5 Simple Money-Saving Tips When Buying Wine Online

Drinking and collecting wine can be an expensive hobby, but with a few simple tricks, you can cut down your cost and save money on wine. There are plenty of ways to save money when buying wine online beyond keeping an eye out for the occasional sale. If you're looking to keep your wine supply fresh without maxing out your credit card, here's our round-up of top money-saving tips for buying wine online. 

Know What You Like

Maybe you're a die-hard Pinot drinker. Or perhaps you prefer to sip on a new wine each week. Whatever your wine vibe, having a general idea of the types of wines or wine regions you like means you won't potentially waste money scooping up wines that won't sit well on your palate. If you're not entirely sure, don't be afraid to ask. Plenty of online retailers have a sommelier or wine concierge service you can consult for recommendations. If you give them a couple of examples, they'll get a general sense of the wines you go for and should be able to set you up with something delicious in your price range.

Skip the Bottle, Buy a Case

Drink wine regularly? Then it's time to stock up! Many online wine retailers offer discounts and free shipping when you purchase a case of wine. Others have flat shipping rates which make it more cost-efficient to buy in bulk rather than a bottle or two at a time. Ordering wine by the case is a fantastic way to shore up your wine stash, try out wines you've had your eye on, and save a bit of cash. Don't forget—it's always a good idea to do a little research to see which retailers have the best deals. Websites like wine-searcher.com let you compare prices between online shops so you can find the most affordable deals with ease.

Go Direct

In certain instances, buying wine directly from the winery can save you a few bucks, especially if you're picking up a case. Some wineries offer the option to buy en primeur. Here's how it works. You buy a case a year to a year and a half before the wine is bottled. Once it goes from barrel to bottle and ready to be shipped, the winery sends your case out to you. The practice is common in regions like Bordeaux and is associated with high-end, limited production bottlings. If you're a serious collector with money to burn, buying en primeur will get you the best price.

One other thing—with the current coronavirus outbreak, loads of local retailers now provide delivery. Hit up your neighborhood wine shop and see if they have a local delivery option.

Consider a Wine Club

Many wine retailers and wineries have wine clubs. There are definite pros and cons of signing up for a wine club, but if you drink wine on the regular, joining a wine club is worth your while. Not only do you get access to special members-only prices and you can often also save on delivery. Online retailers often have subscriptions featuring mixed cases, which can be an excellent way to try new wines from different regions—perfect if you're looking to broaden your horizons.

Wine shops often also feature different membership tiers, so you can choose the one that best suits your wine drinking habits. If you join a winery's club, you'll be able to pick up bottles that are often not carried in stores. Just be sure to check their shipping policy before you sign up.

Join a Loyalty Program

Your inbox is probably cluttered with promotional emails as is, but if you want to save a few bucks on wine, signing up to an online wine retailer's newsletter or loyalty program can have major rewards. Most online wine shops offer a discount when you sign up to receive emails, and these emails are a brilliant way to stay in the know when it comes to sales and weekly specials. Other retailers offer loyalty programs where you can earn points on every purchase to redeem for wine.

If you join a winery's loyalty program, you may get access to experiences such as dinners, winery events, and visits to the tasting room. This makes signing up worthwhile if you live near the wine country.

Drinking great wine doesn't need to be expensive. By making the most of wine clubs, buying in bulk, special deals, and even buying local, you can save money and still get to enjoy the wines you love.

Written by Camille Berry for Knockaround.