We are new to collecting wine in the range of $100-$300. We like Bordeaux a lot, followed by CA and Italian reds. We shopped at Galeris Lafayette in Paris last month and felt there were some good deals there. We bought three wines from 2009/2010 in the range of 200 euros.
Encouraged by that experience, we are considering traveling to Europe and collect wines on the way back to USA.
Do people have recommendations regarding which countries and more specifically which shops would have great deals on price? The VAT return at Paris airport significantly helped.
I don’t think this is an amazing way to buy Bordeaux, as the prices are more standardized. Burgundy and Italian wines at the cellar door or nearby can be much cheaper in some cases.
My personal experience has been that French wine in France is more expensive that it is here in the U.S. Of thee 9 wines of interest to me at Ets Martin in St. Emilion, all 9 were more expensive than in the U.S. Sometimes by 20% or more. Then add shipping unless you are carrying them back.
Winesearcher Pro is a good way to check either before you leave or while in a shop. Takes a little time but it can save you a lot of money. The only possible advantage I have found was the provenance was often better or at least known on the wines in France.
Michael and Mich@el, thank you for your thoughtful responses. I’d like to take an example – Chateau La Mondotte 2016 is $290 at KL wines, $370 at Total Wine and $300 at wine.com. Wine Searcher shows the same wine is available in France: Aquitaine for $200. It looks like the prices are better in France. What do you think?
Mich@el, you are so right about Italian wines. Thank you for pointing that out.
I probably should have been more clear in my response. My experience is not with newly minted wines. I buy aged wines which are 1. difficult to find in the U.S. 2. Of 10 wines I bought while I was in Bordeaux in July 2019, all but one was more expensive that than they were in the U.S. The challenge for me is that I live in Texas, a state to which many retailers cannot legally ship therefore the wines are not available to me. I purchased wines from from vintages 1989 - 2000.
If you can do your research and find the wines at lower cost in their country of origin, by all means buy them. Allendale Wine Shoppe sell the 2016 Mondotte for ~$254 + shipping and B21 has it for ~$265 + shipping.
If you find the wine somewhere else in the world that has a better price:
Check out the retailer’s reputation as best you can.
Find out if they will ship to you and what the shipping costs are.
Make certain you know the total price including shipping and make sure the VAT has been deducted from the price. (In most countries to which we travel, VAT is included in the price presented.)
If you like what you see, pull the trigger. Pay with a credit card.
It can take several weeks for a shipment to arrive Europe, get through customs, and get handed off to a U.S. carrier. My average shipping cost per bottle in case lots from France has been ~$14 per bottle.
Welcome to the world of sourcing. Good luck.
Ps. Do not rely on the U.S. dollar price on the search screen of Wine-Searcher. It is rarely correct. I just checked a wine that I bought recently. The search response screen shows $100.91 but the price is 110€ or ~ $123.
If your taste runs to older Bordeaux, you might also want to check out some of the UK merchants. It has been the center of the wine trade for centuries, and prices are often excellent with good provenance. If you want to dabble with the really rare, having relationships with some of the is a necessity. Houses like Berry Bros, J & B, Farr, Bordeaux Index are all excellent, and I do well over half my shopping at L’Assemblage, who know what is on my wish list and actively source for me.
I just received an email from Mauro Fresia, Enoteca dell’Arte, Piedmont, Italy info@enotecadellarte.com which reminded that his company is a good source of mostly Italian wines. He typically has some other wine available too. I have bought some a long time ago but nothing recently. Enoteca dell'Arte – Vini pregiati dal mondo You can download his inventory in Excel from his website. About once a month, I receive an email with his current stock list. I also get some good information on Piemonte wines in the Barbaresco And Barolo closed group on Facebook.
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