I’m currently drinking a wine that costs 3 usd/1.5l bottle. I was wondering how do they manage to sell these at such a low price? What are they made out of?
In: 10
Still grapes (plus some additives.) The big points of cheap wine:
* Undistinguished land. In California, Napa Valley is famous for making great grapes, so it commands a premium. The Central Valley is more affordable land, you can grow grapes, they may not win many awards, but you can do volume.
* High-volume production and mechanical harvesting. Keeping labor costs down, accepting more dust and twigs in your grapes. Giant steel vats, not much aging and definitely not in oak barrels. Someone else overproduced? Buy up their dregs.
* Additives. Using whatever cheap land is available and quick production methods won’t make great-tasting wine, but using approved additives can balance the acidity/sweetness/flavor enough to make it drinkable.
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