Are cheap wines really made from grapes?

[Mordac]

You can pick up a decent wine in Germany for £3, all local. I've never drunk a good wine in the UK.

If you weren't such a tightwad you'd find some excellent wines in the UK, but if that's your budget, you'd best stick to Blue Nun.

[NotAllThere]

If you weren't such a tightwad you'd find some excellent wines in the UK, but if that's your budget, you'd best stick to Blue Nun.

Blue Nun was invented by the Germans to sell cheap crap to the undiscriminating worldwide market. They keep their good stuff for themselves. And for €3 - €4 you can easily buy wine that in the UK will cost £6-£10. Mainly the expense in the UK is the duty.

Most EU countries have very low rates of duty on wine. It's those Northern ones (and the UK) who slap it on.


I find expensive wines are usually not worth the effort. A £20 bottle will taste (usually) better than a £10 bottle - but only in comparison. The £10 bottle will be very palatable. And you can get two!

[OwlHoot]

I look at the price (a bit) and the ABV figure. A nine quid bottle at 14% (or 13.5% at a pinch) does me fine. Anything much more than that is sheer wine snobbery, and I can't taste the difference anyway.

My big worry is added sugar, because I really don't want to think I am drinking alcoholic equivalent of coca cola!

I _hope_ it is illegal in the UK to sell wine with added sugar (unless clearly marked), but I suspect not.

I also draw the line at Cockburn's port, which seems to have a horrible synthetic taste - Must be Taylors or nothing!

[Lockhouse]

I take my wine seriously but it's just a matter of taste and what you like. There are bottles I'll pay £14 for which I think are stellar and others which I've paid £40 for that are meh. Whatever you like - go for it. Everyone's taste is different.

[d000hg]

So... considering a £8 bottle of wine, 20% is corporation tax

Nope.

THere is a minimum cost to produce a bottle of wine though. Duty, the cost of a bottle is 50p-£1 based on looking at bulk pricing in the past.
As you get down to the £5 mark, it is amazing anyone bothers to make it.

[NotAllThere]

I take my wine seriously but it's just a matter of taste and what you like. There are bottles I'll pay £14 for which I think are stellar and others which I've paid £40 for that are meh. Whatever you like - go for it. Everyone's taste is different.

This - I've tried St Emilion several times at various price levels and never liked it.

[OwlHoot]

As you get down to the £5 mark, it is amazing anyone bothers to make it.

Some people will drink any old gut rot to save a few pennies, one of my neighbours for example.

When she asks me to buy her a bottle of wine in the village shop, she specifically asks me to get the £5 bottle

My lower limit is around £8, although I'll use cheaper ones in casseroles.

But yes, the profit margin on a £5 bottle of plonk must be pretty slim.

[NigelJK]

My fave red is Primitivo from Puglia,

Try the Sainsburys TTTD one. Currently on Special at £6

[Gibbon]

This - I've tried St Emilion several times at various price levels and never liked it.

A man who doesn't like St Emilion Grand Cru, doesn't have a taste for life!

[Gibbon]

My lower limit is around £8, although I'll use cheaper ones in casseroles.