Sunday, February 15, 2009

Ways to enjoy wine on a budget

With the economy in a slump, wine enthusiasts are looking for ways to enjoy a bottle of wine without breaking the bank. If you are searching for a nice bottle of wine on a budget, Steve Thomas has a great blog that spotlights various varietals that he recommends to satisfy your palate. Check his blog out at http://goodcheapwineguide.com/. There are many good wines out there for under $10 a bottle.

If you are a hands on kind of person, you may want to consider "making your own batch of wine" which can be another affordable option. I have seen a hugh increase with customers making their own wines over the past couple of months. More and more customers are taking up wine making as a hobby. Some go to wine making supply stores to buy their juice and equipment and make their wine at home. Home wine makers tend to have higher up front costs initially to purchase the necessary equipment, but if they continue to enjoy making wine over time, this method becomes very cost efficient. Google search "wine making supplies" and you will not fall short of options. Others find local custom wineries where they can go to make their wine. They do not have to purchase the equipment but rather use the stores equipment. This is a great option if you want to keep your kitchen clean. Customers will usually pay a fixed price which includes the juice, the bottles, the corks, the labels, the use of the equipment, etc to produce a finished product. These types of businesses are what we call "Wine on Premise" operations. Wine Necessities, Vintners Cellars, Wine Not, D'Vine Wines and others are custom wineries where customers can make their own personalized wines on-site. One of the benefit is you can taste the wines before you make them to find one you like. You will usually pay a per "batch" price which should include all of your supplies. Be careful to ask the store owner if labels are included in the price as I have seen some businesses charge an additional fee for personalized labels. Depending on what part of the country you live in, pricing will range.

Here in the St. Louis area, you can make your own batch of wine for a little as $8.40 a bottle. Different varietal types will have different pricing. I always tell people that you will have "bragging rights" when making your own wine. There is nothing like taking a personalized bottle of wine to a dinner party and having everyone enjoy YOUR wine. This is why I started making wine as a hobby over 6 years ago, and now I own a business teaching others.

What ever your pleasure, just know you have options. Finding a good quality wine that is pleasing to your palate and is within your budget can definately be a journey...so enjoy your journey and have fun exploring!