This topic has the potential to be very controversial but controversial is good; we like controversy at Lockett Bros, so let’s dive right in!
Expensive wines, worth it or not? Let’s throw that massive question on the table for you to ponder for a second. It’s a biggie, we know.
The thing about this subject is that it can spark some serious debate from both sides of the vineyard fence. Of course, if you feel particularly strong about it, then to you there will be no debate at all.
For a wine and spirits merchant to be asking this question might seem counter-intuitive but the importance of giving you fair and balanced information far outweighs making a beefy profit off expensive wines.
So, is it even a legitimate question to us? Of course it is. Perhaps the biggest point – and a potential debate killer – is the fact that it is completely and utterly subjective.
What’s expensive to you might not be to us or vice versa. Putting that to one side, let’s examine some evidence.
What makes a wine more expensive than another wine? Ah, now that’s a question! Well, perhaps to oversimplify this a little, it’s cut it down to three things: Time, terroir and oak. The wines that can boast these traits in abundance, as a rule of thumb, will be more expensive.
But what does that even mean? Aged wines will, for very obvious reasons, tend to cost more. There’s a higher production cost, the ageing wine takes up space, which costs money etc etc. But remember that just because a wine is older, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be better.
The ageing factor is almost always more important in red wines than it is whites, so keep that in mind.
The oak factor; this in itself is a subject that we could spend hours talking about (over a good wine obviously) and we’ll perhaps discuss it at more length in a future blog.
Oak-aged wine is a joy to drink, when it’s been done correctly. Those oaky notes, vanillas and spices and well-rounded tannins can transform a very good wine into a world-class wine, one that is quite heavenly.
This process, when done by the masters, exposes the wine to just enough oxygen, which can do wonderful things to that beautiful liquid. The producers that are truly the best at it, as you would expect, demand a handsome premium for the end product.
The third factor, and the most influential on the end price of the wine that’s in your glass, is the terroir.
Whoever said “location, location, location” was right, even if they weren’t talking about vineyards. It’s said that a truly great wine is made in the vineyard and there is a lot of truth to that.
Producers who want to offer the best possible grapes for their wine have to reduce the yield to improve the quality. The obvious knock-on effect is there’s less of it, driving up price.
As with anything of quality, it’s all in a name. Vineyards that have a reputation for producing world-class wines can demand the big money for the produce, even if some of them are relying on past glories.
When you end up with a bottle of wine that hits the mark on all three of these factors then the chances are you’ll be pulling out the credit card. Quality costs, it’s that simple.
But – and this is a big but – you don’t need to spend a fortune to enjoy a fantastic wine. It’s something we feel very strongly about.
Good wine has become far more accessible, especially in recent years.
This brings us to something of a conclusion and final answer: Yes, expensive wine is worth it if it really is world-class. But quality doesn’t need to cost you a fortune and we at Lockett Bros are pretty handy at sourcing fantastic wine at a good price.
