How much for a decent bottle of US wine?

[user 31015]

I'm from New Zealand, and as I've explored elsewhere on this forum, I believe we're blessed with very good wine at exceptional prices - for example, supermarkets here often stock a lot of wine (random sample picture here) and on sale you can get what I would consider nice wine for $10us+.



However, when I've been to the US (which I do regularly) I've found wine to be pretty expensive - that is - of the wine I've drunk I've always felt that the sub-$20us stuff was pretty average at best. Now, I'm not sure if this is just me being used to the local drop and having a taste for it, or if US tastes are different (I think NZers like Pinot-styles more than heavy Merlot-styles, for example) or if, indeed, good wines usually cost more than $20us in the US.



So since no one else I know will have an educated opinion on this matter, and I figure you lot might, I thought I would pose this question to you all. If you've traveled as well I would be interested in how you have found different wines, countries and costs!

Edit: a reason I am asking is I will be back in the US later this year and want to figure a price to aim for not to end up with something disappointing while entertaining.

 

[JohnT]

yup, you're not in new zealand anymore.

the taxes for any alcoholic beverage here in the us is not doubt much higher than in n.z. we dont really complain, it sure beats prohabition.

i think you got it right. i would expect to pay about $20 usd for a rather decent bottle of wine. a lot depends, though, on where you shop and in what state you are in.

 

[user 31015]

Oh! Taxes! Hadn't considered that. Between sales tax and ... other taxes? .. I bet that adds up.

 

[Boatboy24]

Taxes add up quickly. And as John said, even your choice of vendor can have a substantial impact. I can pay $20 for a bottle at the grocery less than two miles from my house. Another grocery just 7 miles away (in the same state and county) will have the very same wine for 20-30% less. I can't explain it, but I'll give you one guess as to where I buy more of my wine.

 

[sour_grapes]

Well, it would help tease this question out if you distinguish between two different attributes: "nice" and "price."

You say there are plenty of nice wines available in NZ for the equivalent of a bit more than $10. What do your poor wines go for? That is, how much is a bottle of a mass market "value" wine, like something that you would be disappointed if your non-wine-drinking neighbor serves it at dinner?

My state has relatively low taxes on alcohol, so our prices tend to be a buck or so cheaper than other states. Here, I find "value" (i.e., pretty poor) wines for about $5-8. I get passable stuff for $9-10, and stuff that I enjoy quite a bit for $11-15.

HTH. Where are you traveling to?

 

[user 31015]

DC area. I have been to a few places and I usually like to try the local wine (so, Californian when in the US, usually... except for an Arizonan "Red Table Wine" I was once subjected to...).

I should be clear that I will usually buy bottles around $15us - stuff I like that isn't on sale. "Bulk" wines such as Montana, Cloudy Bay (nice savs) and so on usually go for $10us-ish (non-sale price) would be my guess. I like the smaller vineyards and find the large producers fine but not interesting.

I can taste the difference in a $20us bottle of NZ wine over a $10us one, but $15us is a fine sweet-spot for me.

I also wonder if tastes in wine differ compared to NZ. I know we like our whites bold (apparently due to the bad habit of over-chilling them) and our reds not too heavy (whereas I would guess in Australia they drink a lot more Shiraz/Syrah - probably a production issue more than a taste one). In the US heavier reds seemed more popular. Hmmm.

Random musings.

 

[ibglowin]

You should definitely seek out wines from Washington State (anything) as well as Oregon Pinot Noir which are very similar to a NZ Pinot IMHO. Washington State wines are a bargain compared to any Napa juice with exceptional wines available for as little as $10 US. Oregon Pinot's like any other Pinot you have to spend at least $20 (and up) for anything decent and more like $30- $50 for something good. Exceptional will set you back $75 US.

Washington has some amazing Syrah's these days if you want to compare to your Shiraz. Great fun is in store for you!

 

[user 31015]

Oh, great tips! Thanks!