10 smart tips for buying wine at the supermarket

Updated on December 13, 2022

Buying wine in a supermarket, while not very glamorous, is convenient for most consumers. But it can be complicated. Here are some simple tips and recommendations to help you choose the best wine in a supermarket.

Admit it, you've found yourself at least once in your life standing in front of the wine aisle at the supermarket, and that's when the cold sweats started. Faced with wine labels, each more obscure than the last, you felt lost, humiliated, hurt! After a few minutes, weary, you finally chose a bottle completely at random. That's normal… But you're not condemned to eternal suffering! These few commandments can help you through this ordeal.

Intrepid traveler in search of a "good" bottle of wine at the local supermarket, follow these few tips to find your holy grail (well, a nice wine to drink).

The 10 commandments of the quest for wine in supermarkets:

1- Neither too cheap (less than 5 euros), nor too expensive (more than 20 euros)

Too cheap, frankly, given the number of intermediaries, nobody wins, neither you in terms of quality, nor the producer… If you want to spend a lot on a bottle, get advice, more expensive does not always mean better.

2- Avoid very old vintages:

The vintage is the year the grapes were harvested. It's usually printed prominently on the bottle. The more recent the vintage, the younger, fruitier, fresher, and more appealing the wine. Of course, some wines are meant to improve with age, but only under the right conditions, in your cellar. So, to avoid a wine that's been spoiled by poor storage, choose a vintage less than two years old for a white wine and less than three years old for a red.

3- Learn the indicators for French departments:

The bottler's/producer's postal code is always printed on the label. That way, for example, you know which region this intriguing red wine from the Côtes de Thongue comes from (Languedoc, where the weather is warm, the grapes ripen well, resulting in fruitiness and not too much acidity). Generally speaking, if it's north of the Loire, it's often fresher and lighter than if it's south. Since the Loire originates in the Massif Central (around the latitude of Vienne), there are a large number of vineyards north of it.

4- Think outside the box:

For the same price, in the same region (broadly speaking), choose a lesser-known appellation (Bergerac instead of Bordeaux, Saint-Pourçain instead of Burgundy, etc.); at worst, you'll discover something new. The underlying idea is that in the same regions, you'll find relatively similar climatic conditions and often identical grape varieties.

5- Look for the phrase "aged in barrels":

If you enjoy the taste of barrel-aged wine , choose a bottle that specifies the aging process. If it also indicates the length of time the wine was aged, remember that the longer the aging, the more pronounced the oak influence. If you don't like it, you can put the bottle back. If you're unsure, try a small glass; you'll get a better idea.

6- Look at the medals from well-known competitions:

If you're hesitating between two bottles from the same region, choose the one that won the Gold Medal at the Concours Général Agricole (in a blind tasting, 5 or 6 wine enthusiasts rated it highly, compared to about 20 others). Other reputable competitions exist (Vinalies, Independent Winegrowers, etc.), but the CGA is making significant efforts to improve its selection criteria, and it's the most widely recognized.

7- Look for the Demeter label:

If you appreciate originality, look for the Demeter label. It indicates that the wine was produced according to biodynamic principles, which won't harm the environment. Furthermore, the maximum permitted levels of sulfur dioxide (sulfites) are lower, which can't hurt you either. The simple "organic" label encompasses far too many practices to be of any real use in your choice.

8- Look for the "Independent Winegrowers" label:

On the neck of the bottle, check for a pictogram of a little man with a barrel on his shoulder. If so, it's a winemaker (inclusive language intended), who does almost everything themselves (usually a family business). The wine won't necessarily be better, but it will at least have a more personal touch. And if, in addition, they have a medal from independent winemakers, well, don't hesitate.

9- Check the alcohol content:

This isn't the most important information, but it does give an indication of the style. If the wine has less than 12% alcohol, it will generally be lighter, crisper, with fresh, tangy aromas. If the wine exceeds 14%, it will have more structure, richness, and opulence on the palate, and often more mature aromas.

10- If you liked it, take a picture of the bottle:

Always try to take a picture of the label, especially the less appealing part with the legal information. This will help you remember the bottle and make it easier to choose for your next purchases. Then, do a quick search online (on Les Grappes , for example 😉) and call the producer to buy a case of 12 directly. If you can't find them, go to your local wine shop (it takes a bit of courage!), and tell them you liked the wine, suggesting they take a look at the label. Then ask them to recommend a similar bottle they have in stock. It won't be any more expensive than at the supermarket.

As for the rest, when you don't know much about it, well, it's useless! Namely, forget: hand-harvested grapes, old vines, recommended by the oenologist/sommelier/blogger (including the female version) Tartempion, the funny colors, the mention "grand vin", the bronze medals, the mention "bottled at the château" (or at the back of the truck), the food and wine pairing advice and the taste descriptors that often miss the mark, or even the thickness of the bottle and the nature of the clay-limestone soils... and so on!

Perhaps you have other tips and tricks to share, feel free to comment!

Jules Lamon for Les Grappes