I’ve tasted all the wines I purchased at the Grocery Outlet, so I am now ready to make some comments and evaluations about searching for the ultimate wine bargain at these stores. In my first blog post on the Grocery Outlet, I explained how the store buys wine from wineries and distributors and what types of people shop there for wine.
I purchased an assorted case of wine, with all wines price at $11 and under. I have tasted the wines over the past three weeks with friends and family. We enjoyed all the wines with the exception of one wine that tasted like it might have been a first-time effort by the winemaker, not spoiled, just not good. None of the wines was so compelling in ratio of taste to the bargain price that I would either drive to the Berkeley (45-minute drive) or the Redwood City Grocery Outlet (30 minutes) to purchase a case of any of the wines I’d tasted. That does not mean there are not bargains to be had at the Grocery Outlet. I’m sure for many who live close, a visit every two weeks or so should be often enough to find some outstanding bargains every now and then. To find the ultimate wine bargain, one must be diligent in searching wine shelves for bargains and eventually you will be rewarded.
If you are a steady shopper at the Grocery Outlet, you might consider joining the Website “Good Cheap Vino.” Once joining you can start a Group that follows the Grocery Outlet. Post a discussion on any good or bad wine you find at the Grocery Outlet. As the Good Cheap Vino Website builds in membership, we are certain to find many wine bargains at the Grocery Outlet and other places as well.
I live near a grocery outlet in Oregon and have found several outstanding bargains during the last 5 years or so I’ve shopped there.
I would like to note that the key to finding bargains–not just at grocery outlet– isn’t always revealed in the price. There’s a lot more to wine than the price. Some like the different aromas, some like the finish a wine has, and some like mild tannins or all of these combined.
Whatever your preference, you need to sample wine to see if it meets your standards, and whether it’s a bargain to you. One way to sample several wines without spending a fortune of your own cash, is to take a wine tasting class from people who are very knowledgeable about wine. I did this about a year ago and it was a superb education and bargain for the money. I’m still learning but am more knowledgeable about wine than I was a year ago.
In short, you can find good wine shopping price; I’ve done it. But if you’ll sample on your own or with friends you’ll learn more about the wines you like and which are the real bargains.
I’ll conclude with a story about one of the best bargains I ever found. Just recently, I found a 1994 Robert Mondavi unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon at Grocery Outlet for UNDER $30 (Rated 98 points by Parker). I knew this was a great wine, not because of the Parker score or the price, but because I sampled the wine at a wine tasting class and made notes on it. I knew it was outstanding and a tremendous bargain so I bought it.
Jerry,
Great advice and I wish I knew about that Mondavi wine. What a steal!
Joe