Saving a buck, or two, w/o buying Two Buck

I have been making a few lists lately... here's another.

The economy is effecting my wine buying habit, mainly in that I haven't bought any new wine in over a month, and those I have bought in recent months haven't been for aging but more for instant wine-ification. Costs are rising for everything, and my paycheck isn't. Rather than sacrifice food or put my poor cat Foch out in the cold, I have forgone the luxury of wine tasting weekends and splurging at restaurants.

In true snobbery I would never suggest you go out and buy 2Buck. Heavens no, those words would never cross my lips! (What kinds of wine snob would I be?) Here are some ways that I have dealt with the slow and low economy. Hopefully some of them will help you, or can inspire some creativity in your own budgeting matters.

1)What am I saving it for? Sometimes you say "I'm saving it for a special occasion." I'm not breaking out those bottles just yet. But, every now and then a bottle or two fall through the cracks, get hidden in the back or just forgotten on the bottom rack. Now’s the time to go through your stash and clear out anything you can’t remember why you’re saving it. Don't forget those white wines that were really fruity, if you wait too long they will be tired and lack luster too.

2) Have a wine tasting party! I love going wine tasting, or just going to a tasting at a wine bar or bottle shop. But if the $15-30 your local bar is charging is too steep for 6 ounces of wine, consider hosting your own tasting. You’re in it for the same $15-30, but this time there’s a bottle per person, or couple in our party’s case, and everyone brings their own pot luck tapas so you don’t have to pay the extra $20 on that cheese platter and olives. Our party was a hit, we did wines of the world. Every couple was responsible for 1 bottle of red wine from their region of the world. There were 5 wines. We had a Shiraz from Australia, Malbec to represent Chile, Pinotage from Africa, to represent the US we had a Syrah from Washington. Someone didn't read the rules right so the fifth was a German Riesling, and it was delish. Everyone had a great leisurely time and drank and ate their fill for cheaper than you could have gotten this tasting at any wine bar. (Added bonus of the wine party – if you don’t like a wine, at least you don’t have to drink it all or dump it, someone will enjoy it.)

3) Second labels. Second labels can be the best bang for your buck. They are wines that are made by the great winemakers of the world, just not labeled and priced so high. In some cases, like Ken Wright with his Tyrus Evans label, the wines made are different varietals. He only does Pinot Noir under the Ken Wright label, but it is no secret he his branching out with the Tyrus Evans label to do other warmer weather varietals too. Cloudline is (shhh) Domaine Drouhin’s $20 Pinot Noir label. Again, not a big secret, I am not the first to break with this news. But if you’re wondering if it’s worth it, heck yes. You won’t find a second label wine if it doesn’t have some substance to it. A second label is really another way to produce good wine, and access another level of the wine market. It isn’t to dispose of the excess or lesser wine. There is a HUGE bulk wine market to dump your yucks into. A second label is not a winemaker’s sloppy seconds, it requires hard work and good grapes too. Second labels have been around for a long time, probably long before Robert Mondavi even got started with Woolbridge. Chateau Petrus, a wine that will put you out about $1k (hard to find, and really whom among us could afford, would buy and drink it even if we could find it), has a second label too. The $10 version, that is worth it’s price and maybe a bit more, is Christian Mouiex Merlot. This may actually be considered further down the line than 2nd, but well worth its association with Chateau Petrus. Good luck in finding these gems and more.

(Please add in the comments any second labels you know of, I of course really focus on Oregon so there’s a lot I don’t know about other worldly 2nd labels.)

4) Make your own. Now I have to say upfront I have not made my own wine. But I know many who have and they all say their wine is “drinkable.” My father makes his own beer, and I know that both can be easier to do than first imagined. There are many do it yourself stores, Mr. Beer kegs with concentrates and recipes, and many people who sell grapes around harvest time, as well as juice concentrate. Go to WineJobs.com and you can actually find bulk wine if you’re interested in more than a 5 gallon batch but don't want to bother with fermentation. Just be sure you know the laws. I don’t know if this applies outside of Oregon but I know you can only create 100 gallons of wine per year per person, up to 200 gallons per household with more than 1 person over 21 years old. Anything more than that is Moonshine, and as cool as that sounds, it comes with a price that doesn’t save you ANY money. If caught not only would you pay a hefty fine, they make you watch as they dump your hard work down the drain. (Sad day!) Let me know if you do try this, it could be interesting.