Deconstructing Wine Buyers

Perhaps the most striking statistic is that 50 per cent of total wine sales now occur outside of government liquor stores. The bulk of that is in private wine shops and restaurants but after that the information on the private side is, well, private.

Inside government stores the figures are richer. The price brackets garnering all the attention from shoppers, and showing significant growth, involve wines selling for $13 to $14.99 per bottle and $15 to $19.99. Wines over $25 are still falling in popularity. What's interesting about those numbers is if you double them or even multiply by 2.5 you would expect a healthy selection of wines on local wine lists between $30 and $45. Good luck.

My favourite statistics describe you, the shoppers. Can you find yourself in any of the following groups?

The largest number of shoppers in BC Liquor stores are the "spontaneous." This segment makes up 22 per cent, or nearly one out of every four buyers. In short, you have no idea what you are going to buy before you get to the store. That would lead me to believe that you are just curious and love to explore new wines. Hooray to that, although I'm sure any winery would be happy to know why you might select its wine spontaneously. I'm betting the label, a review, a friend, a grape or an appellation may have influenced you in some way long before you arrived at the store.

Next up, at 17 per cent, are the "bargain hunters," the "mainstream" and the "swayable." The first two seem self-evident while the swayable are presumably influenced by store clerks, shelf talkers, smartphone wine applications or in-store tastings -- really who else would be swaying you in the store? Eleven per cent of you are "advisable," presumably that means you are open to dialogue with store clerks (but you are not swayable) while 13 per cent of you are deal seekers and 6 per cent of you thrifty regulars.

That said, I'm going to try to sway you to be spontaneous and look for some thrifty deals, bargains if you like, that are sort of mainstream. The idea is to kick-start your spring weekend. As I write this, the weekend forecast is less than springlike. So I'm guessing patio parties are on hold for the moment but if your wine drinking is weather dependent, then just clip and hold, or save the link for a week or two. Otherwise press on.

Perhaps the biggest buy of the year so far is the Beso de Vino Selección Syrah/Garnacha 2009 from Cariñena Spain. Such a supple, full and warm juicy red with acidity. You'll love its plum jam, orange, meaty, chocolate and savoury black cherry, licorice flavours. Simply put, this one over delivers. Try it with most anything grilled on the barbecue. Ready to drink and there is a huge supply.

Last week we raved about a chardonnay/albariño blend from Spain. This week it is bombino and chardonnay from Italy: Paiara Puglia Bianco 2007 from Apulia. Look for aromas of citrus, butter, nettle and nectarine skin in what is an amazingly crisp, fresh white from southern Italy. The palate is mix of peachy, citrus fruit with a flash of ginger in the back end. This is a wine drinker's wine at a bargain price.

The arrival of the Quails' Gate Rosé 2010 is a fine harbinger of spring. The 2010 version is another well constructed tight, fruity, mineral rosé with a delicious food upside. The nose is a blend of sweaty grapefruit and rhubarb with bits of tangerine and citrus. Über fresh and dry, this will be perfect with so many summer menu items. Crab would be ideal.

I've been impressed with the restoration of the Frescobaldi Remole Chianti 2008 during the past couple of years. It is an all-estate fruit blend that is primarily sangiovese with a bit of cabernet sauvignon added that presents peppery, earthy, smoky black cherry and barnyard on the nose while the palate is round, supple and forward with cherry, tobacco, cassis and meaty flavours. Good solid value in a mid-week spaghetti red.

Our final nod to Spain for a bit is Castaño C Monastrell 2009 from Yecla, Spain. This is a lot of wine for $11 with its big chocolate, prune/plum nose with clean, black cherry, licorice, pepper and menthol aromas. The palate is supple and fresh with more peppery, leather, black cherry, floral, licorice, savoury and earthy flavours. It has fine fruit and balance with a fresh finish. A definite barbecue favourite for 2011 and one of the best we have seen from winemaker Daniel Castaño.

Finally the latest Chat-en-Oeuf Côtes du Ventoux 2009 from the Southern Rhone is a delicious grenache-syrah blend from a great year. You can smell its peppery, black licorice, black cherry aromas. It has a supple, juicy palate with black cherry/licorice, garrigue, smoky flavours. Good fruit and intensity at a great price from a good year in the Rhone.

Beso de Vino Selección Syrah/Garnacha

Syrah -Grenache 2009, Cariñena, Aragon, Spain

Price: $13

UPC: 00814095009974

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Excellent value in an affordable, quality red wine.

Paiara Puglia Bianco 2007, Apulia, Italy

Price: $12

UPC: 8026530000626

Score: 86/100

Remarks: A wine drinker's wine at a bargain price.

Quails' Gate Rosé 2010, Okanagan Valley, B.C.

Price: $15

UPC: 778856110241

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Über fresh and dry. Crab would be ideal.

Frescobaldi Remole Chianti 2008, Tuscany, Italy

Price: $15

UPC: 8007425200017

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Good solid value in a mid-week spaghetti red.

Castaño C Monastrell 2009, Yecla, Valencia and Murcia, Spain

Price: $11

UPC: 8422443001208

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Great value. Serve liberally around the barbecue.

Chat-en-Oeuf Côtes du Ventoux Grenache -Syrah 2009, Rhone Valley, France

Price: $13

UPC: 3430560001419

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Fine fruit and intensity at a great price from a good year in the Rhone.