Rant: Don't Buy The Same Old Cheap Wines

With the holiday season approaching, many people will stock up on wine to serve their guests at various holiday parties and celebrations. Often, because they are buying bottles in bulk, their primary concern is price. They generally want to purchase wine that costs $10 per bottle or less. That may mean they end up stocking up on brands like Yellow Tail and Estrella. I see a similar thing with people who bring a bottle of wine to a holiday party. They don't want to spend too much money and thus often bring those same brands.

Though those might be drinkable, they are not likely to impress your guests. Guests will drink them but no one will remember them after the party. I certainly would rather not drink them at a holiday party. My objection is not because of their price but rather that they are uninspiring.

Your guests want to drink better, more interesting, wines than these. When I attend my holiday parties, plenty of the guests seek me out specifically to find out what wines I brought. They know that I am likely to bring something delicious and compelling. My wines will be the first ones they drink and the Yellow Tail and Estrella is what they will drink once my wines are gone. What all these guests may not realize, is that many of the wines I bring are great value wines.    

Wouldn't you prefer to purchase inexpensive wine that will also impress your family, friends and other guests? That is definitely possible and is not too difficult to do. You have two primary options to locate such wines.

First, seek out one of the better discount wine stores. These places often carry a good selection of wines costing $10 or under, much more than you will find at a regular wine store. You can find plenty of variety in these inexpensive wines, whites and reds, domestic and imported. You will find wines comparable in price to Yellow Tail but which offer much more character, complexity and taste. They offer a much better value, and still at a low price point.

As one example, I would highly recommend Bin Ends in Braintree. On my last trip there, I bought over 20 different wines, all costing $10 or less. It was an excellent and diverse selection and I have yet to drink one of those wines which was not pleasing. Another example is the Wine Connextion in North Andover, where I attended an event last night. Roughly one-third of their wines cost under $10 and though that includes some major brands, there are plenty of much more interesting wines too.

Second, if you shop at a regular wine store, you still have options though it probably would be best to ask a wine store employee to help you find their value wines that cost $10 or less. They can identify those wines which will be more interesting and delicious than the usual Yellow Tail and Estrella wines. You should also remember that most wine stores offer a discount for bulk purchases, sometimes as few as 6 wines, which is another way to save money on your purchases.

But if for some reason you can't ask a store employee for some recommendations, then my best advice for selecting a good wine that is $10 or under, is to buy a Portuguese wine. At this time, I think some of the greatest value wines are coming out of Portugal, especially at the price point. Chances are that if you purchase a Portuguese wine costing $10 or less, you will find a delicious and interesting wine. And there are plenty of Portuguese wines available in that price range. There is no other wine region where you can find as many good wines at that price point. At the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose, the wine store where I work part time, I often recommend Portuguese wines to people seeking great values.

So this holiday season, don't buy the same old cheap wines. It won't take much effort to select some better choices, and still very inexpensively. In the end, you will impress your guests and make your holiday party more memorable.

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Rant: Are Beer Drinkers Cheap?

At the Beacon Hill Wine & Gourmet in Melrose, a large portion of customers purchase beer and I hear some of their comments on beer prices. Plus, I have spoken to a number of friends and others about beer prices. Based on their comments, it seems to me that beer drinkers may be cheaper than wine drinkers. I am very curious as to why this might be the case.

In a usual six-pack of beer, each bottle is about 12 ounces and thus a six-pack is the rough equivalent of three bottles of wine. Many six-packs cost under $10, and even most of the higher end bottles cost less than $20. That would mean the six-packs are equivalent in cost to wines that run from $2-$7 per bottle, quite a low figure. Yet a fair number of people complain about these prices, which are comparatively very low.

There are some single 750ml bottles of beer which often cost between $10-$15, yet those are not the norm and are often seen as quite expensive. Yet many wine drinkers don't see any problem buying a bottle of wine that costs $10-$15. There are few beers that cost over $15 per bottle, yet you will find plenty of wines that cost more than $15. Why are there so few beers over that price point? Are most beer drinkers just too cheap to pay more than that for a brew?

There are a few exceptionally priced beers, such as the Samuel Adams Utopia, which can cost about $150 per bottle. This seems to be very popular and they seem to have little problem selling this product. But who is buying it? Is it only a tiny segment of beer drinkers, and maybe those who also enjoy wine? What would make beer drinkers, who generally seem to prefer low cost beers, be willing to pay so much for a beer?

Are the price variations between beer and wine due to the different costs of production? That might contribute a bit to the price, but we also know that reputation inflates the price of a number of wines far above the actual costs of production. Does reputation count so much less for beer producers? Is beer just less complex than wine, and thus not often worth as much as wine?

I am not a beer drinker, because I dislike the taste of most beer, so maybe I am missing something. Can anyone enlighten me?  Are beer drinkers cheap, or am I missing something?

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently. **********************************************************
1)  Celebrate National Cheese Month in October. In celebration of this month and 45 years of successful retailing, The Cheese Shop of Concord will offer more than a dozen custom-cut cheeses at 1967 prices on Saturday, October 6 from 12pm-5pm.

--In 1967, there were not 1,000-plus cheeses being exported to the United States. In fact, domestic cheese was produced in just a handful of states (NY, Wisconsin, Vermont, CA).
--In 1967, most Americans’ cheese consumption was limited to processed cheese, or to mass-produced cheddars and Colby Longhorn.
--In 1967, “fancy” imported cheeses were Jarlsberg, Havarti, Danish Blue, Provolone and Brie, although a few others began arriving in the 70s.
--In 1967, these cheeses were available at specialty cheese shops only, not supermarkets. Savvy epicures who could find them, purchased these imported cheeses for an exorbitant $2 to $5/lb., although authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano sold for as much as to $10/lb. even then.
--In 1967, The Cheese Shop of Concord was considered a culinary pioneer when it opened in this historic suburb 10 miles northwest of Boston.

On Saturday, October 6, the shop will be selling Brie and Jarlsberg for $2.49/lb., along with other 1967-era favorites, all sold at 1967 prices on this day, i.e. St Andre, Stilton, Danish Blue, Locatelli Romano, plain and flavored Havarti, Chaumes and Roquefort. Also, a selection of wines will be sold at the unheard-of price of $3 to $3.50 per bottle. I am sure it is going to get crowded there very quickly with those prices.

2) At Grill 23 & Bar, Wine Director Brahm Callahan is giving you 23 reasons to come in and experience Grill 23 with his '23 under $23' Wine List. Callahan has chosen a wide ranging selection of sparkling, white and red options for diners to experience new wines or revisit old favorites. This special, and surprising, list is available in both the bar and the dining room on Sunday and Monday evenings.

Callahan explains why he is offering these 23 wines at $23/bottle, "This gives us an opportunity to feature some obscure wines as well as some mainstream wines at a great price. I hope our guests will select a wine that they might not normally try. It is also a way for us to feature wines that people might not necessarily associate with a steakhouse like Picpoul de Pinet or Primativo. These are varietals that are absolutely stunning when done well and they really complement our cuisine. In addition, it changes more frequently than the normal list so it is fresh and new for our Sunday and Monday guests who come regularly."

For only $23, sounds like there could be some excellent value wines available.

3)  Bergamot, my Overall Favorite Restaurant of 2011, used to offer a Blackboard Special each evening, three courses for only $39. That is being eliminated, yet the replacement is even better. Instead of a single daily special, you will be able to create your own Three Course Prix Fixe Menu for $39 at any time. You get to choose any appetizer, entrée and dessert from their entire menu. That sounds like a fantastic deal and I highly recommend you take advantage of it.

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Rant: Cheap Restaurant Wine?

Buying wine at most restaurants can be expensive, and you might pay as much as three or four times the retail price. As those restaurants are not even paying retail, then the actual markup is even higher. Though there are many rationales to try to explain the huge markup, it is clear not all restaurants find this to be a necessity. There are restaurants that maintain far more reasonably priced lists, and those restaurants should be commended for their efforts in this regard. It is those restaurants which wine lovers should support and patronize. Our support helps keep those restaurants in business, and allows them to continue to offer reasonable prices on their wines.

It is interesting though that many people seem to complain far more about high food prices than wine prices. They might bitch about paying $40 for a steak, yet pay $100 for a bottle of wine without a quibble, despite the fact that same wine could be bought at a wine shop for $30. For some restaurants, the higher food prices enable them to keep their wines at a more reasonable level. Other restaurants keep their food costs low by increasing the prices of their wines, yet you will probably pay more for your entire dinner if the wine prices, rather than the food, is high.

Troquet is one of those restaurants where people sometimes complain about the prices of their food. Their appetizers roughly average about $18 and entrees about $38 so it is not an inexpensive place. But their prices are also lower than a number of other high end restaurants and their wine prices are often very reasonable. So when you add in wine into your dinner cost, you will probably end up paying less at Troquet than you will at many other comparable places. Plus, you can't forget that the quality of the food is very good, which also makes such prices more palatable.

Another compelling aspect of Troquet is their annual Wine Cellar Clear Out Sale. Each night during the summer, they offer a fair-sized collection of vintage wines at killer prices. Many of these older wines would cost a small fortune at other restaurants. Many people also rarely get the opportunity to taste such older wines. It is a grand opportunity for wine lovers and it is the type of event which warrants support of the restaurant.  

Last week, I had a superb dinner at Troquet with four good friends and wine lovers, including Adam, Marco, Dale and David. We took advantage of their clear out sale, drinking some excellent older wines. For example, we purchased the 1970 Croft Port for $50. According to Wine Searcher, the retail price roughly ranges from $100-$150, so most other restaurants would probably charge at least $200, and maybe up to $300 or more. Thus Troquet offered a huge bargain on this wine. We also enjoyed a 1966 Chateau Lynch-Bages for $75, when its retail price roughly ranges from $200-$300, and restaurants would usually charge at least $400 for it. So we scored another great deal, and those are only two examples of the wines we drank. (Correction: My friends informed me the Lynch-Bages was only $50, an even greater value.)

Their Wine Cellar Clear Out will continue through August so you really should check it out. We need to support those restaurants which offer reasonable priced wines. Too many restaurants charge far too much for their wine and there seems little incentive for them to change. We need to show them that there is another way, that those huge markups are not necessary for a successful business. If other restaurants can succeed with reasonable wine prices, then they should be able to do so too. If customers keep paying outrageous prices, then the cycle will never stop.

Break the cycle, get restaurants to stop charging outrageous markups on wine.

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Rant: Outraged By Sake Prices At Restaurants

We often hear complaints about the outrageous prices of wine sold at many restaurants. Some places charge three, four or even fives times the usual retail price of a wine. Who wants to pay $30-$50 for a wine at a restaurant that they can buy at a local store for $10? I have heard all of the arguments put forth by these restaurants, and though I would agree to the validity of a certain markup, some markups are absolutely unnecessary, bordering on larceny.

Sake prices at restaurants can be equally as appalling. I have seen a 300ml bottle, which retails for $8, sold for $32 at a local Japanese restaurant. That is a four times markup from retail, and we all know that the restaurant is paying wholesale for it, so the true markup is even higher. What possible justification exists for such a drastic markup? I have seen plenty of restaurants where the sake markup is three times the retail. And it is often the least expensive sakes that have the greatest markup. That seems to make such little sense.

Interestingly, you will often see wine writers advise you to choose the less common wines on a restaurant wine list, as they can often be good deals. As such wines are not popular, or as well known, the restaurant may not mark them up as high, in order to get more people to take a chance on them. That makes logical sense, and can help people broaden their wine horizons. So why don't these restaurants apply the same logic to sake?

Sake is still a very niche beverage, unfamiliar to many, and needs much more promotion. The average consumer knows very little about sake, and what they do know may even be incorrect. So, they are much less likely to order it at a restaurant, especially if it is expensive. If they are going to try something new, they are far more likely to do so if they are offered an apparent bargain. So, restaurants should have a much lower markup on their less expensive sakes, in order to entice people to take a chance, to try to garner new sake drinkers. And despite the lower price, the increased amount of sales should provide even more profit than far fewer sales at a higher price.

Existing sake lovers will often know the retail prices of the sakes on a restaurant list. They are very unlikely to order a sake where the price is outrageously overpriced, and such prices will give those sake lovers a more negative view of the restaurant. If the sakes were more reasonably priced, then sake lovers would be more conducive to ordering a bottle or two. They would also be more likely to refer their friends and others to a restaurant with a more reasonably priced sake list.

So there are multiple reasons why restaurants should have a more reasonable markup for sake, to encourage new sake drinkers as well as to please existing sake lovers. So will any restaurant actually listen? Is any restaurant willing to step forward and agree to lower their sake prices? If you are willing to do so, please tell me and I will help spread the word.

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