By Dave Preston
Guru of the Goodlife™
A Wine Lovers Survival Guide
Your 401(k) is now a 200.5 and shrinking. Your house is now officially worth less than you still owe on it, and the kids are talking about moving back in. You're not absolutely certain that when you go down to your bank in the morning, you won't find a new name on the door and no one working inside you recognize!
When hard times come knocking on the door, what in the heck are we going to do about a necessity like wine?
For purposes of this article, let's assume that your economic situation is being challenged but not so dire that we'll be forced to give up wine entirely or even to drinking anonymous wines in a jug or box.
But these challenging times call for a strategy that will require carful study and detective work that may help keep one's necessary wine consumption habit comfortably fed even when we're watching our wallets more closely than ever.
Now is truly a time of adventure and discovery as wine consumers for the duration the credo: buy affordable but buy smart.
This counsel may seem similar to the stock market wisdom, "Buy low, sell high" as advice that's easy to give but difficult to work out in the real world. But not so fast! Here are a few specific tips that may help.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR SALES. Many wine shops in the area are on the receiving end of this economic debacle. With a weekly visit, all are offering special wines at markeddown prices, and advertise these sales widely in local media and online.
TRY FOR A DISCOUNT. In most states where the laws allow, you can qualify for a discount if you buy a 12- bottle case, and many shops will extend this discount for a "mixed" case of different bottles. Some shops discount for six bottles or even extend a discount to regular customers buying less. Sometimes buying more costs less, and by stocking your home wine rack, you can save a pre-dinner trip to the store.
MINE THE IN-STORE SPECIALS. Wine shops typically offer special deals in displays at the end of display rows or in separate boxes and baskets. These markdowns may occur for a variety of reasons, but most often reflect either a large buy at a low price or, possibly, the merchant's desire to get rid of an oversupply of older stock. Use common sense here - tired 2-year-old Beaujolais Nouveau isn't much of a deal - but choose trustworthy merchants and you won't have to fear being taken advantage of.
SPEAKING OF TRUSTWORTHY WINE SHOPS. Whether you're new to wine or an old pro, it's hard to have a better friend in your quest for value than the kind of wine-shop proprietor who loves wine, knows wine, and understands that the best way to build long-term customer loyalty is to offer sound, honest advice even when the result is a low-end sale. Once you've established a good relationship with a trusted merchant, you can feel comfortable about asking for a good, cheap wine and not being sent home with a bottle of turpentine.
DRINK BETTER BUT LESS. In your quest for quality wines, don't think that you can't find some exceptional values for under $20! Limit your fine-wine enjoyment to special nights - and that might simply mean Saturday night - and spend a little more for one weekly bottle than you might have previously paid down for three or four bottles per week.
WINE NIGHTS. Treat yourself to some very positive energy and upbeat, inexpensive outings by trying the local wine tastings. Somewhere Monday through Friday you can enjoy vino and more.
Wine Calendar:
Ben's at Lakeside and Moana and their South Virginia location always have something interesting Thursday and Friday nights. Whispering Vine at Sommerset on Wednesday has both wine and spirits to try; and its location at Mayberry Landing on West McCarran is hopping Thursday nights with plenty of fun people.
Restaurante Orozko in John Ascuaga's Nugget serves tapas with four wines Thursday. They play smooth jazz with wine on Wednesday. Enoteca in the Siena has a wine and food pairing with great music on Friday nights. If you're interested in international juice, Washoe Wine Company on Double R Blvd. on Friday nights is the place. Just down the street in the Smith's Plaza, Vino 100, wines under $25 always has a quaff. Be grapeful, enjoy!
Most start pouring around 4:30 p.m. and will go until everyone is happy, and most have modest fees that are well worth the price. It's all good! Carpe Diem fun-seekers, and make it a point to go out and live the good life!
(Dave Preston is a local radio and TV personality, and has been a food, wine and entertainment writer for 25 years. You can reach him online at dave@smwd.us)