Affordable Vs. Expensive Wines: What Is The Difference?

The best quality wines can often be found at independent wine retailers rather than on supermarket shelves. An independent wine merchant is invested in the quality rather than just the quantity of wine that they sell, enabling them to build up a reputation as a trusted supplier to local hotels and restaurants, as well as private online customers. 

The smaller family-run businesses will often have years of experience and expertise, built up by actually visiting different vineyards and wine producers around the world, and making buying choices based on in-person tasting sessions. This ensures that their customers can access some of the best wines from around the world. 

However, this does not necessarily mean that you will need to pay more for your wine. It’s true that some of the best quality wines do have a higher price point, but this does not always mean that they are a superior choice. Here’s a balanced look at the issue.

Why are some wines more expensive?

There are several factors that influence the price of wine, including the quality of the grapes and how they were cultivated; the ageing process; and the region and terroir that the wine is from. For example, grapes that are produced from low-yield vineyards and are hand harvested at the point of optimum ripeness will be richer in flavour and complexity. 

Wine that has been produced with natural or wild yeast rather than commercially manufactured yeast tends to be more expensive, because the process is more time consuming and it also results in more refined flavours. Wine that has been aged in oak barrels also tends to be more expensive, due to the costs of maintaining the wine.

Finally, region and terroir are important. Some areas, such as Bordeaux and Burgundy in France and Nappa Valley in California have a reputation for producing world-class wines, because  of the unique soil, climate and topography of the region that is particularly favourable to growing certain types of grapes. 

Why do some wines have a lower price point?

Just because a wine is more affordable, it does not necessarily mean that the quality of the wine is inferior. For example, a wine may have some or even all of the properties mentioned above, but is priced lower because it’s from an emerging region or wine producer. 

It’s possible to find hidden gems at great prices, particularly from countries such as Bulgaria, Morocco, and Portugal. An independent wine retailer will be happy to provide you with their expert advice about the best value wines that have no compromise on quality. 

Some cheaper wines are aged in stainless steel containers rather than oak barrels to keep the costs down, but for wines that are best enjoyed when they are young and fresh, this is not necessarily a drawback. 

All in all, the best quality wines can have an unrivalled depth, balance and complexity of flavours, whereas lower priced wines might have less well integrated and structured flavours. However, it’s a matter of taste, and both types of wines can be equally enjoyable.