When Will Wine Prices Go Down?
By James Oliver Cury
If there's any silver lining to a recession, it's that prices for some consumables might fall. I'm looking forward to the day when I can go into a restaurant and order a decent bottle of wine for something less than three times what it costs at the store next door. It's not that I can't afford it. Or don't want to support my local eatery (which needs the markup to pay the rent). I just feel like a sucker every time I pay $45 for a $15 wine. And I know I can get OK bottles for even less than $15 at the supermarkets these days. But not for much less than that. (Note: Even the best bottles of beer, somehow, never cost as much as some crappy wines.)
Obviously, I am not alone in my dissatisfaction. The New York Times's Eric Asimov is keenly aware of the need for "value" wines. And so is the critic at Slate, whose article "Good News About the Recession" inspired this post.
Some questions: What's the highest price a value wine (or bargain) wine should cost at the local retailer? Must it be under $12? Under $15? Under $20? And what's the most the markup should be at a restaurant? Twice the retail cost? $20? Sliding scale? On a related note, has anyone seen wine prices drop at restaurants yet? I'm thirsty.
Previously: November Wine News
Read more from the Epi-Log at Epicurious.com.
