# How Much for a Bottle of Wine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** wine\ **Created:** [April 17, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675 "2017-04-17T22:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/1 "2017-04-17T22:42:18Z")
Imagine you’re standing in the well stocked wine aisle of your local grocery, staring at the evening’s offerings. You might glance down at the bottom row, see the $5 jugs and start thinking about “bang for the buck”. Or, your eyes might flick up to the top row of anti-theft bottles with triple digit prices and wonder what type of person would pay that much for something that isn’t gold plated or come with air conditioning. For a normal, once a week bottle, I usually find that $10-$15 is the sweet spot which is pleasant enough to drink but not so much that I worry about the cost. On rare occasions, I may splurge up to $40 a bottle but spending more than that is usually the province of company credit cards. What’s (1) your preferred price range for a typical bottle and (2) the most you’ll pay out of pocket for a once-in-a-while bottle? ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/2 "2017-04-17T23:01:04Z")
I don’t drink wine very often, and purchase even less. But when I do (or did), I went for the big jug of carlo rossi. Just a wee bit better than boxed wines. For gifts for other people, I spend about $20. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/3 "2017-04-17T23:02:56Z")
$10-$15 is about right. If we buy a 30 bottle, it's because they're running a "Buy one, get a second for .05" sale at Bevmo. Of course, if wine is the beverage on a warm summer day, I’ll grab a jug of Carlo Rossi Paisano or Gallo Hearty Burgundy and make sangria. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/4 "2017-04-17T23:07:12Z")
$10-ish for white; $15-ish for red. I get my more expensive stuff from the wine clubs I’m in. For every day drinking, the above works out pretty well (that’s a Safeway, with their nice, club discount; add 20% for standard retail at a liquor store). ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/5 "2017-04-17T23:12:43Z")
Jam Jar costs $10 a bottle and that’s what I pay. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/6 "2017-04-17T23:15:54Z")
Generally 15-20 dollars for a drinkable table wine. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/7 "2017-04-17T23:20:54Z")
I keep my eyes within a couple of bucks of $15 for daily use. These are NYC prices, but I nearly always buy by the case, for a 10-15% discount. For special occasions, the sky’s the limit, depending on the occasion. (To be honest, never paid more than $100 for a single bottle) Given interstate tax levels, I rarely drink west coast wines – some of which I love – because value-for-money is better with French, Italian, and Spanish imports. If I’m in California, Oregon, or Washington though, don’t get in between me and the “local” shelves. ---
**Author:** ![RadioWave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/91b2a8/32.png) [@RadioWave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RadioWave)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/8 "2017-04-17T23:40:50Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > For special occasions, the sky’s the limit, depending on the occasion. (To be honest, never paid more than $100 for a single bottle) That’s a mighty low horizon you’ve got there 😉 One of the reasons for starting this thread was remembering a guy who once told me he never bought anything less than $100 a bottle. At the time, I thought the guy was an idiot but it did make me wonder if I’m just cheap. Based on the responses, it seems like $10-15 is pretty normal. Whew. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/9 "2017-04-18T00:04:56Z")
$9 for a bottle of Coppola Claret at Costco, once in a rare while. I used to go to TJ’s every week for a few bottles of their Two-Buck Chuck, but that didn’t turn out so good in the long run. I mostly stick to beer these days. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/10 "2017-04-18T00:23:11Z")
The $15 range is about right for me here in the US, which equates to wine selling for 5 euro range when there. The US is obsessed with charging too much. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/11 "2017-04-18T00:25:35Z")
> [@RadioWave](#): > > That’s a mighty low horizon you’ve got there 😉 > > One of the reasons for starting this thread was remembering a guy who once told me he never bought anything less than $100 a bottle. At the time, I thought the guy was an idiot but it did make me wonder if I’m just cheap. Based on the responses, it seems like $10-15 is pretty normal. Just checked with the wife; we paid $100 exactly once and were “Y’know, this isn’t appreciably better than a $50 bottle.” Plus or minus $10 was our norm until our late 20s, when we decided we were good enough to upgrade to $15. I assumed by this time in our lives we’d be drinking a $50 bottle every night, at least. Nah, still around $15. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/12 "2017-04-18T00:27:32Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > The $15 range is about right for me here in the US, which equates to wine selling for 5 euro range when there. The US is obsessed with charging too much. Also, in France, a cheap supermarket wine is often better than a fancy bottle exported to the U.S. and selling here for over $25. Remember than wine is still a “luxury item” in America, not a generally accepted part of daily life. After all these years and all those immigrants, we’re still not used to it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/13 "2017-04-18T01:23:51Z")
Heck, it was even illegal for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/14 "2017-04-18T01:32:14Z")
The wines we consistently like and drink are in the $6-and-change for whites (Chateau Saint Michelle, sometimes Hogue) and $12-ish for reds (Chateau Saint Michelle, The Expedition). We’ve spent nearly thirty on a bottle of pinot noir for a special occasion. We like our cheapies so much that it isn’t really a thing these-a-days, though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/15 "2017-04-18T01:35:15Z")
Honestly, for everyday drinking, I’m fine with the $5 or $6 Yellowtail or Barefoot. At that price range, I generally buy white. That said, for special occasions, I don’t really go above $50 a bottle. I enjoy wine, but it’s a cheap drink for me. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/16 "2017-04-18T01:42:10Z")
If I am going to grill a thick, rib eye from Costco, I will double the price of my normal wine. Gotta have a nice wine with a nice steak, right? So, I will carefully select a $15 bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/17 "2017-04-18T01:53:33Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Heck, it was even illegal for a while. That’s the excuse I make for why New York State wines taste like goat piss. “So the country is 241 years old, but there was a 14 year period where you couldn’t make wine legally, so everybody in New York completely forgot how to do it, and haven’t managed to re-learn over the past 83 years. Yeah. That’s the ticket.” ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/18 "2017-04-18T01:53:49Z")
Steak demands a good Barolo or Barbera. For those I’ll spend a few more dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/19 "2017-04-18T01:59:02Z")
My every week wine is $10-20. Once a month I splurge and do $40. I’ve tried $80 and I didn’t like the result even compared to the $40 but would be willing to give it another go if the description sounded right. > [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > That’s the excuse I make for why New York State wines taste like goat piss. Hey, they’re pretty good for the New World. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675/20 "2017-04-18T02:06:31Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Honestly, for everyday drinking, I’m fine with the $5 or $6 Yellowtail or Barefoot. At that price range, I generally buy white. That said, for special occasions, I don’t really go above $50 a bottle. I enjoy wine, but it’s a cheap drink for me. I’ve often said that anyone can buy a great bottle of wine for $100. It takes some level of skill to do that at $50. 🙂 > [@silenus](#): > > Steak demands a good Barolo or Barbera. For those I’ll spend a few more dollars. Or Malbec. I don’t eat steak often, but when I do, I prefer a Malbec. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-a-bottle-of-wine/784675.md?page=2)