A matter of taste: how to choose a good and inexpensive wine? Typical mistakes when choosing a wine.

The phrase "good inexpensive wine", perhaps, raises a smile, but in fact it is not a myth, there is such a concept. Here it can even turn out the other way around, when, having bought an expensive product, you can get not the best quality.

With all the richness of the choice of this divine drink, it can be very difficult to decide, and if it is poorly understood, then it is generally impossible. First of all, it must be said that the price below 400 rubles already speaks of not very good quality, and buying a product cheaper means eliminating the concept of "good" completely.

What is it for what

The variety and price will still depend on what event is preceded by the purchase, because light table wine, for example, is in no way suitable for a romantic date, as well as for giving it to someone. But drinking a glass of such a drink before or during meals is a completely different matter. When you need to prepare for the most important meeting in life or make a beautiful gift, a completely different one is used.For special occasions, it is better to buy a good inexpensive one, which is preferred by most of the lovers of this drink. You can serve red wine with meat, and white wine with fish and poultry.

A little about packaging

High-quality wine is poured into heavy bottles, which have a slightly wider hanger than the bottom, and there is a depression in the bottom. But this does not mean that there is no good product in ordinary bottles. Rather, on the contrary, good inexpensive wine is sold in such a container. But the intricate shape of the bottle, most likely, was created for not very high-quality products in order to somehow attract the attention of the buyer. When buying wine for direct consumption, exclude cardboard packaging. Such products can only be suitable for cooking dishes in which this type of alcohol needs to be added.

If earlier the quality of wine could be judged by the cork, now it is not so relevant, because in some European countries, twisting corks for packaging young wines have become a kind of trend.

Which store to buy

Even if you decide to buy good inexpensive wine for a simple dinner, you should still go to a specialized store for it, where all the conditions are created for the proper storage of the product. In ordinary supermarkets, even the temperature regime can affect the quality of the drink, especially if it has been on the shelf for a long time. In stores that sell this particular product, all bottles should be in a cool and dark room and just lie, not stand. As a rule, such establishments employ professionals who will always help you make the right choice.

On bottles with a long aging there cannot be a new label, as if it had just come off the conveyor. If so, then most likely the wine is fake. And, of course, quality product labels should be free of spelling errors and bad, smudging paint. The exception is sales, where you can find good inexpensive wine with a torn or stained label, which is why it got there.

A good, inexpensive dry wine should be between 9 and 14% ABV and almost sugar-free. All these parameters are necessarily indicated on the label, as is the case with all other varieties of wines. If you want to buy a good inexpensive semi-sweet wine, then the sugar content in it should not exceed 13%, and the strength - 15%. If it is indicated that the sugar contains from 16 to 32%, and the strength is from 13 to 16%, then in front of you is a sweet dessert or liqueur wine.

What must be specified

There is absolutely no reason for a good manufacturer to hide his name. Therefore, if the label does not indicate who made the product, then it is not worth buying it.

The harvest year is always written on the packaging with natural wine. Without finding such information, you can purchase a chemical concentrate instead of wine.

It is very good if it is indicated from which grape variety the wine is made. No one will write that the products are made from not the best raw materials. In the best case, this information will be veiled like this: "The best grape varieties have been used." In fact, hardly the best and perhaps not even the grapes.

The name of the region in which the raw materials for wine production are grown is indicated by all producers who take pride in the quality of their products.

Perhaps this information is not relevant for inexpensive wines, but the indication of the aging period is also an important detail.

Red wines, in contrast to whites, are more astringent due to the higher amount of tannins they contain. Their taste has a greater fullness and velvety. Therefore, wine lovers give more preference to red varieties. A vintage wine with a long aging period cannot be inexpensive, so it is worth looking at the one with aging for about one year.

An important detail: wines produced in the countries of the Old World, for example, in France, Italy or Spain, are more expensive. Therefore, it is better to take a closer look at manufacturers such as Australia, New Zealand, Chile. Crimean, Georgian and Abkhaz red wines of the above price category are also not inferior in quality to foreign ones.

Good inexpensive semi-sweet red wine - kindzmarauli badagoni (Georgian wine). Saperavi grape variety.

Medici Ermete, Lambrusco dell `Emilia Rosso IGT - fine Italian wine made from Lambusco grapes. The quality of Italian wines is evidenced by the marks on the labels: DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) and DOCG (... e garantita).

You should not buy red wine made in Germany or Hungary. These countries specialize in the production of white wines, which they do well.

Choosing white wine

The best ones are produced in Germany. If you need to buy a good white, inexpensive dry wine, then it is best to take a closer look at German producers. Riesling is considered the best white wine produced in this country. The wines produced under this name are dry, semi-sweet and sweet. The dry wine label will be labeled Trocken. By the way, wine with this name is also produced in other countries. And if the German wine of this brand is more difficult to find, then the Alsatian wine is found on the shelves much more often and is not inferior in quality to wine from Germany.

Another good white wine is the French Sauternes. This wine can be either aged or quite young. Naturally, cheaper, which is what we need.

Trying to figure out how to choose inexpensive good wine, you need to highlight several general rules, the first of which will be: inexpensive does not mean the cheapest. The price category to start with is approximately 400 rubles. Wine, which costs so much, is not sold in boxes, of course, unless there are 10 liters of it there.

• If you buy wine from a supermarket, try to get it where there is less sunlight or artificial light.
• Do not chase after the beauty of the bottle, you did not come for it, but for what is inside. Read the label carefully, it contains all the useful information.
• If the wine is better dry or sweet. Semi-sweet wine is made from raw materials of not the best quality, and in other countries, unlike Russia, they use very little.
• In addition to white and red, there is also one that is not so common on the territory of our country.

Of course, not all the names of good inexpensive wines are listed above, these are just some of the possible options.

Of course, we always say that semi-sweet wines are much worse than dry wines, but such is the culture of wine consumption in Russia - not everyone prefers dry wines here. But with semi-sweet, you know, can there be such a problem: they often turn out to be of insufficient quality. Indeed, in fact, the process of producing semi-sweet wines is very complicated and not every winery can handle it - it is much easier to just add sugar. And this is wrong. And harmful.

We offer you to figure out how to choose a semi-sweet wine and not be upset by your choice.

First, semi-sweet wines are not wines that get better over the years. Therefore, when buying such a wine, give preference to a younger one. And do not keep such a bottle at home for a long time.

Any bottle of wine (not only semi-sweet wine) contains information on the label such as: vintage, alcohol and sugar levels, wine origin, grape variety, drink class, address and manufacturer's name. If the wine does not contain such information, then you should not buy it. Especially with regard to grapes: if it is not clear which variety was used for the production of this wine, then it is more likely that low-grade wine materials, dyes, preservatives and other slag were used for the creation.

By the way, good semi-sweet wines are produced in Russia. So if you like semisweet, then it is better to give preference to our producers. And you should know that in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, and so on, they do not drink sweet wines, but they produce "just about anything" for the markets of other countries, such as the former USSR countries. Crimean semi-sweet wines are especially good. Large wineries value their reputation and are unlikely to send slag to store shelves. You should definitely trust such factories as Fanagoria, Yubileinaya, Massandra, Inkerman and so on.

And yes. Still, there are good semi-sweet wines that are produced in other countries, but there are very few of them, and they are very expensive.

Here are some semi-sweet wines worthy of your tasting, according to the popular Wine Spectator magazine

• "Gewurztraminer" Cuvee des Seigneurs de Ribeaupierre "AOC" (4500 rubles) France
• "Chateau Lamothe Guignard, Sauternes AOC 2-me Grand Cru Classe" (4300 rubles). France
• "Trabucchi Recioto della Valpolicella DOC Terre del Cereolo" (5500 rubles) Italy
• "Chateau Cantegril, Sauternes AOC" (3400 rubles) France
• Albert Boxler, Gewurztraminer, Alsace AOC (3000 rubles) France
• "Chateau Pajzos, Aszu 6 Puttonyos". (6500 rub.) Hungary
• Domaine Marcel Deiss Burg AOC Alsace (5400 rubles)
• "Warre's Warrior Porto DOC" (1700 rubles)
• "Dr. Loosen, „Dr. L "Riesling Sweet" (1200 rub.)

And add to the box of dry wines that it is much easier to find a cheaper, but high-quality dry wine from France or Italy than a semi-sweet one.

Not everyone is a connoisseur of fine wines and not everyone has the opportunity to buy them, but many people like simple and high-quality wine that can brighten up a meal or evening gatherings. In this case, the question arises of how to determine which wine is tasty and inexpensive, and which is simply a low-quality product of the modern chemical industry.

For this, a list of clear criteria is needed to clarify what is important to pay attention to when choosing a good and inexpensive wine. In addition, there are a number of varieties that have received a large number of positive reviews on the Internet and therefore deserve preference. And all this will be discussed in more detail below.

• Manufacturer country. Almost all high-quality wines in Europe with the same grape variety and approximately equal quality will cost more than alcohol from South America, Africa or Oceania. Meanwhile, countries such as Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand produce good and relatively inexpensive wine.
• Place of sale. It is better to buy expensive wines in specialized wine boutiques, but more budgetary options are in large supermarkets, preferably chain ones, which care about their reputation and can afford to buy large quantities with a minimum margin.

• Production year. Almost all good and inexpensive wine is young. Such alcohol does not improve over time, and with inadequate storage, which often happens in stores, because it is quite difficult to comply with all conditions - temperature, humidity and light - it only gets worse. Therefore, when choosing a tasty and inexpensive young wine, you should prefer fresh harvests, preferably this year. There is no point in talking about aged brands, almost none of them falls into the desired category.
• Composition. Read the label carefully. A manufacturer that produces good and inexpensive wines will definitely indicate the grape variety, its place of growth and the year of production, because such information raises the product in the eyes of the buyer. The absence of such inscriptions or their presence in a very small print with a high degree of probability indicates the low quality of the drink.

• Wine color. Practice shows that it is easier to find a good and inexpensive white dry or semi-dry wine than a similar red one. In this case, it is better to choose monosortic specimens. It is easier to recognize the taste and aroma of a grape variety in them and compare the quality with a more expensive analog than to do it in a drink made from a blend of different varieties, where aromas and tastes are mixed.
• Grape varieties. Each variety has its own specifics, this applies to both cultivation and processing and aging, the simpler ones are less expensive and, accordingly, the price of wine from them is lower. Among the white varieties, one can single out those that meet this specificity: chardonnay, among the red ones, these are merlot, shiraz and pinotage.

• Price. A budget wine does not mean free if the price of a bottle is in the range of $ 3 to $ 9, with a 90% probability it is a powder product. The most reliable category with a good value for money is in the $ 9 to $ 18 range. This wine is quality tested, and if the label says it is from grapes, then it is.
• Domestic manufacturer. In the last decade, small and medium-sized private firms began to buy out the once abandoned state vineyards and, on their basis, make alcohol on imported equipment. It is not necessary to expect special refinement from it, for such an effect it will take decades, but good quality at lower prices is quite. This is due to the fact that their cost does not include transportation, duty and storage, as in imported counterparts from a similar price segment.

• Promotional product. There are two types of discounts: the first, when the shelf life of the goods comes to an end, and the second, when a large retail chain buys a huge batch of goods and, selling it with a minimal margin, raises its image in the eyes of buyers. It is on promotions of the second type that you can buy inexpensive but good wine.
• The screw plug is not an indicator. There is a stereotype that a screw plug is used on cheaper alcohol, and a cork plug is used on a more expensive one. In fact, in all technical characteristics, the screw plug is superior to its more archaic analogue. Firstly, it completely seals the vessel, which affects storage, secondly, it is not subject to "cork disease", thirdly, it is convenient to open it and it is more convenient and reliable for it to close an unfinished drink.

Rating of varieties of good inexpensive wine

White dry

• Vinho verde is a Portuguese, partially sparkling green wine with a slight refreshing acidity. It has a strength from 9 to 11 degrees, it will perfectly complement a summer evening and a light meal. It is mainly sold in specialized stores, less often in supermarkets or restaurants.

• - a drink from the Venice region, maybe sparkling. It is made on the basis of Garganega grapes and belongs to the brands protected by origin: DOC or DOCG. The strength of these wines starts from 9.5 degrees, the organoleptic characteristics differ from each manufacturer, but the common feature is the versatility and dynamism of aroma and taste.

• - this variety grows on all continents, in many countries, special attention should be paid to Argentine, South African and New Zealand brands that have succeeded in making quality wine based on it. Moreover, such alcohol can be aged both in oak barrels and in stainless steel vats. The first is richer and sweeter, the second is more sour and lively.

Did you know? White wine acquires a straw color only after aging in oak barrels. If such a circumstance is not reflected on the label, the alcohol is most likely over-oxidized, but since cheap copies are often sold in opaque bottles, it can be difficult to find out the true color of the liquid. It is better to choose those wines that have a light, pale and / or greenish tint.

White sweet

- a variety of Hungarian dessert wines from the Tokaj-Hedyalya region. It is based on two grape varieties: furmint and harlevel. The organoleptic properties of the drink are dominated by the taste of raisins and honey tones; chilled it is drunk quite easily despite the high degree and high sugar content.

Red dry

• - a drink from this grape variety grows in almost all countries, the already mentioned South America, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Russian producers, stand out in the economy segment.

• - a variety bred in France, cultivated in many countries of the world, especially in Australia, whose product is worth trying both because of the more affordable price, and because of the taste and aroma that are different from the classic French ones. Organoleptic is distinguished by high saturation and aroma. Depending on where it is grown, notes of berry, violet, pepper and chocolate may be present, with notes of blackberry and coffee typical of the variety.

• - Western European grape variety, which has become very widespread in Argentina and is considered "national" there. The Argentinean version has a richer color, velvety texture and fruity aroma. Also, the taste is softer - the effect of tannins is less pronounced.

Important! You should not look for an inexpensive and tasty semi-sweet wine from foreign producers, as the semi-sweet variety is poorly distributed in Western wine culture. Either dry or sweet.

Red sweet

• - wines from dark grapes of the same name. They stand out for their high strength - from 13 to 16 degrees and high sugar content - from 20 to 30 percent. They have a specific feature in common - a strong aroma, which is created by a high content of essential oils. Particular attention should be paid to the products of domestic manufacturers, preserved from Soviet times, in which this species was one of the best, and its production was at a fairly high level. Nowadays, nutmeg remains an inexpensive and good wine, which is not a shame to treat any guests.

• - in the original it is a Portuguese wine from the Douro valley, but in the USSR there was its own analogue, numbering about 60 varieties, 15 of which were of high quality. Now the best samples at an affordable price are produced at the distilleries of Armenia and Crimea.

The modern developed trade gives access to a variety of good and at the same time inexpensive wines from all over the world. Relatively young producers using high-quality raw materials, equipment and manufacturing techniques can offer a wide range of beverages, which, with a similar quality, will cost significantly less than the products of more famous Western European distilleries. Also, one should not neglect domestic brands that have managed to preserve high quality for many decades and those who have managed to conscientiously set up the production of this wonderful drink from scratch.

Popular imported wines have risen in price due to the jump in the exchange rate. "Delovoy Peterburg" asked large producers and importers how to choose wine now and whether it is possible to buy a quality product no more than 500 rubles per bottle.

The aforementioned 500 rubles is a conditional amount chosen by the editors as an indicator of consumer opportunities. The designated figure cannot be considered an iron protection against a failed purchase, experts warn. “Of course, buying expensive products, there is much more chance of getting something really interesting, but the real guarantor of quality can only be the buyer's own knowledge of wine,” says Dmitry Zhurkin, import director of the Ladoga group and founder of the Wine Masters sommelier school.

"The price can only serve as a signal, the function of the guarantor of the quality of wine is performed only by the international classification of wines," agrees Kirill Kalmyk, Marketing Director. So, on the front side of a bottle of Spanish wines, you need to look for the abbreviation DO, for French wines, AOC and AOK are used, as well as the designation of the castle and the grape variety, for Chilean wines this role is played by belonging to the wine production region (the best wines are those produced in the central area). But for Russian wines, such designations are not provided.

"You can definitely buy a good wine for 500 rubles!" - says Anna Mekhovykh, training manager for the range of LLC "". She advises to go for inexpensive and decent wine to supermarkets or liquor stores, and not to boutiques. "Thanks to large volumes and investments from suppliers, chain stores, due to discounts and seasonal sales for imported alcohol, present consumers with a more favorable price and choice," explains Anna Mekhovykh.

What can you buy

As it turned out, 500 rubles is an amount that allows you not only to buy good wine, but also to choose. However, the choice is not that wide.

Most familiar or familiar brands now cost more than 600 rubles, so importers and distributors are adapting to new realities by offering new brands from underrepresented regions, says Anna Mekhovykh. So, for example, many proposals from Spanish regions, as a rule, are young, open and understandable wines with a fruity component, also wines from Portugal and the countries of the New World (Central Valley of Chile, south-west Australia, South Africa and Argentina), except Moreover, these are Russian wines from reliable producers that receive awards at prestigious Russian and international competitions and occupy good positions in the rating of Russian wines.

Mikhail Nikolayev, managing partner of the family enterprise Nikolayev and Sons (a Russian wine producer), also advises paying attention to wines from the New World and Russian producers. In his opinion, European wines are greatly overvalued: “Many are used to thinking that if you buy wine, you need to choose Spain, France and Italy, but in fact, 500-700 rubles in our stores cost wine, which is sold in Spain for 1 , 5 euros, so I would not talk about the high quality of such a product. "

In terms of price-quality ratio, young wines of the New World are in the category of up to 500 rubles: Argentina, Chile, Australia, South Africa, Georgia or simple table wines from Europe often fall here, Dmitry Zhurkin gives a similar opinion. As a curious fact, he notes that since such products do not have the potential for long aging and must be drunk in the next 1-3 years, they are sealed with a screw stopper. "This fact sometimes completely in vain scares the buyer - given the short shelf life, the wine does not need to be closed with a special cork stopper," he says.

As for Russian wines, here the buyer can expect to buy for 500 rubles only wines bottled in Russia, but made from imported wine material, says Kirill Kalmyk. As a representative of the enterprise - a leader in the production of champagne, he could not help but mention the sparkling wines of Russian production.

Import substitution was not set

Judging by the statistics, the market participants had to worry in recent years - after a couple of years of growth, wine sales in St. Petersburg are now declining. recorded a slight surge in sales at the beginning of last year, but in the first half of 2016, 1,584.5 thousand decaliters of wine were sold in St. Petersburg, which is 4.6% less than sales for the same period in 2015.

Volume of wine sales in St. Petersburg, 1st half, thousand decaliters

If the wine is inexpensive, it does not mean at all that it is tasteless. Let's try to figure out how to choose the right delicious wine in an affordable price range. (Of course, we are not talking about "chatters" for 100 rubles.)

For many, buying wine at a restaurant becomes a whole ordeal. Needless to say about the independent choice of wine in the store, where several racks of all kinds of bottles of different price categories are presented to the eye. The matter is even more complicated if this wine is intended for important guests or celebrations of events. The chooser feels responsible for the taste and quality of what is poured into the bottle.

Why do we feel depressed and think that everyone will judge us for choosing, especially if we buy inexpensive wine? You might say, "Well, because wine producers know the quality of their product and won't sell anything really worth cheap."

But wine can get to store shelves in different ways! Nobody is safe from buying fakes. Yes, you need to be careful when choosing a wine, but everyone can make this right choice. By the way, one of the points: you should buy wine without excessive stress and suspicion. This is not an exam, much depends on the case.

How to choose and buy wine

How to choose a wine? Scrolling through the multi-page wine list in a restaurant or glancing at the rows of bottles in the store can lead to despair. And if the budget is limited to all this, you can give up, choose the first bottle you come across with a cute animal on the label and run away.

But in fact, armed with some knowledge, you can buy or order wine like a pro!

First, you must decide what "cheap and cheerful" means to you. The range will be taken here from 300 to 500 rubles.

Secondly, we must admit that the excise stamp is not a confirmation of the taste of wine. Like a plastic stopper or a screw cap - not a sign of bad wine. It's just that wine is a kind of tradition, the cork plug is part of the tradition. But some manufacturers are deviating from it. For example, some winemakers in New Zealand and Australia were the first to use metal screw caps and for good reason: they reliably protect wine. Such caps can be found on bottles for both 300 rubles and 1200 rubles.

Fundamental rules

Wines of some countries, wine-making regions, types and varieties of grapes are sold cheaper than their counterparts. For example, Vinho Verde (Verde) from Portugal - a fine white wine with a tart fruity taste and small bubbles. It is ideal for summer picnics and quiet family evenings on the summer cottage veranda. And you can buy it even for less than 300 rubles.

Italy also produces several good wines ranging from 300 to 500 rubles. Take at least Primitivo, Sangiovese and Merlot.

Avoid wines that require a long "maturation": for example, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Barolo or Amarone... These wines shouldn't be cheap. If they are inexpensive, then it is a fake (or bad wine) or not yet ready to drink.

Choose from wines that taste good when fresh. These include Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, majority Rieslings and some others.

How to buy wine in a restaurant

Nowadays, few restaurants offer homemade wine. Most often, wine lists contain a list of bottled wine. If you often go to a certain restaurant and there is a large assortment of wines, then order a new name each time. This is a great way to learn to define likes and dislikes. Memorize the taste of the wine, how it goes with various dishes, how it smells, liked / disliked.

Make your list of preferences and ask the waiter for advice / recommend something suitable. Some restaurants (at least abroad) even practice pre-tasting.

Dispelling the wine myth

Have you heard the rule: red wine with meat and white wine with fish and poultry? This rule was observed when French wines were served for lunch or dinner. Now it no longer works - our tastes and food have changed so much. Asian, Indian, Mediterranean currents have penetrated our cuisine, which is changing the "rules" for wines. What should be guided by when buying wine for this or that main dish?

Here's a simple rule of thumb: Asian foods often pair well with invigorating, tart white wines... These good quality wines can be bought at a reasonable price. Red wines with a pronounced, rich taste are suitable for fatty red meat. You can choose red wine from those produced in Australia, Spain, Portugal, Italy - they are suitable for both quality and money.

Even good champagne can be readily available. This issue is especially relevant on the eve of the upcoming New Year. Do you want to see sparkling wine on the festive table, the purchase of which will not hit your pocket? Then look for Cremant from France, Asti (Asti) and Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain. Bottles of this wine can be found for 500 rubles (600-700 - more likely).

Good luck with your choice!