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I sell wine for a large grocery chain. Consumers are very interested in wine, but it needs to be “ hand sold”. Most consumers are very intimidated by wines especially when they lack any knowledge of wines. They will often buy the same wine over and over because it’s a safe choice. Some will even buy based on the fanciest label or bottle. Customers appreciate a knowledgeable sales staff who will help them to find a great wine at a price with which they are comfortable. I have many customers who are developing a quite sophisticated taste in wines simply by being helped in their wine choice. Sadly many wine shops do not have a knowledgeable staff or who just push products made by large conglomerate wine makers and not wines from smaller wine makers or less common regional wines from Europe.

I agree that most places that sell wine, including many wine shops, do not have knowledgeable staff. And that some often push products that provide the store with the highest profit and that large producers are often in a position to provide the wholesaler with the ability to give greater discounts (usually known as post-offs in the trade).

That said, I have mixed feelings about shops that primarily push wines from small producers and relatively obscure regional European wines. IF the shop owner and the staff are really knowledgeable and if they don't use exclusivity as an excuse to jack prices up -- both big ifs and not common -- it can be rewarding for the consumer.

However, too often, small producers do not make better wines, just more expensive one (because their costs of production are greater, if for no other reason).

Many reputable large producers are very careful about the quality of their wines and will almost always provide fair value for the price. Their wines will rarely be fabulous (but it does happen....), but they will almost always be sound and well made, enjoyable for what they are.

For the average person whose interest in wine is limited, my advice is almost always to find a few reasonably large producers whose products you like year in and year out, rather than trying many boutique wineries without solid guidance.

In California, when you see those shiny tanker trucks from Cherokee Trucking going in both directions, it does make you think about the amount wine hauled from point A to point B and from point C to both points A and B. You get the idea. Wine is mostly a bunch of hooey from the marketing department. There are no little red-nosed winemakers. Those days are gone.

“They will often buy the same wine over and over because it’s Safe”

Second biggest bummer is spending $10-15 on a bottle of wine I’ve never tried before and find out it’s terrible.

First biggest bummer was being a kid, saving money for a new record album buying it and finding out it sucked.