Whether you're looking for the perfect wine to celebrate with friends, or searching for the right bottle to pair with your Thanksgiving meal, the cost of enough good wine for a group can quickly add up. Sure, Trader Joe's somehow has incredibly cheap wine and always has your back. But if you want something in between luxe and cheap, Lexi Stephens, sommelier and owner of Lexi's Wine List , has some tips for sourcing good quality affordable wine every time.
According to Stephens, two of the main factors that determine wine pricing are grape variety and vineyard location. Some grape varieties grow more easily, allowing wines made from them to be priced lower than more rare, finicky grapes. Hunting for wines that aren't from the most popular vineyards, especially from top wine destinations like Napa Valley or Sonoma, can also help.
"Not all 'cheap' wine is bad," Stephens says. "You can find really incredible affordable (or 'cheap') wines from underrated regions and lesser known grapes." Putting this advice into action How to seek out those underrated gems? One of the easiest ways is to talk to the experts in person.
Go to your local wine shop and talking to the sommeliers there. They're likely to have some lesser-known wines in stock, as well as having an extensive knowledge of what's good. They're also, unlike fancy destination restaurants, more likely to focus on retaining customers who will come back time and time again, which is more likely if the wine is priced affordably.
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