Wine merchants - guide to buying fine wine in the UK

Shop through wine mechants online - UK - USA

If you are buying one bottle of wine to take to a dinner, heading to your local merchant in the UK is probably the best bet as there you will find a broad selection of affordable fine wines, from lots of denominations.

Talk to the seller and ask his or her advice about which wines they recommend, or any specific questions you have about matching food and wine. They should be able to advise you on most wine-related issues, from which wine to drink with this evening's dinner to which wines to lay down for your daughter's wedding next year.

Once you have found a wine merchant you like, it is a good idea to cultivate your relationship with them as they are likely to have tips and advice to offer you next time you come in to the store. They may even make you privy to new stock before it goes on sale to the general public, giving you access to some great vintages before anyone else sees them.

When buying wine in a shop or from a merchant to add to your cellar, bear in mind that it is sometimes cheaper to buy a case of wine rather than buying it by the bottle.

Wine is usually sold in multiples of 6 (half a case) or 12 (a case).

If you are certain that you like a specific type of wine, buying a case is a good idea. This allows you to drink some and keep some to drink over the coming months and years in order to see how well it ages.

If you buy wine 'en primeur' (ie, when is still in the barrel at the winery) you can save a lot of money, providing you know your stuff and feel ready to predict a good vintage before it is bottled! Your local wine merchant could be a valuable source of information about en primeur wines.

Also, at the opposite end of the scale, look out for bin end offers as there may be a reduction in price when the last few cases of a vintage are being sold.

It is also possible to order wine over the internet and have it delivered direct to your door.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Wine Merchants

Contact | Disclaimer | Sitemap | Advertising |  Subscribe in a reader