Finding great wine at a grocery store takes a keen eye. Much more so than snagging a gem at your thoughtfully curated local package store with its knowledgeable staff. But it’s not impossible.
We’ve all been there: Picking up the goods for dinner and you totally planned to stop at your favorite wine shop, but then there it is — the wine section of your local supermarket. All convenient and shiny, with bottles galore. (Assuming you’re lucky to live in a state that permits it.)
If this scene feels familiar, fear not. “You can find good wine at the grocery store,” says Jade Palmer, wine manager at Krog Street Market’s Hop City Craft Beer and Wine in Atlanta. “There are plenty of producers who have large production,” the kind that makes consumer-friendly pricing possible, “but their production is well done,” she says.
The key here is knowing what to look for in “over-delivery,” that is, wines that punch above their price class in terms of quality. Palmer offers several tips and tricks for finding wines at the grocery store that are more than worthy of your dinner table.
1. Know what to avoid
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Knowing what to avoid is as important as knowing what to look for.
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Brands with big marketing budgets tend to put their money there rather than in winemaking.
Sorry, Barefoot, Yellowtail and, yes, even Josh. They may claim the most shelf space in grocery retailers, but you’re going to want to dig deeper for better wines. “The production on those has gotten so big that I don’t think that the quality is there,” says Palmer. “I understand the price point is attractive, but when we’re looking for value wine, we’re also looking for quality, too,” she says. In general, be dubious of any wine that has been excessively marketed to you. (Throwing Whispering Angel under the bus here, too, while we’re at it.)
Read more: Budget Bottles: An Expert Reveals How to Find the Best Value Wine
Brands that have big marketing budgets tend to put their money there rather than in winemaking. Here’s where you’re likely to find wines with a pronounced oak flavor that comes not from oak aging, but from oak chips stirred into the wine to shortcut the process. (Yes, that’s a thing.)
3. Certain regions are known for value: Portugal, Chile, Washington
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Keep some value-driven wine regions such as Portugal, Spain and Washington state in your back pocket.
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Every supermarket that carries wine should have at least a few New Zealand Sauvignon blancs to choose from.
Speaking of Sauvignon blanc, if you haven’t already hopped on the New Zealand Sauvignon blanc bandwagon, hop on. If you’re already there, stay on. It’s one of the most popular wine styles sold in the US, grocery stores and bottle shops both, and for good reason. “It’s a safe bet,” says Palmer. “It’s pretty straightforward. I know what I’m getting when I pick up a $15 bottle, and you can get all of the great fruity, grassy aromas that you expect.”
5. Don’t be afraid of the unfamiliar
On the opposite score, however, there are so many grapes worldwide, and we are collectively drinking so few of them, and you might find a great deal if you’re willing to try something new. Even the largest grocery retailers have some deep cuts in their selection. “I have bottles at my shop, where people are like, ‘OK, why is this wine $12? I’ve never heard of this before,'” says Palmer. “I think it’s a low-risk, high-reward situation,” she says. “People should venture out a little bit and try something different, like a Picpoul, or a Bonarda.” Plus, when you find something unusual and love it, you get to play the tastemaker among your friends or family.
The same goes for countries or states you maybe didn’t know made wine. Uruguay, for example, has started to export more and more wine to the US in the past 10 years, and there are killer, Tannat-based reds and refreshing Albariños available for less than $15. Look for them tucked among the more famous South American wines.
6. Two big names you can trust: Louis Jadot and Mary Taylor
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Louis Jadot’s signature old-world labels should be easy to spot on a grocery store shelf.
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Mary Taylor wines can be found easily and punch above their price.
Similarly, Mary Taylor’s line of wines, available in many retailers, is a hand-picked collection of European wines that offer great value. “Her wines are so accessible, and she does a great job of highlighting producers that are using some relatively unknown grape varieties,” says Palmer, another vote for unfamiliar grapes. “The price is crazy, because they’re all under $20, and the brand exposes consumers to a region that they would have never tried wine from.”
