Bonus Episode - Keith's Wine Buying Tips: From Supermarkets to Boutique Shops

Uncorking Wine Buying Tips: From Supermarkets to Boutique Shops

 

In this episode of After Wine School, Keith Wallace steps in solo as Alana Zerbe embarks on an intriguing NASA mission. Keith demystifies wine buying by discussing four major types of wine shops in the U.S.: Supermarkets and National Chains, Big Box Wine Shops, Boutique City Wine Shops, and Suburban Mall Wine Shops. He offers insights and insider tips on selecting wines, particularly for those interested in wine education and sommelier training. Sponsored by the National Wine School, this episode provides a blend of practical advice and wine expertise.

 

00:00 Introduction to After Wine School

00:41 Alana's Top-Secret Mission and Keith's Wine Shop Guide

01:13 Supermarkets and National Chains

01:51 Big Box Wine Shops

03:08 Boutique City Wine Shops

04:03 Suburban Mall Wine Shops

04:48 Conclusion and Farewell

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Welcome to After Wine School, the podcast that demystifies wine and makes it approachable for everyone.
Join Keith Wallace and Alana Zerbe, two of the nation's leading wine experts, as they uncork everything you need to know about wine, from picking the right bottle to mastering unforgettable food and wine pairings.
This isn't about stuffy lectures or confusing jargon.

(00:26):
It's about enjoying wine the way it's meant to be.
So grab a glass.
And let's dive in.
Don't forget to subscribe to After Wine School today.
In this episode, Alana is off on a top-secret mission—something about helping NASA develop a new sparkling wine packaging for their journey to Mars.

(00:51):
While she’s busy with intergalactic wine innovation, Keith steps in to break down the four major types of wine shops and share insider tips on how to buy wine like a pro.
Keith focuses on how he buys wine for the sommelier training programs he is famous for running. 11 00:01:07,3.5 --> 00:01:07,743.499 Welcome, welcome. 12 00:01:07,813.5 --> 00:01:12,393.5 Here are your four places to buy wine in the United States. 13 00:01:12,443.5 --> 00:01:13,223.5 Part 1. 14 00:01:13,783.5 --> 00:01:16,183.499 Supermarkets and National Chains. 15 00:01:16,183.499 --> 00:01:21,703.498 These are amazing places to buy wine, especially for newbies. 16 00:01:22,233.499 --> 00:01:27,203.499 Because you can walk in, and you can pick a bottle of wine, and you're probably going to like it. 17 00:01:27,513.499 --> 00:01:28,783.499 That's actually very rare. 18 00:01:29,593.499 --> 00:01:33,173.4985 This makes them the cheesecake factory of the wine industry. 19 00:01:33,173.4985 --> 00:01:44,388.498 Part And that's impressive, but, and here's the big but, these places are not great for picking wines for sommelier classes or wine education. 20 00:01:44,688.499 --> 00:01:50,978.5 So I skip this if I want to learn about wine, but if I just want to have an enjoyable bottle, this is a great place to go. 21 00:01:51,978.5 --> 00:01:55,188.501 Part two, big box wine shops. 22 00:01:56,98.501 --> 00:02:00,838.5 I shop a lot here, both in person and online. 23 00:02:00,838.6 --> 00:02:04,868.501 And the reason for that is because they have everything. 24 00:02:04,868.501 --> 00:02:06,8.501 They have the bandwidth. 25 00:02:06,418.501 --> 00:02:09,708.5 They have the buying power to get really interesting wines. 26 00:02:11,193.501 --> 00:02:12,733.501 They have a lot of other things too. 27 00:02:12,733.501 --> 00:02:34,783.501 So yeah, they have your everyday wines and they have your end of the rainbow wines, your premium Lux wines, but they almost always have a fantastic selection of varietally correct wines and regionally specific wines, things that are perfect for small EA classes and just, you know, wine tastings in general, highly recommend these. 28 00:02:36,623.501 --> 00:02:52,583.501 After wine school is proudly supported by the National Wine School, the gold standard, and professional wine certifications, whether you're dreaming of a career in the wine industry or just eager to take your wine knowledge to the next level, the National Wine School has you covered. 29 00:02:53,23.501 --> 00:02:58,393.501 Their programs are trusted, rigorous, and designed for aspiring wine pros like you. 30 00:03:00,813.501 --> 00:03:05,493.501 Visit Wine School us to learn more and start your journey today. 31 00:03:08,63.501 --> 00:03:14,603.501 Where to buy wines in the United States, part three, the Boutique City Wine Shop. 32 00:03:15,903.501 --> 00:03:21,33.501 These are fantastic and geeky and delightful. 33 00:03:21,223.501 --> 00:03:28,983.501 You walk in and you find so many obscure, interesting wines here, things you probably didn't know about. 34 00:03:28,983.601 --> 00:03:35,463.501 Now, if you are an L3 sommelier or an advanced sommelier, this is fantastic to go find things that. 35 00:03:35,838.501 --> 00:03:38,68.501 Maybe you've heard of maybe you have it. 36 00:03:38,428.501 --> 00:03:48,528.5 It's a great place to explore but for wine education they're not great because These are not going to be variety correct or regionally correct wines. 37 00:03:48,528.501 --> 00:04:02,938.5 They're going to be interesting super super interesting wines Really worth it to try and enjoy and experience, but not really great for wine education Where to buy wine in the United States, part four. 38 00:04:03,228.501 --> 00:04:05,218.501 The Suburban Mall Wine Shop. 39 00:04:06,318.501 --> 00:04:07,428.5 These wine shops. 40 00:04:07,938.501 --> 00:04:08,718.501 are hit or miss. 41 00:04:08,728.501 --> 00:04:11,878.501 Some are absolutely fantastic, some are not. 42 00:04:12,438.501 --> 00:04:16,718.501 It really depends on who the wine buyer is, so get to know who that is. 43 00:04:16,948.501 --> 00:04:22,918.501 And if they have their L3 or Advanced Sommelier certification, they're probably legit. 44 00:04:24,348.501 --> 00:04:34,998.501 Some will just focus on highly rated wines that are some wine critic liked, but then some will have a really great selection of mid tier wines. 45 00:04:35,338.5 --> 00:04:39,198.5 These are the wines that tend to be regionally and variety correct. 46 00:04:39,238.5 --> 00:04:48,388.501 Things that are great for wine classes, really great for small a classes, but you don't know until you walk through those doors. 47 00:04:51,658.501 --> 00:04:54,638.501 Thanks for spending time with us on After Wine School. 48 00:04:55,178.501 --> 00:05:02,288.5 If you enjoyed today's episode, hit subscribe so you never miss out on more wine wisdom, tips, and laughs.