Despite being uneducated in wine, I’m more than capable of observing a key distinction in the wine world that usually flies under the radars of those who most need to know about it: the folks who don’t have the money to flush down the toilet in the crapshoot that is fine-wine selection. As with other crapshoots, the house usually wins.
So begins the meat of an interesting, if somewhat imprecise, article on cheap wine on The Atlantic blog. Ari’s argument is that the differences between a $15 bottle of wine and a $15 box of wine (that’s $2.25 per 750ml) are almost impossible to navigate, and the benefits are negligible at best.
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Although Mr. Levaux borders on misinformation when talking about wine technically, he gives a lot of salient advice on how you can fuel your alcoholism for less. No, what I mean is: how you can find good, cheap wine. It’s a poignant topic because American thirst for wine is increasing, and like in Europe, I can only assume the market will trend toward more affordable ways to slake their vinous thirst.
Now, it’s up to you whether Franzia will be the quencher of your choice, but the Octavin Home Wine Bar series that Ari mentions in the article is a start, as well as the Black Box line. Dr. Vino reported on self-service wine vending machines in France, like the purified water vending you find in supermarkets stateside, that may be making their way to the U.S. soon.
At the end of the article he asks:
Was the bottle seven times better than the box?
To be perfectly honest, if you’re choosy, and you know how to choose, you can find some really exciting wines for $15 that make a sickly 5L headache an unbearable hell (as if it already wasn’t.) But the point is, there are great options for affordable wine and you shouldn’t be ashamed of it. So pick your poison, and drink up.
