Supermarket wines
We are living through a period that has seen the biggest changes in the way wine is sold and consumed than ever before, writes columnist AJ Linn
When we get to a certain age it almost seems as if our contemporaries are giving up wine, whereas a few decades previously we were ... all just getting into it. We are living through a period that has seen the biggest changes in the way wine is sold and consumed than ever before. In most of Europe the days of the private wine merchant are, with a few notable exceptions, almost history, even though firms like London’s Berry Bros & Rudd and Justerini & Brooks still occupy an important place in the trade. As recently as the last century, the only businessmen in London who attended their offices in morning dress and top hats were solicitors, bank officers and wine merchants.
Supermarkets invariably offer good deals on wines, but check the vintage. Online wine suppliers may offer competitive prices, although shipping costs should be considered. Regular wine shops provide expert advice combined with home delivery but tend to be justifiably pricier.
However, these days most consumers get their wine from supermarkets, and it is no longer considered a down-market option. This shift in perception began around the end of the 1990s, coinciding with the financial crisis and changes in consumer behaviour. Prior to this, 55% of wine consumption in Spain occurred in restaurants and bars, but gradually more wine began to be consumed at home, and supermarkets expanded their wine selections to meet increased demand.
All respectable supermarket chains offer a wide selection of wines, many of them ‘own labels’, and notable locally are Carrefour, El Corte Inglés, Alcampo, Aldi, Lidl and Mercadona.
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