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Mail Order Wine
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This weeks feature
Consumers are increasingly buying wine through mail order 'clubs', but are they value for money? Graham Sherwood reports.
A friend of mine recently offered me a glass of wine with his now customary enquiry, 'Hey, you're the wine buff, is this any good?'
The wine was clean, light and fruity, but not, I thought, memorable. Somewhat crestfallen, he proceeded to unveil the mystery wine and proudly boast that it was 'this month's star bottle' from the wine club he had joined. He told me it had only cost him £4.99 instead of the normal price of £8.99 - what a bargain! He couldn't understand why I hadn't joined something similar. Well here are my reasons. |
Good value for money? |
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I'm not very keen on fast food, whether burgers, or a microwavable tray of gourmet fare from the supermarket. Wine clubs, to my thinking, are the convenience food of the wine business, for those too busy to seek out their own tipple.
The wine clubs will tell you they offer so much more than just delivery, and cite many other goodies wrapped up in the club membership. Some of the most popular clubs are linked to publications, while others advertise by direct mail. The more unscrupulous operators often lurk at lifestyle exhibitions and country fairs, offering free tastings for foot-weary show-goers just glad of the chance to sit down.
However, it is with the wines that I have my biggest gripe. You see, they are simply not the amazing bargains the unsuspecting member is led to believe. They are not bad wines, but their value is overstated, often with words like 'worth £12.99' or 'normally £9.99'. |
Supermarket value
I know I can find a dozen wines of the same type for the same 'amazing offer price' in local supermarkets - where, incidentally, I am not pestered to buy a whole case. |
'Club' wines are re-labelled so they are not found in supermarkets. |
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The canny wine club knows the discerning customer will not be able to track down its wines in a supermarket, often claiming the products in that month's case are exclusive to the club. What this means is that they have bought a consignment of basic, but sound wine, and arranged for different labelling to be applied to the 'amazing bargain' bottles.
Another claim they make, both true and untrue, is that of 'acclaimed vintages'. Accolades like 'from the superb 2000 vintage' are often used to add weight to the incredible offer price at which the wine is sold. While it is true that in many regions around Europe 2000 produced stunning wines, it is by no means true across the board. At the quality level on which most wine clubs operate, often utilising large Winegrowers Co-operatives or Trade Negociants, vintage variation is of little consequence.
To endorse these claims further, a picture of a respected wine critic is often used with the shortest of quotes claiming what a success 2000 was in the great order of wine vintages, again not necessarily referring to the offer wine in question.
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Pressure selling.
Many years ago I accompanied a friend to a wine tasting he thought I would enjoy. He had joined a wine club with an initial purchase of 18 bottles while at the Ideal Home Exhibition. He had then received a phone call from the club inviting him to attend another tasting and suggesting he bring a friend.
When we arrived, the rather urgent salesman poured several samples in rapid succession, too quick for my liking. The most important item of information he could impart was the price, and he was unprepared when asked for facts about the winemaker, the area, the grapes, and so on.
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too concerned with getting a sale. |
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When it became obvious, due to my friend's cautious indecision, that an immediate sale was not likely, we were almost dismissed, and left to discuss between ourselves which wines we would like to buy.
No sale occurred, and the following week I accompanied my friend to the local supermarket, where he was able to purchase similar wines for half the price he would have paid. In all my years in the wine business, I have never felt so uncomfortable before or since that day.
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How do they do it? | The leading question
One simple question should be asked by those tempted to join a wine club. How do they do it?
The cost of importing wine into the country, duty paid and transported, is around £1.35 a bottle. VAT at 17.5 per cent must be added to the sale price of the 'amazing offer' wine. |
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The cost of delivery to your door is between about £6 and £12 a case, and the cost of producing those enticing, glossy brochures, advertisements and tasting notes cannot be cheap.
So ask yourself the magic question: 'How much is the actual wine worth, if I'm getting all this for a mere £39.99 for a 12-bottle case?' |
Tasting notes
• Try as many different wines as you can, and look out for special offers at wine merchants and supermarkets.
• Occasionally trade up a quid or two for a special bottle. |
...search around for some good deals. |
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• Glean valuable information from both the bottle back labels and the shelf-edge tickets.
• Seek out those shops that hold regular wine tasings, usually on Saturday mornings, and don't be afraid to walk away without buying anything.
• Wine always tastes better in the company of friends, so why not share the cost of buying the more expensive bottles by starting a little monthly tasting group.
• With a bit of leg-work and an inexpensive wine book, not only will your expertise grow, but so will your confidence in deciding what is and what isn't 'amazing value'. Sante! |
A good tip.
Set up your own little wine tasting group and you could be able to take advantage of special offers and bulk buying - making the better quality wines that much cheaper.
Happy tasting! |
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