB.  Check with a restaurant before you go, and ask if they charge a corkage fee.  But regardless of where you're buying it, hopefully you'll never again feel pressured to buy the most expensive thing on the list.