Anthony Gismondi: How to outsmart these increasingly high wine prices

The savvier you become when purchasing wine, the more you force retailers to up their game. It’s your money, spend it wisely.

Published Jan 11, 2025  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  7 minute read

Photo by Silberkorn /Getty Images

There is little doubt that high wine prices will remain a significant factor in declining wine sales in 2025. I wish I could say wineries and retailers will end the madness. Still, rising input costs, declining sales, ongoing climate calamities in the vineyard, and blatant political interference from the U.S. government threatening tariffs on everything and everybody has left sellers little room to manoeuvre.

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We have been saying forever that your best defence against overpaying for wine is to become a savvy buyer. It doesn’t mean you need to be a master of wine, but a little research, a trusted guide, and your preferences could make a big difference. It may be time to finally make that master list of producers year in and year who make quality, affordable wine you can count on. My go-to list is global, and depending on what I am looking for or how much I want to spend, I know I can count on my list of producers to care and make an introductory wine that will appeal to anyone who enjoys a decent glass of wine for dinner.

The story is simple: a number of famous producers making famous wines sold at commensurate prices are also committed to bucking the less-is-more philosophy regarding production when making an enormous effort to produce quality entry-level wines to reward their customers on a budget. It is a category growing larger by the day.  Here’s a look at a few that have been working in the B.C. market for over a decade that you might want to add to your phone’s go-to wine list.

Kendall-Jackson has made a name for itself with access to some of the best hillside vineyards up and down the California coast. The Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay has finally started selling with a screwcap, and if you are a fan of modern California Chardonnay, it is as solid as you can get for less than $25.

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The La Crema labels, part of Jackson Family Wines, have released several high-quality Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Sonoma Coast and Monterey County for under $35. The company recently expanded to Oregon and is expected to release a La Crema label from its new vineyard on Vancouver Island.

Jean Claude Mas is a Languedoc producer who owns numerous estates and produces countless labels under the Paul Mas moniker. Still, very few of his competitors can compete with five of his labels selling in B.C. for less than $20 and often on sale for $15 — look for the Viognier, Malbec, or Grenache to get started, and perhaps his best-value Languedoc red blend, Arrogant Frog.

Chile’s Concha y Toro is famous for its $250 Almaviva Red Blend and $150 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon. Still, you can get all that expertise and terroir in its outstanding  Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon for $28 and the Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon for $17.

The Frescobaldi Family has been making wine in Tuscany for 30 generations, and while their top Tuscan reds sell for hundreds of dollars, you can access the Frescobaldi Chianti Rufina Riserva for $28 and the Frescobaldi Chianti Castiglione for $20. Both are well made and are excellent introductions to the Sangiovese grape and Tuscan red wine. Frescobaldi is a solid name for your go-to list.

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The Famille Perrin makes a wide range of high-end Rhone wines, but if you are looking for a solid everyday bottle of red, white, and rosé, there is not much that can touch their La Vieille Ferme lineup of Côtes du Luberon and Ventoux labels, which sells for only $14.99.

Mouton Cadet is another brand that has improved. It offers entry-level Bordeaux at terrific prices. Three excellent value labels, Mouton Cadet Rouge, Blanc, and Rosé, are available for $20, $19, and $23, respectively.

We will add more names during the year and expand the list to 25 or 30 names you can bet on weekly. For now, we repeat, the savvier you become when purchasing wine, the more you force retailers to up their game. It’s your money, spend it wisely.

Weekend wine picks

Acacia Chardonnay 2022, California

$12.99 I 87/100

UPC: 00089819008940

Acacia has a storied reputation for making Chardonnay, so it’s a qualified name to look for, but making a $19 California Chardonnay (on sale for $12.99) seems too good to be true. That said, it deserves a look, and I think this Chardonnay will have broad appeal for anyone who likes a glass of balanced wine with the richness of the California sun, a touch of lemon-lime, peach and a dollop of caramel and toasted oak. It’s a bargain if you prefer the standard, entry-level style.

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Fontanafredda Briccotonda Arneis 2021, Piedmont, Italy

$17.99 I 88/100

UPC: 08000174350026

Italy is the theme of next month’s wine festival, and Arneis is one of its grapes that deserves more attention. The grapes are picked, pressed, and fermented before aging briefly in stainless steel for four to five months. There is no malolactic fermentation to keep it fresh and bright. The palate is a mix of exotic fruit, honey, and pears that slide down easily. It is a versatile food wine with seafood hors-d’oeuvre or assorted pasta dishes.

Arrogant Frog Ribet Red Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot 2019, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc, France

$15.99 I 87/100

UPC: 03760040424941

The not-so-arrogant Frog by Paul Mas Wines is a savoury, soft Languedoc red representing terrific value. It’s grown between the Mediterranean Sea and the Hérault Valley from 20- to 40-year-old vines. The palate contains black jammy fruit, chocolate, blackberries, and glossy vanilla (via 25 per cent new French oak aging). This modern red from the south of France overdelivers for its price.

Garzón Cabernet de Corte 2020, Garzón, Maldonado, San José, Uruguay

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$20.97 I 89/100

UPC: 7730951081317

Bodega Garzón is the star of Uruguay. Corte translates to blend; in this case, it is 80 per cent Cabernet Franc, 10 per cent Tannat, 5 per cent Merlot, and 5 per cent Marselan. The secret to this wine is the styling. They preach elegance at Garzon, so expect a tight mix of red and black fruit that opens with violets and wet stone, followed by raspberries, blackberries, and green pepper, kissed with dark chocolate. There is no oak here, just pure terroir.

Père Anselme La Fiole Réserve Côtes du Rhône Villages, Rhone Valley, France

$25.99 I 88/100

UPC: 03217661016593

The unique twisted bottle used by La Fiole was designed and made in 1952 with the co-operation of local Provençal glass and ceramic artisans. Its shape represents the gnarled, twisted vines typical of the region due to the constant struggle to grow against the Mistral wind. A strict selection of Grenache and Syrah leads to a deep colour, black and red fruit with sturdy tannins, cocoa, licorice, and plenty of freshness. Think lamb chops or a pork roast to assimilate all the youthful edges.

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Calendar items

B.C. Hospitality Foundation reminds you that all Legacy scholarships are now open to receive applications for 2025. Please note that the Wine Development Legacy Scholarship deadline is Jan. 24  and judges require complete applications by that date to award the scholarship at the International Wine Festival luncheon. Candidates can apply for all open scholarships by filling out the appropriate scholarship form. Applicants will be awarded only one scholarship per year and will not be awarded the same scholarship twice in a row. Scholarships will be granted, and the disbursement of funds will be held in trust until the successful applicant provides a completion document for the corresponding enrolment period, as indicated on the application form.

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As only esteemed writer Andrew Jefford could pen, in his recent Decanter Magazine article, he described Bordeaux as “the most obvious, unoriginal and unhip ‘favourite wine’ in existence, but at its best it’s also the most subtle, refined and complex red wine of all.” Véronique Sanders, CEO of Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, responded to her neighbours that they consider changing “the conversation around Bordeaux, calming tempers, get back to the fundamentals and keep moving on, instead of sawing off the branch we’re sitting on?” She went on to say, “Let’s break down the armour, get out of our backyard, show off our strengths and the tremendous progress we’ve made over the last three decades pursuing granular knowledge of our soils, attentive care of our vines and the constant refinement of our winemaking processes, thanks to considerable investment in the most advanced technologies.”

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B.C. wine of the week

Chronos Carpo 2022, Oliver, Okanagan Valley, B.C.

$34.99 I 91/100

UPC: 696852145077

Carpo gets its name from the Greek goddess of fruitfulness; it gets its style from winemaker Lynzee Schatz, who selects the grapes for the blend at peak ripeness. In 2022, it worked out to be a 30/25/20/15/10 mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec; Schatz is known for her light hands in the winery, leaving her wines to express their origins, not their maker. Look for an attractive red that opens with black cherry compote and raspberry jam notes. The palate is round and soft, and the tannins are rich but with no rough edges. The finish is medium long and dry in an excellent young red wine — no rush to drink this before 2027 and beyond. Good value.

Value wine of the week

M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers Rouge 2021, Crozes Hermitage, Rhone Valley, France

$28.49 I 90/100

UPC: 03391180001749

The Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage comes off the lower slopes and the flats south and east of the hill Hermitage. The Les Meysonniers vines are over a quarter-century old and are  100 per cent farmed organic. Chapoutier suggests the vineyard’s soils allow the roots to go deep, tapping minerality you do not see in other Crozes-Hermitage. The nose is an attractive mix of red and black plum fruit with black pepper spicing and a dusting of Garrigue. Look for a meaty, peppery, savoury red on the palate, currently on sale at a giveaway price.

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