Save $1,465 on wine this year with 7 easy tips
Wine prices cover a wide range, and so does yearly spend. But good wine doesn’t need to break the bank. We can help you cut through your wine budget like its Butter Chardonnay.
Smart shoppers can enjoy every drop of great wine, at great prices. Each of these cost-saving measures will save you money on your wine, and most are inexpensive or even free.
What you get from this list:
If you drink two bottles a week, at $25 per bottle, this list can combined save you $1,465 per year. If you buy more expensive wine, you could save double. (The more expensive the wine, the more these savings stack up). Keep in mind, #4 can save you $500+ alone!
1) Download a wine app like Vivino - save 20% or $260 per year
Vivino is a free app you can use to scan wine labels (including multiple at once!). The app provides tasting notes and the ability to track what you buy, but that isn’t why it made our list.
The reason Vivino is at the top of our list is the pricing and reviews feature. You can compare customer reviews and prices paid live in the store. This app gives you insight into what the bottle should cost you and if it's worth the price. You may also find wine discounts when purchasing directly from Vivino.
How to maximize savings: Next time you are in the wine aisle, open the free version of the app. Scan 5-10 bottles you're deciding between. Avoid anything overpriced or that has a low rating. We typically end up with a cheaper bottle (~20%) with a higher rating than we would have on our own. Similar apps include Wine-searcher (web based) that can offer similar wine savings.
2) ArT Wine Preserver® - save $50 per unit, average of $240 per year
Wine starts spoiling as soon as you open it due to oxygen in the air. You pay for it even if it goes down the drain, and over $1 Billion of wine goes to waste. An effective wine saver let’s you buy wine and enjoy every drop, no waste.
ArT Wine Preserver is a simple wine saver that works by displacing oxygen in the bottle. Wine preserved with it stays fresh for 7 to 30 days. People who use ArT Wine Preserver save 2.4 bottles of wine with each canister, and average a savings of $240 per year. Not bad for just $14.99. The oxygen displacement works best using argon, as compared to a cheap alternative like vacuum or nitrogen alternative.
In fact, we’ve saved our customers over $1,200,000 since 2017, and counting!
How to maximize savings: Sign-up to this email list for 20% off your first order.
3) Pick your region carefully - save 25% or $325 per year
Certain regions of wine, such as Napa Valley and France, have a ‘brand tax’ that adds up. Popular regions can cost 10-60% higher than similarly rated wines. Going off the beaten path can be both exciting and save you money.
How to maximize savings: Try regions you have heard of but have not tried. Examples like the Rioja region of Spain or the Mendoza region of Argentina.
We have had the best luck finding value with wine from Spain, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa and Portugal. Scan the label with Vivino and check its ratings! Pay attention to the "Taste characteristics" section. It will give you an idea of what the wine actually tastes like. Typically we end up dropping from $25 to under $20 for a 25%+ savings.
If you typically buy from Napa or anywhere in France, you could see a higher rate of savings.
4) Churn wine clubs - save 50% or $520 per year
Churning simply means signing up for a subscription and canceling. For wine clubs, this means signing up under a promotion and canceling soon after.
The reason this works well with wine clubs is wine clubs often have very generous new member offers.
How to maximize savings: Start watching your (physical) mail for intro offers or check https://www.offers.com/c/wine-clubs/. You can also Google "Wine Club Offers" and see what pops up. After your first one, you'll likely get more offers in the mail.
Look at the cancelation policy and verify you are free to cancel at any time. If so, redeem the introduction offer, and cancel as soon as the first shipment arrives. Keep in mind, the next shipment is often twice as expensive as the first one so don't miss the cancellation! You may want to add a reminder to your calendar to make sure you don't forget to cancel.
Cancelling usually involves signing into your profile and changing your subscription. Sometimes you need to send an email to their support with your member ID. A template for your churn email is "I want to cancel my subscription for Member ID: [your id] - thank you!".
We see new member offers such as $45 for 6 bottles (worth $120), $110 for a 12 bottle case (worth $240).
Of course, if you love the wine, stick around a little longer. The best wine clubs often curate quality wine from lesser-known brands or winemakers resulting in a more attractive price per bottle. That said, we recommend you take the 50% deal on your wine and move on to the next one. More than likely you'll get another offer from the wine club you just churned in the next few months.
5) Buy the bottle at the restaurant - save 30% or $120 per year
Buying a bottle of wine at a restaurant is almost always a better value than by the glass. If you go out to eat once a month and split a $45 bottle of wine, compared to getting four $17 glasses of similar quality, you’ll save $23 or 30%. If you're worried about committing to a bottle without knowing what it tastes like, ask for a sample. Restaurant that sell the wine by the glass are typically willing to pour you a taste.
How to maximize savings: Some states let you cork any unfinished wine and take it home.
6) Bring your own wine (BYOW) to the restaurant - save 50% or $200 per year
To maximize wine value at restaurants, look for restaurants that offer BYOW. This allows you avoid the restaurant's substantial wine price markup. Some sites like Corkagefee.com let you find restaurants that offer BYOW.
How to maximize savings: Look at the menus for a ‘cork fee’, which indicates they allow BYOW for a small fee, or ask your servers about BYOW.
7) Get the case deal at the wine store - save 20% or $260 per year
Many grocery chains and wine cellars have special deals for case buys(12 bottles) or half cases (6 bottles). These deals are typically between 10% and 30% off normal bottle pricing.
How to maximize savings: Keep an eye out of for case specials. Some well known places that offer wine discounts with bulk purchases include Bevmo, Total Wine, Kroger, Safeway, Albertsons, and many local wine shops. If you don't see a deal offered, ask about case specials!
Ready to save more? Subscribe to this email list for more tips and a 20% off your first order of ArT Wine Preserver.