Buying Wine?

[montanaWineGuy]

Anybody still buy wine? I just received a box of 6 bottles of red via Fedex. About $6 a bottle, 1c shipping, and a very nice corkscrew free. Not bad, if the wine is good, and I'm sure it's better then what I'm currently making/drinking.

Pros:
1) I need the bottles,
2) the heavy duty boxes will help with my winter fire starting, and
3) I really like the free corkscrew.

Cons:
1) None, that come to mind...

 

[Boatboy24]

I'm definitely still buying. Many reasons to continue to do so:

1) top up wine if you don't have something suitable in the cellar
2) avoidance of 'cellar pallete'
3) having something on hand that you want, but don't want multiple cases of
4) trying a new varietal you've never had before

 

[ibglowin]

LOL, Who me never.........

You can't make fantastic wines if you don't know what a fantastic wine taste like!

 

[montanaWineGuy]

LOL, Who me never.........

You can't make fantastic wines if you don't know what a fantastic wine taste like!

Good point, and might be the mistake I've made. I have almost convinced myself that my wine was good, or almost good. I'll now be reminded that I'm not there yet, and maybe a good ways away.

 

[FTC Wines]

I agree with MIKE & JIM. I buy wine to top off, expand the palate, & just for the bottles, or jugs. ( never drank Carlo Rossi) Ha, have 15 of their 3& 4 liter jugs. Just starting buying wine to cook with, decided ours was TOO good to cook with. OK, talking about cooking, why do so many Italian Recipes call, for white wine in RED sauce?? We always use RED wine for RED sauce. Roy

 

[Thig]

Yes but mostly REAL port which you cannot make.

 

[ceeaton]

I was always taught to use white wines high in acidity, but admit I try to use a medium to full bodied red for the ragù (bolognese) recipe I occasionally make. I think the added acidity "brightens" the flavor.

 

[Rodnboro]

I buy an occasional bottle, but what really hurts is when I pay $8 to $12 for a glass at a restaurant for a wine that I can make for $5 a bottle.

 

[Rocky]

I have bought very little over the past 5 years. My purchases are limited to wines when we are out to dinner. This past weekend we had dinner with some friends and I ordered an Italian Pinot Grigio. If was $48 at the restaurant and was supposed to be a very nice example of that variety. I found it very nice but not significantly better, if at all, than the PG I make for about $3 a bottle.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

I buy an occasional bottle, but what really hurts is when I pay $8 to $12 for a glass at a restaurant for a wine that I can make for $5 a bottle.

$5?

Me:
Water 0
Berries 0?
Sugar 20c/bottle
Yeast 2c/bottle
Cork 10c/bottle and I save and reuse
Misc. Others maybe a few cents

So 35c a bottle maybe....

I'm prorating my equip investment to zero, so I don't count that....

 

[BlueStimulator]

$5?

Me:
Water 0
Berries 0?
Sugar 20c/bottle
Yeast 2c/bottle
Cork 10c/bottle and I save and reuse
Misc. Others maybe a few cents

So 35c a bottle maybe....

I'm prorating my equip investment to zero, so I don't count that....

I like you accounting methods

 

[Steve_M]

I buy an occasional bottle, but what really hurts is when I pay $8 to $12 for a glass at a restaurant for a wine that I can make for $5 a bottle.

So true, and just think that $8-$12 glass is what the restaurant paid for the bottle!

Thanks,
Steve

 

[JohnT]

So true, and just think that $8-$12 glass is what the restaurant paid for the bottle!

Thanks,
Steve

Try to not let it bother you. People need to make a living. This includes those that work in restaurants. Restaurants also have costs that you do not (the cost of a liquor license, for example).

So, smile, drink up, and feel good about stimulating the local economy!

 

[Steve_M]

John. I agree with you. As a former owner of a restaurant I was simply speaking from experience.

Thanks.
Steve

 

[wineforfun]

$5?


Cork 10c/bottle and I save and reuse

You save and reuse the corks?

I very rarely buy a glass of wine when out. As mentioned, it hurts spending $8-$10 glass when I can buy a nice bottle for $15-$20. Yes, restaurants have taxes and I know in Nebraska, have to buy from a distributor, which adds addtional cost. But for me, it is just not worth it.

I do however buy some commercial bottles from time to time. Mostly ones that I a. cannot make or b. have been wanting to try.

 

[montanaWineGuy]

You save and reuse the corks?

Doesn't everybody?

 

[ibglowin]

Definitely not.

Doesn't everybody?

 

[wineforfun]

Doesn't everybody?

Ok, it's the internet so I don't know if you are kidding or not.

If not kidding, absolutely not. First off, I don't know how you could reuse them due to a couple of issues. a) sometimes some of them shred or lose parts during removal and b) they are no longer airtight due to the hole you put in them(unless your corkscrew didn't go all the way through, then I guess technically you could reuse them).

For the .10-.15 I pay for each cork, if I can't afford that, then I shouldn't be making wine.

 

[kevinlfifer]

I have not bought a bottle of still wine from the store for 3 years. I do get wine as a gift occasionally, they are still on the rack or have been used to top-off. My niece bought me 2 bottles of Yellowtail and she SHOULD know better.

I will buy wine when out to dinner, and it drives me nuts. At our country club they charge a $10 corkage fee, but I've learned that if I give the food manager and the bar staff an occasional bottle, I can avoid that fee most of the time.

I have not found a wine served in a restaurant for under $40 that is close in quality of the wine I have made in the past 2 years. I will not spend $40 on a single bottle of wine, I'm just to cheap.

 

[kevinlfifer]

I save the corks, but they are used in craft projects, NEVER to be used again to bottle!!!!