Grapevine: The Intrepid Wine Bargain Explorer, Hard at Work
In recent columns I’ve been focusing on the changing environment for purchasing wine. Certainly, patronizing your local wine shop is a tried and true source of finding a wine suitable to a meal and/or your palate. In addition, you are supporting a local small business in its fight against big box competitors, be they brick and mortar or Internet-based.
However, for better or worse, change has altered our lifestyle and will continue to influence the way we purchase wine. New sources of wine continue to grow at exponential rates. Add the Wild West mentality of the Internet, which has spawned new websites that increasingly tempt wine consumers, and new wine-buying paradigms are continuously evolving in the marketplace.
So many choices from so many sources. What’s a time-constrained, information overloaded consumer to do?
I offer for your consideration an example of an intrepid consumer who has navigated the perilous straits of wine-buying choices and who has not merely survived the expeditions, but has flourished in discovering hidden treasures, paving the way for future explorers.
My brother-in-law–Nicky B.–has been at the forefront of consumer trends and discoveries for decades. He was the first person I know who understood the potential power of the Internet, purchasing a Radio Shack TRS-80 personal computer in the early 1990s for the sole purpose of subscribing to the fledgling Prodigy web service; purchased a full feature tablet computer for $59; discovered the ultimate bargain on Black Friday, a 32-inch HDTV for $97. Get my point?
His focus over the last few years has been finding hidden treasures of pleasing wines at the lowest possible prices. Leaving no wine source untapped, he has ferreted out bargains I didn’t know were possible. Allow me to offer an insight into his modus operandi.
From his home base, this consummate advocate of free enterprise runs his command post in search of the ultimate wine bargains, utilizing all the tools available in the marketplace. Herein, his short list:
Wine Buying Co-ops: Never content with a 10 to 20 percent case discount, and sensing the power of volume buying, he has brought together a group of like-minded consumers, who regularly scan the wine store landscape for volume discounts. I’ve seen him negotiate multi-case discounts of up to 40 percent. Each member of his informal co-op then receives their requested number of bottles.
Direct Mail Clubs: Most clubs offer their wines to their mailing list customers at retail or at small volume discounts. Instead, Nick ferrets out those wineries who offer seasonal promotions or “valued customer” discounts and exploits their offers. I’ve even seen him purchase deeply discounted wines supplemented with free personalized wine labels displaying pictures of his family members.
Happy Hour Bar Hopping: Applying the skills honed as a longtime narcotics detective sergeant, Nick has a sixth sense for sniffing out a popular restaurant or wine bar offering half-price glasses of their by-the-glass wine lists. In this way he has discovered a number of choice nuggets he otherwise would not be aware of. He then “scores” his favorites through his “dealer network” of brick-and-mortar or Internet sources.
Flash Site Surfing:Scanning his emails daily for bargains, Nick pounces on those deals on his short list of desired wines, which may be discounted by as much as 70 percent. In this way he is not swayed by titillating offers for wines that don’t meet his short list of favorite styles of wine. A French Sancerre? Delete. A California Merlot from a small producer? Open and order. I’ve even seen him
glancing at his watch, waiting for an email from the flash site Cinderella. (Guess what time their daily special offers arrive?) Alas, an intrepid explorer’s day is never over.
Navigating the seas of wine offers can be intimidating for the faint of heart. My indefatigable brother-in-law has become accomplished at it. If he can do it, so can you.
Nick Antonaccio is a 35 year Pleasantville resident. For over 15 years he has conducted numerous wine tastings and lectures. He is co-host of Glass Up, Glass Down, a local cable television series on wine and food; he also offers personalized wine tastings and wine travel services. Nick’s credo: continuous experimenting results in instinctive behavior. You can reach him at nantonaccio@theexaminernews.com or on Twitter @sharingwine.
