The vast majority of wine sold in Ireland is bought through less than a dozen supermarkets. I know many people find the simple act of buying a bottle of wine quite intimidating and head straight to their local supermarket so that they don’t run the risk of being patronised in a wine shop. Buying wine as part of the weekly shop is convenient and probably cheaper.
Because of their greater buying power, the multiples are able, if they so wish, to buy cheaper and sell cheaper than individual wine shops. They will generally have a greater range of less expensive wines, some of which offer good value for money. Others don’t. (Every Friday in The Irish Times online I recommend a couple of supermarket wines for the weekend.)
Supermarkets tend to focus on safe well-known names and brands that consumers will recognise, as they are rarely able to offer expert in-store advice.
An independent wine shop cannot hope to compete with a huge supermarket chain on price. In order to survive, it must offer something else to entice customers through the door. That should mean a better service, which can include everything from expert advice, local delivery, party glasses and other extras. But most important of all they should offer a better range of wines.
Passion is an overused term, but most of the people who run or work in wine shops have it. They will usually have a bigger range of more interesting, well-chosen wines on offer, from the quirky to the classics. They will be very happy to help you choose a nice bottle at whatever price you want to pay. Most will be friendly and helpful; after all they want your repeat business.
[ John Wilson: Time for a last blast of the summer wineOpens in new window ]
While independent shops are generally a little more expensive, many import some wines directly and can offer very competitive prices. Equally supermarkets can at times work off quite high margins.
Multiple specialists such as O’Briens, O’Donovan’s, Molloy’s and Carry Out try to bridge the gap between supermarket and independent retailer, offering the best of both worlds. Some do it better than others.
Then there are online wine companies, useful for those who don’t have a local source of good wine. Some, such as Greenacres, JNwine.com, Wines Direct, Le Caveau and Curious Wines have a retail presence as well but are better known as online specialists. Others like The Allotment, The Nude Wine Company and WineSpark are purely online. It is worth remembering that many of the independent wine shops offer an online service too.
So, where should you buy your wine? It depends on what kind of wine you want and how much you are willing to pay. I buy from all of the above. However, I am lucky to have a few very good independent shops and buy most of my wine there.
