Netscape/CompuServe Forum Poll: Most important factor in choosing wine?

[Robin Garr]

Among the many variables that influence your decision to buy a particular bottle of wine, which one weighs the most heavily in the balance? Price, grape, country or region or something else? We're repeating a popular WineLovers Voting Booth survey from 1999 in this week's CompuServe/Netscape WineLovers Community poll.

<b>Click here to vote</b>
(No need to register or log in to the Netscape forum to vote)

Unfortunately, it is price. I can't afford to splurge on wine as much so if a wine is too expensive I won't even consider it unless it's a special occasion or a gift.

Can't say it's one factor. It's usually a combination of grape/blend, past experience, price, and if it's a specific occasion or not.

I'm beginning to dislike these either/or polls. The "most important factor" is almost always situational.

I voted grape/blend, but in reality this would be my hierarchy, more or less:

• grape variety
• style (dry preferred)
• producer
• region
• vintage
• price

Like every poll I wanted to check two things. Price can't be the only reason to buy wine. That says I would buy a $6 Retsina before I would buy an $8 Muscadet. My problem is with "past experience" vs "country or region". Past experience is important but that would mean I never would try something new. I voted for country or region since I can use my past experience. To confirm this I thoght about going into a wine store. I go down the Bordeaux, White Burg and Italian sections and never look down the OZ or domestic shelves. Yep! country and region it is.
Walt

[Robin Garr]

I'm beginning to dislike these either/or polls. The "most important factor" is almost always situational.

Bear in mind, though, that the purpose of these simple polls is to make us think about our wine-related opinions. Forcing ourselves to consider which of several variables is <i>most</i> important might help us understand better how we make our buying decisions. And the resulting threads in which we work out the details that aren't clear from the basic poll vote can be interesting and entertaining.

Is it rigorous research? Of course not! But it's a way to get us thinking and talking about wine, and that's what we do here.

Past experience is important but that would mean I never would try something new.

Ah. This is different than the way I was looking at "past experience." In my view this means everything experiential I bring to the store with me... whether or not I like a particular style or region or producer etc.

For example, I know from past experience that I don't like certain mass produced and marketed wines like Yellow Tail (a neighbor uses this as his house wine... eek!), so I avoid them and their ilk when making a purchasing decision, no matter how inexpensive they may be. I don't need to try every variety to know what I would think!

Bear in mind, though, that the purpose of these simple polls is to make us think about our wine-related opinions. Forcing ourselves to consider which of several variables is <i>most</i> important might help us understand better how we make our buying decisions. And the resulting threads in which we work out the details that aren't clear from the basic poll vote can be interesting and entertaining.

Is it rigorous research? Of course not! But it's a way to get us thinking and talking about wine, and that's what we do here.

All right:

If I'm looking for a particular wine, and I find it, I'm going to buy it unless I think the price is totally out of line. That rarely happens; I usually do a little research so I know what I'm likely to encounter, and despite all the postings about sellers "not knowing what they have," most sellers actually do know what they have, and price accordingly.

If I'm looking for a particular varietal, I'm going to try buying one from a region where I know it is grown successfully, e.g., if I want chenic blanc, I'm looking in the Loire Valley (although I might peek at the South Africans if I'm minding a budget).

I have never knowingly bought a wine made from an "Italian" grape that wasn't made in Italy. California Barbera and Sangiovese can be nice enough, but I have yet to taste one that had the true varietal character of the Italian-grown versions.

If I just want something cheap and cheerful, I'll get an Argentine malbec and a Gascogne white.

...and if, by some amazing happenstance, I learn that there is Chianina beefsteak to be had, then I'm going to blow the rent money on a '97 Chianti Classico Riserva, damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead.