Is it really worth spending money on expensive wine?

How many of us can really say we know anything about wine? Most people are probably familiar with that feeling you get when you’re standing there looking at the endless rows of bottles, and have no idea what it is you’re actually supposed to be looking for. We assume that expensive wines are expensive for a reason and cheap wines should therefore probably be avoided, but is there really any truth to this? I have tried both cheap wines that have tasted fine, and expensive ones that have been horrible – that’s not always the case but they do exist and how are we supposed to know which ones to choose?

It’s like the theory that crystal wine glasses make wine taste better than regular glasses. It’s true that it is nicer to drink out of a crystal glass, they feel nice to hold and they make that lovely sound when you tap them, but I’ve yet to see any evidence that it actually affects the flavour of the drink. A nasty wine will taste nasty whatever you drink it from – just think of the familiar grimace on people’s faces when they take a sip from their posh celebratory Champagne flutes, only to be reminded that they’ve always hated Champagne and are only drinking it because it’s what you’re supposed to do.

A real wine buff would tell you they can guess the vintage of a good wine and the region where it was bottled purely from tasting it. However in the opening episode of BBC4’s recent mini documentary series entitled (rather inventively, I thought!) Wine, an interesting, and quite amusing, scene took place. A group of professional wine experts were given a taste from an unknown bottle and asked to guess its vintage. Most of the party guessed at somewhere around the 1980s, with the exception of one French expert who said 1928. As it turned out it was from 1870, proving that they really didn’t have a clue.

So do factors like the age and vintage of a wine really mean anything in terms of the quality of wine? If even some of the world’s most knowledgeable experts can’t tell the difference then it would seem that the answer is no, they probably don’t. Older wines are likely to be more rare, which might explain why they cost more, but I bet those experts could have got a whole crate of good 1980s wines for the same price as that one bottle from the 1800s would have cost. And in these credit crunch times do people really want to be paying so much more for fancy wines when it’s possible they could get one just as good – or maybe even nicer – in Threshers for under a tenner?

Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator Wine needs to breathe to allow it to open up, release its intended aromas, and of course, make it taste better. Vinturi’s patent pending design speeds up this process by instantly aerating with ease and convenience. The perfect aeration in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine….

The Original RedNek Wine Glass $4.20 Whether you’re swigging Moonshine or fine wine these ‘Redneck Wine Glasses’ are a fantastic way to have fun with your drinks! Also known as Mason Jar Wine Glasses these unique vessels will hold generous pours of your favorite beverage. Enjoy the party redneck style. Hand wash. Made in USA of lead-free glass….

Under Shelf Wrap Rack in WHITE model 1983W from Organize It All $7.99 You will receive (1) Under Shelf Wrap Rack by Organize It All – Model 1983W. About Organize It All Under Shelf Wrap Rack: Under Shelf Wrap Rack keeps aluminum wrap, plastic wrap, ziploc bags or wax paper rolls organized in one convenient location. Compact design is small enough to fit beneath cabinet, cupboard and pantry shelves. Eliminate clutter in a jiffy and find wrap in seconds. Looks gorge…

Barton Hollow $7.82 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed….

Lioness: Hidden Treasures $7.17 WINEHOUSE AMY LIONESS HIDDEN TREASURES…