Shocking news: We're buying less expensive wine

This just in from the Los Angeles Times: People are spending less money on a bottle of wine!

Patrick J. Comiskey, a big deal in the Winestream Media (he's a former sommelier and writes for Wine & Spirits magazine) reports in the Times that consumers aren't spending $40 for a bottle of wine anymore. They aren't even spending $25. They're -- wait for it -- spending $15.

Writes Comiskey: "For many, $15 to $20 might be the new $25."

Sigh. More, after the jump.

This is the kind of story that makes the Wine Curmudgeon beat his head against the door of the wine closet. It ignores the realities of the wine business: That 40 percent of Americans don't drink, that the average bottle of wine costs $6, and that less than one-fifth of the wine in sold in the U.S. costs $15 or more. Instead, it offers, once again, the image that the media, retailers, and producers prefer: That wine is an elegant, linen tablecloth, fine crystal adventure that most of us aren't good enough to enjoy.

Comiskey uses the word "curated" to describe the inventory at one L.A. retailer, which struck me -- as someone who has been writing about retailing for more than 20 years, and whose father and grandfather did retailing for a living -- as quite a stretch. A collection at an art museum is curated, not the bottles on the shelves at a liquor store.

This story, though exceptionally well-reported, reinforced the perception that most non-wine drinkers have about those of us who drink wine. Which is that we live in some sort of 1930s-era black and white Hollywood movie, wandering around in black tie and tails, calling each other "Old Sport" and waving at the waiter for another glass. In fact, the owner with the curated collection said he put in supermarket brands, and his customers wanted nothing to do with the wines. How awful for both of them.

The other frustrating thing about this story? That people who want to learn about wine will read this, see they need to spend $20 or $25 for a decent bottle, and go buy a six-pack. Which, if it was true, would send me in search of a six-pack, too.

Comments

[Mihai Rosu]

Thanks for this post. I wanna say that i don't look at my money when i go to the restaurant and i ask for my favourite bottle of wine.I just buy it. But that doesn't mean that i'm a reach guy and that's the reason for that i'm buying an expensive wine.

[Nottingham]

Rich guys don't go often to restaurants in my opinion.